Today you will arrive at Delhi’s International Airport. Following customs, immigration formalities and baggage collection, a LUMLE representative will meet you as you exit the arrivals terminal building and transfer you to your hotel.

Perhaps there is no other capital city in the world so steeped in history and legend as the Indian capital Delhi. It was the magnet, which drew the Mongols, Turks, Persians, Afghans, Mughals and the British, all of whom contributed to its glorious but turbulent past. The fascination with Delhi was such that even though it was abandoned many times, its rulers returned to it again and again rebuilding it at least seven times. Today, the twin cities of Old and New Delhi still intrigue Indians and tourists alike as the cultural and political capital of the largest democracy in the world.

Early morning you will embark on the combined city tour Delhi. Delhi is divided into two parts New and Old Delhi. First you will visit the old part of Delhi. You will visit:

Jamia Masjid – One of the oldest Mosques in Asia followed by a rickshaw ride in the old narrow streets of Chandini Chowk, silver streets and spices Markets, and then later visit the Red Fort (photo stop only) and the Rajghat – Cremation place of Mahatma Ghandi. Following this you will take a break at local ethnic restaurants (at own cost).

After lunch, you will kick of the second part of your Delhi tour for sightseeing of New Delhi by drive past The Rashtrapati Bhawan and Parliament of India and visit the India Gate, a war memorial. Then you’ll visit the famous Humuyus Tomb – replica of Taj Mahal made of sandstone and marble. Other highlights of the day include visits to Lotus Temple – belonging to the Bahai Faith. Later visiting the Tallest Minaret called Qutub Minar and return to hotel.

After breakfast you begin your journey to Agra (approximately 214 Km /5 Hrs).

Upon arrival in Agra you will check-in at your hotel and a representative will assist you to complete your check-in formalities.

Agra came into the limelight during the rule of the Afghan King Sikandar Lodhi – who had made it the capital of his empire. Later in 1526 A.D., the Mughal Emperor Babar took upon himself the task for rendering Agra, a unique character and beauty of its own. The next few hundred years of Agra witnessed the rise of the pomp and pageantry of three great Mughal monarchs – Emperor Akbar, Jehangir and Shahjahan. In modern times, the city of Agra is a thriving carpet industry where you can also find leather workers, sandstone and marble sculptors, some of whom claim to be direct descendants of the craftsmen who had helped build the Taj Mahal.

Visit the Taj Mahal, monument remain closed on all Fridays. Taj Mahal was built by an emperor in memory of his beloved queen. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1631, and is believed to have taken 18 years to complete, with over 20,000 craftsmen working around the clock. The design and construction is said to be that of the legendary architect, Ustad Ahamad Lahori. What makes the Taj Mahal unique is its perfect proportions, distinct femininity, medium of construction and ornamentation. Its marble exterior reflects rose and golden tints at sunrise and sunset, while it is dazzling white during the day. It is impossible to visualize the Taj Mahal in any surrounding others than its paradoxical garden. Paradise, in Islam, is visualized as a lush garden where running streams flow.

Later visit the impressive Agra Fort, the seat and stronghold of the Mughal Empire for successive generations. The buildings within this sprawling fort complex represent the assimilation of different cultures, which was the mark of the Mughal period. Most of the structures within the Agra fort are a mixture of different architectural styles.

After breakfast you begin your journey to Jaipur (approximately 242 Km /6 Hrs).

Today you will be proceeding to Taj Mahal for sunrise (without guide) and drive to Jaipur.

Enroute you’ll visit Fathepur Sikri and see famous Buland Darwaja, Panch Mahal and Mughal architecture. Arrive in Jaipur and transfer to hotel.

After breakfast, visit Amber Fort. High above the city, the towers and domes of the Amber Fort are reminiscent of scenes from some fairy tale. The palace itself is within the enormous fort complex and is replete with halls, gardens, pavilions, and temples. The Hall of Mirrors is not to be missed where one lit matchstick can illuminate the entire room.

