Historical places in Sri Lanka

By / April 1, 2024

Sri Lanka is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. It is one of the few places in the world where people have lived continuously for thousands of years. Historical places in Sri Lanka that exceeds many dozens represent the rich historical past of Sri L:anka. Sri Lanka is a country with a lot of history and culture. In the north-central province of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura has stupas that are as tall and massive as the pyramids in Giza. In the 15th century, Galle Fort was built as a living city and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Many places in Sri Lanka have historical and cultural sites that visitors can visit. These sites give visitors the chance to learn about one of the world’s oldest cultures and the stories that have made the country what it is today.

Table of Contents

Historical places in Sri Lanka

“8 Historical Places in Sri Lanka for a Memorable Sri Lanka Heritage Tour” is the title of an article I’ve wanted to write for a long time. This is because visiting historical sites is a popular thing to do for tourists and is usually part of Sri Lanka tour packages like the 4-day Sri Lanka cultural tour. But I had to put it off because I had a lot of work to do and lots of things to do. But this time I decided to finish this piece because more and more people are asking me about trips to Sri Lanka that include stopping at historical sites.
Sri Lanka is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. It is one of the few places in the world where people have lived continuously for thousands of years. Sri Lanka is a country with a lot of history and culture. In the north-central province of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura has stupas that are as tall and massive as the pyramids in Giza. In the 15th century, Galle Fort was built as a living city and is now a UNESCO world heritage site. Many places in Sri Lanka have historical and cultural sites that visitors can visit. These sites give visitors the chance to learn about one of the world’s oldest cultures and the stories that have made the country what it is today.
People all over the world think of some cities as living pieces of history. When people visit these cities, they can see not only modern life but also old temples, forts, palaces, and more. People have lived in those old buildings for many hundreds of years, and modern needs like highways and cables have to be carefully built so that the valuable history is not lost. Here is a list of eight historical sites in Sri Lanka that are often included in history tours of the country. These old sites are famous for their historical monuments and interesting stories.
This piece is mostly about Sri Lankan historical sites that are part of Sri Lanka Heritage Tours. You may also be interested in learning about important sites in Sri Lanka, which is likely why you found this page. I’m only going to talk about Sri Lanka’s most well-known historical sites. There are so many historical sites in Sri Lanka that I won’t be able to fit them all into this piece in a few hours. It might take me years.

Sri Lanka from the point of view of a vacation spot

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is booming, and every day more and more people are going there. In the past, Sri Lanka was mostly a place to go on beach vacations. But now, it’s growing into other areas, like ecotourism, adventure vacations, and culture tours. Why did I wait so long to write this? We get a lot of emails from travelers all over the world asking things like, “what are the most popular historical sites in Sri Lanka?” and “what are the most popular historical sites we can visit on our Sri Lanka heritage tour?”

Taking a cultural tour of Sri Lanka to see historical sites

We did a lot of study and chose the following historical sites as important ones to see on a trip to Sri Lanka:. This article only talks about these few historical sites in Sri Lanka. By a long shot, these are Sri Lanka’s most popular ancient sites.
The blog post lists a number of historical sites, all of which have important historical backgrounds. They’re spread out across the island in different places. If you want to see all of them, you should plan a customized Sri Lanka tour that includes all of them.
If you don’t have five days to spend on a trip, you can go on a short trip and see a few places. For example, on a one-day trip to Sigiriya, Sri Lanka, you can see both Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Temple. There are religious sites on the island that make up more than half of its historical sites, making them holy.
People who go to these holy places are expected to dress in a certain way to respect their religious beliefs. The rules that everyone who visits religious sites in Sri Lanka must follow are very strict.

Sri Lanka’s culture triangle has a number of historic sites.

The cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is an important part of any story about Sri Lanka’s historical sites. Many hundreds of ancient monuments can be found in Sri Lanka’s culture triangle, which is home to more than half of the country’s most important historical sites. The culture triangle is where almost all tourists who come to Sri Lanka go to learn about the country’s rich history.
This cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is in the central province, 200 km from Colombo. It runs next to the main road, A9, which goes from Kandy to Jaffna. It’s one of the busiest roads on the island and connects the north to the rest of the country. For hundreds of years, A9 Road was a meeting place for people from different cultures and parts of the world. It was important for travelers and drew people from all over the world. However, the A9 road wasn’t taken care of much from 1983 to 2009 because of the fighting in northern Sri Lanka, and it hasn’t been since 2009.
The famous historical sites in the cultural triangle, like Sigiriya rock fortress, Dambulla golden temple, and Polonnaruwa ancient city, are seen as important parts of Sri Lanka’s big plan to develop the country and make it one of the best places to go on vacation in Asia. The goal is to bring in three million tourists over the next few years.

