Drive time: 4 hours

Overnight: Forest Rock Garden– Breakfast included

Today you will start your exploration of Sri Lankan crafts with a visit to Divulapitiya. It is home to an ancient creative community that has been producing hand-woven textiles for generations.

Set out into the lush, picturesque paddy fields surrounding the village on a guided explanatory tour conducted by a villager. Explore the creeks, village dwellings and pastoral surroundings that have served as inspiration for the local artisans for hundreds of years. You can also drop into a textile workshop where you will learn about the ancient Sri Lankan tradition of weaving that dates back two thousand years. Watch the local craftsmen practice their trade, absorb their experience, and even try some weaving of your own!

Then proceed on to Anuradhapura and visit the old clay pot making village there. One of the oldest earthenware dating back to the 900 BC was recovered from the excavation at the ancient citadel of Anuradhapura and is of black and red ware form. Later on, technology of earthenware became more advanced and potters started using glazing techniques, exterior decorations and new variations in their creations, all which can be seen in this village.

Ascend the Sigiriya Fortress in the morning to beat the crowds and catch the sunrise! Rising dramatically from the central plains, the enigmatic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most dramatic sight.

When you are finished with your climb and sightseeing from the fortress, make a visit to the Sigiriya Craft Village. Here local artisans who specialize in woodwork, brass, ceramics, lacquer works, reed ware and leatherwork display their wares and you might also be able to see the creation as well.

You will be heading to Kandy today in further pursuit of the arts! Don’t forget to drop in at the Dambulla cave temple to witness the ancient art adorning the roof of the cave. Sri Lankan painting is closely attached to Buddhism and the various stages of the ancient cultures.

En route visit a traditional drum making workshop in Kurunegala. The traditional drums or Bera, is undoubtedly part of the local culture. The special skill and the craftsmanship required for the making of these drums are possessed by a numbered few.

Also you will get a chance to visit the Matale Heritage center which draws on the rich traditions of the area, producing quality batik and embroidery, which visitors can see being made on site.

If you are lucky, you might also be able to visit the Aluwihara Batik artist home of Ena De Silva for tea. The home of Ena De Silva is found on the hills, where her ancestors lived for generations, hidden amid a garden full of wild flowers and trees. This is a fairy tale-like space, which explodes in a splash of color and intricate detail; piles of hand painted wall hangings, embroidered cushions, rolls of carpets and batiks drape from the ceiling

Enjoy a breakfast on dhal and hoppers and journey to Dumbara valley to visit a home of a mat weaving family, in Kinnara Thalaguna. The Dumbara region is resident to the weavers of Sri Lanka, who were tasked with creating these unique designs for the ancient local kings. Since then, mat weaving was practiced by rural women at home while their spouses were away at work in paddy fields or Chena cultivation. A fiber like Jute is extracted; is treated, dyed and woven in designs.

To keep up with the contemporary requirements, the modern mat weaving craftsmen have introduced innovations in producing cushion covers, hand bags, shopping bags, letter holders, fans and screens. For centuries, Dumbara Valley of the Kandy District has been famous for its production of mats with distinctive design and color schemes. You will be exposed to this ancient form of weaving in its most authentic form during this experience.

Enjoy breakfast at your resort and then transfer to the shores of the historic Galle city. As you make your way to Galle, stop by Ambalangoda; the centre of mask-carving in Sri Lanka. Ambalangoda was home to the famed, late carver, Ariyapala Wijesuriya who was largely responsible for establishing the village as a home to folk art – mask-making in particular. His two sons constructed traditional mask museums here, and there are numerous other mask-carving workshops throughout the town to visit.

Sri Lankans exclusively use masks and facial decorative wear. Since ancient times, masks have been used in rituals, dramas, and to cure sickness. Traditional Lankans think that masks have curative power for various physical and physiological illnesses. Generally masks are made of nimble timber called Kaduru!

Your morning is free to visit the Galle and Weligama villages for a Beeralu lace making demonstration. Southern lace makers believe that the art of lace making stems from the legacy of Kuveni; the mythical queen of the demons who ruled the island before the arrival of the Prince Viyaja from India and the source of the Sinhalese race. She is said to have woven lace seated at a rock bobbin on the Island of the She-Devil, off the southern coast of Sri Lanka.

Based mostly inside the Galle Fort, the lace makers can be found working away in the museum. Lace making is not an indigenous art that was pioneered by the Portuguese in the 16^th century. It began in the southwestern coastal areas, especially around Galle and was practiced by the Dutch ladies during the Dutch colonial era.

Make time to visit the clay pottery in Kubalgama village (Weligama) where the traditional pottery art is practiced “with love and care”. Pottery is one of the oldest skills of mankind and here in Sri Lanka traces of ancient pottery date back to the ancient times. There are also distinctive differences between Northern and Southern pottery art forms here!

Transfer to Colombo today after an early breakfast. En route visit Dodanduwa coconut coir fiber workshop with its huge machinery operated by a few persons, working with their feet and throwing the shuttle to make carpets as well as colorful mats and decorative products!

Coconut Coir is a natural fiber removed from the shell of the coconut and is used in goods such as doormats, brushes, floor mats, and mattresses in local homes. Other uses of brown coir are in upholstery padding, sacking and horticulture.

Head to the airport in time for your flight with pleasant memories of your most artistic and educational holiday!