07 NIGHTS – 08 DAYS
COLOMBO – Dambulla – POLONNARUWA – SINGRIYA – KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA – YALA NATIONAL PARK – GALLE-COLOMBO
Sri Lanka, a jewel in the India ocean is known for the ancient civilization, fascinating culture, and beautiful lush green hill stations. You will remember this tour not only for sight-seeing but also for its charming people and good cuisine. The country is full of ancient sites, tea plantation and wilderness. The itinerary offers you so much, starting from ancient city of Anuradhapura. You even get to visit the very well preserved ruins of Polonnuruwa, going further to visit Sacred Tooth Relic and then rock fortress of Sigiriya, tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya and then finally explore Yala National park, which has the highest density of leopard population in the entire world, and in the end visit Galle which reminds one of the bygone Dutch colonial era before returning to Colombo. You also have an option to extend your stay with beach holidays as Sri Lanka has 1600 km of palm fringed Coastline.
Why State Express
Day : Colombo – Dambulla (155 KM, 4 Hours )
Arrival at Colombo airport and transfer to Dambulla. On arrival check in at the hotel.
Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass and it was here that king Valagam Bahu took refuge from invasions in 1st century B.C. and turned the rocks into a cave temple.
Late afternoon visit Golden Cave Temples in Dambulla. The Temples contain some of the world's finest examples of ancient Buddhist art. Many of the sculptures and frescoes are in fact well over 2000 years old.
Day : Dambulla – Sigiriya – Polonnaruwa – Dambulla (140 KM, 3 Hours )
After breakfast go for tour of Sigiriya Rock fortress. Sigiriya is also considered to be the 8th Wonder of The Ancient World. You will be fascinated setting your eyes upon this strange shaped rock with ruins of a palace and citadel hanging on to its sides. A rusty staircase leads you to a cave gallery that has frescoes of the famous Sigiriya Maidens.
Later drive to Polonnaruwa, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka between 11th to 14th Century. Visit the ruins of temples, palaces and stupas which till date remain in excellent state of preservation.
Also visit The Gal Vihare with 3 huge rock-cut images of the Buddha which is known as one of the world's great masterpieces of sculpture is another interesting spot to visit. Enjoy a ride on elephant back in Habarana through the forests and villages.
In the evening, return to Dambulla for overnight stay.
Day : Dambulla – Kandy (75 KM, 2 Hours )
Morning breakfast at the hotel and then visit Dambulla Rock Cave Temple. It was here that king Valagam Bahu took refuge from invaders in the 1st century B.C., later these caves were turned into rock temple. Few of its frescoes are over 2000 years old. Another attraction is a gigantic figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the living rock which is about 15 meters long. The caves have a combination of religious paintings and sculptures with ceiling frescoes depicting scenes from the Buddha's life and Sinhalese history.
Then stop en-route to visit a spice garden in Matale to see many different types of spices, Sri Lanka is famous for.
Afternoon leave for Kandy. Upon arrival check in at the hotel.
KANDY, the Hill Capital and last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings is a World Heritage Site which still retains an aura of grandeur. The town is encircled by hills and a serene lake in its centre, it is also site of the renowned temple that enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha and the Royal Botanical gardens – considered to be home of one of the world's best Orchids collection.
Evening visit The Temple of Tooth. This temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from the Kalinga region in ancient India in the 4th century AD. There has been addition of several buildings by succeeding rulers, the latest addition is Golden Canopy over the inner shrine where the Tooth Relic is to be found. Initially the Temple was located within the palace complex as it was the symbol of Royal Authority.
Day : Kandy
Morning go for excursion to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and Peradeniya Gardens. Its Orchid Houses are the highlights of the day. Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is Sri Lanka's unique tourist attraction. It is a wonderful to spend a couple of hours in the company of over 70 elephants, the largest herd in the entire world. You can come here for feeding the elephants at 9 am or enjoy them bath in the Maha Oya River.
Peradeniya Gardens and Its Orchid Houses are the finest botanical gardens in the East including an Orchid House with 300 varieties of orchids.
Then visit Royal Botanical Gardens which are said to be one of the most spectacular gardens in South Asia. The most notable features of the gardens are the Orchid House which houses a fcollection of over 300 variety of Sri Lankan orchids and spice garden.
Day : Kandy – Nuwara Eliya (120 KM, 4 Hours )
Morning drive to Nuwara Eliya.
Nuware Eliya situated at an altitude of 1,868m was the original Hill Station of the British tea planters who came to Ceylon, as it was then known. It was built during 19th century and its architecture reminds that of an English country town, with red-brick walls. Blessed with salubrious climate, spectacular views of valleys, meadows an d mountains; it's difficult to believe that we are only 180 Km from the hot and humid Colombo. There is a Grand Hotel, Hill Club and a Golf Course that is the oldest in Asia and even a Race Course – all of which are bygone reminders of an English social life which once thrived here.
