New Year in Sri Lanka

ivi the New Year in Sri Lanka, our organised tour to welcome in the New Year amid spirituality, history and nature.

More than a tourist itinerary, it is an amalgamation of experiences that will lead you to discover the beauty of the island known as the Tear of India.

Following a circular route from north to south, you will visit mythological sites, Buddhist sacred sites, spice gardens, rock temples and much more.

The journey begins in Colombo, Sri Lanka's vibrant capital, before moving on to the tranquil resort of Negombo, a perfect start to your New Year's tour. The itinerary continues to Dambulla, where you will explore the famous UNESCO World Heritage-listed rock temples, rich in ancient frescoes and Buddha sculptures.

An absolute must is a visit to Sigiriya, with its ancient stronghold situated on a breathtaking rocky peak. After exploring the historical wonders of Polonnaruwa, you will immerse yourself in the regal atmosphere of Kandy.

You will also come into contact with animals and enjoy traditional cuisine. By train you will travel through the scenic landscapes of the Hill Country, where the hills are covered with tea plantations and shrouded in an emerald green mantle.

The tour includes stops in towns with colonial charm, such as Nuwara Eliya and Galle, and in Yala National Park, where you will experience an exciting jeep safari.

Day 1
27 December ITALY - COLOMBO (-/-/-)
Departure from Milan on a scheduled Air India flight via Delhi. Overnight stay on board

Day 2
28 December COLOMBO - NEGOMBO (-/-/D)
Arrival at Colombo Bandaranaike Airport, clearance of entry and customs formalities. Meeting with the Italian-speaking guide and transfer to Negombo. Accommodation in the reserved rooms. Time at disposal for relaxation. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 3
29 December NEGOMBO - DAMBULLA (B/L/D)
Breakfast. Depart for Dambulla (approximately three and a half hours), the cradle of Sri Lankan civilisation and seat of the ancient kingdoms. Lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the rock temples of Dambulla, another Unesco heritage site known for its finely decorated caves. The temple stands on top of an isolated rocky hill and is the most impressive in the country. The complex consists of five caves with over two thousand square metres of painted walls and ceilings and is the largest area of cave paintings in the world. It contains over 150 sculptures of the Buddha, the largest of which is the 14-metre high rock-carved colossus. Dinner and overnight.

Day 4
30 December DAMBULLA (POLONNARUWA - SIGIRIYA) (B/L/D)
Breakfast. Visit Sigiriya the Unesco World Heritage Site fortress erected by King Kashapa in the 5th century BC. To reach the top of the fortress, one has to climb about 1,000 steps. At the base of the fortress, there is a moat, an embankment and a large park with the famous water gardens. In the 'Celestial Maidens' of Sigiriya, world-famous frescoes, painted with earth pigments on plaster, are collected in a natural niche in the rock. Lunch at a local restaurant and departure for Polonnaruwa (about one and a half hours).
In the past, Polonnaruwa was nicknamed the 'rice bowl' of Sri Lanka: cultivation flourished here thanks to the presence of water systems and reservoirs that were built by visionary rulers. During this period, Polonnaruwa reached a period of maximum splendour, the city exported rice to many countries in Asia, including China. Today, the rice fields produce more than ten tonnes a day and employ more than 200 women from the surrounding villages. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 5
31 December DAMBULLA - KANDY (B/L/D)
Breakfast and departure for Kandy. En route visit a spice garden in Matale.
Continue to Kandy, the ancient capital and last stronghold of the Sinhalese kings. In the afternoon, visit the city of Kandy, stopping at the market square where there are famous batik and precious gem shops. Continue the visit with the Dalada Maligawa temple or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth. Kandy is one of the most revered places for Buddhists around the world. Built in the 16th century, the temple houses the Sacred Tooth of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from the province of Kalinga in ancient India in the 4th century AD. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 6
1 January KANDY - NUWARA ELIYA (B/L/D)
Breakfast. In the morning, transfer to the railway station and depart by train for Nuwara ELiya (Nanu Oya). The journey will take approximately three and a half hours. Picnic lunch on board the train. Transfer to Nuwara Eliya, a mountain resort situated at an altitude of 1,868 m in a beautiful landscape. It is a particularly well-kept and clean town, with a British colonial style that sets it apart from all others. The town was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics that of an English country town, with red brick walls and Tudor-style houses. Nuwara Eliya enjoys a particularly healthy climate, and given its morphology, boasts breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and forests. Visit a tea plantation and factory to learn about the local tea-making process.
Accommodation in the hotel in the reserved rooms.

