Sri Lanka to the Seychelles

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Itinerary

1. 1

   Day 1 London or Manchester to Colombo, Sri Lanka.

   Fly by scheduled indirect flight.

2. 2

   Day 2 Colombo.

   Arrive and transfer to the MS Island Sky. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner as we moor overnight.

3. 3

   Day 3 Colombo.

   Sri Lanka's commercial capital and largest city dates back over 600 years having been a trading hub for sea merchants and colonial rulers. Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, mosques and churches reflect the various beliefs practiced all over the island and the beautiful facades of the old, colonial buildings contrast with the modern but elegant shopping arcades that have been developed inside. There will be a choice of activities this morning including a cultural tour visiting the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple, the National Museum and Independence Square. Alternatively, visit the Kelaniya Buddhist Temple, located on the outskirts of the city. It is said that Buddha visited and preached his doctrine here to a gathering of serpent-kings. Today worshippers come to lay sprigs of lotus flowers around the great white dagoba, light oil lamps, and sprinkle the base of the Tree of Enlightenment with purifying water. We will see the fine carvings and lovely frescoes, fascinating geometrically patterned ceiling paintings, and three important images of Buddha. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy a leisurely afternoon at sea.

4. 4

   Day 4 Hambantota.

   From our berth in Hambantota there will be a choice of excursions today. You can choose to to visit Kataragama, one of the three most important religious sites in Sri Lanka and a popular place of pilgrimage for Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and the indigenous Vedda communities of Sri Lanka and South India. According to Buddhists, this was one of the 16 places visited by Buddha during his visits to Sri Lanka. We will explore the religious complex built across the Menik Ganga which contains buildings from all three religions including the mosque, temple, the small archaeological museum and the principal shrine of the god Kataragama. Alternatively explore Bundala National Park, a haven for birdwatchers and Sri Lanka's first declared Ramsar wetland. Located in the deep south of the island, the diversity of the park lies in its landscape, from dry thorny scrubland to sand dunes and salt marshes, to mangroves and lagoons. Take a jeep through the park and discover close to 200 species of bird as well as many species of butterflies, crocodiles, elephants, and deer.

5. 5

   Day 5 Galle.

   Awake this morning in Galle where we take a walking tour of the impressive Galle Fortress. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the port where the Portuguese first landed in Sri Lanka in the 16th century and was then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century. Also see the maritime museum, which is housed in an old Dutch house, the lighthouse, mosque, and church before taking a stroll through the narrow streets with their shuttered mansions and cloistered courtyards. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy an afternoon at leisure to explore Galle further at your own pace or alternatively join a tour to a nearby tea plantation where we will learn about the growing processes and enjoy a tasting.

6. 6

   Day 6 At Sea.

   Spend a relaxing day at sea as we cross the Laccadive Sea towards the Maldives. We spend four days exploring the whole archipelago. This vast area of ocean is scattered with staggeringly beautiful dots of land surrounded by a cerulean sea. It offers some of the finest lagoons, beaches and coral reefs in the world. Our day to day schedule will be left in the capable hands of the Captain and Expedition Leader and we hope to include visits to a number of atolls as we sail from the northern islands to the south. Our expedition team will be on hand to take guided walking tours to explore the flora and fauna on land whilst our Snorkel Master will take us to some stunning reefs to view the wonderful coral and marine life. Relax and enjoy our days at sea as we continue to the Seychelles. Watch out for the bird and marine life and listen to the informative talks by our expedition team. We are assured of warm weather so make the most of the fresh air, get lost in a novel from your deck chair and enjoy all the comforts of the MS Island Sky. We have two days exploring the islands of the Inner Seychelles group. After clearing immigration formalities at Praslin we will explore the ‘Vallee de Mai', the last remnant of the original high canopied Seychelles palm forest and home to the coco de mer. We will walk its paths looking out for the rare black parrot and enjoying its natural beauty. We also hope to include time on Aride which is one of the finest and most important seabird islands in the Indian Ocean. Over one million seabirds breed on the island including tropical shearwater, lesser noddy, frigate birds and roseate tern in addition to five species unique to the Seychelles such as the Seychelles warbler and Seychelles magpie robin. The island is largely covered in native woodland, including the endemic Wright's gardenia, a shrub with beautifully scented flowers found nowhere else in the world. Also see Curieuse, a rugged island which was once home to a leper colony and now houses an eco-museum and visitor centre. The island is an important nesting site for hawksbill turtles and boasts endemic vine and mangroves which we explore on an island walk. Maybe also relax on Grande Soeur, an idyllic uninhabited island. Walk the island trails which link the white sand beaches and maybe catch sight of some of the island's giant Aldabra tortoises, or take a swim in the turquoise waters. Our final night will be spent alongside at Mahe.

7. 16

   Day 16 Mahe to London or Manchester.

   Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for our scheduled indirect flight to London or Manchester. Arrive this afternoon.

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