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This four night/five day tour has been designed to reveal an insight to the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka in a brief, but not hurried, visit. It begins with a relaxing night to recover from the flight at a hotel within a short drive of the International Airport in the seaside resort town of Negombo. The town has plenty of restaurants and bars and is a relaxed introduction to a tourist part of Sri Lanka.
In contrast, Sri Lanka’s early history is reflected in the ruins that remain of Anuradhapura, a sacred city begun in the 4th century BC and venerated as the capital of Buddhism in the island. This tour is based for two nights in hotels in the lush parkland of Habarana where plentiful birdlife is to be seen. Another contrast comes with the final night in the bustling city of Kandy, good for shopping as well as heritage visiting.
Anuradhapura is one of the holiest cities in Sri Lanka. The holiest item is the Bodhi Tree. This Bodhi tree is a sampling of the original Tree at which the Buddha sat as he attained enlightenment.
Afterwards proceed to Habarana, the hub of the cultural triangle.
After breakfast you have the choice of embarking on the Hirawaduna Trek, a nature trail that gives you an insight into Sri Lankan village life. Visit an elephant watch tree house and enjoy a catamaran ride and a bullock cart ride
Thereafter proceed onwards to Kandy, enroute visit the Spice Garden in Mattale, and visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic before retiring for the night
Called by many names including “The Lion Rock” for its initial name of “Sinhagiri”, Sigiriya is near the town of Dambulla and is a colossal column of rock nearly 200m high. It was a royal citadel for 18 years (477-495) when it was fortified by King Kasyapa. The architectural and irrigational technologies of Sigiriya, such as the Water Gardens, still baffle engineers. The climb up steep steps of metal with railings passes a wall decorated with frescoes of bare-breasted women. Art experts consider them unique.
The summit of the rock is a hectare in area and the outer wall of the palace was constructed on the brink of the rock with gardens and ponds softening the harshness of the eerie. Since it was constructed over 1,500 years ago, it is claimed by enthusiast as the Eighth Wonder of the World and is anyway a World Heritage Site.
The ancient kingdom of Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha as well as Edwardian buildings, a king-made lake, a nature reserve and exciting shops.
As the second largest city of the island and the capital of the Central Province, Kandy has grown from being a medieval kingdom to a friendly, busy city set in forested hills and surrounded by tea plantations and close to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya. As well as the Temple of the Tooth, there are many Buddhist monasteries and Hindu places of worship to visit, and cultural dance performances to watch.
Kandy is a convenient base to stay for a few days while exploring the Cultural Triangle as there are comfortable hotels to suit every budget. The city is easily accessible from Colombo by rail, road and float plane
The golden canopy of the medieval Temple of the Tooth is a landmark dominating the ancient kingdom, now modern city, of Kandy
The Sacred Relic of Buddha’s tooth was brought from India in the 4th century before being housed in a specially created temple in Kandy in the 16th century. The moat and octagonal structure were added later. The tooth relic is enclosed in seven golden caskets enriched with gemstones, in the shape of a Stupa, within the depths of the temple. The temple is open to visitors.
An annual procession (Perahera) of a replica of the tooth casket takes place in August. Elephants are colourfully caparisoned and garlanded with flowers and lights while crowds thrill to the sight of fire eaters, stilt dancers, whip crackers and jugglers parading to the rhythmic vibrations of Kandyan drums.
