SRI LANKAN SERENITY & SAILING THE INDIAN OCEAN - Cruise, Tour & Stay

Package Duration: 30 nights Cruise, Tour & Stay
Package Starts: 11 March 2025 – at Colombo hotel, Sri Lanka
Cruise Starts: 24 March 2025 – from Colombo, Sri Lanka
Cruise Ends: 09 April 2025 – into Cape Town, South Africa
Package Ends: 10 April 2025 – on check out of Cape Town Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa

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PACKAGE OFFER SAVINGS!
Twin Deluxe Stateroom (DEL) was $14,025 – your special price from $12,655*pp
Twin Prestige Balcony (PR4) was $14,405 – your special price from $13,125*pp
Twin Prestige Balcony (PR5) was $14,630 – your special price from $13,350*pp
Twin Prestige Suite was $18,355 – your special price from $16,315*pp
Single Deluxe Stateroom (DEL) was $15,615 – your special price from $15,245*

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HIGHLIGHTS
- Explore World Heritage sites including the atmospheric streets of Galle and the ancient capitals of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura
- Search for wildlife on a jeep safari in Yala National Park, Sri Lankas second largest national park
- Enjoy the scenery of the Sri Lankas jungle, tea plantations and beaches
- Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and experience a Kandyan Cultural Show
- Take in the scents of the Matale Spice Garden & marvel at the Dambulla cave Temple.
- Discover the charm of Diego Suarez, renowned as Madagascar’s most beautiful bay
- In La Digue, fall under the spell of its idyllic decor featuring palm trees, granite rocks, white sand and crystal-clear waters.

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SRI LANKAN SERENITY & SAILING THE INDIAN OCEAN Cruise, Tour & Stay package prices include:
13 night Sri Lankan tour from Colombo to Colombo including: 13 nights deluxe accommodation, 17 meals (13 breakfasts and 4 dinners), Driver/guide and air-conditioned transport, welcome drink on check-in at each hotel, bottled water. (see below for day to day itinerary and highlights.)

– One way transfer from Colombo hotel to port
– 16 night boutique cruise aboard Ponant Le Laperouse from Colombo to Cape Town
– All meals while on board the ship (from dinner on the day of embarkation to breakfast on the day of disembarkation)
– Captain`s welcome cocktail and gala dinner onboard
– Open Bar (pouring wines, house champagne, alcohol except premium brands) during cruise
– Evening entertainment and events
– Room service 24h (special selection)
– Highly qualified bilingual French/English expedition team
– Zodiac excursions and off ship excursions
– Park entry fees into protected areas (where applicable)
– Port/Govt taxes
– One way private car transfer from Cape Town port to hotel
– One nights accommodation in a Cape Town hotel with breakfast
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Land Tour day to day itinerary:

Day 1 - Colombo, Sri Lanka
Ayubowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka! Upon arrival at Colombo airport you will be met and transferred to your hotel in Colombo.
Accommodation: Granbell Hotel Colombo (or similar)


Day 2 - Colombo - Galle
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and proceed to Galle. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort. The Fort is painted with streets that spread in a rectangular grid pattern pierced with houses carrying Dutch colonial style verandas. However, its hallmark stands a reality where the Galle fort remains a working community with its usual buzz of administrative offices, court complex, commercial buildings, churches and Southern folks frequenting its streets bracing the air of the Elysium of architecture.
Accommodation: The Fort Printers (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast


Day 3 - Galle - Yala
The following morning, after breakfast you will leave for Yala. En-route visiting a Turtle Hatchary, Slit fisherman.
This vibrant tourist destination sits along the Southern coast of Sri Lanka. Fishing and cinnamon cultivation are some of Galle's traditional industries. This area has also been recognized by the Wildlife Protection Society who contributed to a Sea Turtle Conservation Project which operates on a formidable scale today. Indirectly, this has become a watering hole of flipper & shell enthusiasts! Stilt fishing in Sri Lanka is a traditional fishing method where fishermen perch on tall wooden stilts planted in the ocean, using a crossbar to balance. This unique practice, typically seen along the country's southern coast, allows fishermen to catch small fish while enjoying a stunning view of the ocean.

From here we continue onto Yala and this afternoon join a wildlife jeep safari at the Yala National park. Yala is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and also one of the most visited national parks. A 4x4 Jeep will be your vehicle for the safari. Enjoy the safari till late evening, and then drive back to your hotel.
Accommodation: Wild Culture Yala (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4 - Yala - Ella
After the breakfast check-out from the hotel and travel to Ella. En-route visit Ravana Falls. Ravana falls is named after the King Ravana who according to traditional folklore is believed to have ruled Sri Lanka. It is a popular sightseeing attraction in Sri Lanka and currently ranks as one of the widest waterfalls in the country. It is best visited during the local wet season when the water is said to resemble an Areca flower with withering petals.
Accommodation: Hide Ella Hotel & Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast


Day 5 - Ella
An early start to visit the Little Adams Peak. Little Adam’s Peak is one of the best short-hikes in Ella, especially at sunrise or sunset. This mountain its 1141m above sea level and aptly name after its big brother, Adam’s Peak, which is a much larger mountain located in the west of Sri Lanka in Ratnapua and Nuwara Eliya Districts. The Little Adams Peak boasts spectacular views of the surrounding mountains in the ‘hill country’ region and in an easy hike for all sorts of travelers.

