Sri Lanka/Maldives - Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa

Meet at the airport and fly via a stopover to the Maldives and the islands' capital, Male

Arrival in Male and transfer by speedboat or small plane (depending on the hotel) to the island that will host us. The archipelago that makes up the Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, 735 km west of Ceylon. It is a chain of 1,190 coral tropical islands (atolls), of which only 220 are inhabited, and which emerged with the gradual uplift of the sea floor. They spread like a garland 800 km below the southwestern tip of India, between the Equator, and at 7 degrees north latitude. Arrange our hotel. in Rest and time to enjoy the paradise that Maldives…

Free days to enjoy the endless sandy beaches with coconut trees and tropical vegetation. We will be able to admire the rich marine world with corals and many different types of fish, but also taste seafood delicacies and exotic fruit juices by the sea.

Free time in the morning for the last dives and later we transfer to the airport from where we will fly to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Arrival in Colombo, transfer and check-in at our hotel.

Built on the west coast of the island, the country's largest city combines all the cultures, religions and influences that Sri Lanka has known, creating a veritable feast of sounds, aromas and colors. Less known is the fact that Colombo has a . admirable variety of high-quality restaurants, with almost every cuisine in the world well represented.

So in the morning we start our acquaintance with Colombo. On our tour of the city we will see the National Museum, the Independence Square, Bandaranaike Convention Centre, Old Parliament Building, Galle Face Green Promenade and the historic Wolfendhal Temple.

We then depart Colombo for Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka's second oldest city, built between the 11th and 13th centuries, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Arrival, transfer and check-in at the hotel.

Breakfast at our hotel and we go to get to know Polonnaruwa. Here we will have the opportunity to admire the ruins of the palace, the Hearing Hall and the royal bath. In the same area are the Gal Viharaya with the four magnificent statues representing the Buddha in standing, sitting and reclining positions. The space will amaze us. We will not miss, of course, to visit the amazing temples, where the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha was kept before it was transferred to Kandy, as well as the ruins of the monastery.

We then move on to Anuradhapura, the first capital (5th BC - 9th century AD) and arguably the largest city of the ancient kingdom of Sri Lanka. Here is the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree, which comes from a grove of the tree under which Prince Siddhartha - the Buddha - received enlightenment. The tree was transported and planted in A-nuradhapura, in a sacred place dedicated to the Buddha, it is more than 2,200 years old and is one of the oldest in the world.

Return to Polonnaruwa

Breakfast at our hotel and we depart immediately to explore the hinterland. We depart for the famous caves of Dambula, which housed for a long time the exiled king Valagamba during the 1st BC. century. When he regained his throne, he built this magnificent temple here, which he donated to the Buddhist monks. It is a unique complex of five caves, with an area of more than 2,000 square meters, covered with wonderful wall paintings depicting moments from the life of the Buddha. The caves are also adorned by 157 Buddha statues of various sizes and postures, of which a colossal 15-meter-long figure stands out. The importance and uniqueness of the monument is confirmed by the fact that it is included in the UNESCO world heritage sites.

As we continue south towards Kandy, we make a short stop in Matale to immerse ourselves in the world of spices. Ceylon has always been (as it is today) well known in the world for the production of spices, which started from here to reach the ends of the world on merchant ships. The local tradition tells us about small plantations, at the level of family tradition, which took care of the production of the quantity needed by each household for its food as well as for healing or aesthetic uses. We will learn quite a bit about local production in cinnamon, ginger, pepper, vanilla, cardamom and much more, and continue on to beautiful, green Kandy.

Arrival, transfer and check-in at our hotel and overnight in Kandy.

This picturesque city was the last capital of the kings of Ceylon. It is built on the banks of an artificial lake constructed by the last king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, in 1798, while the Mahaveli River encircles it like a shining jewel around its neck. On our walk through the city we will also see the holy temple where the relic of Buddha's tooth is kept, as well as a rare sight but with local dances and walking on coals!

Breakfast at our hotel and we depart for today's route. We will go to see the picturesque Rabota Falls and continue to visit, through a wonderful route, a tea plantation near Nuwara Eliya, where we will have the opportunity to witness the entire process that goes into producing the best and most famous tea in the world. We will not miss, of course, to try a hot cup of authentic Ceylon Tea.

Our route ends in the "garden city" of Nuwara Eliya, whose name means "City of Light". It is located in a magnificent mountain landscape (at an altitude of 1,868 m) at the foot of Sri Lanka's highest mountain, Pidurutalagala (2,760 m). Transfer to our accommodation in Nuwara Eliya and then a tour of the beloved city of the British, which was built according to the standards of the English countryside, with characteristic houses strongly reminiscent of the country houses of the English.

Breakfast at our hotel and we continue our exploration of Sri Lanka, heading south. The road will bring us to lesser-known places on the south-eastern coast of the country such as the Ravana Falls and the city of Ella with its lazy atmosphere that will take us back in time. Drowned in tea plantations is a stop we won't easily forget. We continue to Tissamaharama, in the wider area of Yala National Park. Overnight in the park area.

Yala National Park is located 24 kilometers northeast of Tissamaharama and 290 kilometers from Colombo on the southeast coast of Sri Lanka and occupies approximately 98 thousand hectares. The park is known for its variety of wildlife and also has a large number of important ancient monuments, testifying to the existence of ancient civilizations that flourished in the area. We will enjoy a Safari in the park during which we will look for elephants, wild boars, leopards, crocodiles, wild buffaloes, etc.

After our safari, we leave Yala National Park behind and continue to the southern coast of Sri Lanka. We will stop for a swim at a beach that we have distinguished in our travels in the country, and we will continue to the city of Galle, which will impress us with its strong colonial color and its rich history, as the British successively passed through this city, Portuguese and Dutch. However, our attention will be drawn to the city's Fort, which was built by the Portuguese and then expanded by the Dutch in 1663. This Fort was an important supply station for ships on their east-west route and has been included in the list of cultural monuments. heritage. On our walk along the beach, we may also see the local fishermen practicing the traditional way of fishing mounted on reeds.

Our day ends with our arrival in Waskaduwa, in the wider region of Berubala, with its palm trees and semolina sand it is one of the most popular postcard images of Sri Lanka. Transfer and check-in at our hotel.

Free day today, the day we wrap up our trip, even reserving our rooms until our departure time for Colombo airport.