04 days sightseeing tour of Sri Lanka - Sigiriya, Minneriya, Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Ambuluwawa, Peradeniya Botanical Garden

Anuradhapura, Sigiriya

7:00 Breakfast, departure from the hotel

12:00 Arrival in Anuradhapura

The first settlement on the site of Anuradhapura arose in the 6th century BC. e.. In 377 BC. e. the city (called Anuradha) becomes the capital of the first Sinhala kingdom on the island. Had a clear layout; in the surrounding area there was an extensive system of irrigation canals. Anuradha developed dynamically as a shopping center; marked on the maps of Claudius Ptolemy. In the 11th century AD e. the city was destroyed by the rulers of the South Indian Tamil Chola state who captured the island; subsequently, the capital of the Sinhala state was moved to Polonnaruwa. Numerous ancient monuments have been preserved in the old city of Anuradhapura and in the surrounding area - bell-shaped stupas (dagobas) of Thuparama (III century BC), Ruanveli (II-I century BC) with stone Buddha statues; Isurumuniya rock monastery, palaces, artificial ponds. The place of pilgrimage for Buddhists is the Mahabodhi tree and the Mahabodhi temple around it. Grown from a branch of the sacred Bodhi tree located in the Indian city of Bodh Gaya, under which, according to legend, Buddha found enlightenment, the Mahabodhi tree is the oldest existing tree with a documented history. Later, the sacred Mahabodhi tree in Bodh Gaya died several times, but in its place a new tree was planted from the seed of the Mahabodhi tree in Anuradhapura. In the 19th century, the main trunk of the Mahabodhi tree in Anuradhapura was cut down by an English fanatic, but a small trunk remained, which is now revered and adhered to golden supports.

19:00 Dinner and overnight in Sigiriya

Sigiriya, Minneriya National Park,

7:00 Breakfast and departure from the hotel. 

11:00 Arrival and ascent to Sigiriya

Sigiriya (meaning “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 the island of Sri Lanka. Since 1982, Sigiriya has been protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. In the last quarter of the 5th century AD. e. King Kashyapa built an impregnable fortress and his palace on the rock, in which he lived with 400 concubines. The rock was surrounded by a moat of water, which was filled with crocodiles. Around the rock there were endless gardens, in which perhaps the first fountains in the world flowed. The monumental Lion Gate led to the top of the plateau. And water flowed into the pool for Kashyapa’s concubines to a height of 87 meters through a complex system of powerful pumps. 

14:00 Lunch

15:00 Jeep safari in Minneriya National Park

We will go on a cross-country jeep safari to one of the national reserves, where we will have the opportunity to see many wild elephants. You will also be able to see huge flocks of birds such as pelicans, storks and peacocks. If you're lucky, you can also see giant squirrels, deer, wild boars and even leopards.

If for any reason there is not enough time for the Safari on the first day (latest start time is 16:00), the Jeep Safari may be rescheduled to the next morning.

19:00 - 20:00 Dinner and overnight in Kandy

Elephant Rice, Cave and Golden Temple Dambulla, AAyrvedic Gardens in Matale, Aluwihara Cave Temple

8:00 Breakfast and departure from the hotel, it is also possible to see some attractions that you didn’t have time for on the first day, such as a Village Tour with a cooking class, go on a Jeep Safari or ride an elephant and take a couple of photos with Sigiriya in the background.

10:00 Cave and Golden Temple in Dambulla

On the way we will be able to see the Dambulla Temple. cave Buddhist temple of the 1st century BC. e., carved into the rock, with numerous statues of Buddha. The Stone Temple of the Sleeping Buddha is the largest cave temple in South Asia. The temple has been a sacred place of pilgrimage for 22 centuries. Many successive rulers of the island took part in the creation of the cave temple complex. 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.

12:00 Ayurvedic Gardens in Matale

13:00 Aluwihara Cave Temple

Halfway from Sigiriya to Kandy we will visit the Aluvihara Cave Temple. It was here that the Buddhist Bible, the Pali Canon, was written down more than 2000 years ago. Here you will have a unique opportunity to write down your names or the names of your loved ones on palm leaves using ancient technology invented by Buddhist monks.

17:00 Arrival in Kandy

17:30 National Dance Show (optional)

19:00 Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy

Temple of Tooth Relic, Bahirawakande Buddha Statue, Royal Botanical Gardens, Ambuluwawa

7:30 Breakfast and departure from the hotel

8:00 Temple of Tooth Relic

Around 540 BC, the deceased Buddha was cremated and four teeth were taken from the fire and taken around the world. The tooth was brought to Ceylon in 371. After several centuries of being in India, the shrine was sent to Ceylon IV by the ruler of Kalinga, who suffered defeats in wars and feared for the fate of his state. The ruler's daughter transported the relic to the island, hiding it in her hair. Magical powers have long been attributed to this tooth: the one who owns it has full power. Therefore, the Buddha's tooth became the possession of the royal dynasty. The city of Anuradhapura was chosen as the initial place for its storage, then the tooth was transferred to the city of Polonnaruwa, and already at the beginning of the 18th century it was transported to Kandy. Here in the temple we can see a magnificent museum, which displays various offerings donated to the temple. Then the Dalada Maligawa Temple was built specifically to store this shrine.

10:00 Bahirawakande Buddha statue, observation deck

Next we will visit the monumental Buddha statue located on the top of the hill overlooking the city.

11:00 Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya

13:00 Ambuluwawa

Ambuluwawa or the Temple of the Four Religions is a new architectural landmark of Sri Lanka, built on the top of a mountain between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in the form of a conical spiral tower. It is one of the most popular places for unusual and memorable photographs in Sri Lanka.

15:00 Tea Plantaion

Finally, we will visit a tea factory where we can see how Ceylon black tea is produced, how its different varieties are produced and how modern technology is used together with tradition to produce the legendary Ceylon tea.