Sri Lanka Facts
Day 01. Arrival and transfer to a hotel in SEEDUWA
Arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport & proceed to a hotel near by (Seeduwa) for the rest of the night/day.
Rest of the morning at leisure.
Exploring the Muthurajawela Mangrove Reserve by boat in the afternoon.
Possible florae: Acanthus volubilis, Acanthus ilicifolius, Acrostichum aureum, Acrostichum speciosum-the only mangrove fern, Bruguiera cylindrica, Bruguiera gumnorhiza, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Sonneratia alba, Sonneratia caseolaris, Sonneratia griffithi, Sonneratia ovata, Nypa fruticans-the only mangrove palm in Sri Lanka. In the open shallow water submerged and floating aquatic plants such as Aponogeton, Potonogetom, Salvinia and Nymphaea species can be seen.
Dinner & overnight in a hotel in Seeduwa.
_____________________________________________________
Day 02. Seeduwa – Habarana.
After breakfast proceed to Habarana.
Explore the Sigiriya Sanctuary or climb the Sigiriya rock (optional)
Possible noteworthy florae en-route: Coconut Cocos nucifera, Rubber Hevea brasiliensis, Cocoa Theobroma cacao, Mango Mangifera indica, Areca-nut (Betel-nut) Areca catechu, Guava Psidium guajava, Breadfruit Artocarpus incisus, Jack A. heterophyllus, Lime Citrus aurantifolium, Mahogani Swietenia sp., Teak Tectonia grandis, Coffee Coffea Arabica, Kapok Ceiba pentandra, Fish-tail (Toddy) Palms Caryota urens, Talipot Palm Corypha umbraculifera, Red Cotton Bomlax malabaricum, Breadfruit Artocarpus incisus, Jak-Fruit A. heterophyllus
Possible florae in the Sanctuary: Calatropis gigantea (Sodom’s Apple), Capparis zeylanica, Cassia fistula, Crataeva adansonii, Ochnalanceolata, Martynia diandra (Tigers’ Claws), Drypetes spp., Manilkara hexandra, Diospyros ebanum.
Lunch, dinner & overnight in Habarana.
_____________________________________________________
Day 03. Habarana.
After breakfast visit Popham Arboratum, Dambulla
Lunch, dinner & overnight in Habarana.
_____________________________________________________
Day 04. Habarana – Kandy.
After breakfast proceed to Kandy visiting a “Spice Garden” en route.
Here we will see many tropical spices like Ginger Zingiber officinale, Turmeric Curcuma longa, Pepper Piper nigrum, Chilli Capsicum annuum, Vanilla Vanilla fragrans, Cardamom Elettaria cardamomum, Nutmeg Myristica fragrans, Curry Leaf Murraya koenigii, Betel Leaf Piper betle, and fruit trees such as Papaya, Fish-tail or Toddy Palm, Avocado, Mango, Mangosteen, Bread-fruit, Jak-fruit, Durian etc.
In the afternoon visit Peradeniya Botanical Garden.
It is difficult to single out botanical highlights in a place so richly endowed but the Gymnosperm collection, spice collection, medicinal plant collection, National Herbarium and arboretum are all worthy of inspection and the long avenue of Coco-de-mer palms is a spectacular sight away from the Seychelles.
A few other interesting species are Saraca asoka, Cannon Ball Tree Couroupita guianensis, Diospyros atrata-the rarest of the Ebony family, Java Fig or Weeping Fig Ficus benjamina.
Lunch, dinner & overnight in Kandy.
_____________________________________________________
Day 05. Kandy.
After breakfast, full day excursion to Knuckles Range with picnic lunch.
Possible noteworthy florae: Calophyllum spp., Garcinia ecinocarpa (Clusiaceae), Syzygium umbrosum (Myrtaceae), and Lauraceae like Litsea spp. and Neolitsea spp.
Dinner & overnight in Kandy.
_____________________________________________________
Day 06. Kandy – Nuwara Eliya.
After breakfast drive to Nuwara Eliya via Hanguranketha, looking at all the vegetable plots along the road.
Possible noteworthy species: Snake Gourd Trichosanthes anguina, Bottle Gourd Lagenaria siceraria, Bitter Gourd Momordica charanthia, Ridged Gourd Luffa acutangula, Ash Gourd (Ash Pumpkin) Benincasa hispida, Winged Bean Psophocarpus tetragonolobus.
Spend the afternoon at leisure.
Lunch, dinner and overnight in Nuwara Eliya.
_____________________________________________________
Day 07. Nuwara Eliya.
After breakfast full day excursion with picnic lunch to Horton Plains National Park, the highest plateau (more than 7000 ft above sea level) of Sri Lanka
Possible noteworthy florae: Trees - Actinodaphne spp., Neolitsea spp., Litsea spp. (Lauraceae), Syzygium spp. (Myrtaceae), Calophyllum walkeri (Cluseaceae), Rhododendron arboretum (Ericaceae), Gordonia spp. (Theaceae). Shrubs - Lasianthus spp. (Rubiaceae), Strobilanthes spp. (Acanthaceae). Climbers - Piper Montana (Piparaceae), Kendrickia walkeri (Melastomataceae) and Toddalia asiatica (Rutaceae). Carnivorous plants - Dosera spp., Utricularia sp. Orchids - Satyrium nepalense and Ipsea speciosa.
Dinner and overnight in Nuwara Eliya.
_____________________________________________________
Day 08. Nuwara Eliya – Ratnapura.
After breakfast a long drive to Ratnapura via Haputale to visit the Thangamale Sanctuary with picnic lunch.
In addition to the Daffodil orchid Ipsea speciosa and Giant Balsam Impatiens grandis;other noteworthy species are: Legocia aurauitica, Bridelia retusa, Phyllanthus embilica (Euphorbiaceae), Grewia damine (Tiliaceae), Pterocarpus marsupium (Fabaceae), Terminalia bellerica, T. chebula (Combretaceae), Helicteres isora (Sterculiaceae), Careya arborea (Lecythidaceae) and Cycas circinalis , the only native gymnosperm in Sri Lanka.
Dinner & overnight stay in Ratnapura.
_____________________________________________________
Day 09. Ratnapura – Sinharaja.
After breakfast a full day excursion to Sinaharaja World Heritage Wilderness Area taking a picnic lunch.
This World Heritage Site is the largest remaining lowland Rain Forest harbours over 65% of the endemic trees and woody climbers of the island. Also it has 13 out of the 25 endemic genera endemic to Sri Lanka. Several of these genera are monotypic.
Some of the noteworthy species possible: Dendrobium maccarthiae, Anoectochilus setaceus, Dendrobium maccarthiae, Arundina graminifolia (Orchidaceae), Mesua nagassarium, M. ferrea, Garcinia bermonii (Clusiaceae), Shorea trapezifolia, S. affinis, S. worthingtoni, S. congestiflora, Dipterocarpus zeylanicus (Dipterocarpaceae), Myristica dactyloides (Myristicaceae), Schumacheria casteneifolia (Dilleniaceae)
Dinner & overnight in Kudawa (the village in the periphery of Sinharaja).
_____________________________________________________
Day 10. Sinharaja.
Another full day excursion to Sinharaja.
Dinner & overnight in Kudawa (the village in the periphery of Sinharaja).
_____________________________________________________
Day 11. Sinharaja – Airport.
After breakfast proceed to a hotel near Airport for dinner & DEPARTURE.
Sinharaja
Kandy
Ratnapura
Habarana