How long does a tour of the cultural triangle last?

There are a lot of historical places in Sri Lanka that you can see, so the tour could last anywhere from two days to a few weeks. If you choose the two-day Sri Lanka history tour, you can see a lot of the cultural triangle’s most important sites. You should stay here for at least 5 days if you want to get a good picture of the cultural triangle.
A three-day tour of the cultural triangle is perfect for people who want to see the most important parts of the area for fun. Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Kandy are all on the 5-day Sri Lanka cultural tour.

What do we see in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle?

There are many UNESCO World Heritage Sites that live here. These historical sites show how grand Sri Lanka’s ancient society was when it was at its peak. There are huge Dagobas, palaces, Buddhist temples, hospitals, parks, reservoirs, and many other buildings that were built over a very long time.
Modern builders are amazed by the most beautiful buildings from the past. Even though they didn’t have the cutting-edge technologies we do now, ancient engineers were able to build many buildings that are better in both design and technology. For example, engineers in the 3rd century BC came up with the sluice of the modern pond and gave it the name BISOKOTUWA. The modern gate and the Bisokotuwa work in the same way.
A lot of old buildings have been around for thousands of years. Some of the old buildings in the cultural triangle were much bigger than many modern buildings. For example, the 400-foot-tall Jetwanaram stupa was the fourth-tallest brick building in the world when it was built in the 4th century AD.

What are Sri Lanka’s most well-known ancient sites?

There are more than a thousand ancient sites in Sri Lanka, spread out in many different areas of the island. Most of these ancient sites have something to do with Buddhism and can be found in Sri Lanka’s north, east, south, and west. But this article’s purpose is to give important facts about well-known tourist spots that are also historically significant. In light of this, we picked the following places:. The places listed below are also part of most Sri Lankan tour options.

  • The ancient city of Anuradhapura is 200 km away.
  • Polonnaruwa, a famous city 229 km away
  • Sigiriya Rock—176 km
  • The Golden Temple of Dambulla, 160 km away
  • The Tooth Relic Temple is 115 km away.
  • The Kataragama temple is 300 km away.
  • Seetha Temple, which is 173 km away
  • The Adams Peak

One-day trip to Sigiriya

This is the fastest way to get to Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. This is the best way to see historical sites if you are in a hurry and only have a few hours to spare. The tour goes to the Sigiriya rock castle and the Dambulla Golden Cave Temple. At 5:00 am, the tour leaves from Colombo and ends around 6:00 pm.

Sigiriya, Kandy, and Dambulla are all on a two-day historical tour of Sri Lanka.

You will visit three of Sri Lanka’s most important historical places over the course of two days: Sigiriya, Kandy, and Dambulla. This is a great historical tour of Sri Lanka that will only take two days of your time.

4 Days Sri Lanka Heritage Tour to the three most important culture sites in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka’s “cultural triangle,” you can see Sigiriya Rock, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla Temple, and Kandy Tooth Relic Temple. This is a great tour plan for people who love learning about other cultures.

Sri Lanka Heritage Tour for 3 days, taking in Kandy and the country side

Two of the places on this three-day Sri Lanka cultural tour are the temple of the tooth relic and the temple of Sita Amman. A lot of Indian tourists take this tour because they want to see the important places that are described in the Ramayana. The tour also takes you to places like Nuwara Eliya, the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, tea fields, and waterfalls.

Sri Lanka’s culture and drink tour is a 6-day trip with stops at historical sites.

This Sri Lanka tour goes around the whole country and stops at all of its most important historical sites. Wildlife parks, beaches, tea fields, and the Sri Lankan mountains are also on the list.

Eight days of pure Sri Lankan heritage tour

Another popular multi-day trip in Sri Lanka lets you see some of the country’s most important historical sites. It also covers the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Galle, the countryside of Sri Lanka, and a tour of Colombo to see the sights.

The old city of Anuradhapura

If you want to see many historical sites in Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura is the first one you should see because it is where Sri Lankan history began. There aren’t any tours of Sri Lanka’s historical places that are complete without going to Anuradhapura. Since the 3rd century BC, it has been the capital and ruling center of Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years.

