Colombo

Colombo is the bustling capital city of Sri Lanka and is a hub for visiting beaches in the south of the island. Its history involves successive rulings by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, and it was a major port on the east-west trade routes during that era. This ancient heritage reflects on the city today in terms of its architecture consisting of colonial buildings as well as high rise skyscrapers and shopping malls. The cosmopolitan side of Colombo includes stylish theatres, cinemas, restaurants, cafes, museums, and galleries.

Modern-day Colombo is emerging rapidly and a Colombo city tour is a worthy item on your agenda either on the start or finishes to your Sri Lankan tour.

Galle

Galle, 119km from Colombo, is a major city situated at the tip of the South Western coast of Sri Lanka. Being a coastal area, it is quite hot and humid but has an abundance of beautiful beaches in every town that you pass while travelling from Colombo to Galle. The Galle Fort was built by the Portuguese, fortified later by the Dutch and is well preserved till today. In addition to the Portuguese and Dutch remains, you will also find many British mansions left behind. As for beaches, the Unawatuna Bay probably tops it all and is safe for snorkelling and swimming because a reef protects it. There you have it, a day tour of the city of Galle in a nutshell. In case there is a delay in your departure, try using the Southern Expressway, a recently built highway that can take you to Galle in half the time.

Kandy

Kandy, more popularly known as the hill capital of Sri Lanka, is an attractive tourist destination. Its history dates back to the 15th century, when it was the last royal capital of the country. The city is 115km from Colombo and is the second biggest city in Sri Lanka. Kandy has an abundance of culture around it; the Temple of the Tooth being the most popular attraction. The centre of the city is situated in a valley which is elevated at 600m above sea level.Kandy Lake is an artificial creation by one of the past rulers and today, it is a scenic centre piece of the town. Also, home to an international cricket stadium, Kandy brings in thousands of cricket fans. Sports, religion, history and culture, Kandy has it all! A Day tour of Kandy should not be missed out on your tour of Sri Lanka.

Kithulgala

The town of Kitulgala is where this tour will take you for a day filled with extreme adventure. Kitulgala is a small, yet beautiful town located in a wet zone rain forest, approximately two hours away from Colombo. This town is one of the wettest zones in the country not only because it has the Kelani River running through it but also because it experiences two monsoons every year. These monsoons trigger the water flow in the river and make it an ideal location for adventurous sports such as white water rafting. Also, the green surroundings and wet atmosphere make it an ideal location for a bird habitat; hence bird watching is a common activity in Kitulgala. In addition to that, an interesting episode in the history of Kitulagala is the filming of the movie “Bridge on the River Kwai” in 1957. Remains of the concrete foundation of the bridge are still visible today.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya, an ancient palace, was once nominated as the 8th wonder of the world. Today, Sigiriya and Dambulla are a UNESCO recognized heritage site and a major tourist attraction. The city of Dambulla is 148 km north-east of Colombo, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is home to an ancient cave Temple also known as the Golden Rock Temple, which is a popular tourist attraction. Approximately 25kms from Dambulla is Sigiriya, which is where you will find the “Lion’s Rock”. This is a 220-meter high rock, at the top of which an ancient King built his Palace. In addition to being a well-maintained model of ancient urban life, Sigiriya is also an adventure of rock climbing for many. A day tour of Sigiriya and Dambulla will suffice for you to explore Sri Lanka’s Majestic past. Leave from Colombo at about 6.00 a.m., enjoy the scenic four-hour drive to your destination, explore the two cities, and be back to Colombo by midnight.

Safari

Have you ever been on a safari in a jungle that is ruled by the leopards? The Yala National Park is your answer! With 130,000 hectares of landscape, this Park is situated in the city of Yala, 260km South East of Colombo, and is a combination of a National Park as well as a strict nature reserve. According to Forbes Magazine, one of the main tourist attractions in Sri Lanka is its wildlife and Yala National Park is the most visited wildlife park on the island. Along with the wide variety of birds, mammals, and reptiles, you will also experience a range of forests, scrubs, lagoons, tanks and grasslands. Some of the most seen animals include leopards, elephants, sloth bears, jackals, peacocks, and crocodiles. Book your day tour of the Yala Jeep Safari now and experience the unforgettable!

Sinharaja Rain Forest

If you want to explore a magnificent nature beyond the artificial world which we imagine dramatically. Such as dense trees and flowing streams over rugged rocks splitting water all over the wetland, then the best place to visit is SINJARAJA RAINFOREST. The rainforest is so refreshing, exotic and beautiful that you could just sit down under the shadow of trees and allow the magnificence of nature to wash over you.

Sinharaja is not only specified for its beauty, but the UNESCO has named it as a world heritage site in 1988. Since this unspoiled lowland rainforest in this island is the home to 830 0f Sri Lanka’s endemic species of flora and fauna. The most common mammal in the reserve is the purple-faced langur monkey, the flame striped jungle squirrel and spotted cat to name few. The rainforest is also rich with reptile and bird population on the island.

Whale watching Mirissa

World’s best: As per the research, the deep south of Sri Lanka (off Mirissa) is one of the world’s best locations (amongst the top two or three) for watching Blue Whales and Sperm Whales, two of the most sought after marine mammals. In fact, for seeing both Sperm and Blue Whales together, it may even turn out to be the best location in the world.

The waters off Mirissa in the southern coast of Sri Lanka are home to some of the largest whale and dolphin colonies in the world.

Experienced: Sri Lanka Day Tours owning company Eco Team initiated commercial whale and dolphin watching in Sri Lanka way back in 2000 in association with the international dolphin watch. Back then, whale watching was not commercial and only serious researches, whale enthusiasts did whale watching in Sri Lanka.