Colombo Trip Overview
Kandy, the Hill Capital was the last bastion of the Sinhala kings and is a charming city offering a living record of a magnificent past. The easygoing capital of the hill country has a lot to offer – history, culture, forested hills and a touch of urban buzz. Only 115 km inland from the capital, climatically it is a world away due to its 500m altitude. Kandy was also the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom, which fell to the British in 1815 after defying the Portuguese and Dutch for three centuries. The town and the countryside around it is lush and green and there are many pleasant walks both from the town or further afield. The town center, close of Kandy’s picture sue lake set in a bowl if hills, is a delightful jumble of old shops, antique and gemstones specialists, a bustling market and a good selection of hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants!
Additional Info
Duration: 11 to 12 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
Kandy, the Hill Capital was the last bastion of the Sinhala kings and is a charming city offering a living record of a magnificent past. The easygoing capital of the hill country has a lot to offer – history, culture, forested hills and a touch of urban buzz. Only 115 km inland from the capital, climatically it is a world away due to its 500m altitude. Kandy was also the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom, which fell to the British in 1815 after defying the Portuguese and Dutch for three centuries. The town and the countryside around it is lush and green and there are many pleasant walks both from the town or further afield. The town center, close of Kandy’s picture sue lake set in a bowl if hills, is a delightful jumble of old shops, antique and gemstones specialists, a bustling market and a good selection of hotels, guesthouses, and restaurants!
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya Road, Peradeniya 20400 Sri Lanka
Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, commonly known as Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is a place that is wrapped in spectacular natural beauty. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Hill Country of Sri Lanka with annual visitor numbers reaching 2 million. It is the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and many hesitate not to rank it among the top botanical gardens in Asia. Within the enchanting territories of the gardens you will find over 4000 types of plants. Palm trees, medicinal plants and orchids are quite prominent among these. The orchids in the park easily steal the hearts of all visitors with their exquisite colours! Be sure to take your camera with you as these eye catching flowers are breathtaking indeed.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
The Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) is in the center of the cityand was originally built by the Kandyan Kings between 1687 and 1707, in order to house and honor the sacred tooth relic. ‘Maligawa’ (Palace) literally translates to palace, and the temple is part of the palace complex. The entire complex is over three centuries old at least and has seen many a king’s rise and fall. It has seen bloody wars and peaceful reigns and is one of the most historical places still standing in the island. The temple itself was badly damaged during the 18th century colonial wars against the Portuguese and Dutch, and the wooden structures were subsequently rebuilt using more robust stone. In more recent years, the temple was damaged by Hindu Tamil separatists in 1998, although once again, the tooth relic was unharmed.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kandy Lake, Centre of Kandy City, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Kandy Lake also known as Kiri Muhuda or the Sea of Milk, is an artificial lake in the heart of the hill city of Kandy, Sri Lanka, built in 1807 by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe next to the Temple of the Tooth. The extent of Kandy Lake is 6,544 sq. meters. The circumference is 3.21 km. The highest depth is 18.5 meters. The parapet wall giving the appearance of a cloud, is popularly called Walakulu Bemma and measures 633.82 meters. The building located at the center of the lake, together with some ancient ruins, was known as Diyatilaka Mandapaya in the past. It is believed that the Kings used this pavilion for relaxation.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Dance Show, 7 Sangamitta Mawatha, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
The Kandyan, or up-country (udarata natum), dances, are regarded as the classical dance tradition of Sri Lanka. The Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show was established in 1982 with the sole intention of preserving the traditional dances and performances of Sri Lanka, thus becoming the first cultural show of its kind to be established in the country. Keeping a major part of Sri Lankan heritage and culture alive through frequent displays of the country’s traditional dances, the Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show has become a mainstay feature of the Hill Country capital. Showcasing the various types of traditional dances of the country that originated from the ancient kingdoms, be it for ceremonial purposes or acts of devotion to god, the Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Show has become a central hub for entertainment with a cultural twist.
Duration: 1 hour
