The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings.

Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.Due to the high altitude, Nuwara Eliya has a much cooler climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C. But the temperature changes and sometimes it can be as low as 3°C. In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. Although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher

Places to Visit: Horton Plains :Haggala Botanical Garden | Hortan Plains | The tea Cup

Colombo, Sri Lanka's bustling capital, is located on the country's west coast and with a population of between 800,000 and one million (estimates vary) is by far the country's biggest city, as well as its window on the world. Its natural harbour at the mouth of the Kelani River was a magnet for successive traders and conquerors.Dutch.The city is a sometimes jarring mix of old and new,with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with highpiled fruit and vegetables, colourful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices.

On its crowded streets stand places of worship symbolic of Sri Lanka's multi-ethnic heritage: graceful Buddhist viharas, for instance, stand close to gaudy temples encrusted with Hindu statuary, and Muslim mosques with slender minarets.Colombo's streets, which buzz with life during the day - when its population is swollen by some 400,000 commuting workers - are virtually empty after nightfall,with little nightlife outside a handful of international-standard hotels. During the day, however, its colourful street markets, colonial-era buildings, museums and Galleries, churches,mosques and temples, and the lovely Viharamahadevi Park with it beautiful trees, make it a great place to explore on foot.Originally named Kolomtota,

Places to visit: Museum | Zoo | Gangarama Temple | Kelaniya Temple | Shopping | Gale Face

The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings.

Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.Due to the high altitude, Nuwara Eliya has a much cooler climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C. But the temperature changes and sometimes it can be as low as 3°C. In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. Although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher

Places to Visit: Horton Plains :Haggala Botanical Garden | Hortan Plains | The tea Cup

4th day Galle Morning leave to Hikkaduwa Visit Galle fort Lunch at unawatuna Hotel Rest on unawatuna beach

Colombo, Sri Lanka's bustling capital, is located on the country's west coast and with a population of between 800,000 and one million (estimates vary) is by far the country's biggest city, as well as its window on the world. Its natural harbour at the mouth of the Kelani River was a magnet for successive traders and conquerors.Dutch.The city is a sometimes jarring mix of old and new,with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with highpiled fruit and vegetables, colourful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices.

On its crowded streets stand places of worship symbolic of Sri Lanka's multi-ethnic heritage: graceful Buddhist viharas, for instance, stand close to gaudy temples encrusted with Hindu statuary, and Muslim mosques with slender minarets.Colombo's streets, which buzz with life during the day - when its population is swollen by some 400,000 commuting workers - are virtually empty after nightfall,with little nightlife outside a handful of international-standard hotels. During the day, however, its colourful street markets, colonial-era buildings, museums and Galleries, churches,mosques and temples, and the lovely Viharamahadevi Park with it beautiful trees, make it a great place to explore on foot.Originally named Kolomtota,

Places to visit: Museum | Zoo | Gangarama Temple | Kelaniya Temple | Shopping | Gale Face

The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings.

Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.Due to the high altitude, Nuwara Eliya has a much cooler climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C. But the temperature changes and sometimes it can be as low as 3°C. In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. Although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher

Places to Visit: Horton Plains :Haggala Botanical Garden | Hortan Plains | The tea Cup

The seaside town of Galle is 116 Km., from Colombo by road or rail, down the southwest coast. Both routes are picturesque, following the coastline closely for much of the way.Today’s town has grown greatly and spreads into the hinterland but the Fort is the slow-beating heart of Galle’s history.The walled city has stood since the early sixteenth century, through the Colonial periods of the Portuguese, Dutch and British and in our present times is proclaimed as an Archaeological Reserve and been identified as a World Heritage site. Drive back through Dodanduwa, visiting, if permission can be arranged, the Buddhist island hermitage in the Ratgama Lake, a retreat of infinite peace and beauty.Unawatuna bay provides safe swimming and snorkeling, protected as it is by a reef.

Rhumassala Kanda is associated with the legend of the traditional Ramayana story. When the warrior Lakshman was wounded, a Himalayan herb was required for his cure and Rama des patched the Monkey-god Hanuman to fetch it. But Hanuman forgot the name of the herb, so to be on the safe side he tore off a hunk of the Himalayas, carried it on his back and dumped it, where it now lies!Galle is the sort of place from which one must take away a souvenir. You may make a pick of Galle lace, -handmade, like the Brussels or the Honiton types. Where but in Galle may you plunge your hands into a bucketful of limpid moonstones or the more precious and rarer of gems, the blue sapphire or the ruby! These can be beautifully set according to your whim or wish

Places to visit: Galle fort | Unawatuna

4th  Day :Nuwara Eliya Morning  Leave for Nuwara Eliya Visit  tea factory on the way Lunch at Hotel . Visit Haggala Gardens Visit New Zealand Farm / Ambewela Farm Visit to the World’s End (option) Night out at Nuwara Eliya Hotel

05th day Galle Morning leave to Hikkaduwa Visit Galle fort Lunch at unawatuna Hotel Rest on unawatuna beach

Colombo, Sri Lanka's bustling capital, is located on the country's west coast and with a population of between 800,000 and one million (estimates vary) is by far the country's biggest city, as well as its window on the world. Its natural harbour at the mouth of the Kelani River was a magnet for successive traders and conquerors.Dutch.The city is a sometimes jarring mix of old and new,with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with highpiled fruit and vegetables, colourful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices.