One of the oldest towns in Sri Lanka is Anuradhapura. It was the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka and is thought to be where the Sinhalese civilization began. Dozens of stupas, palaces, and dagobas shine brightly on the fields of the old city, which looks out over the nearby “Nuwara Wewa” tank. People all over the world know and love the monuments in Anuradhapura as a symbol of classical Sinhalese construction. There are many archaeological sites, temples, old tanks, and museums in Anuradhapura. Archaeologists study the art, culture, and building of the Sinhalese people who lived in the past.

Many of the historic houses in the old city are still in good shape, even though they have been empty for hundreds of years. Some old buildings are in good shape, like the Ruwanweli Stupa and the Thuparama Dagoba. Other buildings are being destroyed by the sun, rain, and wind.

The part of Anuradhapura that is old is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anuradhapura’s historical area has many important sites and museums, such as Isurumuniya, Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanweli Stupa, Kuttam Pokuna, and many more.

What are the eight most important sites to see in the ancient city of Anuradhapura?

These eight places, which are also known as “Atamasthana,” are very holy to Buddhists, and everyone should see them at least once in their life.

  • 1. The Sri Maha Bodhi
  • 2. The mound or dagoba in Ruwanweli
  • 3.The Isurumuniya
  • 4. Jetawanarama Stupa or Dagoba
  • 5. The Abhayagiri Dagoba or stupa
  • 6. The Meirisaweltiya Stupa
  • 7. Sri Lankarama Stupa
  • 8.Lovamahapaya

Going to see Sri Maha Bodhi

At the heart of the historical site is Sri Maha Bodhi, which is the oldest documented tree in the world. The tree is 2247 years old. The entire story about the tree is documented in ancient chronicles. It is considered to be one of the most sacred places for Buddhists in the world.

This temple is visited by many thousands of local as well as foreign travellers every day. As per the historical evidence, the Bo Tree was planted at the present site in the 2nd century BC.

There had been many Buddhist temples around the sacred tree in the past. The ruler of the country is the guardian of the sacred tree. And it is under the purview of the Peradeniya botanical garden and the monks residing in the monastery.

Thuparama stupa & Ruwanweli stupa

Around the corner is Ruwanweli Stupa, another important Buddhist monument, It was built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC. About a hundred meters away from Ruwanweli Stupa is the Thuparama Dagoba, which is believed to be the oldest stupa in Sri Lanka and was built by King Devanampiyatissa in the 2nd century BC.

Apart from these three places, there are many dozens of important places to visit in this historical site, such as Twin pond, Lankarama dagoba, Samadhi Buddha statue, Jetawanarama dagoba, museums, Moonstone, etc. the list is endless and a tour around this historical city of Anuradhapura is one of the most loved guided tours in Sri Lanka.

Historical places in Sri Lanka (Isurumuniya)

Isurumuniya is a popular historical site in Sri Lanka and it is located near Tisawesa (Tisa Lake), just south of “Ranmasu Uyana”. According to historical information, it is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. This historical temple was inhabited by monk Mahinda, who came from India in the 2nd century BC and introduced Buddhism to the island. According to Mahawamsa, this historical Buddhist temple was built under the guidance of King Devanampiyatissa. On the site of Isurumuniya, visitors can witness a few granite caves with “Kataraya,” or drip ledges and a few buildings. When the sacred tooth relic was brought to Sri Lanka in the 4th century from India, it was first housed at this historical temple. According to the historical notes, the ancient temple was reconstructed by King Kashyapa in the 5th century.

Despite the history of this Buddhist temple going back many millennia, some of the buildings to be seen in the present temple are modern. for instance, the image of houses and museums is only a few decades old. The museum in Isurumuniya showcases some of the masterpieces of stone sculptures done by ancient artisans in Sri Lanka. The sculpture of lovers and the royal family is considered to be a remarkable stone sculpture that originated during the Anuradhapura kingdom. After analyzing the characteristics of these stone inscriptions, the archaeologists opine that they originated in the 4th or 5th century.

Aukana Buddha statues

Aukana is an important historical site in Sri Lanka due to the presence of the Aukana Buddha statue. The Aukana Buddha statue is in the purview of monks of the Aukana Buddhist temple. The Aukana statue and the temple can be described as off-the-beaten-track tourist attractions. Despite its importance as a historical site, the number of travellers arriving at the temple is very low compared to historical temples like tooth relic temple and Dambulla cave temple. The rock-cut Buddha statue originated in the 5th century AD. It is one of the biggest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka, a massive Buddha statue carved out of a large single rock, towering over 40 feet high, being the specimen of excellent ancient sculpture technology of the nation.

