Anuradhapura + Mihintale + Kandy + Sigiria + Dambulla Four Days Excursion

We leave the hotel at 5.30 in the morning, after passing through Colombo, to stop for a moment at the stalls selling the best pineapples in Sri Lanka.

From Gampacha and Nittambuwa, where some of the best pineapples in Ceylon grow, we will head north-east of the island to Anuradhapura, the former capital of Sri Lanka, now inhabited mostly by various varieties of monkeys, previously by hundreds of Sri Lankan kings. Anuradhapura is undoubtedly huge Stupas (here also called Dagobs), which bend time so that walking around the stupa takes less time than it might seem. The city was founded by the fourth king of Sri Lanka, Pandukabhaya, who opposed the Vijaya clan. Anuradha(pura) survived several attacks from south India. It was in the hands of Hindu kings several times until the legendary Duthugemun took power and united Sri Lanka. Dutugemunu undertook large constructions, including: the great stupas of Ruvanavalisaya and Mirisavatiya, which made Anuradhapura a strongly theocratic city. Visiting Anuradhapura will take us a few hours, because it is a large city with some monuments preserved practically unchanged, but located on a large area.

After visiting Anuradhapura – the ancient city, we will go to a hotel in Anuradhapura – the New City for the night. A visit to the new city is also possible.

The next day after breakfast we go to Mihintale. 12 km. east of Anuradhapura. Mihintale is a legendary city where the legendary king Devanampiya (3rd century BC) met Mahinda, a propagator of Buddhism, sent by the great Buddhist ruler of India. There was a conversation about mangoes. Currently, you can see in Mihintale a statuette of the king who talked (with the new statuette) of the Mahinda envoy. There is also a stupa in Mihintale, where there is a hair of the last Buddha… We will see the main monuments by climbing 1,840 stairs.

After the trip to Mihintale, another challenge awaits us – Sigiria. We will go to the foot of Mount Sigiria, where the climb to the peak will begin. The height to be overcome is approximately 200 vertical meters, mainly along stairs and paths. The rock has been inhabited for thousands of years, but the most visible result of human activity are the ruins of the city from the 5th century AD, along with a preserved and still well-functioning hydraulic system. From the top of the mountain there is a view of the nearby jungle, rice fields, fountain gardens and swimming pools that we passed by earlier.

Along the way, you can see caves with remnants of frescoes from the reign of King Kassjapa. The lion platform opens the entrance to the very top. The ascent and descent will take us about 2.5-3 hours, although people with a fear of heights may have problems reaching the very top. The visit to Kassjapa Castle is exhausting, so after the descent we will go for lunch. The program includes Polish chicken (!!!) and other dishes. Another attraction is Dambulla, where there is a golden Buddhist temple, the beginnings of which date back to the 1st century AD, which is our next point in the program. You will be able to see a complex of five temples located in rock caves. It is worth noting that this temple contains one of the least skillfully made Buddha statues as well as one of the prettiest statues on the island. In total, there are 150 Buddha statues, several Hindu gods, inscriptions, monkeys and a Bodhi tree.

The next day, after breakfast, we will go to Matale, where with a bit of luck, you will be able to enter the largest Hindu Temple in Sri Lanka – Sri Muthumuriaman. At the appropriate time, there are rituals that you can participate in.

After visiting the Temple, we will go to the Herb and Spice Gardens, where you will be able to see how pepper and vanilla grow, have a herbal massage and buy some medicine. After visiting the garden, we will go to a factory where wood products are made. They also prepare natural wood dyes in a very interesting way. Kandy is all about shopping, so on the way you can see a batik and silk factory. In Kandy, we will stop to see a collection of precious stones. You will also be able to watch a short film about the mining of precious and semi-precious stones in Sri Lanka. There is also a model of a stone mine, as well as a factory producing jewellery using precious and semi-precious stones. After visiting the stone mine, we will go to the Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha, Dalada Maligawe and see the temple complex consisting of a Hindu temple and two Christian churches. On the way, a temple complex with the Majtri temples (the oldest, 600 year old temple in Kandy) and Sri Pattini, as well as Mahayana Buddhist temples. A short walk through the streets of Kandy on the way to YMBA on Upper Lake Drive, where you will be able to watch a 45 minute folk dance show and a fire walking, fire eating and fire smearing show.

The next day we will go to the tea plantations, where with a bit of luck you will be able to see Tamil women picking fresh tea leaves. From the plantations we will go to a nearby tea factory, where you will be able to enter the production rooms to see how the final product is made – black, green, gold and silver tea. At the end you will be able to taste freshly prepared BOP and buy the factory’s products in the factory shop – very cheap prices.

After visiting the factory, we will go to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradenia for about an hour’s walk among exotic species of trees and bushes, with the opportunity to have close encounters with monkeys and bats.

Pinnawela, an elephant orphanage where over 80 Elephantus Maximus elephants currently live. Depending on the time of day, you will be able to see young elephants feeding milk or bathing the herd in the nearby Ma Oya River. There are also elephant dung paper factories in Pinnawela. You can see the production process, interesting photos from various events in the elephant’s life, and an elephant skeleton with a map of sensitive points. After visiting the orphanage, you can optionally go on an elephant safari and bathe in the river with the elephant – a high-pressure shower from the elephant’s trunk.

After the attractions, return to the selected hotel on the beach.