<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 12<sup>th</sup>...</span></b> Depart Cape Town on Emirates airlines.

&nbsp;

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 13th</span></b>...Arrive Colombo, Sri Lanka. We will meet our guide on

arrival. Transfer to our beach hotel in Negombo and relax.

Overnight in Negombo.

<b> </b>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 14th</span></b>...Another day at the beach and a visit to a

local fishing village.

Overnight Negombo

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 15th</span></b>... After breakfast leave for “Yapahuwa”, once the

ephemeral capital of ancient Sri Lanka, to visit the ancient rock

fortress complex and ruins of the Yapahuwa kingdom.

We will have an afternoon at leisure at our hotel. Travel to Sigiriya

Overnight in Sigiriya  5 hours

&nbsp;

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 16th</span></b><b>...</b> After breakfast we leave for Anuradhapura, the

first capital of Sri Lanka in the 3<sup>rd</sup> Century BC which has been

declared a World Heritage Site.

Visit Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest historically documented tree in

the world,  stupas, Ruwanwelisaya, Abeygiri &amp; Jethawana Monasteries,

finely preserved rock-cut statues of Lord Buddha and ruins of palaces,

Isurumuniya rock temple.

Overnight in Sigiriya  4 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 17th...</span></b> After breakfast leave to visit Sigiriya rock fortress,

one of Sri Lanka's most fascinating UNESCO world heritage sites.

Then visit a model of a traditional Sri Lankan village. Observe the

traditional methods of cooking.

Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Sigiriya

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 18<sup>th</sup></span></b><b>...</b> After breakfast leave for Na uyana. Na Uyana Aranya

Senasanaya is a Buddhist forest monastery in Kurunegala. It spreads

over more than 5,000 acres of forest on the ‘Dummiya’ mountain range,

and is the residence of about 100 Buddhist monks.

Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Sigiriya  3 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 19<sup>th</sup>...</span></b> After breakfast we leave for Kandy via Dambulla. The

Golden Rock is a cave temple which dates back to the 1st Century BC.

Its rock ceiling is one large sweep of colorful frescoes which depict

Buddhist mythology and the tales of the Buddha's previous births.

The caves house the largest collection of Buddha statues in one place.

From Dambulla we drive to Matale to visit a spice garden.

Afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Kandy  3 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 20<sup>th</sup></span></b><b>...</b> After breakfast we visit the Temple of the tooth relic.

Time for shopping in Kandy city. Attend a cultural dancing evening.

Overnight in Kandy

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 21st</span></b><b>...</b>After breakfast wevisit the Peradeniya Botanical

Gardens, which has a fine collection of over 4000 species of exotic plants.

We visit the Pinnawala elephant orphanage.

Overnight in Kandy.  2 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 22nd</span></b><b>...</b>After breakfast, we leave for Nuwara Eliya.

We visit a tea factory en-route to see how the world's favorite drink

is prepared. Nuwara Eliya resembles an old English town, complete with

a lake, a race track with well kept lawns and hedges, and an Anglican Church.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya  2 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 23rd...</span></b>After breakfast a  relaxing day in Nuwara Eliya.

Optional  activities such as boat trips on the lake or horse riding can

be arranged on request

Overnight in Nuwaraeliya.

<span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span>

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 24th...</span></b>After breakfast we leave for  Katharagama. En-route we

visit Ella, a beautiful small city famous for trekking.

Visit Ella gap and Rawana waterfall. Visit Kirivehera in Katharagama.

Overnight in Thissamaharama  7 hours

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 25<sup>th</sup>...</span></b>After breakfast, travel to Colombo [capital city of Sri Lanka]

and have a city tour. Then check-in to a hotel near the airport.

Overnight Colombo

<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">January 26th</span></b><b>...</b> Leave for the airport for Cape Town or South India.
<p align="center">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Optional tour of South India</span></b>

<b>January 26<sup>th</sup></b>...Depart  Colombo, Sri Lanka and arrive in Cochin, India. We drive down to

Alleppey and board our boats and begin our adventure  in the “Backwaters”

of Kerala on our ‘Kettuvallam’ houseboat. Take in the aromatic experience as your houseboat cruises through narrow canals &amp; backwaters where you can also sight the paddyfields, temples, churches, and palmed fringed coconut islands.

