Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa one day tour

By / June 12, 2024

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Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa one day tour

Is it pissible to do a Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa one day tour? Yes, but in order to see Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa in a same day, it is crucial to begin the journey from from a place which is close all 3 places. Because your are required to driver abput 150 km between these 3 places on top of that you need about another 4 hours to explore these ancisnt sites.

Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa can all be visited in a one day, however the journey should begin at Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Habarana.

In this blog post, we’ll focus on a specific query that a lot of tourists have while they’re making travel plans to Sri Lanka. Can we visit Dambulla Sigiriya Polonnaruwa in a one day, is the query. According to my experience, it is possible to see the trio in a single day—in fact, I have done so numerous times. I’ll walk you through the process step-by-step right here.  

Duration of Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa one day tour

Let’s start by discussing how long this one-day excursion will run. In about 6-7 hours, visitors may be able to drive between these three locations and see the key monuments at each using a private vehicle or other form of private transportation. Depending on how long you spent in each city and the form of transportation, the amount of time needed for a one-day trip of Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa varied greatly. Based on my own experience, you should budget around three hours to travel between these three locations.

The amount of time needed to view the monuments

The tour takes roughly 6-7 hours total, including an additional 4 hours to explore the monuments in Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa. You might be able to cut the trip’s duration by an hour if you are an experienced trekker or walk frequently at home. Remember that I haven’t factored in how long a lunch break or other quick rest should take.

You will need to allow approximately 8 hours for travel if you are starting your trip to Dambulla, Sigiriya, or Polonnaruwa from Colombo or any other beach resort on the west or south coast. Owing to the lengthy travel from Colombo, you need about 4 hours to reach sigiriya or dambulla (which are the closest to Colombo) from Colombo. Therfore, the ideal itinerary for visiting Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa is a two-day cultural triangle tour if you are based in Colombo or a beach resort on the west coast.

Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa 3-day tour

I think it would be great if you could schedule a three-day cultural triangle trip of Sri Lanka. This three-day journey visits the cultural triangle’s principal archaeological sites—Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy—all of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This three-day trip offers a lot of activities in addition to historical buildings, like city tours, safaris, botanical gardens, and cultural performances.

Itinerray of the three-day tour

Day 1: You will be met and greeted by your guide before you head to the hotel in Sigiriya, stopping at the Dambulla Temple and the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en route.

Day 2: Visit the old city of Polonnaruwa in the afternoon after climbing the Sigiriya rock castle in the morning. Safari at Minneriya National Park afterwards

Day 3: Travel through Kandy on your way to the hotel in Colombo, making stops along the way at the Royal Botanical Garden, Matale Spice Garden, and Tooth Relic Temple.

Which sites are must-see while on a tour of Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonaruwa?

Although there are twelve significant historical sites along this route, the Dambulla Golden Temple, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, and Polonnaruwa Ancient City are the main tourist destinations you will see because of time constraints. It is tough to think about going to other historical sites, going on safari, taking cooking lessons, or doing a rural tour when there are time limits. A 2-day tour gives you a great chance to see a few more significant historical sites, like the Pidurangala temple, if you can extend your stay. Within the cultural triangle, there is a wildlife reserve where you can go on a wildlife trip. The list of must-see tourist destinations for this journey is provided below.

  • Sigiriya Rock Fortress
  • Golden Temple of Dambulla
  • The Museum of Polonnaruwa
  • Ancient Polonnaruwa City
  • Temple of Pidurangala
  • National Park Minneriya
Affordable Sri Lanka one-day tours from Seerendipity Tours. Click www.seerendipitytours one-day trips for more information and many other one-day programs from Sri Lanka.

Seerendipity excursions offers reasonably priced one-day excursions around Sri Lanka. Visit www.seerendipitytours.com for a variety of different one-day activities departing from Sri Lanka as well as other information.

Sri Lanka cultural Triangle

Known by some as the “golden triangle of Sri Lanka,” the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is home to numerous well-known tourist destinations, including Sigiriya and Dambulla. You can witness hundreds of deteriorating historical monuments from the third century BC by visiting the Cultural Triangle. But the island has a plethora of other significant locations that are worth seeing in addition to its cultural and historical landmarks.

