Colombo Trip Overview
Explore Sri Lanka in a unique way with this 2 Days tour visiting 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within a short time period. Starting off from the Dambulla Cave Temple which is the largest preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka, next proceed to the legendary Lion rock which is also one of the best preserved examples of the ancient urban planning. The fortress of King Kashyapa consists of an ancient citadel built on top of the rock, a mid level terrace, mirror wall with its frescoes, lower palaces, water gardens, moats and ramparts some of which are still in use. Spend your next day in the sacred city Kandy. Kandy the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom, is a city fortified by mountain terrains. Get a wonderful experience visiting these Heritage Sites in 2 Days with some additional experience in a private air conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver cum guide.
Additional Info
Duration: 2 days
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
Explore Sri Lanka in a unique way with this 2 Days tour visiting 3 UNESCO World Heritage Sites within a short time period. Starting off from the Dambulla Cave Temple which is the largest preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka, next proceed to the legendary Lion rock which is also one of the best preserved examples of the ancient urban planning. The fortress of King Kashyapa consists of an ancient citadel built on top of the rock, a mid level terrace, mirror wall with its frescoes, lower palaces, water gardens, moats and ramparts some of which are still in use. Spend your next day in the sacred city Kandy. Kandy the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom, is a city fortified by mountain terrains. Get a wonderful experience visiting these Heritage Sites in 2 Days with some additional experience in a private air conditioned vehicle with an experienced driver cum guide.
Itinerary
Day 1: Negombo – Dambulla – Sigiriya
Stop At: Dambulla Cave Temple, Jaffna Hwy, Habarana 50150 Sri Lanka
Visit the renowned Dambulla Cave Temple Sri Lanka, one of the UNESCO heritage sites in Sri Lanka. It is traditionally believed that King Walagamba of Anuradhapura had the caves converted into a temple in the first century BC. He was exiled from Anuradhapura at the time and was seeking refuge from South Indian invaders. He spent 15 years in hiding within the caves before reclaiming his capital and as a way of gratitude, built the temples with the caves he once hid inside. After King Walagamba succeeding kings added to its maintenance, repair and prosperity. The cavern itself extends to some 170 feet with a breadth of about 75 feet and a height of about 20 feet in front receding to the back till it meets the ground.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka
Sigiriya (The Lion Rock), also known as the ‘Palace and Fortress in the sky’, was built by King Kassapa (477 – 495 AD). The rock was formed from magma of a bygone volcano and sits 180 metres above ground level. Originally used as a monastery by Buddhist monks, the Sigiriya rock became a fortress , when King Kasyapa I fearing revenge by his brother, Mogallana, the rightful heir, decided to build his royal palace here so that no one could reach him. He transformed this rock to appear like a gigantic captivating white cloud; styling the fortress entrance gatehouse –Lion Gate on the mid-level terrace in the form of a lion, where the feet and paws are visible today; giving his hideaway its name Sigiriya since the Sinhala word Sihagiri means Lion Rock. From this point, you can finally ascend to the summit that houses the gleaming white palace of incomparable beauty. There are almost 1200 steps that take roughly 2 hours to reach the summit.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight stay in a 3 star hotel in Sigiriya
Day 2: Sigiriya – Kandy – Negombo
Stop At: Temple of the Tooth, Sangamiththa Mawatha, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
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. The Tooth Relic was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD and was kept in various temples across the island and eventually kept at this Temple of the Tooth. It was built in the 1600s but renovations, additions and enhancements have been done until the Kingdom of Kandy fell to the British in 1815. After the British took over, the custody of the Tooth Relic was palmed over to the Buddhist Clergy. Due to the absence of a ruler, a lay custodian known as the Diyawadana Nilame was chosen to handle administration of the temple.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kandy Lake, Centre of Kandy City, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
The Kandy Lake, a place where time stands still was originally called Kiri Muhuda or Milky Sea. It was built in 1807 by the last king of Kandy and Sri Lanka, King Sri Wickrama Rajasingha. It is a wonderful man-made site epitomising a part that represents the final Sri Lankan kingdom. A characteristic of the lake is the unfinished wall called, Valakulu Bamma or the Clouds Wall. This wall couldn’t be completed because of the imprisonment of the king when the British took over in 1815. This wall gives notable recognition to the lake with its unusual patterns with triangular holes which are used to light oil lamps.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Kandy Lake Club – Cultural Dance Show, 7 Sangamitta Mawatha, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
Inbred with art and culture from the ancient Kandyan kingdom, Kandy plays an integral part of the country’s cultural identity with Kandyan dancing taking centre stage as the National dance of Sri Lanka. Watch a cultural show and embrace the unique dance forms and styles. Although the Kandyan dance was originally initiated for men, women today perform it with such pomp and pageantry for they have created their own style of costume and moves. Kandyan dancing flourished from spreading beyond Kandy for which it was named and has generated many dance schools throughout the island and overseas. Be sure to watch the Kandy Cultural show and get captivated through connecting your imaginative mind to their tribal roots and feel its pulse and rhythm.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
No accommodation included on this day.
