Marawila - Sri Lanka

The following excursions are offered in Sri Lanka and can be booked locally. The cost shown indicates the price per person for each trip based on two adults travelling from one of our beach hotels situated between Colombo and Bentota please note a small supplement may apply if you are staying at a property further south.

Day tour to Kandy - £55.00 per person

An early start is essential as our first stop takes us to the Elephant Orphanage at Pinawella to see the orphaned baby elephants bottle feeding, before making their way under the guiding hands of their mahouts down to the rivers edge to wash and play. Perhaps time for a refreshing drink in the tearooms over looking the spectacle before continuing on to the city Kandy, we may stop on route for a light lunch, (not included).

The beautiful city of Kandy has a man made lake as its centre surrounded by the magical hills of the knuckles range. Make sure you have plenty of film in your camera as we take the ‘lake drive’, an opportunity to see the city from a vantage point high above with great views of the lake and the golden roof of the Temple of the Tooth below through the tree clad hills. After our visit to the temple to see the casket that contains the remains of Buda’s tooth we make a stop at the Royal Botanical Gardens – the gardens were the headquarters of the head of the Southeast Asia Command, Lord Mountbatten during the second world war and later the setting for some of the scenes for the film Bridge Over the River Kwai, which was filmed on the island. After wandering around the gardens, we make our way back down to the coast to our hotel arriving late in the afternoon tired but satisfied after an exciting adventure packed day.

Prices based on two persons, the tour is offered by private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver guide. Entrance fees to the various sites are included together with all local taxes. – Please note all vehicles are fully insured and the experienced guides are licensed and qualified.

Religious Sites: Ladies should be aware that they are expected to cover their shoulders and wear a long skirt or trousers; Gentlemen should always wear a shirt.

2 Nights 3 Days The City of Kandy & The Tea Country £120.00 per person

Day 1 commences after breakfast when you will be collected from your beach hotel. The drive takes us from the coastal plain, which mainly consists of coconut plantations, inland through rural villages where paddy fields are still tended by farmers using traditional methods. The lush scenery begins to change as we commence our climb up towards the hill country, soon the jungle is replaced by hills carpeted with tea bushes, pickers still finding time to throw a toothless smile or wave merrily as they go about their daily chore of collecting the precious plant tips. After lunch, (not included), we take a tour of Nuwara Eliya the capital of the hill country built by the British. Remnants of the colonial past still remain including St Andrews Golf Club, The Hill Club, The Race Course and of course The Post Office with its Victorian collection box.

Overnight at The Grand Hotel or similar where Evening meal and Breakfast are included.

Day 2 once again starts after breakfast with a tour of a local tea Plantation and Factory where you will have an opportunity to learn a little of the fascinating process that converts the leaf of a bush into the world-renowned drink. Our tour continues on to the beautiful city of Kandy, (lunch may be taken en route not included), which has a man made lake as its centre surrounded by the magical hills of the knuckles range. After taking the ‘lake drive’, with an opportunity to see the city from a vantage point high above with great views of the lake and the golden roof of the Temple of the Tooth below through the tree clad hills we then visit the Temple of the Tooth to see the casket that contains the remains of Buda’s tooth. Later in the evening we return to the city for a cultural show, which includes a performance by famous Kandyan Dancers dressed in their colourful traditional costumes.

Overnight at The Citadel Hotel or similar where Evening meal and Breakfast are included.

Day 3 is more leisurely and starts with a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens which were the headquarters of the head of the Southeast Asia Command, Lord Mountbatten during the second world war and later the setting for some of the scenes for the film Bridge Over the River Kwai, which was filmed on the island. Afterwards we move on to the Elephant Orphanage at Pinawella to see the orphaned baby elephant’s bottle feeding, before making their way under the guiding hands of their mahouts down to the rivers edge to wash and play. Perhaps time for lunch (not included) or a refreshing drink in the tearooms over looking the spectacle. The tour concludes with a drive back to you beach hotel where you will arrive in the afternoon still excited from the experience.

Prices based on two persons, the tour is offered by private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver guide. Entrance fees to the various sites are included together with all local taxes. – Please note all vehicles are fully insured and the experienced guides are licensed and qualified

Religious Sites: Ladies should be aware that they are expected to cover their shoulders and wear a long skirt or trousers; Gentlemen should always wear a shirt.

Additional Marawila information

• The Village and Surrounding Area
• The Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela
• Banks & Financial
• Health & Saftey