8 Days Archeology tour itinerary for sri-lanka: Make The Most Of Sri Lankan Natural Beauty

Arrive in Colombo. 

Check-in at the hotel. 

Rest or look around sites in Colombo. Colombo is a cozy mixture of the Portuguese, Dutch and British civilization. Churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food- all have been engraved in the Sri Lankan culture over time. 

You can visit Galle Face Green, Old Parliament, BMICH conference Hall, Independence square, Gangarama Temple, Hindu Kovil, and Bazaars.

Stay overnight. 

Post breakfast drive to Habarana (04 hours drive). 

Visit Dambulla Cave Temple en-route. This temple dates back to the 1st Century BC. The cave monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. Inside the caves, the ceilings are painted with intricate patterns of religious images, following the contours of the rock. There are images of the Lord Buddha and Bodhisattva, as well as various gods and goddesses.

Reach Minneriya National Park in the afternnon. This park is spread across 8890 hectares, thus becoming an ideal eco-tourism location in Sri Lanka. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas. 

Stay overnight in Habarana. 

Leave for Sigiriya (30 min drive) in the morning. Climb the Sigiriya rock fortress- The Lion Rock Citadel. Sigiriya was the Royal Citadel of King Kasayapa who ruled in The 05th Century A.D. 

Afterwards, proceed to Habarana for a village tour. 

Travel by bullock cart thorough typical dry zone village, then get on to traditional village boat for a boat ride in the lake.

Get into the paddy fields & cultivation lands. Experience Sri Lankan farming culture. 

Have typical Sri Lankan village lunch serve on Banana or Nelum leaf.

Proceed to Polonnaruwa (1 ½ hrs drive). The ancient city of Polonnaruwa rose to fame as the new capital after decline of Anuradhapura (11th – 13th Century).

Have lunch at a local restaurant in Polonnaruwa.

Stay overnight in Habarana. 

After a healthy breakfast, leave for Kandy.

Visit the spice Garden in Matale, en-route to Kandy. Spices of Sri Lanka attracted the early sea-faring merchants who made the long voyages to purchase this precious merchandise.

Reach Kandy and visit art and crafts center.

Also visit The Holy Temple of the Tooth Relic. This temple, the most important one for the Sri Lankan Buddhists was built in the 16th Century A.D.

Stay overnight in Kandy. 

Leave for Nuwara Eliya in the morning. 

Visit Gem Museum in Kandy. You can view a documentary film on how Sri Lankan Gem mining is traditionally done. Sri Lanka is world renowned for its precious & semi-precious Gems. 

Visit a Gemological Museum, a gem cutting factory & also can witness a documentary on Gem mining & the process. 

Visit a Tea Factory & Ramboda Falls. Witness the processing of Tea leaves.

You can buy various Tea products from the Tea shop.

Have lunch at Ramboda restaurant.

Reach Nuwara Eliya- a town located 6182 feet above sea level. It is still very much like an old English town with styled Bungalows and buildings.

Stay overnight. 

After breakfast, leave for Hikkaduwa – Galle (05 hours drive).

On this drive, pass via plantations of  Tea, rubber, and coconut. 

Visit two waterfalls en-route. 

Stay in Hikkaduwa. 

You will visit following sites while you stay in Galle: 

1. Historical Galle city- earlier an ancient city, now a modern and buzzing town though the Dutch fortress remains as it was during the Dutch period. 

2. Habaraduwa Turtle farm - was created to protect this endangered species. The eggs are collected and immediately buried in a sandy compound that offers protection from birds, crabs and humans, thanks to some netting. There are 8 varieties of turtle in the world, five of which can be found here: parrot, green, loggerhead, crocodile and leatherback. 

3. Madu River – The Maduganga river is a shallow water body in south west Sri Lanka, which enters the sea at Balapitiya. It has high ecological, biological and aesthetic significance being home to 303 species of plants belonging to 95 families and 248 species of vertebrate animals. 
   

Have dinner & stay overnight in Galle. 

After breakfast, leave for Colombo.