Travelers usually set aside a few days to tour the island’s many regions through sightseeing. For instance, the tourists intend to spend three nights touring historical sites in the cultural triangle before moving upcountry in Sri Lanka to take in the stunning landscape. Afterwards, the travelers head even further south to explore wildlife reserves and participate in Sri Lankan jungle tours. Finally, they visit the beaches on the west and south coasts to cap off their travels.

Owing to this widespread practice, most tourists try to see as many locations as they can while in the cultural triangle before moving on to the next base. The greatest and most well-liked locations are selected by the travelers.

Why travel to Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, and Sigiriya?

For international visitors, seeing historical sites in Sri Lanka is a popular activity in Sri lanka. Important historical monuments and UNESCO World Heritage Sites include Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa. The most visited places in the cultural triangle are Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave, and Polonnaruwa, due to the fact that the area is home to hundreds of ancient buildings. For this reason, the majority of road trips in Sri Lanka involve all three locations.

Every week, I get a lot of emails asking questions like, “Is it possible for us to visit Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya all in one day?”Is it possible for you to plan a trip to Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya? “How long does it take to get to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla?”. For this reason, I decided to write this blog article to provide readers with a thorough overview of the day trip to Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya.

When is the best timefor a trip to Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa?

If you’re asking when is the best time of year to go on the Dambulla Sigiriya Polonnaruwa tour, the answer is any time of year. Because of the dry weather, Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa are popular vacation spots all year round.

Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla are all in Sri Lanka’s dry zone and are part of the country’s cultural triangle. Travelers may enjoy pleasant, sunny weather for the majority of the year because there is little rainfall in Sri Lanka’s dry zone, which remains dry for most of the year. Travelers should monitor the local weather, particularly in the months of October and November, as the rainy season can bring extremely wet weather.

The itinerary for the one-day tour to Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa

  • 07.00 am: Set off on a trek at the rock fortification of Sigiriya.
  • 09.45 am: Complete the rock hike at Sigiriya
  • Drive to Polonnaruwa at 10:00 a.m.
  • Arrive at Polonnaruwa at 11:00 am to begin the city tour.
  • 01.00 pm: Depart the old city of Polobnaruwa.
  • Lunch is at 01.20 p.m.
  • Visit the Dambulla Golden Cave Temple at 3:30 p.m.
  • The one-day trip to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla ends at 4:30 p.m.

Trip to cultural triangle

A minimum of two days are required to visit the cultural triangle, but due to the tight timetable, you should allow at least three days if you would like to tour the triangle at a normal speed and with some free time. Taking a cultural triangle tour, like the 4-day tour offered by Sri Lanka, is an intriguing experience as it enables you to witness the ruins of a once-developed civilization.

This culture is demonstrated by the magnificent Dagobas, intricate wood and stone carvings, enormous granite statues, and ancient paintings. Numerous cities, gardens, palaces, and temples can be found in historic cities.  

Please read my article, “MOST IMPORTANT CITIES TO VISIT IN THE SRI LANKA CULTURAL TRIANGLE,” if you would want more information about the triangle.

A day trip to Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya

Since it’s crucial to have a reliable method of transportation between those locations in order to save time, I assume you have private transportation from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa and then to Dambulla. It could be difficult to see Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya in a one day if you use public transportation. Public transportation is typically sluggish and runs late.

The route to Dambulla begins at Polonnaruwa Sigiriya.

If you want to visit Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa all in one day, you have to start somewhere close by. This is due to the fact that the trip, presuming you start at Sigiriya or a neighboring location, is roughly 150 km long and takes about three hours. You should allow yourself an extra five hours for sightseeing, making the entire excursion last about eight hours. You won’t have much time for other activities as, of course, you also need to factor in some time for a few breaks (for lunch, a drink, the bathroom, etc.).

Travelers departing from distant locations such as Colombo or Kandy must begin their journey early (about 4 a.m.), and the tour concludes late at night. Therefore, if you want to see Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa from Colombo, Kandy, or the west coast all in one day, we suggest a 2-day tour. In addition to seeing Sigiriya Polonnaruwa and Dambulla in a single day, a 2-day tour allows you to include a few other exciting activities, like going on a safari, seeing the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, touring a spice garden, and touring the Sigiriya hamlet.

