Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Pete’s Travelling PansCulinary Tour of Sri-Lanka
2018
Day 01. Welcome at The Kingsbury Hotel by Pieter, ECD Holidays, and tour staff.
Once on the bus we travel to Dambulla, we will stop en-route for lunch and visit a wholesale market before checking in to the hotel.This evening, we climb up to the Dambulla Caves a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Pete’s Travelling Pans0419365609 www.petestravellingpans.com
Dambulla cave temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, the rock towers 160 m over the surrounding plains. There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over five caves containing statues and paintings which depict Gautama Buddha and his life. There is a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and Ganesha. Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara, and Buddha's first sermon. The murals cover an area of 2,100 square metres.
Stay @ Aliya Resort and Spa.
Day 02 After an early breakfast at the hotel we travel to Sigiriya and climb ‘Lion Rock’.
This afternoon you are free to relax in the pool or have a massage to ease those tired legs.
An UNESCO world heritage site, Sigiriya is one of the most valuable historical monuments of Sri Lanka. Referred to by locals as the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’, this ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archaeological importance and attracts thousands of tourists every year. It is probably the most visited tourist destination in Sri Lanka.The western wall of Sigiriya was almost entirely covered by frescoes, created during the reign of king Kasyapa. Eighteen frescoes have survived to this day. The frescoes depict nude females and are considered to be either the portraits of Kasyapa’s wives and concubines or priestess’ performing religious rituals. These unique ancient paintings have incredible historical significance and are considered to be the oldest frescoes in the world.
This evening we will join a 4WD Safari at Minneriya National Park.
Minneriya National Park is in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area is deemed protected because of the Minneriya tank which was built by king Mahasen in the 3rd century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in the local forests.
Minneriya is the site of ‘The Gathering’ where a large number of elephants are attracted to grass fields on the edges of the reservoir. The Minneriya tank contributes to sustain a large herd. Elephants gathering here number around 150-200. They migrate here from other parks and benefit from food and shelter in the park's forest.
The park is an important habitat for two endemic monkeys of Sri Lanka as well as two types of deer. Rare and endangered species such as the Sri Lankan leopard and sloth bear live here. The Minneriya reservoir is an important habitat for large mand small water birds. There are 11 threatned birds that inhabit this forest.
There are eight species of endemic reptiles, and all of them are considered threatened, among them are the saltwater crocodile, Indian python, Asian water monitor, and Bengal monitor. Four of the fresh water fish recorded from Minneriya are endemic to Sri Lanka.
Stay @ Aliya Resort and Spa
Day 03. After breakfast at the hotel we travel to Anuradhapura and tour the sacred city. After lunch we will travel to Trincomallee.
This evening you are free to have a swim in the ocean, lounge by the pool or try some of the local crab in a dedicated restaurant by the pool.
This sacred city was established around a cutting from the ‘tree of enlightenment’, the Buddha’s fig tree, brought there in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. Anuradhapura, a Ceylonese political and religious capital that flourished for 1,300 years, was abandoned after an invasion in 993. Hidden away in dense jungle for many years this splendid site with its palaces, monasteries and monuments is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Stay @ Cinnamon Blu Trincomallee.
Day 04. After breakfast at the hotel we will visit the Koneswaren Temple, Trincomallee, Harbour and the Seruwila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara.
Seruwawila Mangala Raja Maha Vihara is an ancient Buddhist temple and is among the sixteen holiest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. It was built during the reign of King Kavantissa (2nd century BC) containing the sacred forehead bone of the Lord Buddha. According to historical annals King Kavantissa who ruled the Ruhuna built this temple 2231 years ago by enshrining the forehead relic of Gautama Buddha. It is believed that three viharas (Temples) existed at this particular spot built during the periods of three former Buddhas with their relics enshrined in them. Gautama Buddha who was the last Buddha in this eon had personally visited this place and offered eight handfuls of 'Sapu' flowers. Gautama Buddha has not only foreseen that a king by the name of Kavantissa would build a temple with his forehead relic enshrined in it, but had wished that this temple be named 'Mangala' viharaya.
Evening cooking class – this evening you will have your first cooking class with Pete and Executive Chef Julian and other chefs from the hotel. Featuring foods characteristic to the area such as Pittu, local fish curry, jackfruit curry and accompaniments. The setting for this will be on the beach where you will also enjoy the meal that you cooked.
Stay @ Cinnamon Blu Trincomallee.
Day 05 After an early breakfast we depart Trincomallee and head to Sri Lankas ‘Hill Capital’ of Kandy. Along the way we will stop at a spice garden in Matale, where you will have a
tour of the gardens, a complimentary 10-minute head or foot massage and enjoy lunch in the bustling café.
This evening you will experience a cultural show featuring the famous Sri Lankan dancers and fire-walking exponents.
Stay @ Mahaweli Reach Hotel.
Day 06 After breakfast at the hotel we travel to Kandy town and tour the Kandy Market, visit the Temple of the Tooth, and take a tour of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.This afternoon you will be free to use the many facilities this hotel has to offer.
