Day 04 | Day 05
Habarana – Matale - Kandy
After breakfast leave for Kandy making a stop at a Spice and Herbal Garden in Matale.
Sigiriya – Matale | Travel Distance: 75 Km | Approximate travel time: 1 hr 40min
Matale – Kandy | Travel Distance: 35 Km | Approximate travel time: 1 hour
Arrive in Kandy where you would be spending the next 2 days.
The hill capital is another “World Heritage Site”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement. To the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.
Close by are the remains of the Royal Palace (“Maha Wasala”), “Palle Wasala”- where the Queens stayed-now used for the National Museum, “Meda Wasala” where other close relatives lived, Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala are situated close by. The Bathing Pavilion (“Ulpenge”) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri samudraya” (Milk white ocean) used by the kings as the summer house. Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture.
Optional activities and excursions:
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic: USD 07 per person
Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple.
Visit Peradeniya Botanical Garden: USD 8 per person
The botanical garden was first built as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king and was expanded by the British. It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants, and flowers. Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It attracts 2 million visitors annually. It is near the Mahaweli River (the longest in Sri Lanka). It is renowned for its collection of orchids. The garden includes more than 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants, and palm.
Enjoy a cultural dance show: USD 2 per person
Sri Lanka, a country rich with culture & tradition offers a very vibrant and unique show of Sri Lankan traditional dances, in the form of Kandy cultural show
Overnight in Kandy :
- Standard Option: Oak Ray Regency hotel or similar
- Deluxe Option: Suisse Hotel or similar