GOLF TOUR IN SRI LANKA (7 NIGHTS / 8 DAYS)
Sri Lanka is relatively unknown in the field of golf, but surprisingly has four of the finest golf courses (one incomplete) in Asia. In fact, Sri Lanka’s association with golf is more than 100 years and the Sri Lanka Amateur Golf Championship which was instituted in 1891 follows only the British Amateur Championship as the oldest national championship in the entire world. The four courses are situated in Colombo, Kandy & Nuwara Eliya. Colombo at sea level, Kandy at 1,500 ft. above sea level and Nuwara Eliya at 6,000 ft. above sea level have distinctly different terrain and climatic conditions. This contributes to the enjoyment and challenge as you could be playing golf in three different countries. Golf is played on all four courses throughout the year, but in Colombo the weather is fairly dry between the months of March and May.
Royal Colombo Golf Club, Colombo (www.rcgcsl.com)
This 6,431-yard long (par 71) flat course with broad fairways, which looks simple to beginners will quickly change their opinion due to the many water hazards and well-guarded bunkers. The Royal Colombo Golf Club is easily accessible from all major hotels in Colombo - only a 20-minute drive.
Victoria Golf & Country Resort, Kandy (www.golfsrilanka.com)
This 6,890-yard (par 73) championship course features a host of memorable golf holes. Designed by Donald Steel, the world-renowned golf architect, the layout has taken full advantage of an extremely gifted site with its rolling terrain, superb views of the Victoria Reservoir, the Knuckles Range mountains and the majestic forest trees through which the course has been skillfully routed. The greens, tees and fairways have been planted with imported varieties of Bermuda grass and the greens are built to the specifications of the United States Golf Association.
Nuwaraeliya Golf Club, Nuwaraeliya (www.negc.lk)
This course which is reputed to be one of Asia’s finest is 6,075 yards long (par 71). The fairways are long, narrow and bordered by fir trees and thick bushes. It demands skillful ‘position play’ and the hilly terrain makes it essential that players can cope with up-hill and down-hill lies.
DAY 01 (Airport - Colombo or Mount Lavinia)
Arrival at the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport, Sri Lanka, the tropical paradise, will be met and assisted by representative of Crystal Holidays and transfer to hotel
Check-in at the hotel.
In the evening start sightseeing tour & shopping tour to witness the charm of Colombo
Overnight stay in Mount Lavinia / Colombo
Colombo - A drive through the city will take you to Fort and Pettah - the commercial area of the city and tree-lined Colombo 7 - Cinnamon Gardens. Colombo 3, 4, 5 & 8 are the prime residential areas of the City. Visit Fort and Pettah for shopping. The Hindu Temple at Sea Street - lined with goldsmith shops, the Dutch Church at Wolfendhal dating back to 1749, the historic Devatagaha Mosque, Independence Square, BMICH, National Zoological Gardens and Colombo Museum are some of the attractions in Colombo.
Mount Lavinia – A peaceful yet lively beach resort just 12 kilometers south of Colombo with a maze of narrow lanes, small beachside restaurants and wayside boutiques. This township will also appeal to an adventurous spirit.
DAY 02 (Colombo)
After early breakfast, GOLF IN COLOMBO – Play a round of 18 holes with caddie at one of Asia’s oldest fairways at the picturesque Royal Colombo Golf Club which is over 100 years old or at Water’s Edge – Sri Lanka’s latest and largest golf course.
Evening leisure at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Mount Lavinia / Colombo
DAY 03 (Colombo - Pinnawela - Kandy)
After breakfast, proceed to Kandy, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka is a World Heritage Site and has number of tourist attractions.
Visit the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage en-route to watch baby elephants being fed and over 40 elephants being bathed in the nearby river
(Optional Sea Plane Transfer from Colombo to Kandy without visit to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage)
Check-in at the hotel in Kandy
Evening at leisure.
Overnight stay in Kandy
Kandy - The hill capital; venue of the annual Esala Perahera (Local festival at Kandy); the last stronghold of the Sinhala kings, was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Surrounded by hills, the Mahaweli River and the virgin forest, it is the center of Buddhism, arts, crafts and culture in Sri Lanka. Kandy is an example of Buddhism’s influence in Sri Lanka today. Temples, shrines and monasteries keep Buddhist traditions alive. To Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the world, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the ‘Dalada Maligawa’ - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. One would always return a second time to this beautiful city.
Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Off Colombo-Kandy road is Pinnawela, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house abandoned and wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now, including baby elephants brought from various parts of the Island as well as those born as a result of the captive breeding programme. The best times to visit is the feeding time and bathing time - when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.
DAY 04 (Kandy)
After breakfast, GOLF IN KANDY – Play a round of 18 holes with caddie at the Victoria Golf & Country Resort, beautifully landscaped against a backdrop of hills and lakes and venue of the Sri Lankan Airlines Golf Classic.
Visit wonderful Buddhist Temple of the Tooth Relic in the evening.
Overnight stay in Kandy
Temple of the Tooth Relic (Dalada Maligawa) – According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father's kingdom in India. The temple was originally built under Kandyan kings between 1687 and 1707, but later severely damaged during the 18th-century colonial wars against the Portugese and Dutch. After the wars, the original wooden structures were restored in stone.
DAY 05 (Kandy - Nuwaraeliya)
After breakfast, leave for Nuwara Eliya, is one of the most scenic city & Little England of Sri Lanka
On the way visit a working Tea factory and drive up through the hills through lush and green Tea plantations
Evening at leisure.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations and is 6,200 feet above sea level. In 1826 some British Officers out on shooting, chanced on Nuwara Eliya plains, and Sir Edward Barnes investigated on it. In 1828 a road was constructed over the ridge at Ramboda Pass and a station for convalescent soldiers was established. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the Island, but is really just like an England spring day although the temperature does drop at night. The Victoria Park, in the middle of the town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom during spring (March to May) and fall between August and September.
Tea Plantations - Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867, a Scottish planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings in 8 hectares of forestland in the Loolkondura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23 lbs. being shipped to London. Today more than 200,000 hectares in highlands and other areas are under tea and around 300 million kilograms (25% of world tea exports) are exported by Sri Lanka as the world’s largest tea exporter. Tea grows only on rolling terrain and is classified by elevation into Low Grown, Medi um grown & High Grown.
DAY 06 (Nuwaraeliya)
After breakfast, GOLF IN NUWARA ELIYA – Play a round of 18 holes with caddie at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club – another of Asia’s oldest golf courses, situated amidst the cool mountains and reminiscent of the misty highlands of England.
Evening at leisure.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
DAY 07 (Nuwaraeliya - Colombo or Mount Lavinia)
After breakfast, leave for Colombo / Mount Lavinia
Evening at leisure.
Overnight stay in Colombo / Mount Lavinia
DAY 08 (Colombo or Mount Lavinia - Airport)
After breakfast, proceed to Airport in time to check in for your departure flight.
