Day 08: Kandy / Nuwara Eliya
Today you will drive through the hill country to Nuwara Eliya.
En route you will stop at a tea factory and tea plantation where you will have the opportunity to learn more about the tea making process and the different grades of tea.
Located in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country at an elevation of 1900m, Nuwara Eliya was a favoured retreat of the British in the19th Century thanks to its cool climate. With an abundance of red and green roofed plantation bungalows, English country style homes, a fine 18 hole golf course and a racecourse, the town still has a decidedly British feel. The surrounding mountain slopes and valleys are carpeted with lush green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls.
Take a walk around the town centre, passing the Victorian post office, the old Hill Club and golf course before a stop at Holy Trinity Church, a quaint building constructed by the British in the mid-19th Century. Continue to your hotel, where the rest of the day is at leisure.
Overnight at Jetwing St Andrew’s (Superior Room)
Day 09: Nuwara Eliya / Horton Plains / Nuwara Eliya
Early this morning, you will depart from your hotel for the drive to Horton Plains National Park. It’s best to depart as early as possible as the mists build up as the day continues, obscuring the view from World’s End. We suggest you ask your hotel the night before if they can prepare a packed breakfast for your journey.
Horton Plains National Park sits on Sri Lanka's highest plateau at over 2100m above sea level in the central mountains and offers an astounding variety of scenery – from misty mountains to grasslands, from marshes to ice cold streams, lakes and waterfalls. The park is home to colourful butterflies, many species of birds and other wildlife including sambar deer, bear monkeys, barking deer, giant squirrels, fishing cats and wild boar.
On your 2-3 hour hike (approx. 9km) you will stop at the beautiful ‘Bridal Veil’ Baker’s Falls and stop at the World’s End escarpment, where the plateau plunges almost 1000m in a sheer drop. If the weather is clear this spot affords spectacular views. This is a relatively easy hike but over uneven terrain with some steep sections. You should wear sensible footwear and take drinking water.
Drive back to your hotel around lunchtime and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
Overnight at Jetwing St Andrew’s (Superior Room)
Day 10: Nuwara Eliya / Udawalawe
After breakfast, you will drive on to Udawalawe National Park for an afternoon jeep safari.
Uda Walawe National Park is renowned as one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see elephants. Centred on a large reservoir the light vegetation makes game watching easy and most visitors will be graced with numerous sightings of herds of these gentle giants as they roam the grassland and scrub landscapes. The park also hosts many other species such as water buffalo, sambar deer, monkeys and the occasional leopard. It is also a wonderful place to enjoy birding.
Overnight at Grand Udawalwe Safari Resort (Deluxe Room)
Day 11: Udawalawe / Yala
Start the morning at the Elephant Transit Home, a small facility on the border of the national park which cares for orphan elephants until they are ready to be released into the wild. You’ll watch from behind a barrier as the elephants follow the keeper into the compound and eagerly await their turn to receive their milk.
On completion, drive towards your hotel in nears the Yala National Park.
Yala National Park is one of the largest national parks in the country with a varied terrain of dry woodland and grassy plains which supports an abundance of wildlife. It is home to a large number of elephants, spotted deer, sambar, wild buffalo, jackals, mongoose and crocodiles. The park boasts one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, but they are elusive creatures so any sighting is sure to be a highlight. Yala National Park is also home to ancient ruins and this mixture of natural beauty, wildlife and ancient culture make this park a national treasure.
Overnight at Jetwing Yala (Superior Room)
Day 12: Yala
Enjoy an early morning game drive around Yala National Park. You will be picked up early and proceed in your jeep to the park entrance to collect tickets prior to the park opening. In busy periods this process may take up to 45 minutes.
Return to your hotel for a late breakfast and unwind before another game drive in the late afternoon.
Overnight at Jetwing Yala (Superior Room)
Day 13: Yala / Galle
After breakfast, you will drive to Gallestopping en route at a turtle hatchery.
Sri Lanka is home to five endangered species of turtle: leathery, olive ridley, loggerhead, hawksbill and the green turtle. To aid conservation, hatcheries have sprung up along the southwest coast. Fishermen are paid to collect the eggs (mostly Nov - Apr) and hand them over to the hatchery staff who then bury the eggs protected areas before releasing the hatchlings into the waters.
After your visit continue to Galle.
Set on a promontory on the southwest tip of Sri Lanka, Galle Fort offers the best preserved example of a European built fortified city in Asia. It was built by the Dutch from the 17th Century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Stroll the winding streets of this immensely charming town and discover its decaying colonial buildings, grand fort walls and numerous boutiques and cafés. Stretching along the coast nearby are ruggedly beautiful beaches, which may be narrow but are peaceful and secluded.
On arrival take a walking tour of Galle Fort. Wander along the ramparts, pass the lighthouse and the old Portuguese harbour and stop to see some of the many colonial era buildings, including the Dutch Reformed Church, the Anglican All Saints Church and the former house of the Dutch governor, built in 1684 and now the luxurious Amangalla hotel.
Overnight at Tamarind Hill (Crayford Room)
Day 14: Galle / Colombo / Departure
Today you will leave your hotel and drive to Colombo airport for your onward flight.
No hotel quoted for this day
We do hope the flavour of India will remain on your taste buds for all times to come and hopefully would kindle an indelible fondness for the country and her people; Thank you for being our guest, ‘Please Come back Soon”
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