Colombo Trip Overview
(SKU: LK107D5011) Explore the Architectural is a trip for those who appreciate true beauty of landscapes and unique wildlife. Explore the mangrove depths of Lunuganga Estate which was once the home of Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Enjoy walking over cobblestones seeped in history as you view the old city of Galle. Create an unforgettable and wonderful experience on your vacation.
Additional Info
Duration: 12 days
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
(SKU: LK107D5011) Explore the Architectural is a trip for those who appreciate true beauty of landscapes and unique wildlife. Explore the mangrove depths of Lunuganga Estate which was once the home of Sir Geoffrey Bawa. Enjoy walking over cobblestones seeped in history as you view the old city of Galle. Create an unforgettable and wonderful experience on your vacation.
Itinerary
Day 1: Airport > Negombo
Pass By: Negombo, Negombo, Western Province
Enjoy the sun on the sandy beaches of Negombo on the Western Coast of Sri Lanka. Watch the flourishing fish industry, which is a centuries-old tradition. Ride an adrenaline high with some fun water sports. Enjoy the corals and underwater life while diving. See the 50 year-old ship-wreck just off the coast, where many varieties of fish make their home.
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 2: Negombo
Pass By: Negombo Beach, Negombo Sri Lanka
Spend the day leisurely at the hotel.
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 3: Negombo > Dambulla
Stop At: Heritance Kandalama 11, Dambulla 21106, Sri Lanka
Heritance Kandalama is an archiectural masterpiece built by the late Geoffrey Bawa. Like all of Bawa’s work, this Luxury Expressed five-star hotel too is built around the landscape incorporating its elements in a sensitive and delicate manner.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 4: Dambulla
Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka
Climb the 5th century AD rock fortress, Sigiriya, where the King Kasyapa ruled. Walk through the entrance framed by the paws of a lion that is quite appropriate for its name, ‘ the Lion Rock’. View the beautiful unfading murals that brought Sigiriya its fame. Climb the steep staircase to see the terraced gardens and still-working cisterns. Walk through the tunnels leading to the palace as you get a feel for times long past.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 5: Dambulla > Polonnaruwa > Minneriya > Dambulla
Stop At: Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Sacred City, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
Visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which was the second major capital of Sri Lanka. Walk through the ruins of the city that flourished between the 10th to the 13th century AD. View important monuments such as Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue of King Parakramabahu whose reign was considered the golden age of Polonnaruwa. Get to know more about Sri Lanka’s ancient history.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Minneriya National Park, Maradankadawala-Habarana-Thirukkondaiadimadu Highway, 50150 Sri Lanka
This three-hour safari takes you on a ride through the Minneriya National Park. Enjoy the sight of over 150 elephants congregating in one place during the famous Great Elephant Gathering, which happens in the dry season between May to October. In addition to elephants, get a chance to also see many mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians in the scrublands, forests and other areas.
Duration: 3 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 6: Dambulla > Kandy
Stop At: Embekke Devalaya, Embekka Village Three Kilometers from the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Handessa 20480 Sri Lanka
The temple is made almost entirely of wood. From carved wooden pillars in the Halls which have open sides to the beautifully crafted roof, the entire are is covered in carvings. The bases of the pillars are octagonal in shape while their tops end in the shapes of a four leaves stacked in a square. The pillars have various images carved into the sides of the bases. In addition, carvings adorn the beams, rafters and doorframes.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 7: Kandy
Stop At: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was built in the 16th century as the place of veneration and protection for Lord Buddha’s sacred tooth. Walk through the beautifully embellished passageways and elaborately painted halls, done in red, cream and black. Lounge against delicately carved pillars and get amazed by the beautiful golden statues. Get an unforgettable experience of history and art.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 8: Kandy > Galle
Stop At: Heritance Ahungalla, Galle Rd, Ahungalla, Sri Lanka
Heritance Ahungalla Hotel, a luxury beach hotel at the fishing village of Ahungalla, close to Galle is a five-star luxury property designed by Geoffrey Bawa, the master architect of Sri Lanka. Arrival at the luxury hotel to the open-plan lobby presents you all with a stunning long view of the infinity pool reaching all the way to the sea. The airy and spacious hotel is designed in such a way as to make the maximum off the natural light of the sunny beach at Heritance Ahungalla. The expansive wooded gardens of the hotel are well shaded from the tropical sun.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Jetwing Lighthouse, Galle, Sri Lanka
Jetwing Lighthouse is five-star hotel on the outskirts of the old Dutch Colonial town of Galle. Designed by the famous Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, the resort is another of his iconic works with its elegance, old world charm and uniqueness. Providing fantastic service, delicious cuisine and a host of facilities and activities; the hotel provides an ideal tropical holiday retreat for the ages.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Galle Fort, Church Street, Galle 80000 Sri Lanka
Discover the city of Galle, where the Portuguese and Dutch made their headquarters, and its secrets. Visit the Galle Fort which is one of the best preserved fortifications in Asia. View the Maritime Museum, Galle National Museum and the lighthouse. Walk through the cobblestoned streets with their Dutch names as you learn more about their histories.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 9: Galle > Bentota
Stop At: Lunuganga Garden Tour, Dedduwa Lake, Bentota 80500 Sri Lanka
Lunuganga Estate was the country home of the renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. Started in 1947, the garden led Bawa, a lawyer called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1940, to decide to become an architect. As he went on to become Sri Lanka’s and one of Asia’s most prolific and influential architects, the garden at the Lunuganga estate remained his first muse and experimental laboratory for new ideas.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Avani Bentota Resort, Hotel Road, බෙන්තොට 80500, Sri Lanka
Offering stylish, hassle-free escapes to one of Sri Lanka’s best beaches, AVANI Bentota Resort & Spa is a designer hotel by the famous architect Geoffrey Bawa. An intimate hotel with just 75 rooms and suites, all the details that matter combines essential comforts and incredible Indian Ocean views, traditional hospitality is matched by upscale international appeal and blissful beach time can be mixed with must-see attractions.
Duration: 1 hour
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 10: Bentota
Pass By: Bentota Beach, Bentota 80500 Sri Lanka
Spend the day leisurely at the hotel or beach.
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 11: Bentota > Colombo
Stop At: Colombo, Colombo, Western Province
The house in 33rd Lane is an essay in architectural bricolage. In 1958 Bawa bought the third in a row of four small houses which lay along a short cul-de-sac at the end of a narrow suburban lane and converted it into a pied-à-terre with living room, bedroom, tiny kitchen and room for a servant. When the fourth bungalow became vacant this was colonized to serve as dining room and second living room.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple, 61 Sri Jinaratana Road, Colombo Sri Lanka
This portion of the tour takes you to two of the most important temples of the capital city, Colombo. Enjoy walking through the legendary Temple of Kelaniya, where Buddha himself is believed to have stepped foot. View its large, beautifully sculpted Reclining Buddha Statue. Visit the calm and quiet Gangarama Temple located right within the busy center of Colombo.
Duration: 2 hours
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 12: Colombo > BIA
Pass By: Katunayake, Katunayake, Negombo, Western Province
After a relaxed morning and breakfast at the hotel check out and, drive to the Airport for your flight back home!
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