Later proceed to visit the City Palace Museum where you can see an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthani and Mughal Art. The museum is resplendent with its collection of robes of royal princes, carpets, an armory of old weapons, miniature paintings portraying court scenes, battle scenes and processions, Also visit the awe inspiring Jantar Mantar (an accurate observatory built in 1726 AD).

Your tour also included is a photo visit at the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds) – a five storied wonder with a spectacular pyramidal facade and overhanging windows with latticed screens, domes and spires.

Later walk through the colorful markets of Jaipur.

After breakfast you begin your journey to Delhi (approximately 270 Km /6 Hrs).

Morning after breakfast you will set your return journey to Delhi where upon arrival you will check in at your hotel.

Today you will be transferred to the airport for the flight to Colombo. Arrival at Colombo International Airport: Here, you will be met by a professional chauffeur guide. After the formalities at the airport, you will be escorted to your air-conditioned vehicle.

Referred by locals as the Eighth Wonder of World, this ancient palace and fortress complex has significant archeological importance and attracts thousands of tourists every year. The palace is located in the heart of the island between the towns of Dambulla and Habarana on a massive rocky plateau 370 meters above the sea level. Sigiriya rock plateau, formed from magma of an extinct volcano, is 200 meters higher than the surrounding jungles. Its view astonishes the visitors with the unique harmony between nature and human imagination.

Minneriya is yet another haven for the elephants that migrate from surrounding jungles to enjoy the lush grass fields on the banks of the Minneriya reservoir, during the dry season. Reports of elephant sightings range from a mere 100 to an astounding 700. The central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built-in 3rd century AD by King Mahasena). This tank is generally known as a place to observe the elephants that come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Minneriya National Park is located 182 km away from Colombo in the North Central Plains of Sri Lanka. The major city closest to Minneriya National Park is Polonnaruwa. The renovated vast ancient Minneriya Rainwater Reservoir that irrigates the considerable area of the district of Polonnaruwa is the focal point of the Minneriya National Park. Being part of the elephant corridor which joins up with Kaudulla and Wasgomuwa parks, Minneriya National Park gives the opportunity to see herds of Elephants throughout the year.May to October is the best period to visit Minneriya National Park in view of the famous gathering of wild elephants.

Dambulla Cave Temple is a vast isolated rock mass and it was here that king Valagambahu took refuge in the 01st century B.C. He later turned the caves into a rock temple. Dambulla is a world heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceiling found here are over 2000 years old and is the largest area of painting found in the world. The caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters.

This is a super jungle and village experience which is popular with most clients. Early departure from the hotel with a packed “local” breakfast to a point off the main road where we begin a scintillating walk over village paths, a tank (ancient reservoir) bund, and forest. Cross a little jungle rivulet by catamaran to reach a farmers' simple “wattle and daub” house where the breakfast is consumed. The villager will provide some tea and maybe sweetmeats. Proceed half an hour by foot and bullock cart to a point where a vehicle meets you for the transfer to the hotel, a truly Sri Lankan experience.

Enjoy a traditional Sri Lankan style lunch followed by a cookery demonstration in the village.

And then, visit a ‘Local vegetable market’ and witness the local men selling vegetables in Sri Lankan way.

After breakfast, proceed to Kandy. En-route, visit a spice garden in Matale.

Sri Lanka has always been renowned for its spices. Over 15 different spices call Sri Lanka home and many of them are traded in the international spice market. Cinnamon especially is endemic to Sri Lanka, and the highest quality ‘true cinnamon’ can be obtained here. The A9 Hwy between Matale and Dambulla is famous for its spice gardens, with over 30 dotted along the road. All offer free tours of their gardens with an English-speaking guide who can explain the merits and health properties of herbs, spices, and plants including cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, coffee, nutmeg, pepper, cardamom, aloe vera, iriweriya, and the henna plant.

