ASIAN ODYSSEYS PRESENTS:
SRI LANKA: STORIES OF CEYLON
DAY 1 Feb 2 International Arrival
DAY 2,3 Feb 3-4. SIGIRIYA
Hike the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a 5th century palace and fortress built on a massive boulder. Begin with a leisurely walk through the pleasure gardens. Along the way you will see the cave shelters, mirror wall, frescoes, and the royal palace ruins at the summit.
Visit the rural village of Patikara Maduwa for a captivating introduction to the ancient martial art Angampora. Watch a spellbinding demonstration by local students, showcasing techniques used to defend Buddhism and ancient kingdoms.
Next, drive to the UNESCO-listed medieval city of Polonnaruwa. Explore the city by bicycle or cyclo, marveling at landmarks like the Royal Palace, the Quadrangle, and the iconic Gal Vihara, all echoing Sri Lanka’s historic grandeur.
Minneriya National Park for an afternoon jeep safari. Renowned for its majestic herds of Asian Elephants, the park also offers vibrant birdlife, including painted storks and pelicans. Return to the hotel for a peaceful evening.
Day 4: February 5
Start your morning with a lively game of cricket alongside the locals. Our team will provide all the equipment and a quick primer to get you started. These games are highly competitive among locals so you can expect them to bring their 'A game' to you.
Later this evening, you depart on a short drive for a 'Paduru Party' dinner, a traditional village celebration Seated on straw mats, relish local dishes, lively music, and a sip of Arrack—Sri Lanka’s iconic coconut spirit, often likened to whiskey.
Day 5: February 6.
Head to Kandy, the last stronghold of Buddhist power against colonial rule. On the way, visit the UNESCO-listed Dambulla Cave Temple, a vast rock site where King Valagamba sought refuge in the 1st century BC and later transformed it into a temple. Marvel at frescoes over 2,000 years old in these richly painted caves.
Continue to Private Spice Garden where you’ll learn about the secrets of spices like clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. Learn how they’re grown, processed, and used in cooking and medicine.
Enjoy a flavorful Sri Lankan lunch here, with the option to join a hands-on cooking demonstration.
Arrive in Kandy and visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a 16th-century masterpiece housing Buddhism’s revered relic in gold caskets. Once part of the royal palace, it symbolizes Sri Lanka’s spiritual and royal heritage.
Day 6: February 7
Start your day on the outskirts of Kandy with a visit to a local artist’s home, tucked within a working tea plantation. Discover her Batik art and eco-friendly crafts and learn how traditional skills are fading amid urbanization.
Next, join your host Chami for a hands-on cooking session. Shop for fresh produce at a local market, then prepare authentic Sri Lankan dishes in his mud hut kitchen before enjoying a delicious meal.
Later, meet Master Ruwan, a Kandyan dance and drumming expert. Learn about traditional dances like the cobra and mask dances, and try your hand at basic steps and drumming under his guidance.
Wrap up with a visit to artisans preserving the ancient craft of brass making. Witness their dedication to traditional methods rooted in the Kandyan Kingdom’s heritage.
Day 7: February 8
Check out in the morning and visit the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya with an expert in Botany. Set in Kandy's Mediterranean-like climate, the gardens are among Asia's finest.
Later you will drive to the Peradeniya Railway Station as you will hop on the local train from Peradeniya to Hatton.
Upon arrival at Hatton, reconvene with your vehicle and proceed to check in at your bungalow at Ceylon Tea Trails.
Day 8: February 9
After breakfast, enjoy a private tour of a working tea factory with a Tea Trails’ resident planters. Learn about tea production—from drying the green leaves to the chemical reactions that transform them into tea, grading the particles, and finally, packing and distribution.
Relive the traditions of early tea planters with a luxurious four-course "Planters' Lunch." Served in tiffin boxes at a picturesque hillside overlooking the Castlereagh Reservoir, this meal is elevated to Relais & Châteaux standards.
In the afternoon, join a resident planter for an exclusive tea tasting session. End the day with a colonial-style high tea.
Day 9: February 10
After breakfast check out and drive to the land of the leopards; Yala
Check in to the hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure enjoying the resort.
Day 10: February 11
You will have a wake-up call at 05.00 AM, as you will embark on your first safari in the Yala National Park.
Proceed to the hotel for breakfast.
Later this afternoon, embark on your second safari in the Yala National Park.
Return to the hotel at dusk and enjoy dinner in the dunes.
Day 11: February 12
After breakfast, check out and drive to Weligama
Visit Top House, a 25-acre cinnamon estate owned by a British couple who restored it to produce authentic Ceylon cinnamon. Take a guided tour by tractor, exploring the nursery, plantation, peeling hut, and distillery. Learn about cinnamon’s history and health benefits, observe the harvesting process, and see how cinnamon leaf oil is extracted. The tour concludes with a home-cooked lunch at the plantation house, offering an opportunity to converse with the owners about life as cinnamon farmers.
Continue to Mirissa and check in to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 12: February 13
Begin your day early with a Whale Watching experience, where you may spot Blue Whales, the world’s largest animals, as well as sperm whales, dolphins, and turtles in their natural habitat.
Next, engage in a unique Stilt Fishing experience with local fishermen. This traditional method, known as ‘Ritipanna,’ involves fishing from narrow poles fixed to the seabed. Visit a stilt fishing site, meet the fishermen, learn about their lifestyle, and try your hand at this distinctive practice. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, visit the historic Galle Fort with your guide. This UNESCO World Heritage site, originally built by the Portuguese and later expanded by the Dutch and British, features ramparts, bastions, and narrow streets lined with Dutch-style houses. Today, it is a vibrant living town that reflects its rich history.
Day 13: February 14
Check out this morning and drive to Colombo. On arrival, check into your hotel.
Later, visit the Barefoot Gallery, a renowned Sri Lankan textile brand founded by Barbara Sansoni over 50 years ago. Its locally made products are crafted by artisans in small workshops. Enjoy an alfresco lunch at their garden café.
At 4 PM, join Mark, a heritage expert, for a private walking tour. Starting at the Old Dutch Hospital, explore Colombo’s Portuguese, Dutch, and British history, visit Pettah’s bustling streets, and admire the 17th- century Old Dutch Museum.
End the evening with a seafood dinner at the acclaimed Ministry of Crab before returning to your hotel.
Day 14: February 14
Spend the day in Colombo exploring further on your own.
Or… continue onward to an extension to India or Singapore, or other East Asian destinations.
In time for your flight, you‘ll be assisted and transferred to the Bandaranaike International Airport in time for your flight back home.
