Tour "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" 5 days / 4 nights

After breakfast, we head to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and then continue to Sigiriya, where we check into a hotel and explore the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Pinnawala is a famous elephant sanctuary, founded in 1975 on the banks of the Maha Oya River. It cares for orphaned and injured elephants, as well as babies. Currently, the orphanage is home to about 90 elephants, 60 of which are newborns. In Pinnawala, you can see elephants bathing in the river, feed them fruit, and even help care for the babies. Elephants play an important role in the life of Sri Lanka, participating in logging, shows, and religious processions. Polonnaruwa is the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, which flourished in the 11th to 13th centuries. The main attraction is the Gal Vihara Temple, where four Buddha statues are carved. These sculptures are considered masterpieces of world art. You will see a meditating Buddha, a 7-meter statue of a seated Buddha and a 14-meter statue of a reclining Buddha. The Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum contains unique artifacts: jewelry, household items, coins and statues. The city is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the evening, you will have dinner and rest at a hotel in Sigiriya or Habarana.

After breakfast, you will have free time at the hotel. You can relax or choose one of the additional excursions (optional): Anuradhapura is the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, which remained the center of the Sinhalese state for 1,400 years. It is a sacred city where thousands of pilgrims come every year. There are eight holy places, including the Bo tree and seven dagobas. In the center of the city is the Ruwanovelli dagoba, built in the 2nd century BC. Its base reaches 80 meters in diameter. All stupas contain relics associated with Buddha or were built on the sites of important religious events. Price: $ 70 per person (minimum 2 people, including entrance tickets). Minneriya - jeep safari in the Minneriya National Park. The park occupies more than 8,800 hectares and is famous for its diversity of flora and fauna. There are 9 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles and 78 species of butterflies. The main goal of the safari is to watch wild elephants, which gather at the Minneriya reservoir during the dry season. There are more than 400 elephants in the park. Price: $80 per person (minimum 2 people, including entrance fees and safari). In the afternoon, we will go to Sigiriya - "Fortress in the Sky". This ancient fortress was built by King Kasap in the 5th century AD on top of a cliff 370 meters high. At the entrance there once stood a huge stone lion, which is why the rock was called Lion Rock. At the top there are ruins of the Upper Palace, and at the foot there is the Lower Palace, surrounded by walls and a moat. Ancient frescoes depicting sky dancers have partially survived on the rock. Since 1982, Sigiriya has been under the protection of UNESCO. Then we will visit a batik factory where you will see how unique works of art are created. Batik is a traditional craft of Sri Lanka and such products will be a wonderful gift for friends and family. In the evening you will have dinner and overnight at a hotel in Sigiriya or Habarana.

After breakfast we go to the Dambulla Cave Temple, and then continue to Kandy. 148 km from Colombo, near the city of Matale, there is a unique Buddhist temple, carved into the rock more than 2000 years ago. This is the largest cave temple in South Asia, dedicated to Buddha going into parinirvana. The temple complex consists of five main caves and twenty-five rock cells, where there are 153 statues of Buddha, 3 statues of kings and 4 statues of gods. The walls of the caves are decorated with paintings with Buddhist motifs with a total area of 2100 m². The temple is often called the Golden Temple, as 73 statues are covered in gold. On the way to Kandy, we have a rich program: a visit to a wood carving workshop, a Spice Garden, a Museum and a gem factory, as well as the Temple of the Tooth Relic and a traditional dance performance. The Spice Garden in Matale is a place where you will learn about the cultivation and use of spices that once attracted traders from all over the world. Here you will smell the aromas of cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg. The Museum and Gem Factory will introduce you to the rich history of jewelry art of Sri Lanka. The island has long been famous for its sapphires, topazes, tourmalines and other precious stones. The largest sapphire in the world was found here - the "Blue Beauty of Asia" weighing more than 400 carats. Kandy is the last royal capital of Sri Lanka and the cultural center of the island. The city is located among the hills, and in its center there is a lake, next to which stands the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple, where the sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha is kept. Kandy is also known for its museums, centers of traditional crafts and art. In the evening, you will enjoy a national dance performance, dinner and an overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

Breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast – the Royal Botanical Garden, Ramboda Waterfall, tea plantation and factory. The Royal Botanical Garden is the largest in Asia with 4,000 specimens of southern plants. Here is the largest collection of orchids in the world – more than 1,000 species. The famous Benjamin ficus occupies an entire clearing, and the giant Burmese bamboo can reach 40 meters in height, growing 30 centimeters in just one day. In the center of the garden is a memorial alley, the trees of which were planted by famous guests of Sri Lanka. Among them were Emperor Nicholas II, A.P. Chekhov, Yu. A. Gagarin. Visit to the tea factory in Giragama. Visit to the tea factory. Then departure to the hotel on the coast.