RAILWAY RAMBLE
Sri Lankan Rail and Road Tour
The new ‘railway and drive’ tour combines traveling by luxury vehicles and trains. Riding across the hill country by
train is truly a delightful, fascinating and fun experience. The railway network was introduced to the country by the
British colonial government in 1864. The main reason for building a railway system in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) was to
transport tea and coffee from the hill country to the capital city of Colombo.
Still, today, a journey by train from Kandy to the highlands of Nuwara Eliya, Ella or Dickoya is one of the most
fabulous experiences Sri Lanka has to offer. The climb uphill up to 6,000 feet above sea level is one of the greatest
railway journeys in the world. The dramatic landscape of the highlands stirs the senses as you wind past lush tea
plantations, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls.
Tour Includes
- All lodging during the tour on B&B basis.
- Bikes and helmets in superior condition.
- Services of a local biking guide.
- Back up vehicle cum transportation during the tour with a chauffeur/guide.
- Inclusive of all government taxes.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Lunches and dinners
- Personal expenses
Itinerary Details
On arrival at Colombo airport, you will be met by our chauffeur/guide who will be your
driver and companion during your stay in Sri Lanka. Our guides have received a statutory license
from the Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority and are knowledgeable and will be selected so
as to be able to converse with you in a language you are comfortable in, and are trained to ensure
that you have a pleasant and enjoyable stay.
Colombo – Sri Lanka’s seafront capital is a happy blend of the East and West: Bazaars, temples and
mosques rub shoulders with elegant colonial and modern architecture, and sports cars mingle with
oxcarts.
Overnight stay at Colombo.
After an early breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and will proceed to the Colombo Fort
Railway station where your journey to Anuradhapura will start on an air-conditioned train. The
train will depart at 6.50 a.m. from Colombo Fort Railway station and it will reach at Anuradhapura
by about 11 a.m. A chauffeur with a car will meet you at the railway station in Anuradhapura and
drive you to your hotel.
Anuradhapura – Sri Lanka’s greatest city dates back to the ninth century B.C. and was its capital
for 1,500 years. Its palaces, gigantic reservoirs and shrines over 150 metres tall, are all engineering marvels to this day. Ongoing excavations reveal more wonders daily, including the
records of ancient travelers, whilst pilgrims from all over the world attest to its continuing appeal
to Buddhists as well as art lovers. A visit on a full moon day is especially rewarding.
Overnight stay at Anuradhapura.
In Anuradhapura, view the stupendous brick dagobas, ‘Brazen Palace’, the sacred Bo-Tree,
Samadhi Buddha, Isurumuniya Temple and Twin Ponds – all of which are monuments over 2,000
years old. Return to your hotel.
Overnight stay at Anuradhapura.
After an early breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and will proceed to the Anuradhapura
railway station to travel to Kurunagala. The train will leave Anuradhapura at 6.40 a.m. and will
reach at Kurunagala by about 9 a.m. A chauffeur with a car will meet you at the railway station in
Kurunagala and will drive you to Kandy.
Kandy – Centred on an artificial lake built by her last king in the early 19th century, Kandy
is a bustling mountain city. The Temple of the Tooth houses the Tooth Relic of the Buddha
in the palace compound. The 18th century Royal Botanical Gardens offers an unparalleled
variety of tropical plants. Crafts shops, markets and the park-like university campus form
other centres of interest.
In the surrounding villages are mediaeval temples such as Embekke, Lankatilake and Gadaladeniya
– with paintings and wood carved pillars to marvel at. For those with the itch, Kandy has a new
championship golf course, rated as one of the most beautiful in Asia, the marvelous double
curvature Victoria dam (hydro electric) and a range of hotels to suit all purses. In the evening,
watch a cultural performance featuring the various dance types and drummers of Sri Lanka.
Overnight stay at Kandy.
Visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. The gardens are on the banks of the Mahaweli River, the
longest river in Sri Lanka. The gorgeous gardens were first planted and laid out for King Kirthi Sri
Rajasingha (1747-1780) and cover some 150 acres of trees, lawns and flowering shrubs. The
National Herbarium is also situated here where some samples go back more than 100 years. Under
British rule, the Royal Park became a botanical garden in 1821 and is the largest of Sri Lanka’s
three main botanical gardens. Here, exotic crops such as coffee (which was actually the first
plantation crop in Sri Lanka), tea, nutmeg, rubber and cinchona (quinine) – all of which later became
important to Sri Lanka’s economy – were tested. Don’t miss the majestic palm avenue, planted by
the British in 1905.
Visit the Temple of the Tooth, the colourful fruit and vegetable market and bazaar.Evening optional: View a Kandyan dance recital.
Overnight stay at Kandy.
Travel by train from Kandy to Nanu Oya (7 km away from N’Eliya). A chauffeur with a car will
meet you at the railway station in Nanu Oya.
Nuwara Eliya, the famous hill station (1,800 m), founded by Sir Samuel Baker – the Nile
explorer, among some of Sri Lanka’s most verdant hillsides at 1,800 m above sea level, is more
reminiscent of the days of the English tea planters than any other place in Sri Lanka. This is hardly
surprising for Nuwara Eliya was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics
that of an English country town, with redbrick walls and mock Tudor half-timbering. Though the
British planters and officials who found Nuwara Eliya a congenial place to escape from the heat of
the lowlands are long gone, Sri Lanka’s well-to-do still migrate to its cool climes during the hottest
times of the year and especially during the Sinhalese New Year holidays in April. With mountain
forests, wilderness areas and national parks in easy reach, it also boasts a 18-hole golf course
which is Asia’s oldest. Visit a tea plantation and factory on the way.
Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.
Early morning, an excursion to Horton Plains – it’s a hike of 4 kilometers one way. Leave for
Horton Plains and enjoy the view from 7,000 feet at ‘World’s End’ down to the sea (weather
permitting). This 3,162 hectare national park is a complex of enchanting natural beauty on the island,
located 7,000 feet above sea level, best known for World’s End, which on a clear day offers a
spectacular view nearly 80 kilometers to the sea. This is also a habitat to leopards, sambhur, deer and
some birds: Eagle, blue magpie, wood pigeon, yellow eared bulbuls, fan-tail warbler and white-eye and
some 247 species of butterflies, as well as rare orchids, keena (Calophyllum sp) trees and exotic
sphagnum mosses, the only one of its kind in the world. Horton Plain is a watershed of tremendous
importance, containing the second and third highest mountains in Sri Lanka.
Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.
Travel by train from Nanu Oya (7 km away from N’Eliya) to Badulla. A chauffeur with car will meet
you at the railway station in Badulla. On the way, you will be ridden through a very interesting and
rare phenomenon immediately after the Demodara station – a loop in the rail track. The track
leaves the station, goes around a hill behind it and goes past the station under it.
Drive to down to the southern plain, to Yala via Ella and Wellawaya. You could visit the famous
Ella Gap, Rawana Ella falls etc.
Drive on to Kataragama – the Kiriwehera and shrine of Lord Murugan draw devotees of all faiths.
Overnight stay at Tissamaharama/ Yala.
Safari by jeep to Yala National Park – see wild elephant, leopard, herds of buffalo, spotted deer,
peafowl, water birds, colourful jungle fowl and raptors. Yala is approximately 1,259 square km in
extent and is located in the south-eastern corner of the island. Its northern boundaries border on
the Lahugala elephant sanctuary and it has the added bonus of a scenic ocean frontage.
Overnight stay at Tissamaharama/ Yala.
Drive to Galle, the southern capital. Sightseeing in Galle. Visit the Galle Fort. A continuous rampart,
built by the Dutch from the mid 17th century onward and added to by the British, encircles the city,
interrupted by 14 massive bastions. The best way to see the fort is to walk the length of the walls
(90 minutes). Visit the 17th century Dutch fort and the new Maritime museum.
Overnight stay at Galle.
Drive to Negombo via Colombo. Negombo is a famous fishing village north of Colombo.
Overnight stay at Negombo
Transfer to the airport for departure.
