Colombo Trip Overview
Sigiriya, an ancient palace, was once nominated as the 8th wonder of the world. Sigiriya and Dambulla are UNESCO recognized heritage sites and major tourist attractions and also Kandy, proud heritage and splendid lakeside setting has long made it a favorite haunt for Sri Lanka travelers. This bustling hill-country capital is the natural gateway to a lush central region of tea plantations, gurgling streams and stirring Sri Lanka Kandy history and This sacred Buddhist site, popularly known as the city of Senkadagalapura, was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 days
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Historical & Heritage Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
Sigiriya, an ancient palace, was once nominated as the 8th wonder of the world. Sigiriya and Dambulla are UNESCO recognized heritage sites and major tourist attractions and also Kandy, proud heritage and splendid lakeside setting has long made it a favorite haunt for Sri Lanka travelers. This bustling hill-country capital is the natural gateway to a lush central region of tea plantations, gurgling streams and stirring Sri Lanka Kandy history and This sacred Buddhist site, popularly known as the city of Senkadagalapura, was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings.
Itinerary
Day 1: Colombo/Negombo – Sigiriya – Dambulla
Stop At: Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Kandy – Jaffna Highway, Dambulla 21100 Sri Lanka
Dating back to the first century B.C.E., the Dambulla Cave Temple represents the most impressive cave temple in Sri Lanka. It has five caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. In 1938 craftsman embellished the architecture with arched colonnades and gabled entrances. Inside the caves, the ceilings had been painted with intricate images of the Lord Buddha and Bodhisattvas, as well as various gods and goddesses following the contours of the rock.
The Dambulla cave still operates as a monastery and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. The complex dates from the third and second centuries B.C.E., serving as one of the largest and most important monasteries. King Valagambahu has been traditionally believed to have converted the caves into a temple in the first century B.C.E. The caves in the city provided refuge to King Valagamba (also called Vattagamini Abhaya) in his fourteen year long exile from the Anuradapura kingdom. Buddhist monks meditating in the caves of Dambulla at that time provided the exiled king protection from his enemies. When King Valagamba returned to the throne at Anuradapura kingdom in the first century B.C.E., he had a magnificent rock temple built at Dambulla as a gratitude to the monks in Dambulla. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, the rock from which the caves were carved towers 160 meters (520 ft) over the surrounding plains. More than eighty caves have been discovered and documented in the area. Major attractions are spread over five caves which contain statues and paintings of Lord Buddha and his life.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka
Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress and palace built by King Kashyapa during the reign of 473 – 495 which is standing majestically 660 feet straight up. It is located in the northern Matale district near the town of Dambulla in central province of Sri Lanka. The word Sigiriya or the Sinhagiri means the Lion’s Rock where you have to climb up 1200 steps before you reach the Lion Rock Fortress on top of Sigiriya. It will take 1.5 – 3 hours to climb up the rock and to get back down but that sounds harder than it is. There are several platforms that break up the steps and allow for a little break if you need it. Today Sigiriya rock fortress is one of the most famous Archeological Treasure and UNESCO named Sigiriya rock as a World Heritage in 1982
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in Dambulla
Day 2: Dambulla – Kandy – Colombo/Negombo
Stop At: Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue, Bahirawa Kanda Rd, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
A literal as well as spiritual highlight of your visit to Kandy is the hilltop Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue, with its steps up the back leading to a spectacular view over the city. The 88ft pure-white statue, which includes a gallery displaying pictures of Buddha’s life from baby to manhood, is part of a small and intimate hillside monastery just outside the city. Construction began in 1972, and the statue, its crowning glory, was completed 10 years later. With all the classic accoutrements, including carvings and traditional historical depictions, the monestary and statue is now an established feature of the Kandy tourist trail.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth shelters Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic, the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha. The complex includes a series of smaller temples, shrines and museums. During Buddhist prayers, the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists. The sacred tooth is kept in a gold casket shaped like a stupa, which contains a series of six dagoba caskets of decreasing size. The legend of the tooth began in 313AD, when it was smuggled into Sri Lanka, the relic was hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamala as she fled from rivals who were encircling her father’s Kingdom in India. In Sri Lanka, it was placed on a gold lotus flower, and enshrined inside a jeweled casket fronted by two large elephant tasks. The tooth relic immediately became an object of immense devotion and awe. It became the responsibility of the ruler to protect the tooth relic, and it was believed that whoever held it, also held the power of the country.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kandy Lake, Centre of Kandy City, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Kandy Lake, also known as Kiri Muhuda or the Sea of Milk, is an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe next to the Temple of the Tooth. Over the years, it was reduced in size. It is a protected lake, with fishing banned. There are many legends and folklore regarding the lake. One such is that the small island at its center was used by the king’s helm for bathing and was connected to the palace by secret tunnel.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Dance Show, 7 Sangamitta Mawatha, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Keeping a major part of Sri Lankan heritage and culture alive through frequent displays of the country’s traditional dances, the Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show has become a mainstay feature of the Hill Country capital. Showcasing the various types of traditional dances of the country that originated from the ancient kingdoms, be it for ceremonial purposes or acts of devotion to god, the Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show has become a central hub for entertainment with a cultural twist. The Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show was established in 1982 with the sole intention of preserving the traditional dances and performances of Sri Lanka, thus becoming the first cultural show of its kind to be established in the country. The Sri Lankan arts, dance and cultural heritage show displays a total number of 12 traditional dances and performances that originate from various parts of the country.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
