Cultural Triangle Tour: Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Kandy

6 Nights / 7 Days

Between about the 4th century BC and the 13th century AD, the great kingdoms of Sri Lanka were based in the dry plains north of the hills. They built huge stupas and monasteries, carved Buddhas out of solid rock and engineered reservoirs that still water the fields today. This seven-day tour visits the main sites in order, ending in Kandy, the last royal capital.

Day 1: Negombo

You are met at the airport and taken to a hotel on Negombo beach, about 30 minutes away, to rest.

Day 2: Anuradhapura

The drive north takes about four hours. Anuradhapura was the first great capital and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in South Asia. The Sacred City includes the Sri Maha Bodhi, a fig tree grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment, and the great white dagobas of Ruwanwelisaya and Jetavanaramaya.

Day 3: Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital, is more compact and easier to take in. Highlights include the circular Vatadage, the royal palace ruins and the four Buddha figures of Gal Vihara, cut from a single granite face. King Parakramabahu's reservoir, the Parakrama Samudra, still dominates the town. You then continue to Sigiriya for two nights.

Day 4: Sigiriya

The Sigiriya rock fortress is the most dramatic site of all: a palace on the summit of a 200-metre rock, with frescoes, the Mirror Wall and the giant lion paws at the final staircase. Later you take a village tour with a traditional meal.

Day 5: Dambulla, Nalanda Gedige and Kandy

The Dambulla cave temple is the best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, its walls and ceilings covered in paintings. Further south a short walk leads to Nalanda Gedige, a stone temple that mixes Hindu and Buddhist styles. After a stop at a spice garden in Matale you reach Kandy.

Day 6: Kandy

A day for the Kandyan era: the Temple of the Tooth Relic, the old royal palace and the Embekke Devalaya, famous for its carved wooden pillars. In the evening you watch a cultural show and try a short Kandyan dance lesson.

Day 7: Departure

The drive back to the airport or Colombo takes about four and a half hours. If your flight is at night, we add a free two-hour Colombo city tour with time for shopping.

Good to know

Cover shoulders and knees at all temple sites, and expect to go barefoot on hot stone; light socks help. Accommodation, meals and inclusions are listed day by day below.

Tickets and timing

The big sites, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, charge entrance fees for foreign visitors and sell tickets at the gate. Your guide will plan each visit for the cooler parts of the day, starting early and resting in the middle of the afternoon.

Day 1: Airport to Negombo (15 km, about 30 minutes by road)

You are met at Bandaranaike International Airport, or anywhere in Colombo or Negombo, and taken to your beach hotel to rest after the flight.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Goldi Sands Hotel or similar

Entrance tickets and excursions included: None