East Explorer
Home to some of the most gorgeous beaches of the island, this East Coast tour will be ideal for the beach lover and surfer. Starting off from Colombo, you can sleep off your jet-lag and enjoy a city tour and travel towards the cultural triangle to explore some ancient kingdoms in a more peaceful setting. Then we travel to the East coast and start off by exploring Trincomalee, home to one of the best beaches in the world, Nilaveli. We even enjoy a whale watching tour and enjoy snorkelling around Pigeon Island. We drive to Passikudah and then to Arugambay which a popular International Surfing Destination. We explore Ella and Kandy in the hills and finish the tour in Negombo.
SKU:LK10LBS011
East Explorer (21 jours)
East Explorer (21 jours)
Sri Lanka though a renowned leisure destination for its mesmeric hill country, exquisite beaches, and fascinating cultural attraction of ancient cities and shrines is not a destination that readily comes to mind for a golfing holiday. If you look up the Sri Lanka Map you will learn to your delightful surprise that you can easily fit in three fabulous golf courses of all Asia located at three elevations.
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1 Day in Colombo
Ideal for the beach lover, this tour brings you most of the East coast to you. Upon arrival, we will be heading to a cozy hotel in Colombo where you can relax ahead of your long tour. We have organized a city tour that allows you to explore some of the most important landmarks in the commercial capital of Colombo.
Experience the colorful lights and bright life of Colombo, the capital City of Sri Lanka. Visit historic monuments such as the Old Lighthouse, the Old Parliament, Galle Face Hotel, Galle Face Green, Gangarama Temple, the National Museum and more. Enjoy the malls of Independence Square or the Race Course. Visit boutique shops and designer stores.
3 Days in Sigiriya
Our next stop is located within the boundaries of the cultural triangle and offers many locations that are worth exploring. We will visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the Dambulla Cave Temple, the ancient city of Anuradhapura, the Avukana Buddha Statue, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and a rural village in Sigiriya. Enjoy a safari at the Minneriya National Park as well.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is the home for young Elephants who have been displaced or lost from their natural habitat, located at Pinnawala village in Sabaragamuwa province of Sri Lanka. Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is the best place for an up close and personal experience with the world’s largest land mammals! Today with 70 elephants herein, Pinnawala has become the home to the largest captive group of elephants in the world.
Enter the historic caves of the Golden Temple of Dambulla, dating back to the 1st century BC. View the ancient murals depicting the life story of Lord Gautama Buddha. Look at the hundreds of figurines of Buddha and other deities scattered throughout the five main caves. Visit the Cave of the Divine King, Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery. See the giant golden Buddha Statue just a little distance outside the cave complex.
Anuradhapura Ancient Ruin Kingdom
Walk through the ancient ruined city of Anuradhapura, which was the capital for over a millennium until the 10th century AD. View the pagodas, monastic buildings and ponds that are scatter all over the vast area. Visit important landmarks such as Jetavanarama, which was one of the tallest buildings of the ancient world, the Sri Maha Bodhi and the ruins of the huge Abhayagiri Monastery. Gain more knowledge about Sri Lanka’s history as you walk in the footsteps of Kings.
This visit takes you to the majestic 40-foot rock sculpture in Avukana is one of the classical examples of Standing Buddha statues in Sri Lanka. You will be able to see the marvelous crafting of the statue in its being carved from a single rock and standing unsupported except for a single thin attachment at the back; the delicately carved folds of the robe; and the cleanly sculpted body structure. The partially collapsed structures around it point to it once having been sheltered in an image house.
The 5th century AD rock fortress Sigiriya, once ruled by the Sri Lankan King Kashyapa, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s most historical landmarks. Walk through the entrance framed by the paws of a lion that is quite appropriate for its name, ‘The Lion Rock’. View the beautiful unfading murals that brought Sigiriya its fame. Climb the steep staircase to see the terraced gardens and still-working cisterns, that are a mind blowing example of ancient Sri Lankan hydraulic engineering.