Royal Botanical Gardens, this is Sri Lanka’s largest botanical garden. There are around 4,000 different species of plants and approximately 10,000 trees. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, capable of growing to 40 meters in height with a 25-centimetre stem diameter, it can grow by a rapid 30 centimetres a day!The century old giant Javan fig tree with its tentacle like roots that spread across an enormous area of about 1,800 square meters has a massive central trunk beneath the tree’s vast canopy ‘umbrella’.The Cannonball tree is also intriguing, with its cannonball-like fruit hanging off the trunk and large open, waxy pink-white flowers. So is the Double Coconut Palm, one of 200 types of palms displayed at the garden, originating from the Seychelles, this tree produces the largest seed known. Its fruit take five years to mature.
Evening cooking class – today you will join Pete, executive chef Wasantha and other chefs from the hotel to make the famous Sri Lankan Hoppers, Egg hoppers, Kottu Roti and Pol Roti together with chicken curry and accompaniments. A full-on cooking class set beside the hotel pool.
Stay @ Mahaweli Reach Hotel.
Day 07 After an early breakfast we leave the hotel and travel to the Veddah Village in Dambana, where we will be formally welcomed to the village with a traditional dance. We will then tour the village with the islands original people who will show us how they trap animals for food and walk through the jungle to look for, and harvest, wild honey.We will then meet the village chief in his traditional house and try our hand at shooting at a target with a bow and arrow.
Dambana is a remote jungle village of indigenous people. The population of these indigenous 'Veddha' people now consists of only about 350 families, a number significantly reduced from a once thriving community. The 'Veddha' are so influenced by the imposing dominant culture that they risk losing their traditions and what has been their livelihood for centuries. However they remain determined that their way of life will continue into future generations. The Chief himself told us on a recent visit to the village that his main worry is that he may not be able prevent the 'Veddha' from dying out beyond his own lifetime. Visitors to this fascinating village have the opportunity to meet and chat with the people who live there, learn about their traditions, and gain a unique insight into their way of life.
This evening you can relax at the Eco Lodge (complete with vines growing on the roof), set besides the mighty Victoria dam. Enjoy a stroll through the gardens, dip in the pool or a quiet drink in the open plan bar where you can spot many of the local fauna that call this place home.
Stay @ Oruthota Eco Chalets.
Day 8 After breakfast at the hotel we will travel to the Kandy Railway Station to board the famous ‘High Country’ train. Considered to be one of the world’s great train journeys it will take you past towns, villages, and through Sri Lankas verdant tea estates. We dis-embark at Narnu -Oya, the highest train station on the island.
The coach will meet us at the station and we will then travel to Nuwara Eliya referred to as ‘Little England’. This was the cool climate retreat for the British rulers looking for a respite from the heat of Colombo. It is still a very popular destination for the local population.
This afternoon we will take a tour of Nuwara Eliya town, where we will visit the local market and sample some fresh local fruit. We will watch fresh ‘Godamba Roti’ being made (this is a special treat, steaming fresh off the plate), and sample the best samosas I have ever had from a streetcar vendor.
This evening you will have your third cooking class with Pete, executive chef Waruna and other chefs from the hotel to cook traditional ‘Rice and Curry’ in clay pots. You will learn to make Devilled Chicken, Dahl curry, Gova (cabbage) Mallum, Malay pickle and Green Coconut Sambol.
Stay @The Blackpool Hotel
Day 9 This morning we leave early with a picnic breakfast for the winding journey to the cloud forest of Horton Plains. This is a 10 km walk with some steep steps to reach Bakers Falls and World’s End.
Horton Plains National Park is a protected area covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of 2,100–2,300 metres is rich in biodiversity. Many species found here are endemic to the region.
The Horton Plains are the headwaters of three major Sri Lankan rivers, the Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe. Stone tools dating back to Balangoda culture (38,000 BP) have been found here. The plains' vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest and includes many endemic woody plants. Large herds of Sri Lankan sambar deer feature here. The park is also an Important bird area with many species not only endemic to Sri Lanka but restricted to the Horton Plains. The sheer precipice of World's End and Baker's Falls are among the tourist attractions of the park.
This afternoon we will take High Tea at the Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya overlooking manicured lawns and English style gardens.
Stay @The Blackpool Hotel
Day 10 After breakfast at the hotel we travel to Hambantota, stopping off at a Tea factory where you will learn the process of producing tea. Plenty of tea tastings on offer
Stay @ Shangri-La Resort and Spa
Overlooking the pristine southern coast of beautiful Sri Lanka, Shangri-La's Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa is located along the ancient Spice Route in a city steeped in rich history.The luxury resort spans 58 hectares, making it the largest resort in Sri Lanka, and boasts 300 spacious rooms, including 21 suites, all surrounded by stunning tropical gardens. The beachfront resort is an adventurer’s dream, with a mosaic of activities and unique curated expeditions to help you absorb the diversity of the island at its best. Play at the first and only resort golf course in Sri Lanka, for a memorable golfing experience with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean.The resort also offers 3 swimming pools and a health club. If you seek relaxation, Chi Ayurveda Spa is a place of personal peace that offers ancient healing therapies and personalized Ayurveda consultations with an expert doctor.