The variation in annual rainfall in Polonnaruw, Dambulla, and Sigiriya

The first activity on the one-day journey to Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa is visiting Sigiriya

I advise you to visit the Sigiriya rock fortress first thing in the morning, at around 7 a.m., when you begin the one-day tour. You may be asking yourself why I suggest going to Sigiriya first thing in the morning. First, during the outdoor activity of the Sigiriya hike, you can protect yourself from the severe heat and solar rays. It’s inconvenient, but hiking during the day wears you out and makes you sweat. Actually, reaching Sigiriya requires ascending steeply for several hours on 1,200 narrow steps.

When you visit Sigiriya Rock early in the morning, you can also avoid the throng of tourists that begin to assemble at the gate at about 8 a.m. then carry on till the early afternoon at the latest.

There is only one small stairway up the cliff, so you might have to spend several hours more climbing if you are stuck in tourist traffic. It is unusual that the climb to Sigiriya takes about two hours, including the ascent and descent; on really busy days, this could take up to four hours.

Since you have to visit three big tourist destinations and cover over 250 kilometers in a day, time management is crucial on your journey. Try to limit the Sigiriya hike to two hours, as this will make the rest of the journey easier. For most visitors, it takes roughly two hours at Sigiriya.

Climbing in the early morning gives you the opportunity to visit the archeological site when fewer people are around. This lets you to see the monument at your own leisure without feeling rushed and, most importantly, without wasting time in line. 

Drive to Polonnaruwa from Sigiriya

55 kilometers are traversed in around an hour’s trip from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa. Because the majority of the drive takes place inside the Minneriya National Park, tourists frequently take the route from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa and vice versa. On this route, visitors frequently see wild elephants. Keep your eyes peeled for any glimpses of some wild elephants. There aren’t many locations on the road where you can see wild animals.

From Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa

However, because there aren’t many transit stops, taking public transportation (a bus) from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa could take up to three hours. The first transit point is Inamaluwa, while the second is Habarana. There isn’t a bus that goes straight from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa; instead, you have to go from Sigiriya to the Inamaluwa junction and then catch a bus from Inamaluwa that goes to Habarana. From Habarana, you can catch a direct bus to Polonnaruwa.

When traveling from Sigiriya Rock to Polonnaruwa, ask your driver or guide to take the Moragaswewa-Illukwewa Rd. shortcut, sometimes referred to as the Sigiriya shortcut. Traveling via Habarana on the main route will add around forty minutes to the trip time.

Traveling to Polonnaruwa

With a history stretching back to the 10th century AD, Polonnaruwa is Sri Lanka’s second oldest capital. Many historical monuments may be found in Polonnaruwa, and the majority of them are still in good condition. Numerous palaces, parks, temples, audience halls, and other ancient buildings that span several centuries may be found here. In contrast to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa does not have any steps to climb; rather, the monuments are dispersed across the vast old city. You must therefore drive or walk from one location to another.

The variations in Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa’s annual temperatures

The Polonnaruwa city tour

The main attractions of the Polonnaruwa city tour include the historical temples, stupas, museums, and ancient monuments. Depending on your level of interest in archaeology and the manner of transportation, the length of the Polonnaruwa city tour may change. Around four hours may pass if you decide to walk the entire length of the city tour in Polonnaruwa. You might be able to finish the city tour in roughly two hours if you decide to go in Polonnaruwa by car or van.

Since Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya are both in the same climate zone and are situated in Sri Lanka’s north-central region, their weather patterns are comparable. The weather of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya is similar, with less rainfall, high humidity, and warm temperatures.

Things to see on a city tour of Polonnaruwa

Hundreds of historical structures can be found by taking a leisurely stroll down the dusty road in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa is replete with historic buildings; among them are numerous temples, Dagobas, stupas, palaces, sculptures of Buddha, Ayurvedic temples, and many more. While the bulk of the city’s ancient monuments are from the 10th century AD, some of them are hundreds of years old.

The intriguing thing about Polonnaruwa is that in addition to being a monument-filled ancient site, it also has a skillfully constructed natural greenery. Inside the ancient city, the explorers come across enormous trees and plants everywhere they go. In the tenth century AD, the city was carefully designed by its ancient kings, who included roads, gardens, lakes, moats, and fortifications.

