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Ayurveda & Yoga Journey South India & Sri Lanka
Duration
14 Days
Location
South India & Sri Lanka
Departure
June 24, 2024
Price
Original price was: $4,865.$4,285Current price is: $4,285.
Tour Details
About the Tour
This is a holistic journey, combining 2 countries in 2 weeks. We begin with an authentic Ayurvedic Retreat at the authentic Dr Franklin’s Ayurveda Resort in Kerala, South India. Indulge in a 7 day all-inclusive Rejuvenation Retreat that encompasses authentic Ayurveda treatments, Yoga and dosha-specific meals. A week will provide you an opportunity to pamper yourself with a heavenly experience, let the “Science of Life” restore your physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional equilibrium. After our retreat, we fly down to Sri Lanka to begin our Yoga & Cultural tour around this beautiful tropical island. Starting in the coastal village town of Negombo, we relax slowly into a night by the beach. The next day we head inland to the famous cultural & Buddhist quarter of Dambulla and visit a Buddhist Monastery. The group will be experiencing Alms giving to the local monks. Next we continue to the English colonial town of Kandy, before finishing in the Dutch colonial District of Galle, full of history, culture and palm fringed beaches.Dr Franklins Ayurveda Retreat
Ayurveda – India’s gift to humankind This life science is a part of South Indian culture, and its origins go back 5000 years ago, around the same time as Yoga was being practiced. Ayurveda is essentially preventative medicine and a pathway to maintain a natural equilibrium of mind and body in an organic way. Kerala, in South India is the home of Ayurveda and therefore the ideal location to learn & experience this ancient healing practice. On arrival at Dr Franklin’s Retreat, you will be given a time for the first consultation with the Doctor. The doctor will give a small introduction to understand the basic principles of Ayurveda and will ask you questions to ascertain your Prakruthi (Type/Constitution) and Vikruthi (Imbalance) and the Pulse diagnosis. Duration of treatments is 2.30 to 3.00 hrs/day and consist of one massage and other treatment procedures (Panchakarma/ supportive procedures). There will be herbal preparations and a Ayurveda vegetarian diet to follow during the treatment period. The diet contains varieties of delicious vegetarian Ayurvedic food.Tour Itinerary
DAY 01 - 07
Dr Franklins Ayurveda Retreat
24th – 1st July – 7 nights/6 days
- Late night Group pickup from Trivandrum airport and transfer to Dr Franklins Retreat
- Check into the Retreat and early night
- Next morning begin your 6 day Rejuvenation retreat and indulge in all the pampering on offer
- Just outside the retreat centre is a small village with shops and cafes to explore and enjoy in your free time from you busy schedule
DAY 08
Depart India fly to Negobmo, Sri Lanka
Negombo a small village on the west coast of Sri Lanka, near waterfront are the remains of a 17th century Dutch Fort now a prison. Negombo Lagoon is lined with local fisherman's huts. The neo-classical St Mary’s church completed in the 1920s features a ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings
- After breakfast t Dr Franklins we shall transfer to the airport for a short flight to Sri Lanka.
- Meet on arrival at Bandaranayake International Airport by Antiquity Tour Director and transfer to Negombo. Arrive approx 11am
- Transfers to hotel and afternoon free time to explore the local village and enjoy the resort
- Overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 09
Negombo | Ridigama | Dambulla
Dambulla is a town situated in the north of Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave Dambulla monastery, with its five sanctuaries, is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka.
- Early Moring Yoga before Sunrise on the beach – Breakfast at Hotel – 0800 Hrs leave for Kurunegala.
- Visit Reedi Viharaya Temple for participating in offering Alms for the Buddhist Monks which is a unique experience which of a lifetime.
- In Buddhism, alms or almsgiving is the respect given by a lay Buddhist to a Buddhist monk, nun, spiritually developed person or other sentient being. It is not charity as presumed by Western interpreters. It is closer to a symbolic connection to the spiritual realm and to show humbleness and respect in the presence of the secular society. The act of alms giving assists in connecting the human to the monk or nun and what he/she represents
- Also visit the Reedi Vihara Temple is a 2nd-century BCE Theravada Buddhist temple in the village of Ridigama, Sri Lanka. Built during the reign of Dutthagamani of Anuradhapura, the temple is considered as the place where the silver ore, which provided silver to complete Ruwanwelisaya; one of the largest stupa in Sri Lanka, was discovered. According to the chronicles Mahavamsa and Thupavamsa, the Ridi Viharaya complex was built in gratitude for helping him cherish his dream of completing Ruwanwelisaya.
- Optional Yoga or Meditation at the Rock Caves in the premises
- Rest of the evening at leisure.
- Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 10
Sigiriya | Village Visit | Polonnaruwa
Climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The ‘Lion Rock’ is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock.
- Early Morning Yoga at Hotel Garden before Sunrise – Breakfast – Proceed to Sigiriya – Climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The ‘Lion Rock’ is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.