We later depart from Kandy and proceed towards Nuwara Eliya visiting a Tea plantation and Factory to give you an insight of the local tea manufacturing process as well as day to day routine life of local workers there.
Arrive Nuwara Eliya and check in at hotel for overnight stay.
Day : Nuwara Eliya – Yala (200 KM, 5 Hours ) + TRAIN
After breakfast check out from hotel and depart for Nanu-oya Train station to board the train to Ella. The scenery en-route is wonderful and much better than travelling by road. You be provided pic-nic lunch on board. Reach Ella which is a small town blessed with some of the most stunning views. Ella is also used as a base for trekking trips to the neighboring countryside. You will get a taste of its beauty by just walking into the Garden of the Grand Ella Motel (Formerly Ella Rest House), where you would feel that you are standing at the edge of the world.
We later continue our journey towards Yala and after arrival check-in at hotel.
Yala is an incredible destination that has been admired as an unparalleled testimony to the beauty of the wilderness, nature at its best. It is one of the best places in the world to spot leopards, sloth bears, elephants, and a wide range of birdlife.
Day : Yala – Galle – Colombo (290 KM, 6 Hours )
Morning exclusive jeep safari in the national park. Yala, the largest national park in Sri Lanka is very reminiscent of the African savannah and is the place where the greatest variety of wildlife can be observed. Herds of Spotted Deer, solitary Sambar (Elk) and Wild Boar are common. Yala is now gaining an international reputation as the best place to watch Leopards in the world. The aggressive Sloth Bear is also present but rarely seen. Yala also contains about 250 Elephants including some magnificent solitary cross-tuskers.
Before reaching Colombo, en-route stop to visit the The Old World Town of Galle which is known for a charming old Dutch Fort (1640), on ef the best preserved forts in Asia, whose ramparts enclose an Old Town of great historical and architectural value.
Finally reach Colombo and overnight stay.
Day : Departure
Morning after breakfast check out from the hotel and then city tour of Colombo, the trade and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast and draws together all the cultures, religions and influences of foreign lands into a pot-pourri of sounds, smells and a kaleidoscope of color.
Visit impressive Parliament House, designed by celebrated architect, Geoffrey Bawa.
Evening transfer to airport to catch flight for onward destination.
Notes :-
We recommend you to extend your stay to enjoy beaches of Sri Lanka or deep blue seas, turquoise reefs, white sandy beaches of nearby Maldives.
Is this a group tour?
No, this is a private travel exclusively for you, your friends and family who may accompany you on the tour.
Is this trip possible for single traveler?
Yes, it is possible. But, the cost may be high in case of a single traveler. You may send us information in the form and we shall send you our best offer depending on number of persons in your group or for a single person.
May I choose dates according to my choice?
Yes, since this is a private tour, you may decide the dates as per your choice. Only in case of certain tours, we have to check if there are any operational difficulties for organizing a tour of your choice. Certain tours are not possible for particular period which we shall let you know. Besides, the cost may vary depending on seasonality.
Could you provide us international flights to India?
It is better if you could buy international tickets directly through your local agent or on internet. Although we can provide you international flight tickets, but you may a get a better deal locally.
Is visa service included in your cost?
No, you have to obtain visa on your own. The visa regulations will depend on your nationality. You may contact us for further details.
Is it possible to make extension or modify tours?
Yes, it is very much possible. You can extend your stay on arrival or departure or at any other place. You may also modify the tour. You may let us know your interest and we can send you modified tour itinerary with cost.
What's included in the cost?
Our cost normally includes hotel accommodation with breakfast, private air-conditioned car with driver which includes fuel, parking and all taxes, entrance fee to monuments, train tickets if any, guided city tours in English or in other foreign languages, viz French, German, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Russian or other foreign languages subject to availability which we can notify at the time of reservation request. Our cost also includes some other services viz Elephant ride at Amer fort in Jaipur, camel safari in Jaisalmer and boat tour in Varanasi. We shall send you all details at the time of sending you quotation.
We may also include other services viz lunches, dinners or other services if you wish. We may also exclude guide service and entrance fee to monuments if you so wish.
Are domestic flights and trains are included in our cost ?
Train tickets are included in our cost. But, we give supplement cost for domestic flight tickets as these days, there are dynamic fares and these are not fixed. We send you indicative fare at the time of sending you quotation which is subject to change until issue of tickets with advance purchase for which we need payment from you to issue flight tickets. You may also purchase domestic flight tickets directly on your own if you prefer.