On its crowded streets stand places of worship symbolic of Sri Lanka's multi-ethnic heritage: graceful Buddhist viharas, for instance, stand close to gaudy temples encrusted with Hindu statuary, and Muslim mosques with slender minarets.Colombo's streets, which buzz with life during the day - when its population is swollen by some 400,000 commuting workers - are virtually empty after nightfall,with little nightlife outside a handful of international-standard hotels. During the day, however, its colourful street markets, colonial-era buildings, museums and Galleries, churches,mosques and temples, and the lovely Viharamahadevi Park with it beautiful trees, make it a great place to explore on foot.Originally named Kolomtota,

Places to visit: Museum | Zoo | Gangarama Temple | Kelaniya Temple | Shopping | Gale Face

The city was founded by Samuel Baker, the discoverer of Lake Albert and the explorer of the Nile in 1846. Nuwara Eliya's climate lent itself to becoming the prime sanctuary of the British civil servants and planters in Ceylon. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England then, was also a hill country retreat where the British colonialists could immerse in their pastimes such as fox hunting, deer hunting,elephant hunting, polo, golf and cricket.Although the town was founded in the 19th century by the British, the whole district is today visited by native travelers. Anyone who visits the city can wallow in its nostalgia of bygone days by visiting these landmark buildings.

Many private homes still maintain their old English-style lawns and gardens.Due to the high altitude, Nuwara Eliya has a much cooler climate than the lowlands of Sri Lanka, with a mean annual temperature of 16 °C. But the temperature changes and sometimes it can be as low as 3°C. In the winter months it is quite cold at night, and there can even be frost. Although it rapidly warms up as the tropical sun climbs higher

Places to Visit: Horton Plains :Haggala Botanical Garden | Hortan Plains | The tea Cup

The seaside town of Galle is 116 Km., from Colombo by road or rail, down the southwest coast. Both routes are picturesque, following the coastline closely for much of the way.Today’s town has grown greatly and spreads into the hinterland but the Fort is the slow-beating heart of Galle’s history.The walled city has stood since the early sixteenth century, through the Colonial periods of the Portuguese, Dutch and British and in our present times is proclaimed as an Archaeological Reserve and been identified as a World Heritage site. Drive back through Dodanduwa, visiting, if permission can be arranged, the Buddhist island hermitage in the Ratgama Lake, a retreat of infinite peace and beauty.Unawatuna bay provides safe swimming and snorkeling, protected as it is by a reef.

Rhumassala Kanda is associated with the legend of the traditional Ramayana story. When the warrior Lakshman was wounded, a Himalayan herb was required for his cure and Rama des patched the Monkey-god Hanuman to fetch it. But Hanuman forgot the name of the herb, so to be on the safe side he tore off a hunk of the Himalayas, carried it on his back and dumped it, where it now lies!Galle is the sort of place from which one must take away a souvenir. You may make a pick of Galle lace, -handmade, like the Brussels or the Honiton types. Where but in Galle may you plunge your hands into a bucketful of limpid moonstones or the more precious and rarer of gems, the blue sapphire or the ruby! These can be beautifully set according to your whim or wish

Places to visit: Galle fort | Unawatuna

Sri Lankan architectural tradition is well displayed at Sigiriya, the best preserved city centre in Asia from the first millennium, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning.The Complex consists of the central rock, rising 200 meters above the surrounding plain, and the two rectangular precincts on the east (90 hectares) and the west (40 hectares), surrounded by two moats and three ramparts.The plan of the city is based on a precise square module.

The layout extends outwards from co-ordinates at the centre of the palace complex at the summit, with the eastern and western axis directly aligned to it. The water garden, moats and ramparts are based on an 'echo plan' duplicating the layout and design on either side. This city still displays its skeletal layout and its significant features. 3 km from east to west and 1 km from north to south it displays the grandeur and complexity of urban-planning in 5th century Sri Lanka.

Places to visit: Lion's Rock | Cave Temples

Though Sri Lanka is very small in land area, the great diversity in habitats harbors are a rich and diverse fauna and flora, with many species endemic to the island. Historically as well as in the modern era, successive rulers and governments of Sri Lanka have strived to provide sanctuary and protection to our beautiful wildlife. Today the demands and aspirations of an expanding human population makes it difficult for the government to be solely responsible for the protection, preservation and management of this beguiled wild heritage of ours. Today, especially where human interest and wildlife interest are in direct conflict. It is imperative that private organizations with resources step into and fill the areas that need immediate attention: environmental education, long term research, and to develop integrated projects for community based conservation.

Yala wild life reserve in Sri Lanka, a paradise of wild life

The park being situated in the Dry zone of Sri Lanka, natural vegetation ranges from dense jungle to scrubland and also to open parkland. Different methods of adaptation of plants to the drought are really interesting such as the trees being rather short, sometimes with spines and a reduced leaf- surface.

The most prominent wild life species found in the Yala wild life reserve in Sri Lanka are the elephant and the leopard., but there are other several species as deer, sambur, bear, wild boar, wild buffalo, peacock, crocodiles and many varieties of birds including migratory species.

This area is of immense historical value, being a part of the ancient kingdom of Ruhuna, which most probably was established, with the arrival of Aryans to Sri Lanka. The ruins available in the area ascertain that this had been an advanced seat of civilisation as far as back as 3 – 2 century B.C. The area is full of Vijayan rock outcrops that had been formed over 600 million years ago. These stand out in the flat plain rising up to about 800 feet. There is an ancient monastery at Situlpahuwa atop an elegant platform.

Fourteen inscriptions engraved in caves and consisting more or less of the same contents at the site of an ancient monastery now known as Kotadamuhela are in the Ruhuna National park. These records give some light to the inter connection of royal dynasties of Rohana, Anuradhapura and Kalyani.

To explore the deeper areas of the Park, a four – wheeler and a guide should be hired. Accommodation is available at tourist bungalows by the Department of wild life conservation.

Places to visit