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Welcome Page > Sri Lankan Holiday Packages > Adventure Trekking/Hikking Tour

Adventure Trekking/Hikking Tour

Tour Duration: 15 Days

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gangaramaya temple

Day 1

Dambulla

Dambulla

The group flight arrives at Colombo Airport and we transfer to our hotel at Dambulla (160km, 4hrs drive). Those not flying with the group can meet us at the hotel or at the airport in time for the transfer to Dambulla.

Overnight stay in Dambulla.

Sigiriya lion rock fortress

Day 2

Cave Temple, Lion Rock Palace

Dambulla

After breakfast we visit the magnificent Cave Temple at Dambulla, for some, the most impressive sight in Sri Lanka. There are colourful and very well preserved paintings and statues of Buddha inside the caves, which date back to the 1st century BC. We then have a short warm up walk which takes us gently through villages and rice fields, where we can see life unchanged for centuries. The walk is flat although it can be hot and humid. We head towards Sigiriya, where we have lunch.

In the afternoon we visit the imposing 5th century rock fortress of Sigiriya which rises approximately 200m from the plains overlooking the surrounding countryside giving far-reaching views. Used as a safe haven from invaders, the route to the top is up a series of steep steps and gangways. From the base, where a moat surrounds impressive water gardens, we ascend 200m, passing an overhanging rock under which superb portraits of native maidens holding flowers and temple offerings still adorn the rock wall. Crowning the flat-topped summit of the rock are extensive remains of the King's Summer Palace from where there are breath-taking views of the surrounding countryside. The descent is much easier and we have a final 35 minute drive back to our hotel in Dambulla.

Overnight stay in Dambulla.

knuckles hike

Day 3

Trekking in Knuckles Mountain Range

Knuckles Mountain Range

The next two days takes us across the famous Knuckles Mountain Range. Named after the shape of the peaks, there are more than 35 mountains peaks in the range. We start early today as it's a long day and we have a three hour drive to the start of our walk. The road winds its way slowly into the foothills to the start of the Manigala Trail. The walk starts with an easy descent past rice fields through the villages of Pitawala Patana and Etanwala. Descending all the way to the river we cross a small bridge and start to climb up through more farmland. We finally emerge at the top of an escarpment where we get great views of the surrounding countryside. It's a hot walk and can be very humid. An easy trail takes us along the top of the escarpment to Manigala peak at 1115m, the high point of today. We then descend all the way to the Illikumbura Forest Office. Some of the descent is a little steep. From the Forest Office it's a 20 minute walk to our campsite by the river where we can bathe in the cool refreshing river water. Today's walk is approx 15km, 7 hours walking. (Please note - occasionally due to high water levels we use an alternative campsite. The alternative campsite is about 40 minutes drive from Illikumbura).

Overnight camping

Trekking group in sri lanka

Day 4

Country side, Kandy Town

Knuckles Mountain Range, Kandy

A short half hour drive to the Narangamuwa Temple at Ranamuregama. We pass rice fields and coconut groves and enter a heavily forested area. The trail climbs gently for an hour and then levels out and undulates through this wonderful forest. The only sounds we can hear is the birdsong all around us. We emerge from the forest at Meemure village and looking back we get great views of the pointed peak of Lakegala. Passing farms growing pepper and other spices we come to a small tea shop where we have tea and a packed lunch. Approx 5 hours walking. After lunch we take a truck or trishaws for a bumpy 90 minute ride to Corbetts Gap, a famous viewpoint. Our bus will meet us here for the 90 minute drive to Thilanka Hotel Kandy overlooking the scared Kandy city.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

kandy temple of the tooth

Day 5

Temple of the tooth

Kandy

A relaxing morning after the exertions of the last few days with time to enjoy the garden and pool at the hotel. Mid morning we have a short 18km drive to Kandy and we have the afternoon to explore the town. Kandy is located on a small lake and we can walk round the lake famous for several varieties of water birds and large Water monitors. We visit the Temple of the Tooth, which houses Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic. The Tooth of Buddha was taken from the funeral pyre in 543 BC and only found its way to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD. There are literally hundreds of worshippers who visit the temple each day and in July/August the most spectacular ceremony takes place. In the evening we may have the chance to attend a performance of the athletic Kandian Dancing and fire eating.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

water falls

Day 6 and 7

Tea plantations and scenic hill country

Dickoya

This morning we drive to Dickoya (3 hours), where we stay for two nights in simple colonial tea planters bungalows. Surrounded by tea plantations the bungalows have a wonderful view of the Castlereagh Reservoir and on a clear day we can see the outline of Adams Peak in the distance. In the pilgrim season (December-May) we have the day to relax or have a short walk around the reservoir and two breath taking waterfalls. We leave around midnight for the walk up Adams Peak. This will take around 4 hours and we should reach the top with the many pilgrims at sunrise.

