Anuradhapura - Sigiriya - Kandy three-day tour

Anuradhapura - Sigiriya - Kandy: Ancient Stupas, Sigiriya Rock, Buddha Tooth Temple, elephants, Royal garden

This is one of the most outstanding excursion programs allowing you to see the most basic must-see attractions of Sri Lanka (Anuradhapura, Sigiriya Lion Rock, Buddha's Tooth Temple, Kandy, Tea Plantations) in just 3 days.

Organizer:

Luong  · online Travel consultant of Aurora Holidays 23 reviews

"It is my pleasure to help people around the world to get better understanding about Sri-Lanka and Vietnam" Contacts us: +84901401648

Highlights of the tour:

• 2600-year-old city of Anuradhapura
• Sigiriya - a fortress on a cliff, according to legend, once belonged to the king of demons Ravana (from the epic of Ramayana)
• Buddha Tooth Temple - one of the most sacred places for Buddhists around the world
• 700-year-old Royal Botanic Garden in Peradeniya, where you can see trees planted by the last Russian emperor, many kings and presidents 
• Tea Plantations, where the best tea is grown in the world
• Tea Factory
• Elephant Museum, Elephant Riding, Eco-friendly elephant dung paper factory

Other attractions (optional):

• Ayurvedic Garden
• Bahiravakande Monastery, Buddha Statue and Observation Deck
• Traditional Sri Lankan villages: Pineapple Village, Cashew Village, Rambutan Village
• Golden and Cave Temples in Dambulla
• Aluvihara Temple, where Tripitaka (Buddhist holy canon) was recorded in caves by monks and the ancient technique of writing on palm leaves is revealed.
• National Dance Show 
• Ornithological Tour: Bird Watching 
• Tea Ceremony and Tea Tasting

Detailed tour program:

Day 1: Anuradhapura

Abayagiriya Stupa, Ranweli Stupa, Jetawana Stupa (Anuradhapura)

The first settlement on the site of Anuradhapura arose in the VI century BC. In 377 BC the city (called Anuradhapura) becomes the capital of the first Sinhala kingdom on the island.

In the vicinity of these stupas, there was an extensive system of irrigation canals. Anuradhapura developed dynamically as a shopping center; marked on the maps of Claudius Ptolemy.

Anuradhapura is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi

A place of pilgrimage for Buddhists is the Mahabodhi tree and the Mahabodhi temple around it.The Mahabodhi tree is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date. 

It is grown from a branch of the sacred Bodhi tree, situated in the Indian town of Bodh Gaya, under which, according to the legend, Lord Buddha attained  Enlightenment. 

Samadhi Buddha Statue

Samadhi Buddha Statue is the only survived complete Buddha statue which is considered to be an unachieveble example of perfect sculpture art, because the statue shows the perfect state of Buddha's mind free of any addictions and emotions.

Anuradhapura Museum 

Anuradhapura Archaeological Museum (Also known as Puravidu Bhavana) is one of the oldest museum in the Cultural Triangle area.

The museum is used to exhibit antiquities found from various regions of Sri Lanka. Such as Buddha statues, inscriptions, drawings, puppets, coins, jewelleries, Beads and other miscellaneous things.

Among these antiquities there is a model of the Thuparamaya Vatadage and a relic chamber found at Mihintale Kantaka Chetiya Dagoba.

Moon-stone

Sandakada pahana, also known as Moon-stone, is a unique feature of the Sinhalese architecture of ancient Sri Lanka.

It is an elaborately carved semi-circular stone slab, usually placed at the bottom of staircases and entrances.

According to historians, the sandakada pahana symbolises the cycle of Samsara in Buddhism.

Day 2: Sigiriya

Sigiriya

Sigiriya (which means “lion rock”) is a rocky plateau rising 370 meters above sea level and about 170 meters above the surrounding plain in the very center of Sri Lanka. Since 1982, Sigiriya has been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

 
King Kashyap, in the last quarter of the 5th century AD, built an impregnable fortress on the rock and his palace, in which he lived with 400 concubines. The rock was surrounded by a moat with water, which was filled with crocodiles. 

The monumental Lion Gate led to the top of the plateau. And in the pool for the Kashyap concubines, at a height of 87 meters, water flowed through a complex system of powerful pumps. Before and after the reign of Kasapa, a cave Buddhist monastery existed on a rock.

Golden Temple in Dambulla

The  Golden Temple in Dambulla is a Buddhist cave temple of the 1st century BC, carved into the rock, with numerous statues of Buddha. The Sleeping Buddha Stone Temple is the largest cave temple in South Asia.

The temple complex consists of several caves located at an altitude of 350 meters, and numerous niches, the surface of which is painted with Buddhist wall paintings.

Jeep Safari

Have an oppotunity to spot hundreds of wild elephants in their natural habitat. 

Optional activities:

• Elephant Riding

Next we will have the opportunity to ride elephants, go around the local village and cross the river on horseback of these amazing animals.

• Village tour and traditional lunch
  Also in Sigiriya you can go to the so-called  Village Tour, where you can get acquainted with the life of the Sri Lankan village.
  
• Bird Watching Tour
  Here, in the national reserve, is an ideal place for bird watching (as well as butterflies, lizards and other animals and insects). Optionally, you can go on an hour-long excursion with a professional naturalist and ornithologist.

