Colombo Trip Overview
Absorb Sri Lanka’s ancient culture at Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, before heading deep into lush jungle plains for jeep safaris and encounters with wild elephants. Journey south to the last kingdom of Sri Lanka – Kandy with its temples and most scenic Kandy round. You will get an opportunity to visit 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and marvel at Sri Lanka’s wild and untamed beauty with this trip. All these destinations included on this tour are most popular and must visit destinations in Sri Lanka. Accommodation facilities, meals and entrance fees included.
• Hassle free and convenient hotel pick up and drop off
• Air conditioned vehicle with an expert guide
• Explore the history, culture and wildlife of Sri Lanka within 5 days
• Visit the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka with 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Discover the untamed beauty of wildlife by engaging in a safari drive
Additional Info
Duration: 4 days
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
Absorb Sri Lanka’s ancient culture at Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, before heading deep into lush jungle plains for jeep safaris and encounters with wild elephants. Journey south to the last kingdom of Sri Lanka – Kandy with its temples and most scenic Kandy round. You will get an opportunity to visit 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and marvel at Sri Lanka’s wild and untamed beauty with this trip. All these destinations included on this tour are most popular and must visit destinations in Sri Lanka. Accommodation facilities, meals and entrance fees included.
• Hassle free and convenient hotel pick up and drop off
• Air conditioned vehicle with an expert guide
• Explore the history, culture and wildlife of Sri Lanka within 5 days
• Visit the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka with 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Discover the untamed beauty of wildlife by engaging in a safari drive
Itinerary
Day 1: Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Sigiriya
Stop At: Sigiriya, Sigiriya, Central Province
You will be met on arrival at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport and transferred by a private vehicle to your hotel in Sigiriya. En route visit the Dambulla Cave Temple. The Dambulla Cave Temple is the largest and best-preserved rock cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, towering 160 m over the surrounding plains with more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. The site is of particular interest for anyone that loves historic art, as five of the caves contain ancient statues and paintings related to and depicting Lord Buddha and his life. Then proceed to Sigiriya ,check-in, then spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight stay in Sigiriya
Duration: 0
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 2: Day 2: Polonnaruwa and a Wildlife Safari
Stop At: Polonnaruwa, Polonnaruwa, North Central Province
Activity 1: Explore the Medieval Kingdom of Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is the second of Sri Lanka’s most ancient kingdoms. It was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country under a local leader. Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best-planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers. Polonnaruwa is divided into four areas. The visit starts with the Kings Palace and Baths. We will then visit three different tooth relic temples before proceeding on to see the stupas. The visit ends on the far western side of the complex where you will see one of the most astonishing Buddhist rock carvings in Sri Lanka.
Duration: 0
Stop At: Kaudulla National Park, Galoya Road, Habarana 51375 Sri Lanka
Located in the heart of the Cultural Triangle Minneriya, Eco, and Kaudulla National Parks are among the best parks to see Elephants on the island, with large herds of elephants migrating between each park during different seasons. The parks mostly consist of a mixed forest of evergreen shrubs, a favorite habitat for animals, which include deer and wild elephants. Which park you visit will depend on the time of the year and the recent sightings in the parks. Since the parks are relatively close to each other, the decision of which park to visit will be often made on the day itself, based on up-to-date information about the location of the elephants at that given time, ensuring you the best sightings. From the safety of a well-equipped 4×4 jeep you will navigate the park with a naturalist who will be able to point out various animal species to you and knows the best spots from which to view the elephants.
Duration: 0
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 3: Day 3: Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka
This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a spectacular rock fortress and is one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. Built by King Kashyapa (477-495 A.D), the most impressive facts of this unique complex are the water gardens, the frescoes, the mirror wall and the lion platform. The summit, which is an area of 1.6 hectares, was originally completely covered by buildings, but only remains of the royal citadel can be seen today. The old stairway to the top originally led through the mouth of a crouching lion but today only the huge paws remain giving an indication of the massive proportions of the head. Sigiriya consists of 1,200 steps. The first part of the visit is a leisurely walk through the pleasure gardens. Then one starts to climb. There are two areas where visitors can take a break on the way up. The experience takes approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the speed at which you wish to ascend. Once you descend spend some time at leisure and be transferred to Kandy for overnight stay.
Duration: 0
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
Day 4: Day 4: Kandy – A visit to the Temple of the Tooth
Stop At: Temple of the Tooth, Sangamiththa Mawatha, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
Sri Dalada Maligawa is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple.Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings. On Wednesdays there is a symbolic bathing of the Sacred Relic with a herbal preparation made from scented water and fragrant flowers, called Nanumura Mangallaya. This holy water is believed to contain healing powers and is distributed among those present.
Duration: 0
No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.