- On completion experience a local village visit take a bullock cart ride though the village paths up to the lake then cross the lake by canoe – Take part in a cookery demonstration by the local women from the village – Also enjoy a locally prepared Lunch – After lunch take the Tuk Tuk through the village paths back to coach.
- Continue to Polonnaruwa – Visit Polonnaruwa- Which was the 2nd capital city of Sri Lanka, built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, and which is a world heritage site – Here you can see the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya – where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in ‘Upright’, ‘Sedentary’ and ‘Recumbent’ postures carved out of rock, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, king Parakramabahu’s statue, and the Parakrama Samudraya lake built by King Parakramabahu the great. There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple, the Lankathilake, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vehera and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Late afternoon – Yoga session at Polonnaruwa Gala Vihara Site in front of Buddhas Statues.
- Return to Hotel for Dinner and overnight stay.
DAY 11
Dambulla | Kandy
Visit the Dambulla Rock Temple. Climb up to the temple, which was donated by king Walagambahu in the 1st century BC to Buddhist monks. Dambulla is a World Heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples.
Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a World Heritage Site. The name Kandy conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive.
Early Morning visit to Dambulla Rock Cave Temple – Morning Yoga at the Dambulla Rock Cave Temple.
- Visit the Dambulla Rock Temple. Climb up to the temple, which was donated by king Walagambahu in the 1st century BC to Buddhist monks. 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 the ceiling is the largest area of paintings found in the world. These caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 meters.
- Return to Hotel for Breakfast.
- After breakfast leave for Kandy enroute visit a AGRO Village to in Matale, to see the different spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.
Afternoon Yoga session at the hotel Garden.
- Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 12
Kandy
- Morning Yoga at the hotel garden or room top – Breakfast at Hotel
- Visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. This botanical garden was first built as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king and was expanded by the British. It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers
- Thereafter proceed on a sightseeing tour of Kandy – Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts centre and a gem museum and a lapidary
- In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic and thereafter witness a cultural show featuring traditional Sri Lankan dancing.
- Return to Hotel for Dinner and overnight stay
DAY 13
Kandy | Galle
Galle was built by the Portuguese in the 15th-century and was later occupied and fortified by the Dutch. The Dutch really invested in and made Galle stand out. They made it the main port of Sri Lanka and it became a hub for trade between India and Europe. Today, the Dutch influence can be seen in everything here including architecture, food, street names, language & religion.
- Morning free for Yoga – Breakfast at Hotel.
- After breakfast depart south to Galle District
- Arrive check in and Free time at Galle hotel
- Evening Yoga.
- Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 14
GALLE
- Morning free for Yoga – Breakfast at Hotel.
- Dutch Fortress – The Galle fort was built first by the Portuguese, and then modified by the Dutch during the 17th century. Even today, after 400 years of existence, it looks new and polished with reconstruction work done by Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. Today Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world.
- Free time at Galle Dutch Fortress.
- Return to Hotel., Afternoon free for Yoga.
- Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
DAY 15
Galle Departure
- Morning free for Yoga – Breakfast at Hotel – Day at leisure.
- Room will be available till departure.
- 1900 Hrs Dinner at hotel – 2000 Hrs transfer to Bandaranayake international Airport to connect with departure flight at 0100 Hrs on 09th Jul’24.
Book Your Tour
Desitnation
Room Type
Price
Ayurveda & Yoga Journey South India & Sri Lanka
June 24, 2024
Availability: 2 in stock
Availability: 2 in stock
For those who do not wish to pay for a single room, we automatically arrange same sex twin room sharing. You can also nominate the name of your room buddy in the booking form.
To reserve your spot on the tour, we require a 20% tour deposit.
Final Payment is due 2 months before Tour Departure Dates (we shall invoice you for the final payment).
Final Payment is due 2 months before Tour Departure Dates (we shall invoice you for the final payment).
Please review our terms & conditions for more information.
Things To Keep In Mind
What’s included
- All transport in Group private bus
- All group airport, & hotel pickup & transfers
- All hotels based on minimum 4* standard
- Meals – 2 per pay breakfast & dinner
- English speaking Tour Manager and local guides
- All sightseeing excursions & entrance fees
- Yoga classes
- Any train trips
- Domestic flights
- Australian Office Account Management
What not included
- International Airline tickets
- Single Rooms
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Tourist Visas
- Group Tip Kitty (approx $20 pp per day)
- Any Vaccinations
- Currency Exchange
- Any personal spending costs such as massages
- Any Yoga Teacher training courses paid separately to Yoga Teacher
Next Steps
Tourist Visas & Entry Requirements
The Yoga Department offers our travellers assistance with Tourist Visa processing Visas on Arrival Some countries do not require tourist visas in advance and allow what is called
Booking International Flights
The Yoga Department books its travelers on the same group flights We aim for our groups to arrive together on the same flight in the destination. This
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