What kind of hotel accommodation is provided ?
We provide minimum standard (3 star or similar), superior (4 star or similar), deluxe (5 star or similar) hotels and the cost will depend depending on category of hotels. We can send you quotation for the category that you are interested in. We usually provide heritage or palace hotels which fit in your category of hotels. We may also mix the hotel category if you prefer and can also provide you rates based on hotels of your liking in all places if you like.
When do I have to pay?
We usually request 25% advance upon confirmation of our services unless otherwise informed at the time of sending you quotation. We shall send you all payment terms at the time of sending you our offer.
I am interested. What is next step?
Click here to send us information of your trip and we shall send you soonest possible.
Established in 1980, State Express has been providing most reliable services to travelers all over the world for last 35 years. We are renowned for our customer first approach and unobtrusive efficiency which ensures the highest levels of customer satisfaction. We have been awarded several times by State Government for being best Tour Operator. All aspects of our tours have been carefully researched and then designed to give ultimate experience to travelers. Let our travel knowledge help you to create a wonderful experience, whether on one of our tour itineraries or a tailor made tour itinerary made exclusively for you to give you an unforgettable holiday.
Our people make the difference
Our success has been possible because of our people who are our biggest asset. We have a team of highly dedicated, sincere, hardworking who work with integrity that has made State Express one of the leading and most reliable tour companies in India. They not only have expertise and experience to meet any requirement, they also speak foreign languages and trained to offer only the best and leave nothing to chance. We know that travel to Indian sub-continent is a dream of many of our guests and our team does everything possible to make their dream true and give them an experience of their lifetime.
We have complete infrastructure to provide you best rate and services to you. We are an IATA approved and authorized agents for all domestic airlines and Indian Railways. We have our own cars vans and coaches with experienced drivers. We have multi lingual staff to ensure that our guests do not face any language problem. We also have associate offices in all major tourist centers to provide assistance in shortest possible time.
Our fleet of vehicles & drivers
We undoubtedly have one of the best and most modern fleet of cars, vans, 4X4s and large coaches. Surface travel is a very important aspect in India as you spend lot of your time while travelling on the road and therefore given us an edge over other tour companies who have to rely on other transport companies to provide this service to their clients. We have our own garage and all our vehicles are well maintained to give you hassle free journey.
Besides having the best fleet, it is our drivers who truly make the difference as they play a crucial role in making a tour successful. Even if you stay in best of the hotels and travel in most comfortable and luxurious vehicles, if you do not have a good driver, it may spoil your experience. We have our team of drivers who are part of State Express and have been working with us for years and they are trained, dedicated and motivated to take care of our guests and make them comfortable. That is the reason that more than 90% of our guests thank us and appreciate them after returning to their home.
Our choice of hotels
We take utmost care in selection of hotels that we recommend to our clients and include in our list of suggested hotels. We inspect these hotels regularly to be sure of their quality of product and services. We give lot of emphasis on the location and the people who run those hotels. We want to give you clients an experience of heritage and palace hotels which are unique and not available in other part of the world.
Our tour itineraries
All our tour itineraries are designed by experts to give you an opportunity to see most wonderful sites in number of days at your disposal at the same time giving you time to explore the places in your own way. We have a number of itineraries to choose from which covers all India, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Tibet. We also include mode of travel and approximate time taken between places to ensure that you do not have any surprises during the tour. Our specialists will also work with you to create an itinerary of your choice either by modifying our readymade tour itineraries or prepare an exclusive tailor made tour for you based on your interest and liking keeping in mind local conditions.
24×7 assistance during the tour
We provide you clients real 24×7 assistance during the tour. This is not a marketing gimmick but we have someone in our office always to assist you in case of any emergency anytime. We also provide cell phone numbers of our executive who you may contact even during odd hours when you need them for anything urgent. We have associate offices in all major cities of India to provide you assistance in minimum possible time.
We know that response time is key to our success and we value it a lot. Even at initial stages before reservation, you will get replies from us in not more than 24 working hours. We shall always be there whenever you need us during the tour.
Apart from professional service, we believe in emphasising on personalised service. That is to make our guests feel at home in a foreign country and also feel that they have friends here who they can trust for any need. Our customer executives remain in constant touch with our guests during the tour to give them comfort and trust that we are always with them.
We know that there are so many travel companies providing their services and unless we provide good value for money to our clients, they will not be satisfied. Our own fleet of cars, vans and coaches and best special discounted rates with hotels due to our volumes enables us to offer value for money.
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Call us at +91 11 47674000 or email us on info@statexp.in for all the details on this itinerary and what is included in your tour. We shall be glad to make any amendments in the tour if you so wish and send you our best quotation and details of the tou to suit your budget and interest.
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