Sri Lanka and the Maldives

Ayubowan, welcome to Sri Lanka! Your driver meets you at the airport and after a warm welcome, your holiday begins. Comfortably seated in the car you get a first glimpse of Sri Lanka through the windows. Your Travel Expert gives you a quick call to make sure everything is going well and after 3 hours on the road you arrive at Dambulla, the first stop of your Sri Lankan journey. Sheltered under a huge rocky ledge, the site of Dambulla and its 5 caves contain countless Buddha statues lined against the walls and sublime wall murals. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Dambulla has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries. After the visit continue to your hotel to settle down and get some rest.

Have you ever time travelled? You will surely feel like you have once you will step foot on the UNESCO World Heritage site of Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa became the second capital city of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. The site is vast and the ruins of this ancient city are quite spread out, so the best way to enjoy this visit is to hop on a bicycle! Visit the remnants of the royal palace, pass the exquisite Lotus Pond and temples before reaching the reclining Buddha statue sculpted in granite. The quality and detail of the sculptures will amaze you. After this immersion into Sri Lankan history you go back to your hotel in Sigiriya.

At the center of the cultural triangle, Sigiriya will fascinate you with its mystery. The rock plateau, 200 metres higher than the surrounding landscape was formed from the magma of an extinct volcano. It served as a monastery in the 3rd century BC before being converted into a royal residence in the 5th century BC. The fortress complex features remnants of the palace, surrounded by vast gardens, ponds, fountains and fortifications. After a nice walk in the royal gardens you start climbing the stairs - but don’t worry it will all be worth it once you reach the top and enjoy the views on the paddy fields. Breathtaking! After this you hit the road, drive through the spice region and arrive at your hotel in Kandy in the afternoon. After this short drive, you can relax and enjoy some time for yourself and at dusk join the dozens of locals for the evening ceremony at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

In the morning you take a stroll in the glorious botanical garden of Peradeniya. You will be amazed by the great variety of plants, in particular, the brightly colored orchids and tropical blossoms. After some time in this peaceful environment you will jump on a train to Nuwara Eliya, a beautiful mountain resort commonly referred to as ‘Little England’ because of the British atmosphere you will feel there. Your driver will meet you at the station and take you to a local tea factory to learn more about this local tradition. You can even go for high tea in the afternoon!