KANDALAMA EXPERIENCE

Day 1 - Colombo - Kandalama

Arrive at the Bandaranaike International Airport and proceed to Kandalama, taking approximately 3 hours. Check-in at Kandalama Hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure.

Day 2 - Kandalama - Dambulla Rock Temple

After breakfast, spend the morning at leisure exploring the surrounding areas or doing some bird watching around Kandalama. Around 90 varieties of birds including migrants - babbler, blue flycatcher, oriole, paradise flycatcher, warbler, wagtail, barbet, bee-eater, Brahmin kite, owl, teal, pelican, make their home here.

In the afternoon proceed to visit the Dambulla rock temple which was built by King Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. It is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples, containing the largest figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 metres. In the evening, take a canoe ride on the Kandalama tank (reservoir).

Day 3 - Kandalama - Polonnaruwa - Minneriya National Park

After breakfast proceed to visit Polonnaruwa, a world heritage site which was the 2nd capital city of Sri Lanka built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD. Here you can see the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in 'Upright', 'Sedentary' and 'Recumbent' postures carved out of rock can be seen. There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple, the Lankathilake and the remains of the Temple of the Tooth Relic. In the afternoon, enjoy a safari of the Minneriya National Park by jeep. Wild elephants, various amphibians, local and immigrant bird species are plenty in this park.

Day 4 - Kandalama - Sigiriya

After breakfast, enjoy an Elephant back safari in the surroundings of Kandalama. This excursion will take you along one of the most picturesque sites through the jungle.

In the afternoon, proceed to Sigiriya, climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The 'Lion Rock' is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. Thereafter proceed to Kandy for a city tour.

Day 5 - Kandalama

After breakfast, proceed to the coast to be dropped off for either a beach extension or to the airport for your departure. Please ask us for more details.