Overnight stay in Dickoya.

tea factory

Day 8

British Era town

Nuwara Eliya

This morning we have a wonderful drive through tea plantation to Nuwariya Eliya. This was the favourite hill station during the British era and situated in the cool highland air at 1890m has a very British feel to it. Known locally as 'Little England' it is dotted with British style houses, hotels and a racecourse. There will be an optional walk into the hills around the town and also time to explore the bazaar.

Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

hortain plains

Day 9

Trekk to World's End

Horton Plains, Ella

We drive to Horton Plains, a large plateau over 2,000m high, overlooked by the second and third highest peaks in Sri Lanka. The scenery is beautiful and the best way to explore is on foot. We trek through the rolling grasslands, seeing forest, wildlife, such as the sambar deer and purple faced monkey to 'World's End', one of the most stunning sights in Sri Lanka where the a1050m cliff overlooks the Uva Plains. We then catch the train from the railway station located in the highest altitude of the track. within two hours we drop from 1941m to 1255m. The train travels through the cloud forest into the tea plantations, the views are breathtaking; we get off at Ella.

Overnight stay in Ella.

hortain plains

Day 10

Trekk to World's End

Ella

Today we do a short hike to Little Adam's peak to have spectacular views of the coastal plain nearly 1,000m below. Almost the whole of the southern part of the island is in view and on a clear day the shimmering silver of the ocean is visible. The weather is normally clear in the mornings, however, as in any mountainous area, bad weather does sometimes occur which will obviously limit the view. We will also vist the famous Nine Arches Bridge.

Overnight stay in Ella.

yala safari sri lanka

Day 11

Waterfall trek, Wildlife park safari

Yala

A trek to the top of Sri Lanka's 2nd highest waterfall. We then head south out of the hills to Yalla down on the plains; this is our base for visiting Yala National Park. Yala is Sri Lanka's best known National Park and is popular for elephant, leopard, bear, crocodile and wild boar. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has become well known for leopard. The park, which is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and fresh water lagoons, has one of the highest concentrations of leopard per square kilometer in the world. We will have a game drive in the afternoon. (Please note that the sanctuary may be closed for 4-6 weeks from September to October allowing the park authorities to check the animals. We therefore go to an alternative area close by, usually the Udawalawe National Park).

Overnight stay close to Yala / Optional Camping.

Mirrissa beach

Day 12

Kataragama Temple, Beach side rest

Kataragama, Mirrissa

A early morning start for the short drive to Kataragama Temple. This temple is a pilgrimage place for both Hindu and Buddhists, who come to worship here in the early mornings and evenings. The colourful and noisy temple is always busy. From the temple we drive to the bottom of Wedihiti Kanda, from where we have our last walk to the summit, a walk of approx 3.5 hours. In the late afternoon we drive to the coast.

Overnight stay in Mirrissa.

Singhe Raja Forest

Day 13

Rain forest visit

Singha Raja Rainforest

Excursion to Singha Raja Rain forest which is the first natural world heritage site in Sri Lanka. Trek through the forest around 10km and inspire the most exotic flora and amphibians, avi fauna. Return to the hotel in the afternoon.

Overnight stay in Mirrissa.

galle dutch fort

Day 14

Galle Dutch Fort, Colombo City

Galle, Colombo

Early morning go for whale watching and set off for Colombo via the historic fort of Galle. Dating back to the 17th century, and now a UNESCO world heritage site, we visit the Galle Fort. We then follow the coast for the drive back to Colombo visiting a turtle hatchery on the way. We reach Colombo in the late afternoon and check into our hotel.

Overnight stay in Colombo.

sky line

Day 15

Tour Ends

Colombo

If you are travelling on the group flight we will have a morning transfer to the airport for the daytime flight to London. The arrangements for those not flying with the group ends after breakfast.

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