Day 3: Kandy

Buddha Tooth Temple

Around 540 BC, the deceased Buddha was cremated and four teeth were taken out of the fire, which were transported around the world. The tooth was brought to Ceylon in 371.
The city of Anuradhapura was chosen as the initial storage location, then the tooth was transferred to the city of Polonnaruwa, and already at the beginning of the 18th century it was transported to Kandy.

The shrine, after several centuries in India, was sent to Ceylon IV by the ruler of Kalinga, who suffered defeats in wars and feared for the fate of his state. The relic on the island was transported by the ruler’s daughter, hiding it in her hairdo. Magical power has long been attributed to this tooth: possessing it, he possessed all the fullness of power. Therefore, the tooth of the Buddha became the possession of the royal dynasty. Inside the Temple there is also a Buddha Tooth museum, which displays a variety of historical artefacts and offerings donated to the temple.

Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue and Observation Point

Next, we will visit the monumental statue of Buddha, located on top of a hill towering above the city.

Royal Botanic Garden

Royal Botanic Garden, whose history spans over 700 years.The shrubs and trees here are gigantic in size, reminiscent of Gulliver's Travels to Lilliput Kids. 

 
Here we can see the magnificent orchid garden, as well as the Alley of Memorial Trees planted by famous historical figures, among whom are Nicholas II (Last Russian King), many British Kings and Queens, first spaceman Yuri Gagarin, etc.

Tea plantations and tea factory

We will visit a tea plantation and a factory where we can see how it is assembled and produced, and even we can taste the legendary, universally recognized Best Ceylon Tea in the World.

Ceylon tea became the front-runner of the industry and was much loved for its unmatched quality and variety. The alchemy of land, sun and rain in the Paradise Island of Ceylon, as it was known 40 years ago, presents the ideal climatic conditions for cultivation of tea.  

Elephant Dung Paper Factory

Elephant Dung Paper Factory is an eco-friendly factory that introduces and explains the unique steps involved in making our much talked about paper products from elephant poop fibers! 

What else we can visit:

• Participate tea ceremony and do the degustation of more than 10 premium varieties of tea ($15)
• Ride the Elephant ($25)
• Visit batik factory where you can try traditional dresses including kandian sari (the only sari in the world which is different from indian sari)
• National Dance Show
• Gem Museum

Hotels where we stay:

Wewa Addara (Sigiriya)

Hotel Topaz (Kandy)

Excursion features Private tour For ready-made groups of 1-8 people Can start any day This tour is not tied to specific dates, you can start on any convenient day Variable program The program can be changed and customized for you Possible with children The tour is recommended for travelers with children Start from anywhere We pick up from any hotel Comfortable car Transport: air-conditioned car or minivan

Rates: 

Private car + accommodation BB
(entrance tickets not included)

All inclusive
(private car, accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, all entrance tickets)

What is included. Entrance tickets

Included:
Comfortable car (or minivan) with air conditioning
English-speaking driver
Gasoline, parking, toll roads
Accommodation 2 night

Entrance tickets (for reference):
 Anuradhapura - $25
 Sigiriya - $ 30
 Jeep Safari - $ 70
 Cave Temple in Dambulla - $ 10
 Village Tour and cooking class - $ 35
 Temple of the Tooth Relic - $ 10
 Royal Botanic Garden in Peradeniya - $ 10
 Elephant Orphanage - $ 18
 Elephant Museum + Elephant ride + Factory Paper of elephant excrement - $ 25
 Tea ceremony and tea tasting - $ 15
 Bird Watching (photo tour) - $ 45

 * All prices in US dollars per person

Reviews about the organizer

John
15.03.2023

Michael
14.07.2022


I, as a professional wildlife photographer, traveled to Sri Lanka with some unusual requests. Igor helped not only to plan the route through the national parks and provided a very good driver, but also helped to find professional ornithologists in all the necessary locations.
We traveled to almost all national parks - Udawalawe, Minneriya, Yalu. We went to Sinharaja. There are many elephants and birds everywhere. Yala confirmed its reputation - here we managed to see leopards, however, unfortunately - very far away. I really liked Khabarana - the best place for shooting birds that you can find. We took a half-day ride to Wilpattu - a little-known park among tourists, which Igor recommended to me. The park itself is beautiful, comfortable, good paths, it is clear that they are taking care of it. You can definitely put it on a par with Yala. Unlucky to see leopards, but lucky to see Himalayan bears and giant squirrels. Of the minuses in Wilpattu - the complete absence of normal hotels near the park. I would not advise anyone to stay here overnight.
The rain spoiled the experience a bit. Complicated filming in Sinharaja. It is a pity that because of the rains it was not possible to shoot in the forests in the Kandy region. If you go to Sri Lanka for the sake of animals and national parks, you still need to take into account the season. But anyway, a huge thank you guys for organizing! With all the difficulties, it was thanks to them that we managed to squeeze the maximum out of this trip. Organization at the highest level - the guys will solve any problems, always in touch, find hotels in the right places at any time, organize transport, professional guides and ornithologists will prompt. Definitely 5+

 Mark
25.04.2019


Good afternoon, the tour went great. Very good guide, we will recommend you to all our friends. THANK YOU!