Colombo Trip Overview
This day tours takes you across two most popular destinations in Sri Lanka within a day! A blend of culture, archeology, wildlife and nature will definitely be an unforgettable experience to anyone! Visit the ruined kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Located in the historic city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka, Kaudulla national park presents an ample of opportunities for travelers to spot majestic elephants in their natural habitats. In addition to elephants, sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, chevrotain, wild boar, Asian spoonbill, grey-headed fish eagle, painted stork and openbill stork are common visuals at the park. Going on a bumpy ride through an evergreen forest of Kaudulla national park along the small trails is a great adventure, wildlife enthusiasts can’t say ‘NO’ to. You will be transported in an air conditioned luxury vehicle.
• Convenient transportation with a flexible itinerary
• All fees and taxes included
• Visit two must visit destinations in 1 day
Additional Info
Duration: 12 to 14 hours
Starts: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Colombo Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
This day tours takes you across two most popular destinations in Sri Lanka within a day! A blend of culture, archeology, wildlife and nature will definitely be an unforgettable experience to anyone! Visit the ruined kingdom of Polonnaruwa. Located in the historic city of Polonnaruwa in Sri Lanka, Kaudulla national park presents an ample of opportunities for travelers to spot majestic elephants in their natural habitats. In addition to elephants, sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, chevrotain, wild boar, Asian spoonbill, grey-headed fish eagle, painted stork and openbill stork are common visuals at the park. Going on a bumpy ride through an evergreen forest of Kaudulla national park along the small trails is a great adventure, wildlife enthusiasts can’t say ‘NO’ to. You will be transported in an air conditioned luxury vehicle.
• Convenient transportation with a flexible itinerary
• All fees and taxes included
• Visit two must visit destinations in 1 day
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Sacred City, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
Polonnaruwa Vatadage belongs to the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. It is a structure which is built encircling the stupa for protection. It is believed that the structure was built during the reign of King Parakramabahu I (1123–1186) to hold the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. However, this has been renovated during the reign of King Nissanka Malla (1187 – 1196). This is the most famous Vatadage among the other Vatadage structures found in Sri Lanka. It has two stone platforms and only single entrance is there to access the lower platform. There is four entrance to the upper platform facing four cardinal points and four Buddha statues are located facing to each entrance. The stupa is placed at the center of the upper floor in between the Buddha statues.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Gal Vihara, 440/225 Palm Grove State Minuwangoda road, Polonnaruwa 51000 Sri Lanka
Gal Viharaya (or Rock Monastery), originally named as Uttararamaya is located in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in North Central Province. It was created during the reign of King Parakramabahu I in the 12th century. The temple is famous due to the four statues of Lord Buddha carved into the face of granite rocks. The four statues included a large statue of seated Buddha, a small statue of seated Buddha, standing figure of Buddha and a reclining figure of Buddha.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Council Chamber of King Parakramabahu, Ancient inner town, Polonnaruwa, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
This is another ruin in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which is identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An inscription found on the upper level of the staircase identifies this building as the Council Chamber (The Raja Sabhawa in Sinhala) of the King Parakramabahu the Great who ruled the country for 33 years from 1153 – 1186 A.D. It is located in front of the Royal Palace of the King. There are two moonstones located at the beginning and the middle of the staircase. Both sides of the staircase are decorated with stone carvings. There are a number of beautifully carved stone pillars can be seen at the upper level of the building,
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Sathmahal Prasada, Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka
Sathmahal Prasadaya is a unique type of 7 storied ancient building in Dalada Maluwa premises in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The Sinhala name “Sathmahal” has the meaning of 7 storied. The building is completely built with bricks and it takes the shape of a pyramid. The base of the building is the shape of a square with side length of 35 ft. There are four doors with arches on each side. Since these type of buildings have been found in Northern Thailand, this is also considered as a monument which confirms the foreign affairs in ancient Sri Lanka.Sathmahal Prasadaya is a unique type of 7 storied ancient building in Dalada Maluwa premises in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The Sinhala name “Sathmahal” has the meaning of 7 storied. The building is completely built with bricks and it takes the shape of a pyramid. The base of the building is the shape of a square with side length of 35 ft.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Manik Vehera – 59, X232+6VP, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
Menik Vehera is an ancient monastery located in Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province, Sri Lanka. The history of this place is not known. However, according to the architectural features, it is assumed to belong to the 8-9 centuries A.D. This monastery consists of a Stupa, image houses, a Bodhi – tree shrine, refectory, monk’s dispensary and cells. The stupa here is of a rare type, which is built on a high terrace surrounded by a high wall. There is a carved stone door-frame at the entrance to the Stupa.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Kaudulla National Park, Galoya Road, Habarana 51375 Sri Lanka
Kaudulla National Park was designated as a national park on April 1, 2002. It is located in the Polonnaruwa District of North Central Province Sri Lanka. The park is spread over 6,900 hectares. Kaudulla is another great place to see elephants in their natural habits. In addition to the elephants, Sri Lankan sambar deer, Sri Lankan axis deer, chevrotain, wild boar, Sri Lankan leopard, and sloth bear are other mammals found in the park. However, Kaudulla is less crowded compared to Minneriya and therefore some tourists prefer to visit Kaudulla.
Duration: 4 hours