Polonnaruwa: is one of the important historical places in Sri Lanka

Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy mark three corners of the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. Among the important cities in the cultural triangle, Polonnaruwa is regarded as one of the most-visited archaeological sites on the island.

Polonnaruwa historical site is an essential part of every Sri Lankan heritage trip. The historical city of Polonnaruwa was the second ruling capital of the Sri Lankan dynasties and held the role of capital of Sri Lanka for several decades in the 10th and 11th centuries until it fell into negligence due to the south Indian invasions.

Sri Lanka culture cocktail is the perfect Sri Lanka tour to visit all the important historical monuments on the island. This interesting 6-day Sri Lanka trip also includes many other interesting activities, such as a wildlife safari, visiting mountains, tea gardens, pristine beaches and city tours.

Nature of ruins found in Polonnaruwa

The historical places of Polonnaruwa are much younger than the ruins of Anuradhapura; hence, the temples, places, hospitals, parks, and other historical places of Polonnaruwa are in very good condition compared to the historical places of Anuradhapura. Owing to this reason, a large number of tourists opt to visit Polonnaruwa instead of visiting Anuradhapura when they have timing constraints.

What are the 7 most important historical places in Polonnaruwa?

  • 1.Parakrama Samudra
  • 2. The palace of Parakramabahu (12th century)
  • 3. Galvihara with 3 gigantic granite statues (12th century)
  • 4. Vatadage (12th century)
  • 5.Thuparama
  • 6. rankoth vehera (stupa)
  • 7.Pothgul Vehera

These are some of the noteworthy places in the historical site of Polonnaruwa. Don’t forget to step into the historical museum of Polonnaruwa near Parakrama Samudra; this is the best place to get a good insight into the glorious historical past of Polonnaruwa.

The historical site of Sigiriya rock fortress

As one of Sri Lanka’s most visited historical sites, the Sigiriya rock fortress welcomes nearly one million tourists every year, and it should be on every traveller’s bucket list who is fascinated by exploring historical sites during their trips.

Sigiriya rock is a UNESCO world heritage site

Sigiriya is another UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island and it is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. The well-planned garden is comprised of swimming pools, palaces, caves, guardrooms, protected walls, and a ditch.

Sigiriya rock fortress dates back to the 5th century AD, and it was built by King Kashayapa. The frescoes of Sigiriya are world-renowned and show similarities to paintings at Ajanta caves. The paintings also date back to the 5th century AD. They were painted using natural colors, but they are still very bright and clear.

The restoration work of this archaeological site began during British rule in Sri Lanka (18th century). Still, excavations and restoration activities are going on at the site under the purview of the archaeological department.

    According to the archaeologists, the King and his retinue lived on the rock. King’s throng, a ruined place, a swimming pool, and many other structures are still to be seen on the rock.

    The rock rises like a mushroom from the surrounding jungle up to 500 meters above sea level. Climbing the rock in 1200 steps is a bit of a difficult task; however, the reward is unforgettable, and the spellbinding view from the top of the rock will make an everlasting picture in your mind.

    On top of the rock, there had been a palace (today only the foundation is to be seen), which was occupied by the king, few steps away from the palace is a huge pond or a swimming pool.

    Pidurangala cave Temple

    You might have already heard of Sigirya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, and many other historical places in Sri Lanka, but I highly doubt that you have heard of the Pidurangala rock cave temple. This temple is not known to most foreign as well as local travelers, despite its historical importance. This ancient temple is overlooked by most travellers due to its unpopularity. This ancient cave temple is located a few hundred meters from the iconic tourist attraction, Sigiriya Rock. It is believed that the Pidurangla temple was also built under the patronage of King Kashayapa, who built the Sigiriya rock fortress. Pidurangala temple shows a lot of similarities to Sigiriya rock, and it is also a large rock formation.

    Visiting Pidurangala temple on a Sri Lanka one-day tour

    Seerendipity tours offer a popular one-day tour to Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Pidurangala temple from Colombo. This one-day tour can be booked throughout the year. This customizable trip can be booked not only from Colombo but also from 400+ beach resorts along the west and south coasts of Sri Lanka. Usually, the tour starts at around 05.00 a.m. due to the large distance to cover between Colombo and Sigiriya. If you are interested in this one-day tour of Sri Lanka to Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Pidurangla, please click here.

