CME, Eco & Cultural Tour of
Sri Lanka
October 24 - November 10, 2024
Group Medical Director:
Dr. Peter Bloch, Oakville, On.
2 ROOMS JUST ADDED TO THIS PREVIOUSLY SOLD OUT PROGRAM !
SINGLE SHARE PROGRAM AVAILABLE
“I have been fortunate to enjoy four trips with Doctors-on-Tour since 2009 - to Ecuador, Vietnam/Cambodia/Laos, India and Bali. All these tours were wonderful. Well-organized, excellent accommodations, top notch guides, remarkable CME experiences that broaden one's outlook on medicine and really great leaders of the tours. You should seriously consider taking one of these exotic trips. Beats lying on a beach!”
Dr. Linda Rapson, Toronto
"Our guide was absolutely fabulous - she took superb care of us and added so much to the trip through her knowledge of New Zealand history, flora and fauna. Peter and Mary (Bloch) were wonderful medical leaders - calm, helpful, interesting and vivacious- kudos to them."
Drs. Peter & Louise Bobechko, Toronto, On. - New Zealand, 2015
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Introducing Sri Lanka... the Island Jewel of South Asia...
Explore the best of the tropical island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean and visit the country’s natural and historical sites. The country is rich in scenery, with pristine beaches and cool highlands, full of incredible wildlife both on land at sea, an ancient culture dating back over its 2500 year history with Arab, Malay, Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers having left their mark on its culture, architecture, and cuisine since the early Sinhalese civilization and a charming and hospitable population.
Our tailored 2 week itinerary will showcase the highlights and diversity of this South Asian nation.
Fly into the country’s capital, Colombo, and head to the coast for a couple of days at a resort, complete with Ayurvedic spa, sat on the Indian Ocean.
Then you’re off to Dambulla which boasts Sri Lanka’s most impressive cave temple, dating back from the 1st century B.C.. Head on to Polonnaruwa to explore hundreds of temple ruins and tombs spread out across an ancient royal city and visit the massive rock of Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock), the country’s most iconic site rising out of the misty forests and featuring a massive plateau adorned with ancient ruins.
Continue on to Kandy, where you’ll get a taste for ordinary Sri Lankan life with its most famous landmark being the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, which holds a tooth of the Lord Buddha himself.
Next, you’re boarding a train to take a spectacular journey south through the central highlands and tea plantations to the charming lakeside town of Nuwara Eliya, dubbed, Sri Lanka’s “Little England” due to its numerous colonial bungalows and old school charm. Visit one of the “Great Gardens of the World”, Peradeniya, take the iconic ‘World’s End’ trail in the Horton Plains National Park, visit a dairy farm and, of course, a tea plantation to see how the island’s most famous is cultivated and produced.
Next is Wellawaya, a quaint village, east of the central mountains in one of the island's vital rice heartlands and once home to the ancient Sinhalese Kingdom where you will stay at the island’s first agro eco-luxury resort and learn about Sri Lanka’s farming culture as well as participating in a cooking class to enjoy its traditional local cuisine.
Continue your journey to the south-east coast and Yala National Park, the country’s most famous nature reserve, where monkeys, elephants, sloth bears and buffalo roam across a landscape of plains, forests, and lagoons. The park also has the highest density of leopards in the world. Your game drives through Yala are a great way to spot some incredible wildlife.
Pass westward along the coast to Galle, an old Dutch trading port that is famous for its colonial buildings, mosques, churches, and mansions and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 16th century Portuguese Fort - unique for being surrounded by the ocean on three sides. Close by is the coastal town of Mirissa which has many species of whales that inhabit its waters including one of the highest concentrations in the world of for Blue Whales.
Close out your Sri Lanka vacation in the capital, Colombo, a strategic port city on the East-West sea trade routes for over 2,000 years - a heady admixture of Asian anarchy, colonial charm and modern chic where the old and the new co-exist side by side.
This trip to Sri Lanka promises the best of this incredible South Asian nation.
