Kalutara Trip Overview
(SKU: LK60160300)During this full-day tour to Sigiriya, you will visit a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site! Enter into a kingdom hailed as one of the greatest in Sri Lanka’s history. Start your journey at the Dambulla Cave Temple. Later that evening, visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress also known to be the world’s 8th wonder and spend time exploring the archaeological history and end your tour in Sigiriya.
Additional Info
Duration: 13 hours
Starts: Kalutara, Sri Lanka
Trip Category: Cultural & Theme Tours >> Cultural Tours
Explore Kalutara Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Kalutara, Western Province, Sri Lanka
(SKU: LK60160300)During this full-day tour to Sigiriya, you will visit a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site! Enter into a kingdom hailed as one of the greatest in Sri Lanka’s history. Start your journey at the Dambulla Cave Temple. Later that evening, visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress also known to be the world’s 8th wonder and spend time exploring the archaeological history and end your tour in Sigiriya.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress, Sigiriya 21120 Sri Lanka
According to inscriptions found in the caves which honeycomb the base of the rock fortress, Sigiriya served as a place of religious retreat as far back as the third century BC, when Buddhist monks established refuge in the locale. It wasn’t until the fifth century AD, however, that Sigiriya rose briefly to supremacy in Sri Lanka, following the power struggle which succeeded the reign of Dhatusena (455-473) of Anuradhapura. King Dhatusena had two sons, Mogallana, by one of the most desired and finest of his queens, and Kassapa, by a less significant consort. Upon hearing that Mogallana had been declared heir to the throne, Kassapa rebelled, driving Mogallana into exile in India and imprisoning his father, King Dhatusena. The legend of Dhatusena’s subsequent demise offers an enlightening illustration of the importance given to water in early Sinhalese civilization.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Golden Temple of Dambulla, Dambulla 21100 Sri Lanka
The Rock Temple of Dambulla, called Jumbukola Vihara (Dambulla Cave Temple) in the (Mahavamsa)-the principal Pali Chronicle of Sri Lanka, is situated about forty seven miles north west of Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhalese kings, on the main road to Anuradhupura.
The shortest way, from Colombo to Dambulla lies via Kurunegala, one of the capitals of the medieval Sinhalese kings. The other rock temple of equal fame, Aluvihare, where, according to tradition, the Buddhist scriptures were first committed to writing about The first century B.C., list about twenty-six miles to the south on the Kandy Dambulla road. And the famous fortress of Sigiriya with its beautiful frescoes rises aloft like a gigantic cylinder at a distance of about twelve miles to the north-east of Dambulla. Dambulla is a scent of unique interest. Its rock temples are the most extensive in the Island, and one of the most ancient, and in the highest state of preservation and order.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
