Sri Lanka

19 Dec	Fly Manila to Colombo	Collected at the airport and driven on to your hotel in Colombo	WALAWWA
20 Dec	Colombo to Galle	After breakfast, proceed Galle a journey of 2.5 hours by road. In the afternoon visit Galle Fort, the largest European fortress left in Asia. Colonised by the Portuguese in the 16th century, it is still infused today with a graceful charm that perfectly encapsulates its European heritage and a wander through its meandering streets reveals a wealth of ageing colonial buildings.	GALLE FORT HOTEL.
21 Dec	Galle to Tangalle	After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Ahangama for where you will visit the Cinnamon plantation and Sri Lankan cooking experience. Our cooking classes and learn to prepare delicious Sri Lankan cuisine. Choose your own ingredients at the local vegetable market with our chef before learning to cook curries the traditional way on clay pots. Our chef will explain to you the health benefits of cinnamon which is used to spice up all of our dishes. Tuck in to the meal you have prepared and take home a recipe to complete the experience. Time allowing a visit to Ambalangoda for the Mask making factory and mask museum. Thereafter, proceed to Tangalle.	LAST HOUSE.Hotel
22 Dec	Tangalle	On a visit in Tangalle this morning experience the colourful harbour as the fishermen bring in the day’s catch and take it to the lively market. As a main fishing hub for the island Tangalla is a hive of activity. Enjoy the remainder of the day to soak up the sea breezes, white beaches and quiet of this stunning area.	LAST HOUSE.Hotel
23 Dec	Tangalle to Hatton	After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and proceed to heart of tea plantation, Hatton.	CEYLON TEA TRAILS
24 Dec	Hatton	Today is free to enjoy at your leisure, with a choice of excursions available from the lodge. There are scenic walks and hikes on offer, mountain biking trails to explore and spa treatments to indulge in. Enjoy a special planters picnic, or visit the nearby Leopard Research Centre Dunkeld. You can also join the estate's resident tea expert on an engrossing 'Tea Experience', a fascinating insight into Sri Lanka's age-old tea making process.	CEYLON TEA TRAILS
25 Dec	Hatton to Kandy	After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and proceed to Hatton railway station to take the train to Kandy. pon arrival to Kandy, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel in Kandy .late afternoon and head to the Temple of the Tooth for the colourful evening Puja ceremony.	TARU VILLAS KANDY
26 Dec	Kandy	The last capital of the ancient Sri Lankan kings, Kandy is one of the country's cultural and spiritual gems with a blend of contemporary as well as ancient Sinhala architecture. Home to the revered Temple of the Tooth, the city still retains a sense of its old-world charm and you'll enjoy a guided tour of some of its highlights this morning, including the beautiful orchid collection at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya. In the afternoon there is the opportunity to take in a show of traditional dancing. Finish the day with a culinary walk, exploring local markets and visiting Hela Bojun Hala, a spacious open-air food court set up with the aim of not only providing delicious Sri Lankan food at subsidised prices, but also providing employment opportunities for local women.	TARU VILLAS KANDY
27 Dec	Kandy to Dambulla	After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and proceed to Dambulla. Dambulla is an important stop on any itinerary, especially for the art lovers, five caves are filled with around 150 statues and paintings of the Buddha. Initially began over 2000 years ago, they have been added to over the centuries with the latest in the 20th Century, and include a 15m reclining Buddha. Continuing on towards Dambulla, make a stop at the workshop of a local artisan, the area is rich in traditional crafts such as clay pot making, weaving and lacquer work. A stop at one of the workshops will introduce you to the process giving you time with the artist to learn about their craft.	WILD GRASS NATURE RESORT
28 Dec	Dambulla	Sigiriya's famous Sky Fortress sits on top of the imposing granite monolith of the Lion Rock, some 200 metres above the surrounding countryside. Built during the 5th Century, it is one of Sri Lanka's major attractions and from its lofty heights the views are truly spectacular. The journey to the summit takes you past the vividly colourful frescoes of the Sigiriya Damsels and on to the ruins of the old palace of King Kassapa. Next explore Sri Lankan rural life with a walk to an ancient local village before enjoying lunch at Geoffrey Bawa’s iconic hotel – Heritance Kandalama. Later this afternoon, go on a jeep safari in Minneriya National Park, renowned for its large herds of elephants.	WILD GRASS NATURE RESORT
29 Dec	Dambulla/Polonnaruwa/ Habarna	After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and continue on to the old medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, a city that reached the height of its glory during the 12th century. Another of Sri Lanka's wonderful World Heritage Sites, the city is filled with a rich collection of ancient buildings and monuments. You may like to visit the magnificent ruins by bicycle, a relaxed and peaceful way to take in the Royal Palace, with its Audience Hall, Bathing Pool and Quadrangle and experience the curious Circular Relic House and the colossal carved figures of the Galvihara, hewn out of solid granite. From here you then continue on to Habarana.	UGA ULAGALLA
30 Dec	Habarna/Mihinthale/ Wilpattu/Habarna	After an early breakfast, continue your journey through Sri Lanka’s cultural history today, first of all with a stop at Mihintale, a small hill on which it is said Sri Lanka was first introduced to Buddhism when Mahinda, son of Ashoka, converted the Sri Lankan King of Anuradhapura. As well as the hill climb there are a number of religious buildings and stupas to explore. Afternoon you will be taken on a jeep safari through the rich landscapes of the Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka’s largest national park, Wilpattu is a mix of dense forest and scattered lakes and wetlands, the differing landscapes give a good chance of seeing a range of wildlife, the forests excellent for birds and the lakes for elephants and water buffalo. The park is also home to Sri Lanka’s largest population of leopards.	UGA ULAGALLA
31 Dec	Habarna/Awkana/Colombo	After breakfast at the hotel, check-out and proceed to Colombo.En-route visit to Awkana. The great Buddha of Avukana is carved out of a cliff and is nearly free standing, being attached to the cliff by only the narrowest piece of rock. It is 38 feet 10 inches high and its details are as sharp and clear as if they were only carved yesterday. Considering the images great size the sculptor did his work with considerable finesse and produced an image of grace and lightness. The lotus on which the image stands is a later edition dating from about the 8th century. When it was examined by archaeologists a very interesting discovery was made. In a cavity some 6 feet below the images’ feet were five bronze statues: one of Brahma with Indra, Kuvera, Yama and Varuna arranged around it. These statues had been placed there in about the 9th century.	MANIUMPATHY
Jan 1	Colombo	This morning you will discover Colombo on a city tour taking you through the history of this energetic city. Explore the fort and the colonial buildings as well as the churches and mosques and head into a few art galleries such as the Saupmal Foundation and Number 11. This afternoon join a local journalist on a walking tour to explore the food of the city, delve further into the personality of the neighbourhoods as you experience the different food influences. Go to Airport for 22.00 flight