10-Day Sri Lanka Heritage and Wildlife Tour from Colombo

• Start the tour after meeting your Colombo tour guide and depart for Anuradhapura.

• En route, visit the fishing village in Negombo, the centre of the island's fishing community. Negombo has a large Roman Catholic population.

• Afterwards, continue to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, which is home to about 70 elephants found abandoned or orphaned in the wild.

• Accompany the elephants to a nearby river to see them having their daily baths.

Overnight stay at Anuradhapura.

• After breakfast at the hotel, visit the sacred ancient city of Anuradhapura, founded in the 4th century B.C. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982 and has the largest number of ancient monuments of the great Sinhala civilization, including Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, Thuparama Dagoba, Brazen Palace, the image of the Samadhi Buddha, Twin Ponds, Guard Stones, Isurumuniya Temple and the Moonstone. The 'Sri Maha Bodhi', or sacred Bo tree, is the oldest historically documented tree in the world.

• Proceed to Sigiriya and, en route, visit Mihintale and Aukana.

Overnight stay at Sigiriya.

• After breakfast at the hotel, climb the Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, built in the 5th century A.D.

• See the Water Garden, Boulder Garden, mural paintings, Mirror Wall, Lion's Paws and the Royal Swimming Pool on top.

• Proceed to Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century. Polonnaruwa is strewn with ruins in an excellent state of preservation. Of these, the Vatadage, the Thuparama Image House and the Gal Vihara are the most spectacular.

• Visit monuments such as Tivankha Image House, Parakhramabahu Statue, Watadage, Hatadage and the Archaeological Museum with your Sri Lankan tour guide.

Return to the hotel in Sigiriya for the night.

• After breakfast, proceed to Kandy and, en route, visit Nalanda Gedige and the Dambulla Cave Temple, the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples.

• Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic, followed by a cultural show in the evening.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

• After breakfast at the hotel, tour the city of Kandy, the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings.

• Visit the Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, originally the pleasure gardens of the royalty. Nearly 10,000 species of plants are found in this garden, encircled by the Mahaweli River.

• Visit the authentic Kandy market and the bazaar in the evening.

Overnight stay at Kandy.

• In the morning, head to Nuwara Eliya, affectionately known as Little England.

• During the steep ascent to Nuwara Eliya, visit a tea factory to see how tea is made and have the opportunity to buy a selection of fresh tea - undoubtedly the best tea you will ever taste.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya.

• After an early breakfast at the hotel, leave for Horton Plains, the highest plateau in the country and one of the most important national parks in Sri Lanka. The most awesome physical feature of Horton Plains is the escarpment that falls 880 meters to the lowlands. Aptly known as 'World's End', from the precipice the view of the countryside below towards the south coast is spectacular.

• Return to Nuwara Eliya and proceed to Nanu Oya Railway Station to catch the train for a charming train ride to Ella. Ella is an excellent base for keen trekkers.

Overnight stay at Ella.

• After breakfast at the hotel, start trekking to Ella Rock and see the magnificent view through Ella Gap. You will see enchanting and spectacular scenery among the tea plantations.

• Proceed to Yala National Park and visit Ravana Waterfall and Buduruwagala Temple en route.

• At 2:30 pm, take a jeep safari to visit Yala National Park.

• At the end of the safari, return to the hotel at Tissamaharama.

• Proceed to Mirissa, Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa Beach in the morning.

• Visit Matara, the largest Buddha statue, and the Dutch Fort in Galle.

Overnight stay at the south beach.

• Proceed to Colombo in the morning with a boat safari on the Madu River and a visit to the turtle hatchery at Kosgoda.

• Head for an evening city tour of Colombo.

• Observe the old Parliament, residential areas, the BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall), and the Fort.

• Visit the Ceramics Corporation Showroom, Majestic City shopping complex and the ODEL Unlimited Dress Boutique.

Overnight stay at Colombo or transfer to the airport for departure.