Day 11 Leisure. Optional activities include Golf, Bicycle rides to town, Hike to a rock monastery, visit the artisan village, walk on the beach or simply enjoy one of the resorts 3 pools and several bars and restaurants.
Stay @ Shangri-La Resort and Spa
Day 12 After breakfast at the hotel we proceed to Galle, stopping off at Dondra Heads, which is the southern-most point of Sri Lanka. We will then stop off to visit Sri Lankas famous ‘Stilt Fishermen’. We stay tonight at the Geoffrey Bawa designed ‘The Lighthouse Hotel ’in Galle.
Stay @ Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel
Day 13 After breakfast at the hotel, we tour the old Dutch Fort walking cobblestone streets dating back to 1588!
Galle’s earliest historical existence is traced to Ptolemy’s world map of 125–150 AD when it was a busy port, trading with Greece, Arab countries, China and others. Basking on the southern coast of Sri Lanka in the bay of Galle, the Fort was first built by the Portuguese in 1588 before being extensively fortified by the Dutch in the mid 1600s. Recognized by UNESCO for its cultural heritage value, the Fort was declared a World Heritage Site in 1988 as a unique exposition of "an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries."Strolling along the narrow streets today you will see clear and well maintained evidence of the Dutch influence. Today a Museum occupies the stables; jewellery shops abound; cafes emerge from behind restored columns; interior design shops mingle with book stores and fashion outlets.
This evening we will gather at the bar and watch the sun set over the Indian ocean. We will then make our way down to a private beach where we will enjoy a sumptuous seafood buffet with the sound of waves crashing against massive rocks as a natural musical backdrop!
Stay @ Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel
Day 14 After breakfast at the hotel we leave for Colombo, stopping off at a Turtle Hatchery and a tour of Geoffrey Bawas residence ‘Lunuganga’.At the Turtle Hatchery we will learn about the conservation efforts to keep the species alive.
Lunuganga is quite simply, a work of art. Its breathtaking gardens are like a suite of serene outdoor rooms, amid the wider wilderness of Sri Lanka; its plantation house is ‘a civilised outpost on the edge of the known world’. The late Geoffrey Bawa, renowned designer of Sri Lanka’s Houses of Parliament, spent 40 years transforming this once abandoned rubber estate into a tropical idyll, with elegant Italianate gardens, courtyards, lily ponds, walkways, romantic pavilions and inspirational views over Deduwa lake and the surrounding jungle. Run by the non-for-profit Lunuganga Trust. This is a privileged opportunity to explore the genius of Asia’s best-known architect, famed for his monochrome motifs, exquisite compositions of light and shade and harmony of landscape and architecture.
This evening we will walk from the hotel to the night markets on Galle Face Green where we can choose from an array of hawker style street food.
Stay @ The Kingsbury Hotel
Day 15 After breakfast at the hotel we will take a tour of Colombo City, visiting significant
Temples and Mosques. There will be time to do some shopping as we will stop at the famous handcraft store Laxala. We will visit the old Dutch Hospital which has been transformed into a restaurant and souvenir centre and Barefoot, the women only craft store famed for its designs, and creator Barbara Sansonis vision of empowering female craftspeople.
Lunch today will be the famous Dutch dish of Lamprais at the Dutch Burgher Union.
Lamprais, commonly known as lump rice, is a Dutch Burgher-influenced dish, that is very popular in Sri Lanka. Lamprais is derived from the Dutch word ‘Lomprijst’, which loosely translated means a packet of food. It consists of two (or 4) curries, seeni sambal, belacan, frikadelle meatballs, a deep fried boiled egg and rice cooked in stock, all of which is wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. Although the original recipe includes a mixture of meats, it can also be made with a single meat or as a vegetarian version.
Departure to Airport.
Based on 12 passengers.
Per person sharing double/twin – POA
Single supplement – POA
Cost includes:-
Accommodation on BB basis at 4 and 5-star hotels and 1 Eco lodge. 3 hands on cooking classes. Seafood BBQ on the beach. Lunch at Spice Garden. Picnic lunch at the Dambana village. Lunch in Colombo during shopping tour. Transport in an air-condition luxury coach along with an English-speaking guide on tour. All applicable entrance fees. Entrance to Horton Plains. Train journey Kandy /NanuOya. All arrangements at Dambana Veddah Village. Welcome drink & refreshing towels at all hotels. Bottled water at all hotels and on the bus. All applicable taxes. All tips and porterage costs. Complimentary sun hat and apron with company logo.
Cost does not include: -
Airfares to and from Sri-Lanka. Travel Insurance. Visas. Drinks & additional meals. Laundry and personal costs.
Contact Pieter – 0419365609
www.petestravellingpans.com