    Pidurangala ancient cave temple is popular among travellers as it commands a breathtaking view of the surrounding area. A large number of travellers climb the rock very early in the morning, as it allows them to see the sunrise from the top of the rock. The view from the summit of Pidurangala Rock is incredible. The travellers are rewarded with a 360-degree aerial view for their hard work of climbing the rock. Hiking Pidurangala Rock for sunrise is something you should put on your list of things to do in Sri Lanka on your next trip.

    Visit the Dambulla cave temple on Sri Lanka Heritage Tour

    The Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla is one of the oldest Buddhist shrines in the world. The origin of the ancient temple dates back to the 1st century B.C. The temple is situated in Dambulla, which is a modern metropolis in the central province of Sri Lanka.

    The temple is lying on the western flank of Dambulla Mountain, about halfway up from the foothills. Dambulla Golden Cave Temple is one of the earliest cave temples on the island and is still in very good condition. The temple is comprised of 5 spacious natural caves. These caves hide a large number of paintings and statues.

    Due to its strategic location on the main route of Jaffna-Kandy (A-9 road), it is easy to reach from any part of Sri Lanka. The temple is visited by a large number of local as well as foreign tourists due to its religious and historical importance.

    The temple is managed by the central cultural fund. Dambulla Golden Cave Temple is one of the many important historical sites of the Sri Lanka cultural triangle and it is a UNESCO world heritage site; therefore, the temple is a part of any multi-day Sri Lanka road trip.

    The temple was known as the Dambulla cave temple in the early days. In the 12th century, King Nissanka Malla added several Buddha statues and plated them with gold; since then, the cave temple has been named Dambulla golden cave temple. The temple is primarily dedicated to Buddhism but a few Hindu god figures can also be seen.

    The temple is believed to have provided shelter to one of the Buddhist kings known as Walagambahu in the 1st century BC, during a south Indian invasion. It is believed that the king took refuge at the site for 14 years; during that time, he managed to organize his army. Later, the king expelled the foreign forces from the country and regained his throne. When the king took the kingship back from the invaders, he converted the caves into a Buddhist temple, adding a large number of Buddha statues and decorating them with beautiful paintings.

    The temple was renovated many times by the kings, who ruled the country in later periods. These kings added many other Buddha statues and god figures and repainted the walls and ceilings of the caves. The Temple of Dambulla has become the most historical temple with the largest collection of Buddha statues on the island, numbering 150 Buddha statues. Today, this cave temple is considered a great antiquarian, epigraphical, and archaeological site on the island.

    A large number of beautiful ceiling and wall paintings depict the scenery from the life of Buddha. Those paintings can be seen on the inner wall and the ceiling of the caves.

    A colossal Buddha statue, which is in a recumbent position, can be seen in the first cave. This Buddha statue is one of the biggest Buddha statues on the island, measuring 14 meters long.

    The tooth relic temple is one of the most visited historical places in Sri Lanka

    Kandy is one of the most important historical places in Sri Lanka and a must-visit place for every traveller. It is especially a must-visit place for local travellers (Buddhists) due to the presence of the tooth relic of Buddha.

    For foreigners, Kandy is one of the must-visit cities on the island, where the tooth-relic temple resides. Kandy offers many important places to explore, such as the tooth relic temple, Pinnawala elephant orphanage, Peradeniya botanical garden, tea plantations, etc. Kandy is another UNESCO world heritage site and lies about 500 meters above sea level.

    Kandy was the last kingdom of the Sri Lankan monarchy and the ruling capital of the island before the British occupation of Sri Lanka (1796). The city has a fascinating blend of historical monuments, colonial buildings and modern structures.

    The landmark building of the temple of the tooth relic (earlier the king’s palace) is the oldest structure in the city and is still in very good shape. There is a large number of buildings built by the British administration in the 18th century, and all of them also belong to the old part of the city.

    Kataragama Temple- multi-religious historical place in Sri Lanka

    Travelers who venture on a trip to southern Sri Lanka might visit this multi-religious site located towards the southern tip of the island. This is one of the most historical places in Sri Lanka as well as a sacred religious site. Most importantly, the temple showcases the religious harmony among the different ethnic groups of Sri Lanka.

