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| The Cultural Triangle |
| (7 Nights / 8 Days) |
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Cultural Triangle takes you on a journey back in time. You will gain a better understanding of the island’s remarkably rich cultural and religious history that dates back 2,500 years.
NOTE: This trip is done perfectly in combination with short stays at the Maldives or Dubai |
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| Day 1 Colombo Airport - Horathapola |
| We will meet you at Colombo airport and transfer you to Horathapola Estate, an hour’s drive north of the airport. Unwind and relax in their beautiful gardens and enjoy what many have described as Sri Lanka’s best rice and curry dinner! |
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| Accommodation; Horathapola Estate |
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Built in the early 1920ies by the then British owner of the property, this grand planters mansion has maintained its charm of a bygone era. Surrounded by a large lawn and tall flowering trees, it is hidden from the still functioning estate belonging to the Fernando family since the 1940ies, where coconut, rice, pineapple and other fruits, as well as spices and hardwood trees are cultivated.
The bungalow has 3 large suites and one two-bedroom family suite. All rooms in the main house are furnished with antique four-poster beds and furniture of the epoch, while in the dependence, a slightly more modern room has been added with an in-built cement bed with ebony lining. The bathrooms are splendidly redone and very spacious. Each of the rooms has a private veranda or balcony. |
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Room type: Deluxe Room
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Days 2, 3 & 4 Horathapola – Cultural Triangle |
| Sri Lanka's famous cultural triangle offers plenty to see and do over the next three days. The trip from Horathapola to the Cultural Triangle takes approximately 3 hours. |
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| The Cultural Triangle |
We will arrange a visit to the 5th century rock fortress of Sigiriya, also known as the "Lion Rock", is an absolute must. The best time to visit is 7.30 AM. If you are lucky you might have the site all to yourself, indeed a real treat. We will also visit other sites of important historical and cultural significance including either Anuradnapura or Pollonaruwa, the first and second capital of the ancient Singhalese civilization.
Anuradnapura was the first royal capital flourished for 1300 years. This sacred city is thought to have been established around a cutting from the 'tree of enlightenment', the Buddha's fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Hidden away in dense jungle for many years, the splendid site spans over several miles with its palaces, monasteries and monuments.
Polonnaruwa became Sri Lanka’s capital in 10th century AC at a time when Sri Lanka achieved its triumph as a civilizations with an ingenious network of hydraulic engineering -- the construction of water tanks and irrigation canals. In 1411, an invasion from Southern India forced the Sinhalese to abandon the city. Pollonaruwa is well maintained and makes for a great half day visit. |
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| Accommodation; The Kandalama |
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Conceptualised by Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s world renowned architect, the Kandalama Hotel is not a building to look at, but a building to look from, described by one as a giant belvedere.
Built in a minimalist and contemporary style, the hotel sits on a rocky outcrop on the edge of an ancient reservoir and enjoys sweeping views of the surrounding countryside including two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the 1st Century BC Dambulla rock temple the 5th Century AD Sigiriya Rock Temple. The hotel itself is surrounded by beautiful natural landscaped gardens and is a heaven for over 160 species of migratory birds.
The hotel is a good base from which to explore Sri Lankas Cultural Triangle. Sigiriya Rock, visible in the distance from the hotel, is a short 30 minute drive. Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and the Minneriya wildlife sanctuary are approximately one and a half hours drive to the north. A combined visit to Minneriya and Pollonaruwa make for a great day out. Anuradhapura deserves a entire day on its own. |
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Room type: Luxury Suite
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner |
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| Days 5 & 6 Cultural Triangle - Kandy |
| Kandy is a half day’s journey from the cultural triangle. On route we will visit a spice garden. The following day a city tour includes the fabulous Botanical gardens and the Temple of the Tooth, in which a sacred relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined. Another option is to see Kandy’s sites on the first day in Kandy and on the second day head over to Victoria Reservoir for a round of Golf and lunch, colonial style, at the club house overlooking the Victoria Reservoir. |
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| Kandy |
| Kandy is known for its mild climate, colonial architecture, its spectacular festival - The Kandy Perahera which takes place in August. The Perahera is a procession of the sacred Buddha relic through the streets of Kandy, accompanied by dancers, musicians, entertainers and elephants. Kandy is also well known for being home to Sri Lanka's holiest temple, the Temple of the Tooth. Victoria Reservoir, a short half hour ride from Kandy is home to Sri Lanka’s best golf course, the Victoria Golf Club, regarded by many as one of the most scenic golf courses in Asia. |
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| Accommodation: The Kandy House, Kandy |
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| The ancestral home of one of Kandy’s most influential aristocratic families, Ratwatte Walauwa was built by Chief Minister Ratwatte Adigar in 1804. Relive some of the regions traditional pageant and custom in this beautifully restored manor house which retains the atmosphere of a private country home while its colonial influence, providing seclusion and serenity in its countryside setting only a short distance from Kandy. Dine in style in the original dining-room surrounded by ancestral portraits or less formally on the verandah overlooking the Kandyan hills. |
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Room type: Luxury Suite
Meals: Breakfast |
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| Day 7 Kandy To Colombo |
| After a lazy breakfast we travel west to Colombo. |
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| Colombo |
| A final stop in Colombo will not disappoint. A glimpse beneath the chaotic façade of this metropolis on the banks of the Indian Ocean will reveal a treasure of delights and surprises to the inquisitive visitor. We always encourage our guest to experience Colombo for at least a day or two. Colombo is not a city where crowds of tourist are shoved from one monument to the next. It is not a city of shopping malls or gigantic plasma screens pumping out advertisements night and day. It is a city with charming little hideaways waiting to be discovered. We have carefully handpicked the best shops and galleries, and the best restaurants. Sri Lanka In Style offers a personalized shopping tour of Colombo for those interested. |
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| Accommodation: Park Street Hotel |
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| This beautifully restored 250-year-old colonial bungalow was once the abode of Colombo entrepreneur Sheikh Salehbhoy Moosajee and his second wife Begum Zarina, a flamboyant artist, fashion and social icon of the time. It was the third of lifestyle guru Taru’s impeccably stylish properties to open, and her graceful renovation has carefully retained the elegant colonial ambience of this ancestral home whilst bringing it firmly into the 21st century. Ornate chandeliers, Dutch-period furniture and magnificent antiques provide plenty of interest while as a personal touch, Begum Zarina’s portraits and paintings liberally adorn the crisp white walls. Located on a quiet leafy side street The Park Street is a solace in a busy city and its high level of personalised service makes it incomparable with the city’s large five star properties. |
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Room type: Luxury Suite
Meals: Breakfast |
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| Day 8 Colombo – Colombo Airport |
| Depart in good time for your flight back home. The journey to the airport will take approximately 1 hours although it can take 1.5 hours during peak traffic hours. |
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| What's included : |
* Air-conditioned car and English-speaking driver for tour and transfers
* First-class train tickets from Kandy to Hatton
* Entrance fees: Entrance Fees to Uda Walawe National Park.
* Airport meet and greet
* 1 night at Horathapola on half board
* 3 nights at Tea Trails on full board
* 2 nights at Uda Walawe National Park
* 1 night at the Park Street Hotel on bed and breakfast
* Local taxes |
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| What's not included : |
* Scheduled international & domestic flights
* Comprehensive travel insurance
* Optional tours & activities
* Entry fees where applicable
* Gratuities and expenses of a personal nature |
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| Is this offer exclusive to Virtuoso ? |
| Virtuoso EXCLUSIVE: Virtuoso clients will receive a special gift as well as free upgrades and late checkouts (subject to availability) . |
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