From $790 per person
Sacred Kandy Retreat
A slow four days in Sri Lanka's sacred capital — the Temple of the Tooth, meditation at a mountain hermitage and the gardens of Peradeniya.
View itineraryHeritage · December – April
Cultural Triangle Explorer
Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Kandy — the four jewels of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle, with a resident historian-guide.
The journey
Seven days inside the heart of ancient Ceylon. You'll climb the Lion Rock at dawn before the crowds, wander the painted caves of Dambulla, cycle through the ruined royal city of Polonnaruwa and end in the sacred lakeside capital of Kandy, where the evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth is a sound you won't forget. Every site is explained by a historian-guide who grew up among these stones.
Highlights
- Sunrise ascent of Sigiriya before the day-trippers arrive
- Private evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
- Bicycle tour through the ruined city of Polonnaruwa
- Dambulla's five painted cave temples with a resident guide
- A village rice-and-curry lunch cooked over an open fire
Day-by-day itinerary
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Day 1
Arrival in Kandy
Airport meet-and-greet, private transfer through the hills, and a welcome dinner of rice and curry overlooking the lake.
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Day 2
Temple of the Tooth
Morning at the Dalada Maligawa with a monk-led explanation, then Kandy Lake, the tooth relic museum and an evening puja.
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Day 3
Dambulla Caves
Drive north to the Golden Temple; explore the five painted caves and the 150 seated and standing Buddhas.
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Day 4
Sigiriya at Dawn
Pre-dawn start to climb the Lion Rock: frescoes, mirror wall and the summit citadel before the heat. Afternoon at leisure by the moat gardens.
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Day 5
Polonnaruwa by Bicycle
Ride the ancient royal city — Gal Viharaya's rock Buddhas, the royal palace and the great Parakrama Samudra reservoir.
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Day 6
Village Day
A working village morning: bullock-cart ride, rice-field walk and a curry lunch cooked in a clay pot.
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Day 7
Departure
Leisurely breakfast, a last stroll along Kandy Lake, and a private transfer to the airport.
What's included
- All accommodation (boutique heritage hotels & guesthouses)
- Breakfast daily, 6 dinners & 4 lunches
- Private air-conditioned vehicle throughout
- Licensed historian-guide on all site days
- All monument entry tickets
- 24/7 in-trip support
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (we can arrange it)
- Optional activities & personal spending
Base region: Sigiriya Rock Fortress — Cultural Triangle. A UNESCO World Heritage site rising 200 metres from the jungle. Frescoes, mirror walls and the famous lion staircase lead to a citadel built by King Kassapa in 477 AD.
Keep exploring
More of ancient Ceylon.
From $1,490 per person
Ancient Cities of the North
Anuradhapura, Mihintale and Polonnaruwa — two thousand years of kingdoms, stupas and sacred bodhi trees, at a contemplative pace.
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