Get a chance to go on an oxen cart ride and experience the world from the view of a village farmer. Have a relaxing catamaran safari through a calm lake Walk through the golden fields ripe with their harvest of paddy. Watch an enjoyable traditional cooking demonstration that teaches you the basics of Sri Lankan cuisine. Delight your taste buds with a home cooked lunch; made over a wood-fire and served on fragrant lotus leaves placed over woven trays. Enjoy the life of a Sri Lankan villager, just this day.
This safari takes you on a ride through the Minneriya National Park. Enjoy the sight of over 150 elephants congregating in one place during the famous Great Elephant Gathering, which happens in the dry season between May to October. In addition to elephants, get a chance to also see many mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the scrublands, forests and other areas.
4 Days in Trincomalee
Then we head towards the East Coast which is home to some of the most beautiful white sandy beaches. First stop will be Trincomalee and here you will be visiting the Koneswaram Temple, Fort Fredrick, Thiriyaya and the Pigeon Island National Park. You will also enjoy a Whale watching tour that will be organized off the coast of Trincomalee.
Visit this ancient temple praised by famous Indian poet-saints and mentioned by several famous personas around the world. See the beautiful murals describing the history of the temple. Worship at the little cave shrine that is has its start in 1580 BC, as compared to the actual temple which was developed in 400 BC. Marvel at the giant statue of King Ravana who, according to legend, worshipped this shrine.
Visit the Fort of Trincomalee originally built by the Portuguese in 1624 CE. See the stones that once formed the Koneswaram temple before the Portuguese destroyed it. Listen to the history of Fort Frederick, which was dismantled and rebuilt by the Dutch.
Thiriyaya Watadage
Explore Thiriyai, or Thiriyaya as it is known now, is a village where Tamil Buddhism was practiced in ancient times. Visit the Girihadu Seya Stupa, which was built to mark the location where according to legend Buddha is gave hair relics to two traders who served him porridge as alms. See the old fortress of one of the last Vanniyar
This five-hour tour gives you an opportunity to see the biggest mammals on earth, the whales, in their natural habitat. Get a chance to see blue whales, sperm whales and fin whales as they swim in the waters to the south of Sri Lanka. Gain more knowledge about the whales as a species from a qualified naturalist and learn to identify them. This tour gives you a responsible whale watching experience with a minimal imprint on nature.
Visit the Pigeon Island National Park consisting of the smaller pigeon island and larger pigeon island and the coral reef that encircles the larger island. See the rock pigeon that makes the island its breeding grounds. Explore the islands to see the many coral types and fauna that can be found here
3 Days in Pasikudha
Heading to Pasikudah, you will be spending three days leisurely by the beach or in the comfort of your hotel. Pasikudah is a coastal resort town that is famed for its picture postcard beaches thanks to the soft white sand and the clear water which makes it look immaculate. Best visited months are between May and September.
Spend the days leisurely enjoying the hotel facilities or beach
4 Days in Arugambay
We head to Arugam Bay which is a popular surfing spot and also an International Surf Competition venue which brings in pro surfers from around the globe during the peak season. Here, you can visit the Muhudu Maha Viharaya which was built over 2000 years ago. You will also enjoy safaris at the Potuvil Lagoon and the Kumana National Park.
Muhudu Maha Vihara is a Buddhist temple situated at Pottuvil in Ampara District, Eastern province of Sri Lanka. This temple which is situated near a wide beach, has been built over 2000 years ago by King Kavan Tissa of Ruhuna. Currently the ruins and remains of ancient stupas, Seema Malaka, Avasa Geya and statues can be seen at the site. Important ruins at the temple premises include stone statues of lord Buddha and two statues of old kings or gods.
Early in the morning, life in the lagoon slowly wakes up as the fishermen and wildlife emerges for the day. A lot of birds are cruising the sky and perching on the mangroves to look for food. The lagoon is the home for a lot of animals. You will have the opportunity to see big crocodiles bathing in the morning sun, elephants foraging with their young calves and also the rare Monitor Lizard, which are one of the biggest in the world.
Kumana National Park spreads over an area of 35,664 hectares. In the west, the park is bordered by River Kumubukkan Oya; to the south is south-eastern coast that runs to Panama. A 200 hectares’ mangrove swamp called “Kumana Villu” within the Park is subject to occasional inundation with sea water. It is at this swamp that many water birds nest, during the months of May and June. Scattered in the Kumana National Park are several water pools that are favorite spots of the wildlife: Kudawila wewa, Thummulla wewa and Kotalinda wewa.
