Our professional English speaking chauffeur will warmly welcome you at the arrival of Bandaranaike International Airport and then start more safely the great journey to enjoy Colombo to Sigiriya. En route visit Dambulla Golden cave temple.
Dambulla Cave temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. There are five caves (Deva Raja Viharaya, Maha Raja Viharaya, Maha Alut Viharaya, Paschima Viharaya) in the Dambulla Temple and 157 statues of the Lord Buddha. Most of the paintings on the ceiling and walls emphasize the artistic talents of ancient days. Dambulla Rock Cave Temple can be reached by coming from Kandy (68km) along A9 road which runs up through Dambulla and Anuradhapura, or direct from Colombo. Located at an elevation of 1118 feet from the sea level, the Dambulugala raises as a massive rock from the surrounding plains of Dambulla. It is home to the World’s most acclaimed Cave complex of magnificent Buddha Images and Rock Paintings of vivid colours and shapes constructed and painted from around the 2nd Century BC (Anuradhapura era) and continued up to the Kandyan era of the 18th Century, thus forming an unbroken line of history and painting styles of Sri Lanka through 2500 years. The statues and art found within the cave truly highlight the artistic abilities of those living in the past. It is well persevered and a walk through the caves will prove to be both insightful and a very memorable experience.
Over night in Sigiriya.
Second day morning leave to Plonnaruwa for visit Ancient Cities.
Polonnaruwa is the second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms and the capital of Sri Lanka from 1017 A.D. to 1235 A.D. Travel back in time to the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa under the reign of King Parakramabahu the Great (1153A.C-1186A.C). Polonnaruwa with its preserved ruins and restored ancient irrigation reservoirs is a much anticipated cultural destination of Sri Lanka. Tourists will enjoy stepping back into history with the extensive and well preserved cultural monuments such as the Polonnaruwa Vatagade - believed to house the Temple of the Tooth Relic which is now deposited in Kandy; Lankatilaka Vihara - a gigantic brick structure which preserves a colossal image of Buddha and Gal Vihara - a rock temple featuring four images of the Buddha carved into the face of a large granite rock. Named after King Parakramabahu the Great, the most striking feature of Polonnaruwa is the large Parakrama Samudra (Parakramabahu Sea) on which an irrigation tank was built. This is his largest irrigation project and covers an area of more than 15 kilometers. The dam (or bundle, as it is known in Sri Lanka) is about 14 km long and 12 meters high.
Lunch at Polonnaruwa.
Evening safari at Minneriya National park for visit wild elephants.
Minneriya National Park, located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, attracts a large number of visitors as wild elephants gather in the grasslands. Elephants have become a significant part of the park as there are over 700 wild elephants that dwell within the premises. The elephants thrive on the Minneriya Tank; the water sustains the forest and is the main source of survival for all the other animals. The park is an important habitat for the two endemic monkeys of Sri Lanka. purple-faced langur and toque macaque. Large herbivorous mammals such as Sri Lankan sambar deer and Sri Lankan axis deer frequent the park. Rare and endangered species such as Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear inhabit in Minneriya. Minneriya is one of the areas where the gray slender loris is reportedly found in Sri Lanka. Minneriya National Park has recorded over 170 species of birds. From Migrating waders like Woodsand Piper, Common Sandpiper & Kentish Plovers to forest birds like Malabar-pied Hornbills, Rufus Woodpecker the globally endangered Lesser Adjutant and the endemics Sri Lanka Grey Horn-bill, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Brown-capped Babbler and Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl are some of the highlights.
Over night in Sigiriya.
The Sigiriya rock fortress was built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century. It also called Lion Rock or Lion Mountain. This ruin is surrounded by gardens, ponds and other structures. Sigiriya has also been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Before Sigiriya became a Kingdom, Sigiriya Rock base and the places such as Pidurangala which were endowed with many caves and a temple had been dwelled by Buddhist monks from around 3rd Century BC. It is also found that these areas had been inhabitant by people prior to King Kassapas rein. Many caves have Brahmi Inscriptions dating back from 3rd Century BC to 1st century AD.
On completion of this tour, you will be driven back to your hotel or Katunayake International Airport for Departure.