On completion visit the 9 arch bridge. The Nine Arch Bridge, also known as the ‘Bridge in the Sky’ is 300 feet in length, 25 feet in width and 80-100 feet in height. It is one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the country. The surrounding area has seen a steady increase in tourism due to the bridge’s architectural ingenuity and the profuse greenery in the nearby hillsides.
Accommodation: Hide Ella Hotel & Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Ella - Nuwara Eliya - Kandy
Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel and travel to Kandy. En-route visit Nuwara Eliya city & a Tea Factory. Misty steep roads, twisting through lush green blankets of tea bushes in a cool climate, remind visitors that they are within the range of the renowned British colonial retreat, Nuwara Eliya. Augmented by an English countryside atmosphere, the city of light once governed by English & Scottish planters is still studded with colonial bungalows, hedgerows & one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the world. A walk through the green grass and red-brick walls should present breathtaking views of a buzzing countryside hamlet.
In over one hundred and fifty years, the name Ceylon had become synonymous with the world’s finest tea. From the plantation to an international brand, witness the process that put Sri Lanka on the world map. Your guide will help you to pick out the perfect tea factory based on your route so you can enjoy a slightly more interactive experience.

The day continues on to Kandy and a visit to the Temple of the Tooth & Kandy City. Pay a visit to the most prized treasure in Sri Lanka, the sacred temple of the tooth relic, (Dalada Maligawa), and the seal of sovereignty. It is believed that a Buddha's tooth is enclosed in a sacred relic.
Accommodation: Edgar Mansion Kandy (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 7 - Kandy
After breakfast visit explore the Peradeniya Botanical garden, Gem museum and a Kandyan Cultural Show
The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens is the largest of the botanical gardens of Sri Lanka and one of the finest of its kind in Asia. In the tropical climate of Kandy, the gateway to the central highlands, the Garden lies at an elevation of 460 meters above sea-level, tightly bound on three sides by the loop of the River Mahaweli (Great Sandy River), which is Sri Lanka’s largest river.
Step into an intimate courtyard adorned with vibrant tapestries for a Kandyan Cultural Show.A traditional drums set the stage, graceful dancers in resplendent attire share centuries-old stories through Udarata Natum and Pantheru dances, while the rhythmic beats of Geta Beraya and Davul drums resonate in a personalized showcase of cultural richness. This private experience offers an captivating night where tradition and artistry converge, leaving you with indelible memories of Sri Lanka's cultural legacy.
Accommodation: Edgar Mansion Kandy (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 8 - Kandy - Matale - Dambulla
Enjoy the breakfast at the hotel and en- route to Dambulla we visit the Matale Spice garden & Dambulla cave Temple.
Spices serve as cultural treasures in Sri Lanka, embodying a rich history of trade, healing, and culinary excellence. Through immersive experiences at spice gardens, visitors can discover the multifaceted significance of spices while gaining insights into traditional healing practices and culinary traditions, making for a memorable and enriching journey.
Dambulla Cave Temple is a vast isolated rock mass and it was here that king Valagambahu took refuge in the 01st century B.C. when fleeing from his enemies. He later turned the caves into a rock temple. The Golden Temple of Dambulla has been the centre of pilgrimage for 22 centuries. It is a popular historic site for both Sri Lankans and visitors. The Cave monastery, home to Buddhist monks is covered with exquisite 2,000 year-old murals depicting the life and times of the Lord Buddha. The shrine houses a collection of 157 statues of Buddha in various sizes and poses, including a 15 meter long reclining Buddha and vividly coloured frescoes on the walls and ceiling, making this on of the largest antique painted surface in the world
Accommodation: Jetwing Lake (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 9 - Dambulla - Hiriwadunna - Sigiriya
After breakfast our day continues on to Hirawadunna
We visit a traditional village on a private tour. Depart from your Habarana hotel in a jeep and make your way with your driver-guide to the village of Hiriwadunna. Navigate rural village trails on a bullock cart on your way to the lake. Take a catamaran ride and admire the views. Enjoy a local lunch with villagers.
This afternoon we continue on to the Sigiriya Lion Rock, an ancient rock fortress, it's palace ruins on top of a massive 200 meter high rock surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures.
On completion you can head to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure.
Accommodation: Jetwing Lake (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 10 - Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Pasikudah
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and our journey continues to Pasikudah with a visit to Polonnaruwa.
Polonnaruwa remains as the royal ancient city of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa.The second oldest of all Sri Lanka's kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom.It was renamed Jananathamangalam by the Chola dynasty after their successful invasion of the country's then capital, Anuradhapura, in the 10th century. The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site.
This evening is at leisure in your Pasikudah hotel.
Accommodation: Amaya Beach Pasikudah (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - Pasikudah
Spend the day at leisure enjoying the hotel and its surrounding.
Accommodation: Amaya Beach Pasikudah (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Day 12 - Pasikudah - Anuradhapura
After breakfast you travel to the Ancient Kingdom of Anuradhapura
The first capital of Sri Lanka from the 04th Century B.C. to the end of the 10th Century A.D. Anuradhapura consists of more than a dozen archeological sites. The most significant sites are the 3 largest man mad stupas in Sri Lanka, which are the second largest man-made structures in the world after the pyramids of Egypt. Then Sri Maha Bodhi, a Sacred Bo Tree which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained Enlightenment.
Accommodation: Hotel Alakamanda (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 13 - Anuradhapura - Colombo
After breakfast check-out from the hotel and proceed to Colombo. Check-in and spend the rest of the day enjoying hotel and its surroundings.
Accommodation: Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - Colombo
After an exciting, fun-filled, and memorable stay in Sri Lanka, you will be transferred to Colombo Port to embark on Le Laperouse.
Meals: Breakfast