In a nutshell, the Dambulla Sigiriya Polonnaruwa tour includes a one-day excursion to view the Sigiriya frescoes murals, a visit to off-the-beaten-path tourist destinations in Sri Lanka, the Sigiriya rock castle, and places to explore in Sigiriya.

The day trip from Sigiriya to Dambulla departs from Colombo and other well-known west coast tourist destinations. The itinerary includes visits to two important historical sites in Sri Lanka: the golden temple of Dambulla and the Sigiriya rock fortification. All admission fees, taxes, live guide, and ground transportation are included in the private tour package.

The Parakrama Samudra and the Polonnaruwa Museum

Visiting the Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum is the first step towards discovering the historic city of Polonnaruwa. Reaching the archeological museum, which is close to the bank of Parakrama Samudra, requires a hundred yards of walking along the main road.

When the ancient engineers designed the city, they gave a permanent water supply careful thought. In order to provide water to the ancient city, they constructed Parakrama Samudra close to it. One of the largest artificial lakes in Sri Lanka, Parakrama Samudra, continues to be essential for the local population’s water supply.

The greatest method to see the city is by bicycle, since it lets you see the historic sites while passing through gorgeous green spaces. We advise getting in touch with a nearby tour company like Seerendipity, who can help you with bike rentals, if you want to rent a bike for your city tour.

When they arrive in Polonnaruwa, some tourists choose to walk instead of drive, which is also a feasible and sometimes less expensive choice. In order to save a few bucks, I’ve observed a lot of backpackers who travel to Sri Lanka using public buses keep to this strategy.

The majority of tourists who reserve package trips through regional tour companies ought not to bother making the trip to Polonnaruwa. Everything is organized by the tour operator, including transportation within the old city, tour guides, and admittance tickets.

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Sigiriya Rock Fort is a palace complex dating back to the 5th century that features a palace, paintings, moats, swimming pools, and fountains. King Kashyapa constructed his regal residence 500 meters above sea level, atop the monolithic rock. Halfway down the track on the ascending ride are the frescoes.

The old city can also be reached by bus, van, or private vehicle, and its roads are suitable for these modes of transportation. Many tourists continue to use that kind of transportation since it is unquestionably quick, easy, and pleasant for strolling or riding through the historic city of Polonnaruwa.

The distinction between Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa is that while all activities in Polonnaruwa (except from the museum) occur outside, Polonnaruwa is an ancient city with significantly more greenery than Sigiriya. As a result, Polonnaruwa offers shade from trees and protection from the sun. Polonnaruwa disperses people and artifacts over a vast area to make it difficult to sense the presence of a sizable throng.

Visiting the Golden Temple

After touring Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa in a single day, I suggest ending your trip at the Dambulla Golden Cave Temple. Compared to Sigiriya, the hike in the Dambulla cave temple is not as difficult. You can visit Polonnaruwa whenever you like, as it’s a short hike that takes no longer than ten minutes (at most). The smaller rock-cut stairs in Sigiriya are more difficult to ascend than the steps in Dambulla.

A few years back, the hike to Dambulla was much longer and much more arduous than it is today, starting from the A9 main road where the travelers started. Later, the operation of the temple was taken over by another temple in the vicinity, which made the trip simpler with a new entrance. Hiking at Dambulla is best done in the afternoon or early morning due to the heat. Generally speaking, Dambulla sees far fewer tourists than Sigiriya does, although occasionally a few hundred people swarm into the cave. The majority of tourists arrive at Dambulla early in the morning. The entire trip to the five caves in the Dambulla Cave Temple, including both upward and downward excursions, takes around one hour.

Dambulla to Sigiriya

Travelers can easily drive from Sigiriya to Dambulla by using public transportation. Nevertheless, trail transit is not available on this route. 17 km separate Sigiriya from Dambulla, and depending on your mode of transportation, it can take 20 to 40 minutes to get there. In just 20 minutes, you may go from Sigiriya to Dambulla if you have a private automobile. Taking the public bus will require at least forty minutes.

