ROCS Guided Holidays 2024

VISITING: Negombo, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Matale, Kandy, Heel Oya, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Diyaluma, Yala, Galle, Beruwala, Maldives, Dubai 19-Day Sri Lanka, Maldives & Dubai

19 DAY GUIDED TOUR € 4369 FROM 09 - 27 SEP

DAY 1 - MALTA – SRI LANKA Meet your tour manager at Malta International Airport for your flight to Sri Lanka. DAY 2 - NEGOMBO Ayubowan (meaning, may you live long) is our traditional greeting and we welcome you with the same whole-hearted gesture to our beautiful island of paradise! Transfer to your 5* Heritance Negombo Hotel for the welcome ceremony arranged especially for you! Later in the afternoon, move on to exploring more of the Negombo town. Nicknamed “Little Rome” with a predominant Catholic community living in the area, the influence of Catholicism can be seen here, with the many churches that are erected in a similar beautified architecture. Sail on a boat to witness the beauty of the nature and the surroundings of the Negombo lagoon. Meals: Dinner DAY 3 – NEGOMBO – DAMBULLA Today you start the journey travelling inland of the country. Transfer to the famous cultural triangle, the land of the ancient kings of Sri Lanka. Here prepare for a soothing, yet exciting moment close to the nature and community as you head on a village experience tour. Then a session of “pirith” chanting and tying a “pirith” thread around your wrist invoking blessings and protection upon you. From here head down to the shore and board the catamaran for your ride across the lake. Witness a chena cultivation and see some of the traditional methods of agriculture. Now begins an exciting moment as a village folk conducts a cookery demonstration especially for you. Learn how some of the local cuisines are made, how the produce is prepared and the spices are mixed and matched to achieve that perfect balance of flavour. The time you were waiting for, a delicious local rice and curry lunch will be presented for you to enjoy in the authentic way. Thereafter bidding farewell to the villagers transfer back to the starting point in a tuk-tuk, a more modern and fun mode of transportation. Afterwards head to your 5* Heritance Kandalama hotel for check-in,

and we allocate some time for you to refresh. Later in the evening head out to witness an attractive cultural show, depicting the different styles of dance special to the different areas of the island. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DAY 4 - DAMBULLA – SIGIRIYA – POLONNARUWA Today prepare yourselves for a never before made experience to climb the majestic Sigiriya rock fortress! A resulted palace complex of a family feud in the ancient times which made Sigiriya the fortress in the skies. When you reach the peak you will have a 360-degree view of the area where you will realize the splendour of scenery on top, of the lush greenery, the lakes with views as far as you can imagine. From here travel back in time as you head to explore the second ancient capital of the island, in the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa. The era of the Polonnaruwa kingdom is known as a golden era in the island. Take a moment to relax on the lake bund and refresh with some king coconut water before commencing the journey back. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner DAY 5 – DAMBULLA – MATALE – KANDY First visit of the day will be to the Dambulla cave temple. A temple built in appreciation by an ancient king for providing shelter during his period of exile. This is identified to be the best preserved cave temple complex in the island. En-route, the next stop will be at a spice garden in Matale. Continue the journey to Kandy, and on arrival make way to explore the hill capital. Head on an interesting city tour and walk navigating together with your guide through the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. Travel to the various bazaars, mingle with the locals, experience local arts and crafts and enjoy some unique local food or drinks to keep you energized. Ending an active day, head to the 5* Golden Crown Hotel for check in and revitalize yourself preparing for the next day. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner DAY 6 – KANDY – HEELOYA Breakfast at the hotel. What could be better

than an authentic and exclusive experience for you to enjoy together! No matter your age, prepare yourself for a fantastic time in the rural areas to experience Sri Lanka in its purest tranquillity and to experience the pristine landscape. During this experience we will extend the special chance to enjoy the cool, crystal clear waters of the area with a bathing session in one of the natural streams, depending on the water levels and safety. Then you arrive in the village, where you will be warmly welcomed. Interact with the villagers and learn about the simplicity of their life, how they live day to day and how the traditions are preserved in this rural village. Spending some quality time here, towards evening we say goodbye to the villagers and start our journey back to the starting point in a local mode of transport. Head back to the hotel. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DAY 7 - KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA Breakfast at the hotel. Thereafter start the day on a relaxed and laid back pace. The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden, a venue existing from the times of Royalty it was re-planned by the British to establish as a botanical garden. Thereafter a wonderful experience travelling on the rails in the hill country. Board the train for your journey to Nanu Oya. Check-in at your 5* Golden Ridge hotel and we have allocated rest of the day to enjoy at leisure to admire and appreciate the wonderful mountainous environment. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner DAY 8 - NUWARA ELIYA Head out to explore the colonial town of Nuwara Eliya and its scenic surroundings. When visiting the hill country of Sri Lanka there is something no visitor should miss and that is Ceylon Tea! You will have the opportunity to visit a tea plantation to see and learn how tea is grown and harvested. This will be followed by a factory visit to witness the production process. Known as ‘Little England’ the town lives up to its nickname offering a picture of a British suburb village. In the evening we invite you to enjoy a delectable high-tea amidst this

SRI LANKA 2024

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