Detailed Programme
Day 1
Day 01 - Airport – Belihuloya (160 Kms / Approx. 3h30)
SCHEDULE
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Meet and greet at the Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to Belihuloya.
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Dinner and overnight stay at River Garden Resort (HB).
Nestled amidst the beautiful hill country, Belihuloya is a picturesque little town located in Sabaragamuwa province, 616 metres above sea level. The beautiful hillside location is a climatically transitional area, linking both the dry and wet zones and the hill and low country and making it one of the richest bio-diversity spots in Sri Lanka. Perfectly in tune with nature, Belihuloya provides a gorgeous setting for all sorts of adventures from climbing to canoeing and trekking. Here, you can enjoy the scenic waterfalls, historic sites, and nature trails.
Day 2
Day 02 - Nature Activities in Belihuloya
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the River Garden Resort.
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Bride's party will go canoëing in Samanalawewa while Groom's group will do the 6 km nature trail from Belihuloya to Kinchigune.
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Lunch at the Kinchigune Eco Lodge.
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Time for relaxing and planning the wedding ceremony in the afternoon.
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Dinner and overnight stay at River Garden Resort (FB).
You may have your friends coming with you or just two of you ! Either way, we have lined up some exciting activities for you to select.
The 6 km nature trail begins at the River Garden Resort, and runs alongside the riverine forest of Belihuloya through paddy fields, across rivers and past local village houses with their extensive vegetable plots. Here, you will have an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agricultural systems and simple way of life in the countryside. Along the way, you will witness several types of beautiful birds and butterflies, and charming little waterfalls.The trail ends where the River ends at the Samanalawewa Reservoir and climbs up from there, to the Kinchigune Eco Lodge. The whole journey takes from 02 to 04 hours, depending on how often you want to stop for rest and take pictures in theses wonderful surroundings.
Surrounded by rugged mountain sceneries, the still calm waters of the Samanalawewa reservoir offer an idyllic location for canoëing. The reservoir’s name is derived from the Sinhalese word ‘samanala’ that means ‘butterfly’ and refers to the terrific number of butterflies of this area, and also to the shape of the reservoir. Whether you want to go for a relaxed little paddle for a couple of hours, venture out to the mouth of the Belihuloya River or spend an entire day exploring the perimeter of the reservoir, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience. A well-experienced guide will provide you with the right technics, safety instructions and modern life jacket.
Day 3
Day 03 - Wedding Day in Belihuloya! - FB
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the River Garden Resort.
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Romantic wedding ceremony in a perfectly natural setting down by the Belihuloya river at noon.
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Wedding lunch in the shade of the trees by the river, or at the restaurant in River Garden Resort.
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Wedding party with dancing (optional band) and speeches.
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Light evening supper and overnight stay at the River Garden Resort (FB). The married couple will have a decorated cottage.
Day 4
Day 04 - Relaxing day in Belihuloya
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the River Garden Resort.
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Spend a relaxing day in the beautiful sceneries of Belihuloya.
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Optional activities include cycling, trekking and canoëing.
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Lunch at the River Garden Resort, or packed lunch depending on activities chosen.
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Barbecue dinner at the Kinchigune Eco Lodge and overnight stay at the River Garden Resort.
PROGRAMME : Nature Wedding Package
Day 1 - Arrival at Belihuloya (FB)
Arrival and transfer to Belihuloya.
BELIHULOYA
This is a climatically transitional area, which links the dry and wet zones at an altitude of less than 650m. As a result, the vegetation it consists is of moist semi-evergreen forests, tropical savanna forests, dry patana grasslands and montane temperate forests. The wide variety of vegetation in this environment has made this location an exciting one for the serious as well as the casual nature lover. The average temperature in the area is about 28.3 degrees Celsius and the mean annual rainfall is between 1,875 and 2,500mm.
In the ancient times people living in this area have been engaged in Agriculture and the Steel industry. It is said, that these villagers have manufactured weapons like spears, swords and knives for the one time great Sinhala king “Dutugemunu” in the 2nd century BC. It is also said, that the manufacturers of the world famous “Damascus sword’ were supplied with steel by these villages.
If we were to look further back in time, even the presence of pre-historic settlements were proved by the finding of skeletal remains of the 29,000 year old pre-historic man “Homosapien balangodensis” in this area, during recent excavations.
Another very important aspect of this location - being situated in the middle of the Hill and Low Countries -, is the presence of a large number of beautiful locations and so many waterfalls not forgetting the forests, grasslands, caves etc. The great diversity of flora and fauna in this area has made this a very important location for the casual and the serious nature watcher
SCHEDULE
- Arrival & transfer to Belihuloya (160km from Colombo. 3½ hrs travel time)
- Lunch on the way or at the River Garden Resort (Belihuloya) – depending on flight arrival times.
- Afternoon at leisure.
- Dinner and Overnight stay at River Garden Resort – cottages or similar.
Day 2 - ('Stag/Hen') Activity Day in Belihuloya Area - FB
You may have your frinds coming with you or just two of you ! Either way we have lined up some activities for you to select.
Activities for the bride's & groom's party's.
KINCHIGUNE NATURE TRAIL
This diverse trail of approximately 06 kms begins at River Garden Resort running alongside the Belihul Oya river through its riverine forest. It is an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agricultural systems and simple way of village living. Along the way, you will also witness several types of beautiful birds and butterflies and some charming waterfalls. The trail ends where the River ends at the Samanalawewa Reservoir and climbs up from there, to the Kinchigune Eco Lodge. The whole journey takes between 02 and 04 hours, depending on how often you want to stop for rest, photos, or simply to take in the wonderful surroundings.
CANOEING IN SAMANALAWEWA RESERVOIR
The still and calm waters of the Samanalawewa reservoir are perfect for canoeing. Whether you want to take your time and go for a leisurely paddle for a couple of hours, perhaps venturing out to the mouth of the Belihuloya River or spend an entire day exploring the perimeter of the reservoir, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience. The Samanalawewa reservoir is named after the Sinhalese word ‘samanala’, meaning ‘butterfly’, hinting not only at the terrific number of butterflies in the area but also the actual shape of the reservoir. The word ‘wewa’ literally means ‘tank’ (another term often used to describe reservoirs). The surrounding mountains add to the idyllic setting of the reservoir. All groups will be supplied with an experienced guide and modern life jackets, and a proper orientation will be offered for those who are new to canoeing.
SCHEDULE
- Morning activities after breakfast - Bride's party do nature trail from Belihuloya to Kinchigune while Groom's group go canoeing on the Samanalawewa reservoir.
- All meet for lunch at the Kinchigune Eco Lodge.
- Relax and plan for for the next day - Wedding Day
- Dinner and Overnight stay at River Garden Resort - cottages or similar.
Day 3 - Wedding Day at Belihuloya! - FB
SCHEDULE
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Noon wedding down by the Belihuloya river – a perfectly natural setting for a perfectly special day!
- Wedding lunch in the shade of the trees near the river (rainy day back-up in the River Garden Restaurant)
- Afternoon / evening of festivities – dancing and speeches (optional band).
- Light evening supper and overnight at cottages or similar. (Specialy decorated Cottage for Couple)
Day 4 - Relaxation or Activity Day
SCHEDULE
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Today can be a day of relaxation or optional activities like (Cycling, boating, nature trails etc.) are available.
- Lunch at the Resort or packed lunch to be provided depending on activities chosen.
- Evening barbecue at the Kinchigune Eco Lodge.
DAY 5 - Departure after breakfast or you could extend your stay for another day
SCHEDULE
Departure after breakfast to your next destination or you could extend your stay for another day
- End of Programme-