Sri Lanka Buddhist Pilgrimage Tours

Important historical and cultural sites including Kandy, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya Rock, and the Golden Temple at Dambulla are all included in this three-day trip of Sri Lanka. The tour also visits many other locations, including as the Peradeniya Botanical Garden, a spice and herb garden, and wildlife viewing areas.

In summary, a day trip to Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa

Your schedule needs to be adjusted to allow for any extra time you require while traveling. For instance, if you stay at a hotel in Habarana or Dambulla, the trip from the hotel Sigiriya will take an additional half hour, so you will need to depart the hotel by 6.30 a.m.

  • 7:00 am, begin the ascent at Sigiriya Rock.
  • 8 am.: get at the summit and investigate the ruins
  • 8.30 am: commence the descent
  • 9.15 am: Arrive at the parking lot.
  • 9.15 am: Take a 30-minute break. After the arduous climb, treat yourself to a refreshing drink from one of the many cafeterias located close to Sigiriya Rock.
  • 9.45 a.m.: depart for Polonnaruwa.
  • 10.45 a.m.: arrive at the archeological museum, pay for your admission, and then peruse the priceless artifacts on display.
  • 11.30 am: Take a tour to Polonnaruwa, a historic city.
  • 1:30 p.m.: Complete your Polonnaruwa sightseeing trip and depart the area.
  • Lunch break at 2:00 p.m.
  • Drive to the Dambulla Cave Temple at 3:30 p.m.
  • Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple at 4:00 p.m.
  • 5 p.m.: depart from the temple
Sigiriya-Dambulla’s day tour starts from Colombo and other major tourist resorts on the west coast. The tour takes you to 2 major historical places in Sri Lanka Sigiriya rock fortress and Dambulla golden temple. The private tour includes entire ground transportation, a live guide, all entrance fees, and all taxes.

Many well-known tourist destinations, like the Sigiriya rock fortress, the Dambulla Golden Temple, and the Tooth Relic Temple, are included in this 5-day itinerary of Sri Lanka. The stunning hill country of Sri Lanka is another destination on this five-day private tour. On a safari, the tourists will have the opportunity to discover Sri Lanka’s amazing wildlife.

Less significant sites to see in Dambulla and Sigiriya

There are a lot of things to do and see in Sigiriya and Dambulla, aside from that. Among these are the Pidurangala Temple, the Habarana Village Tour, and the Minneriya National Park Safari. On the other hand, you won’t have much time for other activities during your one-day excursion due to the crowded program. To see as many attractive places as possible in two days, including Dambulla, Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa in one day, we propose organizing a two-day tour that includes an overnight stay in a hotel in Sigiriya or Polonnaruwa.

Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya in one day without stopping at the Dambulla cave temple

It’s not difficult to see Sigiriya and Polonnaruwamin in a single day, but skipping the Dambulla cave temple on a day trip to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla won’t save you much money. In contrast to Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa, you don’t lose much time when visiting Dambulla Golden Temple. Furthermore, Dambulla is easily accessible by car from Sigiriya; it takes about 20 minutes to reach there. In contrast to the climb to Sigiriya, the hike in Dambulla is quite easy, taking only ten minutes to up the stairs.

This 3-day Sri Lanka tour includes important cultural and historical monuments such as Sigiriya rock, Dambulla golden temple, Polonnaruwa and Kandy. The tour also includes wildlife tours, a spice/herbal garden, Peradeniya botanical garden, and many other places.

Why should you book your trip to Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa with Seerendipity Tours?

Seerendipity Tour is a travel agency based in Colombo that is fully owned by locals. One of Seerendipity Tours’ greatest assets is its highly skilled local team, who can tailor your ideal Sri Lankan vacation.

The lowest cost is assured for your vacation to Sri Lanka.

There are no intermediaries when you book a trip with Seerendipity Tours, so you can be sure to get the best deal. You book the tour directly with the local firm. Just contact us and let us know your preferred destinations and times of travel.

Plan your ideal trip to Sri Lanka with a professional

You can modify the customized itinerary that our experts creates for you until you discover the ideal Sri Lanka travel package. For further ideas, peruse our pre-made trip packages at www.sirilaktours.com; each one is adaptable and may be customized to match your exact requirements. Please contact us by phone at admin@seerendipitytours.com. 0094-77-440977, 0094-77-4440977 on WhatsApp

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