Sri Lanka Culture Tour
Ancient Cities, Sri Lanka
Ancient Cities, Sri Lanka
Kandy, Sri Lanka’s major city, and an ancient capital, lies on a plateau amidst the surrounding hills of tropical plantations and tea. It is home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), sacred to the Buddhists and celebrated with the grand Esala Perahera annual procession. At the heart of the city is Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake), popular for evening walks. Standing atop a hill, the almost 27m-high, white Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue dominates the city.
Take a comprehensive tour of Colombo, and explore its Hindu and Buddhist temples, the Wolvendaal Church, and the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque, one of the most striking buildings in Colombo. See the highlights of the Cultural Triangle, a region filled with historical and religious monuments. In Sigiriya, visit its Rock Fortress on a 200-m high rock. Continue to Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka, famous for the Temple of the Tooth, a Buddhist religious site.
TRAVEL UNTAMED ON THIS 10-DAY SRI LANKA TOUR…
And, experience cultural highlights of its World Heritage Sites.
Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle This tour focuses on the cultural highlights touring Sri Lanka’s World Heritage Sites.
(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Colombo, Cultural Triangle, Kandy, Galle
This private Sri Lanka tour focuses on the cultural highlights touring of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Starting with the cultural triangle, visit Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka. There will be an opportunity to see Sri Lanka’s wildlife during a private safari, and time to relax at top resorts.
Begin in Colombo, the vibrant capital of Sri Lanka, a city of contrasts. . With your private guide and driver, explore the Hindu temples famous for their intricately-carved and colourful gopurams (doorways) while the Buddhist temples for the Buddha statues. Other highlights include the Wolvendaal Church, the finest and only monument of the Dutch era left intact in modern Colombo, St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, is the only Presbyterian Church in Sri Lanka and Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque is one of the most striking buildings in Colombo.
Next, explore the highlights of the Cultural Triangle, a region filled with fascinating monuments of the great Sinhala civilization. Tour the ancient Buddhist cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. See monumental stupas, ruined palaces and sculptures carved in stone. Visit one of Sri Lanka’s most revered Buddhist sites, a temple built around a sacred bo (bodhi) tree thousands of years old.
Visit Sigiriya Rock, an ancient rock citadel that is Sri Lanka’s most spectacular site. Also called ‘the Lion Rock’ and ‘the Rock Fortress’, it is a treasure trove of rare art. See the Sigiriya Damsels frescoes, which were painted on the rock walls and climb to the top of the rock to explore the ruins of a fifth-century palace and take in panoramic views over mountain valley below. Enjoy a private safari in a local wildlife preserve to look for wild elephants, colorful birds and other animals.
Continue to Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka that lies in a wooded valley deep in the hills, around an artificial lake. It is considered as one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka and is famous for The Temple of the Tooth, one of the most venerable places for the Buddhist community.
Kandy truly comes alive in late July-August for Kandy Perahera, a 10 day festival where Buddha's tooth in a golden casket is paraded – one of the most spectacular in all Asia. Kandy is a good transit point to the cultural triangle to the north or hill country to the south.
Transfer to Galle, one of Sri Lanka's most cosmopolitan cities. Famous for its 17th century Dutch Fort, it is possibly the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions.
Stay in the heart of the Galle Fort historic district at Amangalla, one of the finest and most romantic luxury resorts in Sri Lanka. Also, enjoy flexible private excursions to regional highlights such as a sea turtle hatchery, a traditional mask workshop, a lace-making workshop, and the private country estate of Geoffrey Bawa, Sri Lanka’s most acclaimed modern architect.
Return to Colombo to connect with your onward flight.
Day 1 – Arrive
Colombo Private transfer to hotel for 1 night.
Afternoon flexible private city tour.
Day 2 – Transfer Cultural Triangle
Ulagalla Private transfer to Ulagalla for 2 nights with flexible touring en route, if desired.
Day 3 – Cultural Triangle
Anuradhapura & Mihintale Full-day private tour.
Day 4 – Cultural Triangle
Polonnaruwa Full-day private tour. Transfer to Kandalama for 2 nights.
Day 5 – Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya & safari Private excursion to Sigiriya.
Afternoon safari in local wildlife preserve.
Day 6 – Cultural Triangle
Dambulla – Kandy Private transfer to hotel for 1 night with private touring en route.
Evening private dance performance.
Day 7 – Tour
Galle Morning private tour.
Private transfer to resort for 3 nights.
Afternoon private tour.
Day 8 – Experience
Galle Morning private cooking lesson.
Afternoon private tour or at leisure.
Day 9 – The surrounds
Galle Full-day private flexible tour of the region.
Day 10 – Depart
Galle Private transfer to airport.
Hotels
Check In: 14:00h
Check Out: 12:00h
Make this your holiday
Getting There Sri Lankan Airlines flies twice daily from Heathrow to Colombo. Sri Lanka airlines and BMI fly direct to Colombo while other International carriers like Emirates fly via Dubai and Jet Airways via India. Direct flights take 10 hours. If your itinerary includes India, then you can take domestic carrier (Indian Airlines or Jet Airways), which operates daily flights to Colombo from a number of southern Indian cities. The airport Colombo airport is located 32 km north of capital. You should leave at least an hour and a half for the drive to/from the city centre.
When to go Sri Lanka is a year-round destination with a tropical climate. However, the best time to go is between December and April when there are less rains and the climate is cooler. It is also the peak time for whale-watching in the south of the island where both blue and sperm whales can be seen. Rains arrive in May and stay until September during which it is hot and humid in the cultural triangle and the west coast. However, the hill country around Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains and Bandarawela remains cooler. June is a good time to visit the eastern port of Trincomalee, where blue and sperm whales are observed closer to land. There can be rains between September and November.
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