Tour Highlights
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Kick back on the sparkling sounds of Sri Lanka’s beaches
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Climb the indomitable Siguriya Lion’s Rock and roam around the elaborate gardens and exquisite frescoes in the ancient fortress on the rock’s plateau summit
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Walk amongst the ancient palaces and super-sized Buddhas in the old royal capital of Polonnaruwa
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Make the pilgrimage to the Temple of the Tooth Relic in UNESCO World Heritage listed Kandy
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Experience the various forms of cultural dance of the island at a Kandyan dance performance
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Stroll through one of the “Great Gardens of the World” at Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
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Relax on a spectacular train journey through the tea plantations of the Central Highlands
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Learn about the country’s colonial past and visit a tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya, known as “Little England”
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Stay in a luxury agro-resort and learn about ancient farming techniques in the islands rice heartland
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Search for crocodiles, elephants, monkeys and the ever-elusive leopards in the foliage of Yala National Park
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Marvel at the stilt fishermen of Weligama
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Look through a window into the Dutch colonial past in historic Galle
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Search for blue (and other…) whales in Mirissa - one of the whale watching capitals of the world
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Immerse yourself in the ancient and modern cultures of the country’s capital, Colombo
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Haggle for that unique souvenir in one of the island’s many markets and bazaars
CME Program - Group Medical Director: Dr. Peter Bloch, Oakville, On.
(15+ CME hours focused on Health and Healing; Certificate of Attendance provided)
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Academic Session #1 with a presentation by a local practitioner on Sri Lanka’s Ayurveda medicine and its interwoven culture and lifestyle
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Visit a wellness sanctuary to learn to meet with a Indigenous holistic medicine ‘hela vedekama’ specialist (Siguriya)
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Learn about the medicinal properties of various plants at the Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya (Kandy)
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Visit to an SOS Children's Village in Nuwara Eliya
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Learn about the medicinal properties of various kinds of rice (Wellawaya)
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Academic Session #2 with presentations and interactive discussions on current medical topics by Canadian presenters
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Visit a holistic wellness center to learn about their holistic healthcare practices offering a combination of Ayurveda, osteopathy, acupuncture, yoga and meditation and other healing modalities while still embracing modern healing practices (Netolpitiya)
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Visit to a local hospital in Colombo to learn about the Sri Lankan healthcare system and meet with local doctors.
Pricing, Inclusions & Exclusions
Cdn $7,995** / person (double occupancy)
Academic program reg. fee $950 / registrant
Transportation/hotel taxes & fees $765 / person
Single supplement - add $1,650
Please note : All our pricing is in CANADIAN $ (competing programs (that usually do not include include international airfare from Canada) are often quoted in US$ resulting in a supplement of almost 40% when converted into Cdn$ (based on Cdn$:US$ exchange rates at Mar 2024)
The price/person quoted above already reflects the $500/person early booking savings which are valid until May 20, 2024 (after this date the price increases by $500/person).
Price includes:
- Round trip international flights from Toronto to Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Private, modern, air conditioned coach transportation
- Scenic train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
- All meet and greet services and arrival and departure transfers**
- Accommodation for a total of 15 nights (4* and 5* properties)
- 15 breakfasts, 12 lunches, 6 dinners in a combination of hotel and local restaurants
- 1 soft drink is included with all meals
- Bottled water on tours
- Comprehensive daily itineraries including escorted tours of local cultural sites
- 3 game drives in 4x4 safari vehicles (Minneriya National Park and Yala National Park) with professional local English speaking driver-guides
- Whalewatching experience (Mirissa)
- All admission fees (except those specifically noted above)
- Fully escorted tour including services of local English speaking cultural and ecological experts
- Porterage
- CME program including tours of various local medical facilities (Academic Program Certificate provided)
- Hosting by our Group Leader and Medical Director, Dr. Peter Bloch and his wife Mary
Price excludes:
- Any meals or activities not mentioned above
- Gratuities for local tour escort / guides and drivers
- Sri Lanka entry visa
- International airport departure tax (none at March 2024)
- Travel insurance – please note, travel insurance (including medical and trip interruption coverage) is highly recommended for this tour. Coverage is available through Doctors-on-tour with Manulife Insurance – please check for further details in our brochure
- All items of a personal nature such as telephone / internet usage, laundry services etc
COST EFFICIENT INVOICING
For invoicing purposes re doctors and their spouse, we can also provide a separate invoice with the doctor’s air cost plus 100% of the accommodation costs included in the doctor’s invoice.
Useful Links and Files (Click below to view)
Sri Lanka CME - Oct/Nov 2024 - Detailed Brochure
REGISTER NOW!
To register for this program please complete our online registration form at the secure page below.
Sri Lanka CME - Oct/Nov 2024 - Registration Form
Our recommended Manulife Travel Insurance is available when completing the registration form above. However, for Canadian clients residing outside of Ontario, you should click on the Manulife Insurance button below to take out travel insurance.
CLICK ON THE PHOTO ABOVE TO WATCH A
SHORT VIDEO ON SRI LANKA
Doctors-on-Tour. Copyright ®2024. All rights reserved. The program & itineraries as states in this website are unique and prepared exclusively for Doctors-on-Tour.