Summary
With sights and attractions worthy of a nation twice its size, Sri Lanka certainly knowns how to wow travellers, however many times they may have joined Sri Lanka escorted tours in the past. While the cultural treasures of Kandy, deep in stunning hill country rightly draw much of the attention, the allure of Sri Lanka’s idyllic coastline shouldn’t be underrated. Wildlife fans won’t want to miss the chance to see leopards or Asia’s densest population of elephants in and around the country’s national parks system, while the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya should also feature highly on any wish list.
Explore Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Description
With most guided tours of Sri Lanka starting in the national capital of Colombo, home to the island’s main international airport, visitors to ‘the teardrop island’ have an early chance to absorb coastal living.
If it’s possible to tear yourself away from the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, an array of sights awaits. Chief among them is Kandy, the leading city in the Sinhalese kingdom from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. It’s today known as the location of the lakeside Temple of the Tooth, incredible dance troupes and the country’s main production centre for artefacts such as masks.
The surrounding hill country is similarly alluring, with Nuwara Eliya acting as a gateway to picturesque walks, visits to the country’s famed tea plantations and the outlook known as World’s End in Horton Plains National Park.
Famed for its sambar deer and langur monkeys, Sri Lanka’s other national parks, including Minneriya, Yala and Wilpattu boast safaris with species lists which mention leopard and Asian elephant among their number. Alternatively, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage outside of Kandy welcomes visitors daily.
North of Pinnawala, it’s the nation’s rich history which occupies many a private guided tour in Sri Lanka. Dambulla Royal Cave Temple has been a sacred pilgrimage site for more than two millennia. The largest and best-preserved cave temple complex of around 80 in the country, its natural rock walls and ceilings are covered in more than 2,000 square metres of richly-coloured murals. Meanwhile, the interior is filled with over 150 statues of Buddha. It all creates a phenomenal ambience even in those without any religious leanings.
Elsewhere, the ancient Buddhist capital of Polonnaruwa may now lie in ruins, but the height and breadth of its remains still allows visitors to get more than a glimpse into the lives that must have been lived in the city. Its royal palace and shrines are notable for their rich carvings, with the resident toque macaque monkeys adding another element to tours of the cluster of sites forming the ancient capital.
The piece de resistance in Sri Lanka’s historic sites is Sigiriya. Included in our Best of Sri Lanka tour, this former royal complex is like nowhere else. Spread across a flat-topped outcrop of granite rising 180 metres above the surrounding landscape, the palace is entered via the remains of a giant carved lion. From here, visitors to the summit are able to explore the palace of King Kashyapa, which also incorporates elegant gardens back at the base of ‘lion rock.’