2 Days in Ella
Heading inland, we travel to Ella which is a beautiful city that is a tourist magnet. Ella is known for its highlands, hidden valleys, rocky peaks, caves, waterfalls and forests while these things make it ideal for hikers. Here, you can visit the Ravana Falls and also explore the city of Ella which has many landmarks not to be missed.
In the misty mountains of tropical Sri Lanka, the wide Ravana falls gushes down a height of 82 feet falling from an oval concave rock. It takes the form of a drooping areca flower during the peak season of its water flow, but its size is reduced dramatically during the dry season. Located in the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary in Ella, this waterfall is the source of many legends and secrets.
Explore Ella’s most interesting places. Pass through bright green tea fields, and tough stretches of rock, and get to see the magical views of Little Adam’s Peak. Walk over the history seeped Nine Arches Bridge and listen to the story of its construction. End your hike at the Demodara Railway station with its unique loop-over track design. This tour gives you the chance to see the best sights of Sri Lanka.
2 Days in Kandy
Travelling to Kandy passing the Central highlands, we first stopover at a Tea Factory to familiarize with the entire process of manufacturing Ceylon Tea. Then we pay homage to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic which is an important landmark in Kandy. You can have a walk at the Royal Botanical Gardens and enjoy a colourful cultural show.
Tea Factory Visit
Visit a Tea Factory and a plantation where you would see how the world’s famous “Ceylon Tea” is manufactured. In 1824 a tea plant was brought to Ceylon by the British from China and was planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya for non-commercial purposes. James Taylor was a British citizen who introduced commercial tea plantation in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). He arrived to Sri Lanka in 1852 and settled down in Loolecondera estate in Kandy. Today even people who have never heard of Sri Lanka are familiar with Ceylon tea, which is known for its quality.
Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was built in the 16th century as the place of veneration and protection for Lord Buddha’s sacred tooth. Walk through the beautifully embellished passageways and elaborately painted halls, done in red, cream and black. Lounge against delicately carved pillars and get amazed by the beautiful golden statues. Get an unforgettable experience of history and art.
Visit the famous Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, which were formed in the early 19th century. Walk through the vast area containing over 4000 species of plants. Enjoy the learning more about the orchids, spices and medicinal plants. Wander down avenues shaded by large and rare trees, or bordered by flowering plants. Enjoy seeing the cannonball tree, walking over the wobbly suspension bridge and through the short hedge mazes or even climbing the twisty trees that make wonderful jungle gyms.
The Kandy Cultural Show gives an opportunity to experience some of the traditions of Sri Lanka. Enjoy this hour long extravaganza as some of the most popular art forms of the island take to the stage. Get wowed by fire dancers and sword dancers. Watch the colorful Kandyan dancers take to the air to the thrumming primal beat of the drums.
1 Day in Negombo
Your final day will be spent back in the west coast closer to the International Airport in the seaside resort town of Negombo. A fishing hub, Negombo is known for its busy lifestyle, golden sandy beaches, water sports and many hotels and cafes that surround the coastal area. You can enjoy some high adrenalin water sports here as well.
Enjoy the sun on the sandy beaches of Negombo on the Western Coast of Sri Lanka. Watch the flourishing fish industry, which is a centuries-old tradition. Ride an adrenaline high with some fun water sports. Enjoy the corals and underwater life while diving. See the 50-year-old ship-wreck just off the coast, where many varieties of fish make their home.
Departure
After the breakfast at the hotel check out and proceed to airport after spending a memorable time in this island.
Includes:
- Transport in a Private Vehicle, Fuel, Parking & Highway tolls.
- Service of English-Speaking Chauffeur Guide.
- All prevailing taxes and service charges.
- 2 x 500ml Water Bottles per Person per Day.
Excludes:
- Hotel Accommodation and Meals.
- Entrance fees to the respective sites.
- Chauffeur Guide's Accommodation.
- Expenses of personal nature.
- Visa and Related Expenses.
- Tips & Portages.
Complimentary:
- 1 x 1 Liter water bottle per person per day.
- 1 x Local SIM card per room.