After breakfast depart Negombo to Sigiriya via Kurunegala. (Lunch optional). On the way visit the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela in time to observe the baby elephants being bottle fed.

PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE - See baby jumbos wondering around their cramped foster home or bottle fed and bathed by their human foster fathers at Pinnawala, about 90Km from Colombo towards Kandy is the home to some 60 or more elephant orphans. A place you will really enjoy and never forget. Most orphans are accustomed to their curious human visitors are harmless. Started in 1972 the Elephant Orphanage was relocated to at the present site in 1975 Bathing time at Ma Oya just in front of the orphanage is sharp at 10.00am and 2.00pm. Feeding time is about and hour earlier.

Proceed to Sigiriya and check-in to hotel. Late afternoon start climbing the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.

HE ASCENT TO SIGIRIYA
The ancient city of SIGIRIYA was designated a cultural World Heritage Site in 1982. It is also proposed that the site should be named the eighth wonder of the world, indicating it is in the same league as other international wonders such as the Grand Canyon and Ancient Pyramids. Translated as ‘Lion Rock’ into English, the name of the monument indicates the entrance through which visitors begin their final ascent to the top – through the open jaws and throat (‘giriya’) of a lion (‘sinha’). Unfortunately, the only remains of this lion figure are the gigantic paws, sculpted into the side of the rock. The topography of the area is flat except for the massive rock outcrop of the fortress itself. This amazing rock rises incredibly over 600ft up from the scrub jungle and what is more amazing is that its flat top has an area of over 3-1/2 acres. The amazement is not over; not wanting to be second to the Nature’s creation, the King has used this space in its entirety to creat his palace and fortress complexes including a swimming pool on the summit of this rock.

Dinner and overnight stay at Sigiriya.

After breakfast proceed to Polonnaruwa and commence a sight seeing tour of the Medieval Capital.

POLONNARUWA the Medieval Kingdom from the 11th to the 13th century. Ethnic harmony prevailed between the Sinhalese and the Tamils during this period. Buddhist and Hindu Temples located in the same complex and many other ruins symbolizes this fact. The Palaces, Huge granite sculptures and the massive tanks and complex irrigation systems built by the Great Kings conveys the extent of development that existed in this middle history period. Among the important ruins we come across in Polonnaruwa are, the Royal Palace, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, the Statue of king Parakramabahu and the famous Gal Viharaya - where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in 'Upright', 'Sedentary' and 'Recumbent' postures are carved out of rock - , and the Parakrama Samudraya. The Gal Vihara marks a very important land mark and a high point in rock carving. These four separate large statues out of which, the upright statue is 7m tall and the recumbent statue is 14m long are all carved out of one large slab of rock.
Some of the other important and famous ruins and places of worship are, the Shiva Temple, the Lankathilake, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vehera and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth Relic. Out of these, the Gal-potha (the Stone-Book), is the largest stone inscription in Sri Lanka with its length being 9m and the width 1.5m. A footnote on this 25 tonne gigantic rock slab indicates that it was dragged here from Minintale – an astounding 100km away.

After the sight-seeing tour of Polonnaruwa have lunch and return to Sigiriya on the way do a game safari of the Minneriya National Park. (Duration of safari – approximately 2 ½ hours).

GAME SAFARI MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK
Enter the Minneriya National Park by jeep :

MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka 's favourites such as sambar deer, leopards(if lucky) and elephants. However the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in 3rdcentury AD by King Mahasena). During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as buffalo, jackals, crocodiles, civet cats and the huge flocks of birds (cormorants and painted storks to name but a few) that come to fish in the shallow waters.
(Transfer time approximately 1/2 hour)

Dinner and overnight stay at Sigiriya.

After breakfast depart to Kandy via Dambulla en route and Dambulla Rock Temple. .

VISIT OF DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE,
Dambulla is known for its beautiful ancient Cave temples and a huge modern Buddha statue. The history of the 5 caves, containing over 150 images of Buddha, goes back to 1st century BC when king Valagambahu took refuge here. The second cave, the most elaborate and most spectacular of the five, is the largest which is 170ft long, 75ft broad and 21ft high. There is a large reclining Buddha statue and statues of two kings namely, Valagambahu who took first took refuge there and did most of the consctuction and Nissankamalla who later did more work. In the center of this cave is a large contaianer to collect the water that drips from the rock ceiling even during the dry season. This place is worth visiting not only for the cave temple, but also for the beautiful view over the countryside we get from near the caves situated at arount 150mt above the road.

Proceed to Kandy en route visitng a Spice Garden close to Matale (lunch optional). In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth and witness a cultural dance.


VISIT TO THE TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH IN KANDY,
Kandy was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka where the famous Dalada Maligawa – another world heritage site – is, is a very important place to visit. The Dalada Maligawa also called the Temple of the Tooth houses the Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha.

Dinner and overnight stay at Kandy.

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