    Even though the Kataragama temple dates back to the 6th century BC, the temple is more popular as a religious site than a historical monument. Most visitors to Kataragama temple are Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims who are coming to take part in religious observances. Don’t encounter many foreign travellers here. If you are a foreign traveller and wish to see the religious part of Sri Lankan life, then it is worth visiting this place. Here you can see the true attachment of Sri Lankan people to their religion.

    Kataragama Temple is one of the most historical places in Sri Lanka and is believed to be one of the places that Buddha visited in the 6th century BC. Kirivehera stupa is believed to be the place where Buddha meditated as he visited Kataragama.

    Today, Kataragama is most popular due to the Kataragama Devala, where God Kataragama or God Skanda is worshipped. The god of Kataragama is believed to be able to fulfil the wishes of the devotees. A large number of local devotees are present here with a plate of fruit as an offering. They go to the altar with fruits, offer them to God and make a wish.

    It is a very common sight to see many thousands of devotees with fruit plates lined up in a line on long weekends and public holidays. The queue is usually many kilometres long. The devotees are standing in queues for many hours while carrying the fruit plates in their hands. However, the devotees are well prepared to absorb the pain because they believe that God can fulfil their wishes.

    Why is Kataragama one of the most important historical sites in Sri Lanka, here is the answer for you “KATARAGAMA TEMPLE“.

    Sita Temple is one of the Hindu historical places in Sri Lanka

    Sitting in the central hills of Sri Lanka, the Sita Amman temple is the only historical monument on this list that is directly attributed to Hinduism. Because most historical sites in Sri Lanka are closely related to Buddhism, however, there are a large number of historical monuments in northern and eastern Sri Lanka that are dedicated to Hinduism.

    If you look for historical places in Sri Lanka that have Hinduism influence, it is best to explore the east coast and northern Sri Lanka, where the majority of historical places have strong Indian influence.

    According to Ramayana, Sita Amman temple is the place where Sita was kept by King Ravana. temple is dedicated to Sita along with other Hindu deities. According to the information, the temple dates back many decades but the present temple is not more than a decade old.

    Sita Amman temple is visited mostly by Hindu devotees. This is one of the few temples in the world which is dedicated to Sita. The temple is included in most Ramayana tours that are been sold to Indian tourists.

    This Hindu temple is visited by tens of thousands of Hindu devotees from India, but why? Here is the answer: “SRI LANKA TRIP FROM INDIA-RAMAYANA, SEETHA AMMAN TEMPLE AND ASHOK VATIKA.“.

    Adams peak

    Adams peak is another important historical site on the island, which resides in the western part of the central mountain range. The history of Adams peak dates back to the 6th century BC and coincides with Buddha’s first visit to the island. Adams Peak is a leading Buddhist pilgrimage site and Catholics, Hindus, as well as Muslims, are conquering the mountain.

    Adams Peak is the 5th highest mountain on the island, and it rises up to 2,243 meters (7,359 ft) from sea level. A large number of Buddhist devotees climb the mountain, mainly during the peak pilgrimage season from November to April. If you are heading to Adams Peak on a long weekend from November to April, it is guaranteed that you will encounter hordes of local travellers.

    You might be wondering why people climb this sacred mountain amidst a lot of hardships. The 5-hour trek is really a challenge and extremely tiring. Read more on “ADAMS PEAK SRI LANKA.“.

    Sri Lanka heritage tour

    The below-mentioned Sri Lanka cultural tour is carefully crafted to explore the most important historical places, which are located in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. You will be travelling in a private luxury, fully air-conditioned vehicle with our experienced Sri Lanka driver and guide.

    This Sri Lanka heritage tour is a private program, which means you are not a part of a large group of tourists from various parts of the world and you do not have to follow a predefined tour itinerary. Even though there is a tour plan for this trip, you have maximum flexibility because it is a private program.

    If you are looking for Sri Lanka private tour, I would like to recommend 9-day Sri Lanka private car tour. This tour package includes all historical places, tea gardens, Sri Lankan mountains with great scenery, wildlife reserves, beaches, and many many more. Check here for more information about this car tour, “Sri Lanka private car tour.“.

    What are the historical places included in the heritage tour?