These classical dance forms are associated with the performance of various rituals and ceremonies which are centuries old and are based on the folk religion and folk beliefs going back to times before the advent and acceptance of Buddhism by the Sinhalese people in the third century B.C. These rituals and ceremonies reflect the values, beliefs, and customs of an agricultural civilization of Sri Lanka.

Kandy is a lovely city, the Hill Capital and the last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings retains an aura of grandeur, which time has not affected. Encircled by hills, with a tranquil lake in its center, it is the site of the renowned “Temple of the Tooth”. Kandy and its satellite villages in the center of the island’s handicraft industry and its traditional dances are the most spectacular in the country. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple.

In the crown jewel of the city, Kandy is the famed Sri Dalada Maligawa, also known as the Temple of the Tooth. The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. The entire complex is over three centuries old at least and has seen many a king’s rise and fall. It has seen bloody wars and peaceful reigns and is one of the most historical places still standing in the island. The entire temple complex, from peaked tiled roofs to white walls with large airy windows, is built using classical Kandyan architecture.

The British Garrison Cemetary is on the far side of Kandy Lake, past the Temple of the Tooth, and a short walk up the hill.

This simple plot of land is the final resting place of many men, women, and children from Colonial days, they died between 1822 and 1870. ( This is when the cemetery closed, relatives of those already buried there were still admitted after that date). Life was hard back then, few of these Europeans had a long lifespan or even made it to retirement.

After breakfast, proceed to Kandy railway station and board your train to Nanu Oya.

The Kandy to Nanuoya train journey is one of the most scenic, epic train journeys in not only just Sri Lanka but the world. The views on both sides of the trail are breathtaking. The trail winds through the mountains overlooking farms and villages and of course vast tea plantations. The scenery changes throughout the trip, from an entire green view to a woodland forest. The train also passes through multiple tunnels. Hanging out of the train gives you the best views and is an awesome feeling. The Kandy to Nanuoya Train is just one of many bucket list items to add to your itinerary, you are not going to regret it.

Nuwara Eliya is a mountain station at 1,868 m (6,128 ft) of altitude, in a splendid landscape. The city is particularly well-kept and neat, and the design of the locality exudes an air of “colonial British style”. Nuwara Eliya was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics that of an English country town, with red-brick walls, country houses like hill club, and mock-Tudor half-timbering. Blessed with salubrious climate, breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains, and greenery; it’s hard to imagine that Nuwara Eliya is only 180 Km from the hot and humid Colombo.

Strawberry Farms can be reached via Hakgala Ambewela Road, New Zealand Farm Road. Freshly picked Strawberries are available at many outlets and cafes that serve Strawberry drinks, Ice cream pancakes etc. and very moderately priced. They are grown at the Ambewela Farm. Adam Agro, Rose Garden, and many other farms located in Nuwara Eliya. . In Sri Lanka strawberries are grown in open fields and polytunnels. Strawberries give crops in 3 to 5 months and the season of the strawberries begins in September.

Pure Ceylon Tea is regarded as the finest tea in the world and visiting a tea estate will be an unforgettable experience for any visitor to Sri Lanka. There is an oasis of calm and quiet in the middle of a tea estate. Tea estates in Sri Lanka are wonderful places to chill out and breathe in the fresh mountain air while enjoying great views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Tea plucking is an initial step in the tea making process. It is a delicate act that is artfully done by hand in order to eventually produce the finest quality tea. If desired, the visitor can join the tea puckers, collecting unforgettable memories to take back. The heart behind the tea process is the tea factory. It is a vast building where all the miracles happen to help create the perfect cup of tea.

On completion, proceed to Kosgoda. En-route, witness the gorgeous waterfalls “Devon & St. Claire”.

The Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project follows a sustainable model operated by a very friendly owner. The place is run by the locals, with international volunteers helping out throughout the year. They aim to protect sea turtle eggs and increase hatching rates while also treating disabled turtles. If you’re lucky, you will get to experience a turtle release, and hatching if you get there just before 6 PM.