Welcome to Sri Lanka, and have a wonderful start to your holiday! Arrival in Colombo with hotel transport included. This afternoon, we take a sightseeing trip of Sri Lanka's capital, visiting the Fort, Galle Face Green, a coastal area where casual cricket matches are prevalent, Pettah, a lively oriental market, Gamgarama Temple, Cinnamon Gardens, and, lastly, Independence Square.

Colombo - Giritale. We depart Colombo for Giritale, where we settle into our hotel. This afternoon, we head to Polonnaruwa, a little city founded in the eleventh century. Stone sculptures from the 12th century may be seen at Polonnaruwa, as well as an antiquated irrigation system with big tanks and the Gal Vihara, which has three massive Buddha statues—one reclining (44 feet/13 metres long), one standing, and one sitting. The statues, which are grouped together along a dirt road, are considered to be among Sri Lanka's most sacred sights. There are also magnificent bas-reliefs and friezes, as well as palace remains. Before returning to Giritale, we spent some time exploring the area.

Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Giritale are all popular tourist destinations. After leaving Giritale, we head to Sigiriya to see the stunning frescoes at King Kasyapa's enigmatic stronghold remains from the fifth century. The "Lion Rock" is a spectacular castle that rises 200 metres above the scrub forest. A rampart, a moat, and a great collection of gardens, including the well-known water gardens, surround the base of the rock. Then we proceed to the spectacular Dambulla Rock Temple. Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the most spectacular of Sri Lanka's cave temples. The largest painting area in the world may be found in a series of five caverns that cover over 2000 square metres on both the ceiling and the walls.Matale is the final stop before carrying on to Kandy from Dambulla. Spice gardens may be found all around Sri Lanka, which is well-known for its spices. They are particularly concentrated in the area surrounding Matale. With a guide, you can see how cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves, peppercorns, saffron, and other exotic spices are collected and processed for use.Matale is the final stop before carrying on to Kandy from Dambulla.

This morning, we're going on a tour of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Previously, these were only available to Kandyan royalty. We return to Kandy, a gorgeous lakeside town, where we see the lake, a bustling bazaar, the Ceylon Tea Museum, and a lapidary workshop. This evening, we will visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic before watching a cultural display featuring traditional Sri Lankan dancing.

Our vacation comes to an end after breakfast, with a transfer to the airport provided.