Overnight on our boats…3 meals per day included

&nbsp;

<b>January 27th</b>... Another day cruising in these backwaters.

Overnight on our boats…3 meals per day included

&nbsp;

<b>January 29th</b>...After breakfast at about 10am we will be picked up

from the Jetty Point and transferred to  Cochin. Late afternoon

at about 5:15 pm we will be taken for our classic South Indian cooking

class followed by dinner at Greenwoods Bethlehem at Fort Cochin.

Overnight: Tower House Hotel

&nbsp;

<b>January 30th...</b>After breakfast at about 9am we will be taken for

half day city tour of Cochin visiting Cochin Fort, Jewish Synagogue,

Dutch Palace, and Chinese Fishing Nets. Later you are free to relax.

Overnight:Tower HouseHotel

<b> </b>

<b>January 31st...</b>After breakfast at about 8:30 am we will be driven

to Valparai in the mountains of Tamil Nadu. We will be staying

on a tea Plantation  in the “Tea Bungalows”. Later you are free to relax.

Overnight:Tea Bungalows…3 meals per day included

<b> </b>

<b>February 1st...</b>After breakfast at about 9am you will be taken for

half day city tour of Valparai.

Later you are free to relax or to do your own activities.

Overnight:Tea Bungalows…3 meals per day included

<b> </b>

<b>February 2nd</b>...After breakfast at about 8:30amwe will

be driven to Coonoor.

Later you are free to relax or to do your own activities.

Overnight: Gateway Hotel

<b>February 3rd...</b>After breakfast at about 10am you will be

transferred to the Coonoor Train Station to take the old steam train.

You will enjoy the breath-taking views as the toy train passes through

lush green landscapes to reach its final destination  of Ooty.

Upon your arrival in Ooty, you will be met and taken for a tour

including the Botanical Gardens. After the tour, you

will be driven back to Coonoor.

Overnight: Gateway Hotel

<b> </b>

<b> </b>

<b> </b>

<b>February 4<sup>th</sup>...</b>After breakfast at 8:30 am we will be driven

<b> </b>to Mysore. At 2:30pm you will be taken for half day city tour of Mysore.

Overnight: Lalitha Mahal Palace Hotel

<b> </b>

<b> </b><b>February 5<sup>th</sup>...</b>We visit Somnathpur and Srirengaptana today.

<b> 'Somnathpur'</b> (or Somanathapura) is a spiritual town located 35 Kms

from Mysore city. Somanathapura is famous for the Chennakesava Temple

built by Soma. Considered one of the finest example of Hoysala architecture.

<b> 'Srirangapatna'</b> is 19 Kms from Mysore and located on an island in the Cauvery

river. The town was famed as the fortress capital of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan.

It is famous for the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple of Lord Vishnu (the supreme

God)in the sleeping posture on the great snake  Anantha, it is one of the

largest temples in the state.

Overnight: Lalitha Mahal PalaceHotel

<b> </b>

<b>  February 6<sup>th</sup>...</b>Morning free to relax.

After lunch, you will be driven to Bangalore and on arrival check in at

our hotel.

<b>Overnight: Hotel in Bangalore</b>

<b> </b>

<b>  February 7<sup>th</sup>...</b>Today in the very early morning, we will be transferred

to Bangalore Airport. We depart for Cape Town via Dubai
<p align="center"></p>
<p align="center"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Cost</span></b></p>
<p align="center">Sri Lanka only R16,500</p>
<p align="center">South India including flight to S. India R21,600</p>
<p align="center">***Plus international airfare</p>
<p align="center">~~You may do either or both tours~~</p>
<p align="center">~Minimum 8 people on each~</p>
<p align="center"><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span></b></p>