Sri Lanka Excursions - Kandy & The Hill Country

2 Nights/3 Days - The City of Kandy & The Hill Country - £229.00 per person

Day 1
We commence the tour 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 with 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 which is 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 we start following 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 and is not included), which has a man-made lake at 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, we then visit the Temple of the Tooth to see the casket that contains the remains of Buddha'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
A more leisurely day 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 Pinnawela to see the orphaned baby elephant's bottle feeding, before making their way under the guiding hands of their mahouts down to the river's 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.
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.