Day 7
2 January NUWARA ELIYA - ELLA - YALA (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Yala (approx. three hours). En route visit of Ella and the Ravana waterfalls. Lunch in a local restaurant. Accommodation in hotel. In the afternoon jeep safari (4×4). Yala National Park is located in an arid area of south-eastern Sri Lanka and covers an area of 151,778 hectares. The park has been inhabited in the past since 500 BC and was a hunting area until the early 1900s, before becoming a national park. (The park is usually closed in September-October).
Yala National Park encompasses different habitats that include dunes, forests, coastal forests, rocky hills, coastal lagoons and mangroves. This diversity of environments means that different species of animals and birds make their homes here. Dinner and overnight stay.

Day 8
3 January YALA - GALLE - HIKKADUWA (B/L/D)
Breakfast. Departure for Galle (approx. 3 ½ hours), the landing place of ancient Chinese, Arab and Indian navigators. The Portuguese arrived in 1500 and built a fort made of mud and palm wood. This was later conquered by the Dutch (and later the British) who built the present 400-year-old fortress with large ramparts and protective walls. Narrow streets lined with old houses with beautiful verandas show the Dutch heritage. Government offices remain in community use and the fort is still inhabited today. Visit Galle and the fort of the same name. Continuation to Hikkaduwa, hotel accommodation Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 9
4 January HIKKADUWA (B/L/D)
Days dedicated to relaxation and individual activities.

Day 10
5 January HIKKADUWA - COLOMBO - NEGOMBO (B/L/D)
Breakfast. Depart for Colombo, visiting on the way the conservation centre
of the turtles of Kosgoda. Continuation to Colombo. Lunch in a local restaurant. Orientation tour of the city, the nerve centre of the country and the gateway to the East. Visit the Parliament Building, designed and built by architect Geoffrey Bawa. Stop at the Old Dutch Hospital built over 4 centuries ago, the palace is a perfect example of Dutch architecture and the Hindu Sri Kailawasanatan Swami temple.Arrival in Negombo dinner and accommodation in hotel.

Day 11
6 January NEGOMBO - AIRPORT (B/-/-)
Breakfast. In the morning, transfer to the airport. Boarding on a scheduled flight back to Italy via Delhi.

The fee includes

Intercontinental flight and airport taxes (indicative fare subject to reconfirmation subject to availability)
Hotels mentioned, or if not available others of the same category, on a standard double room basis
Treatment as per programme full board (excluding drinks)
Transfers by private, air-conditioned van (suitable vehicle depending on the number of participants), visits and entrance fees as per programme
Tours and transfers with Italian-speaking guide
GoWorld travel kit (backpack, photo volumes, clothes/trolley bag - depending on practical amount)
Medical - baggage and travel cancellation insurance

The fee does not include

Visa fee USD 50 (EUR 80 if applied for through GoAsia)
Any local airport taxes to be paid locally
Gratuities, drinks, optional excursions and everything not mentioned under 'the fee includes'.
Go World Safe plus insurance

Proposed flight operation

AI 138 27DEC MXPDEL 2000 0800+1

AI 281 28DEC DELCMB 1230 1605

AI 282 06JAN CMBDEL 0820 1150

AI 137 06JAN DELMXP 1420 1830