    • 1. Anuradhapura historical city
    • 2.Polonnaruwa historical site
    • 3.Sigiriya rock fortress
    • 4. Dambulla cave Cave Temple
    • 5. Kandy tooth relic temple

    The Itinerary of the Sri Lanka Heritage tour

    Day 1 of the Sri Lanka heritage tour

    Colombo, Anuradhapura and Sigiriya

    Places to visit Anuradhapura

    Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, meet & greet “Seerendipity Tours” representatives, and proceed t o the hotel in Sigiriya. En route, visit the Anuradhapura historical site. Auradhapura is the first capital of Sri Lanka, dating back to the 3rd century BC. It was the capital of Sri Lanka for more than 1000 years and the country was ruled by more than 100 Kings and Queens from Anuradhapura. Today Anuradhapura is visited by local and foreign tourists. Buddhist temples, Palaces, Museums, Parks, and lakes are some of the important places to visit in the city.

    Overnight stay hotel in Habarana / Sigiriya

    Day 2 of the Sri Lanka heritage tour

    Places to be visited on the 2nd day of the Sri Lanka tour are Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and safari at Minneriya national park

    Sigiriya / Polonnaruwa

    Breakfast at the Hotel and leave for the Historical city of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya rock fortress.

    Sigiriya

    Sigiriya is one of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world, dating back to the 5th century AD. The Sigiriya was built by King Kashayapa and consisted of many parts, such as the Sigiriya water garden, the Sigiriya fortress, Gallery with paintings, and a mirror wall with old scripts. The paintings of Sigiriya originated in the 5th century AD. The paintings are still in very good shape.

    Polonnaruwa

    The historical city of Polonnaruwa is the second-most important historical city in Sri Lanka. Many kings ruled the island from Polonnaruwa and 3 Buddhist kings namely Vijayabahu, Parakramabahu and Nissankamalla, are the most important kings who ruled the country from Polonnaruwa. Today Polonnaruwa houses a large number of temples, palaces, parks, hospitals, and many other buildings of historical importance.

    Minneriya national park (optional)

    Minneriya national park safari is an optional activity and can be included in your Sri Lanka cultural triangle tour. The Minneriya safari lasts around 2 hours. The safari allows visitors to spot a large number of animals, such as wild elephants, deer, monkeys, crocodiles, and wild buffaloes.

    Minneriya national park is the most popular national park for wild elephant observations and there is a chance of spotting large herds of wild elephants here. A large number of wild elephants gathering in the grasslands of the park near the Minneriya tank. The herd of wild elephants exceeds several hundred in some instances.

    Overnight stay hotel in Habarana / Sigiriya

    Day 3 of the Sri Lanka heritage tour

    Sigiriya, Kandy and Colombo

    What do we see on the 3rd day of the Sri Lanka cultural triangle trip: Dambulla cave temple, Spice garden, and the tooth relic temple of Kandy?

    After breakfast, leave for Kandy and Colombo en route and visit the spice garden and tooth relic temple.

    Dambulla cave temple

    Dambulla golden cave temple is another important historical site with religious importance. The temple dates back to the 1st century BC. The temple is believed to have provided refuge to King Walagambahu in the 1st century BC, during a south Indian invasion. Later, the King built the temple after regaining his kingship. Today it is a UNESCO world heritage site and houses more than 100 statues. The ceiling and wall paintings of the temple cover more than 2100 square feet.

    Spice garden

    Spices have been a very important commodity for the island for many centuries; even today, spices help the island earn a large amount of hard currency. The village of Matale holds a reputation as the centre of the spice trade. You will encounter many spice gardens here and you are able to visit one of them and learn about the local spices.

    Tooth relic temple

    The temple of the tooth relic is also an important world heritage site in Sri Lanka and houses the tooth relic of Buddha. The temple rises next to Kandy lake and is near the modern part of Kandy city. The temple is visited by thousands of foreign as well as local travellers every day.

    Ready to take a Sri Lanka heritage tour with Seerendipity tours and visit historical places in Sri Lanka?

    Seerendipity Tour is an entirely locally owned travel company with a head office in Colombo. The highly experienced local staff is a key strength of Seerendipity Tours, and they can plan your dream holiday to Sri Lanka.

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    When you book a tour with us, you directly book the tour with the local company, which means there are no middlemen and therefore you can guarantee the best price. Simply get in touch with us and let us know when you travel and what you like to see.

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    Our staff makes a personalised programme for you, which you can change until you find the best package for you. You can also browse our existing tour packages for inspiration; all our ready-made tour packages are customizable and can be tailored to meet all your expectations. Write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com, tel. 0094-77-440977, WhatsApp 0094-77-4440977.

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