Discovering Sanctuary

A journey through Sri Lanka discovering the many gems that are dotted throughout the land highlighting history, heritage, culture nature and wildlife. Calm your soul by travelling to the hill capital of Kandy and experiencing the culture first hand. Head towards the ancient kingdoms of Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa and admire the man-made wonders during ancient rule. You can enjoy a jeep safari at Minneriya and watch the elephants in the wild and travel to the northern peninsula of Jaffna to witness the colour and taste their own cuisine. Explore the East coast of Trincomalee which is home to white sandy beaches and enjoy a whale watching safari off the coast to complete your journey prior to your departure.

11 Day Tours

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SKU:LK10BAP011

Discovering Sanctuary (11 Days)

$946.00 USD

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Vehicle & Number of Passengers: by Standard Car 2 Pax by Standard Van 5 pax by Large Van 7 Pax by Standard Bus 15 Pax

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Discover the sanctuary away from the daily urbanized environment. Explore UNESCO Heritage sites and past kingdoms of the ancient rulers. Walk through the remaining ruins and learn about the ancient Sri Lankan Architecture which designed wonders. Spend an afternoon in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and witness for yourselves the kind and gentleness of the Giants on land. Spend the latter of the tour in the eastern coast enjoying the warmth of the rising sun and engage in numerous activities available within the region. Do not forget to enjoy a chilled beer while the sun descends into the horizon.

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2 Days in Kandy

Taking you on a journey with abundant calmness, you will be heading to Kandy upon arrival. Enroute you will visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and get up close with the displaced elephants. In Kandy you can visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, visit some local craft shops such as gems, batiks and wood carving and then enjoy a traditional cultural show

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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!

Royal Botanical Gardens

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.

Technical Tours

Go on technical tours related to arts such as gem crafting, woodcarving and batiks.

Cultural Show

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.

2 Days in Sigiriya

Heading to Sigiriya, you will pay homage at the Temple of the Tooth and visit a spice garden where you will be well educated about the Sri Lankan spices and herbs. Then explore the ruins and monuments of the Dambulla Cave Temple and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Enjoy a
safari through the Minneriya National Park and spot hundreds of elephants

Temple of the Tooth Relic

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.

Matale Spice Gardens

Do a guided tour of a spice and herbal garden, where you learn about spices, such as coriander, chili, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg; and their uses. Take part in a traditional cooking demonstration that shows you how to make Sri Lankan cuisine while making full use of spices. Learn to make roti or create curry powder from scratch in one of the workshops in Spice Garden.

Dambulla Cave Temple

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.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Climb the 5th century AD rock fortress, Sigiriya, where the King Kasyapa ruled. 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. Walk through the tunnels leading to the palace as you get a feel for times long past.

Minneriya Safari

This three-hour 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.

1 Day in Anuradhapura

The first capital of Sri Lanka the Kingdom of Anuradhapura was a flourishing city that held its stronghold for over a millennia. The sacred city which consists of the Atmasthana meaning eight places of worship is a much venerated site among locals and tourists alike. Also explore the ancient city of Polonnaruwa which is known for its rock carvings

Polonnaruwa

Visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which was the second major capital of Sri Lanka. Walk through the ruins of the city that flourished between the 10th to the 13th century AD. View important monuments such as Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue of King Parakramabahu whose reign was considered the golden age of Polonnaruwa. Get to know more about Sri Lanka’s ancient history.

Anuradhapura

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.

1 Day in Jaffna

Heading to the far North of the island, the Jaffna peninsula consists of many landmarks and historically important locations that you can visit. Apart from the deliciously spicy food, seasonal fruits and friendly people, the peninsula reverberates the gruesome civil war that ended a few years back. Here you can visit Nagadeepa and the Nainativu Amman Temple as well

Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya

Visit the historic Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya which is one of just sixteen of the holiest Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka. See the unique architecture of this vihara which is believed to be the place that Buddha stopped at during his second visit to Sri Lanka. Listen to the legends and history surrounding the visit and the construction of the temple.

Nainativu Nagaooshani Amman Temple

Visit the Nainativu Nagaooshani Amman Temple, with a proven history of at least two millennia as according to records by Ptolemy. Get to know about the legends surrounding the Temples; such as those of God Indra’s worship and much more. Enjoy looking at the majestic Dravidian Hindu architecture; with its four beautiful Gopurams, several halls or Mandapams, and chariots. Nainativu Nagaooshani Amman Temple is one of only 64 Shakthi Peedams around the world.

3 Days in Trincomalee

Moving to the North Eastern Coast, Trincomalee is a main port city while the bay is a natural harbor that is used commercially. Known for its azure blue oceans and white sandy beaches you can enjoy a whale watching safari off the coast. Places you visit include the Koneshwaram Temple, the Fort of Trincomalee, Pigeon Island and the Thriyaya Watadage.

Koneshwaram Temple

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.

Fort of Trincomalee

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.

Pigeon Island National Park

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.

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 Chiefs who ruled the area.

Trincomalee Whale Watching Safari

This 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.