Excursion 6 - Colombo city tour, 1 day

Colombo - city tour/ 1 day

During the tour, we will get acquainted with the history of the city and the fate of this amazing country, starting from ancient times, we will carry through the colonial era and events of modern times. We will learn what Sri Lankan Buddhism is, see monumental Buddhist and Hindu temples, magnificent buildings of the old and new Parliaments, visit Independence Square, and find out what this country lives and breathes today.

Detailed program of the excursion:

The Old Colonial City and the English Parliament

Early in the morning we leave for the Old Town, we will be able to see the old colonial building of the English Parliament. The old parliament building, a Baroque building, was built for the Legislative Council of Ceylon, where the Secretariat of the President of Sri Lanka is now located. The building housed the island's parliament for 53 years until a new complex of buildings for the parliament in Sri Jayawardenepura-Kotte was opened in 1983. Now the Main Treasury of Sri Lanka and the Parliamentary Chamber are located here. In the garden in front of the pediment there are bronze statues of prominent Sri Lankan statesmen.

Galle Face Green - the main square and promenade by the ocean.

We will see the Main Square of the city on the shore of the Laccadive Sea. Galle Face Green is a promenade that stretches for a kilometer and a half along the coast in the center of the financial and business district of Colombo in Sri Lanka. The promenade was originally laid in 1859 by the British governor of Ceylon, Sir Henry Ward, and later also used for horse racing and as a golf course. This is a popular place among children, traders, teenagers, lovers, kite lovers and all those who want to do their favorite things on the beach in the open air. On the way we will also be able to see the Dutch Hospital.

We Will Visit The Hindu Temple Of Ganeshan.

And if we're lucky, we'll see a snake charmer next to him.

Gangaramaya is the main Buddhist Temple and Museum

We will visit the Main Buddhist Temple in Colombo - Gangaramaya, where we can get acquainted with Theravada, the oldest extant branch of Buddhism, see many interesting things that were presented by visitors to the temple and now make up an amazing museum collection, such as the smallest gold statue of Buddha, which can be seen only under a magnifying glass, stupas of pure gold inlaid with diamonds and rubies, the largest elephant tusks and many other amazing things donated to the temple over the years of its existence. We will also see the temple, located in the center of a beautiful lake, surrounded by a variety of birds.

Viharamahadevi Park (Victoria Park)

We will visit Town Hall and Victoria Park, also known as Viharamahadevi Park. The opening of the natural corner took place after the end of World War II on August 24, 1951. The park was named Victoria in honor of the Queen of England. Later, in 1958, it was renamed Viharamahadevi Park in honor of the mother of the national hero Dutugemunu, who liberated the city of Anuradhapura from Tamil conquerors and united numerous principalities of the island into a single Sinhalese state.

In the park you can see many interesting plants - banyan, bodhi tree, untouchable grass, cinnamon, as well as anthills on leaf trees and a lot of flying foxes.

Independence Memorial

This is a kind of monument in honor of Sri Lanka's independence on February 4, 1948. A small neat building of the Memorial Hall under the tiled roof stands in the center of the square. In front of him is a statue of the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Stephen Don Senanayake. This hall is considered one of the main city attractions due to its historical and cultural significance. This miniature building is an impressive architectural monument. The most skillful stone carving, beautiful painting, as well as rows of stone lions, as if guarding the room, are indisputable works of art. Every year the Independence Day celebration is held here, which is accompanied by a picturesque ceremony.

International Conference Hall

Bandarnake International Conference Hall, which was built from 1970 to 1973 and was a gift from the People's Republic of China and named in memory of Solomon Bandaranaike, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka from 1956 to 1959. The construction of the hall was carried out jointly by Sri Lankan and Chinese workers using rare and exclusive building materials from China.

At the end of the tour, we leave time for shopping if our customers need to buy any souvenirs, clothes, tea, etc.

Cost. What's included.

*Cost when starting from Colombo. When starting from other locations, check the price with the manager.

What's included:

Individual tour, Car with English-speaking driver, Russian audio guide, entrance tickets to Gangaramaya temple

Surcharges: Russian-speaking guide (available on request + 150 usd)