A pilgrimage through the Buddhist heartland of Sri Lanka: the Dambulla caves, the ancient capitals of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, Mihintale where Buddhism arrived on the island, Aluvihara where the scriptures were written down, and the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy.
Meeting and greeting at the airport by the My Holiday representative. Transfer to your hotel in Sigiriya.
En route, visit the Dambulla Cave Temple. Dambulla Cave Temple area is thought to have been inhabited from the 7th–3rd century BC. Statues and paintings in the caves date to the 1st century BC, with repairs and repainting in the 11th, 12th and 18th centuries. The caves sheltered King Valagamba during his 14-year exile, and on regaining the throne he built a magnificent rock temple here in gratitude to the monks.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Sigiriya.
Breakfast at the hotel. Visit Sigiriya. Sigiriya is a remarkable geological formation and archaeological site, 22 km north-east of Dambulla in the North Central Province. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, it lies within the cultural triangle formed by Anuradhapura, Kandy and Polonnaruwa.
Day excursion to Polonnaruwa, the second largest city in the North Central Province, known for its green surroundings, ancient constructions and the Parakrama Samudra, a huge lake built in the 12th century. Places to visit include the Royal Palace, the Shiva Devale No. 2, the Audience Hall, the Sacred Quadrangle, the Swimming Pool, the Dagaba Kiri Vihara, the Pabalu Vehera, the Buddha statue at Lankatilaka, the Buddha figures at Gal Vihara, the Rankot Vihara and the Polonnaruwa Tank.
Return to Sigiriya. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Day excursion to Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with well-preserved ruins of an ancient civilisation. It was the capital from the 4th century BC until the early 11th century AD and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, sacred to the Buddhist world.
Places to visit: the Sri Mahabodhi Tree, Loha Prasada (Brazen Palace), the Ruwanweli Dagaba (Mahathupa), the Thuparama Dagaba, the Jetavana Dagaba, the Abhayagiri Monastery and Dagaba, the Samadhi Buddha and the Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds).
Visit Mihintale, the mountain peak near Anuradhapura where the monk Mahinda met King Devanampiyatissa and introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka. It remains a pilgrimage site, especially in the month of Poson.
Return to Sigiriya. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Sigiriya to Kandy.
Visit Aluvihara, the Luminous Cave Temple at Matale, where the Tipitaka was first written on palm leaves, about 92 years BC.
Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic. The 17th-century Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy, long a centre of the Buddhist faith, is believed to house the left upper canine tooth of the Lord Buddha. White-clad pilgrims bring lotus blossoms and frangipani every day. Legend says the relic was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali, and it was moved to Kandy with the capital. The present temple was built under the Kandyan kings between 1687 and 1707.
City tour of Kandy: lake drive, Gem Museum, silk shop, batik and more.
Evening cultural show. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Kandy.
Breakfast at the hotel.
Visit Ambuluwawa Temple. The Ambuluwawa peak rises 3,567 feet above sea level, over 1,000 feet above Gampola town, and its summit tower has far-reaching views.
Visit Bahirawa Kanda Temple.
Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya, lies about 5.5 km west of Kandy and draws some 1.2 million visitors a year. Spread over 147 acres, it is renowned for more than 300 varieties of orchids, along with spices, medicinal plants and palms. It was formally established in 1843.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Kandy.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Kandy to Colombo.
En route, visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage lies in Rabukkana, north-west of Kegalle town, halfway between Colombo and the royal hill capital of Kandy. Established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department on 24 acres, it is also a breeding centre and has one of the largest herds of elephants in captivity in the world. The first calf was born here in 1984, and 67 animals were born between 1975 and 2012.
Spice garden at Mawanella. Sri Lanka is world renowned for its spices and healing herbs. At the Spice Garden in Mawanella, see how cloves, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and more grow in their natural surroundings, and learn about their medicinal properties and uses in Ayurveda.
Visit Kelaniya Temple, then enjoy a Colombo city tour and shopping. Colombo city tour and shopping: visit the Fort and Pettah areas, drive past the 100-year-old clock tower, the old parliament and British-built colonial buildings, see a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, the Colombo Museum, the BMICH, and shop at the ceramics showrooms, ODEL and the Majestic City complex.
Late-evening walk at Galle Face Green. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Colombo.
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Colombo to the airport for your departure flight. End of tour.
Indicative rates for Indian nationals, in USD per person. Rates can change without prior notice.
Special note: At Ambuluwawa the vehicle goes only up to the entrance gate; a tuk-tuk (max. 3 persons, approx. USD 8 per tuk-tuk) is needed to reach the summit.
Note: All information in this itinerary is accurate to the best of our knowledge, but changes can occur due to flight schedules, traffic, weather or government policies. Journey DMC will keep you informed of any changes but cannot be held liable for alterations to the published itinerary.