Anuradhapura

Our most recommended things to do in Anuradhapura

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  1. From Kandy: Ancient Heritage of Sri Lanka 2-Day Guided Tour

  Embark on a 2-day tour of Sri Lanka’s cultural history, including one of its most famous National Parks. Explore the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Dambulla Golden Cave Temple, and Wilpattu National Park.   Day 1: Kandy – Dambulla – Anuradhapura Start your journey at 7:00 AM with hotel pickup in Kandy. Hop into an air-conditioned vehicle and head for Dambulla to your first stop: the historic caves of the Golden Temple of Dambulla, dating back to the 1st century BC. View the ancient murals depicting the life story of Lord Gautama Buddha. Marvel at the hundreds of Buddha figurines and other deities scattered across the 5 main caves. You’ll also see the giant golden Buddha statue just a little distance outside the cave complex and hear the tales of this ancient kingdom.   Afterwards, head to Anuradhapura where you’ll check into your hotel for a short rest. In the evening, explore the Sacre...

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  2. From Kandy: "Ethos of Ceylon" 2-Day Cultural Triangle Tour

  Embark on a 2-day guided tour of Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle as well as one of its most famous National Parks. Immerse yourself in the ancient history of this region and get to know life as a villager.    Day 1: Kandy – Polonnaruwa – Minneriya – Sigiriya Start your journey with pickup from your Kandy hotel at 6:30 AM in an air-conditioned vehicle and head to Polonnaruwa to visit the Ancient Kingdom. Walk through the ruins of this city that flourished between the 10th and 13th century AD. View important monuments such as Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple, and the statue of King Parakramabahu, whose reign was considered the Golden Age of Polonnaruwa. Get to know more about Sri Lanka’s ancient history before heading to Minneriya National Park. In the park, take a 3-hour safari to catch glimpses of over 150 elephants, who congregate in one place during the dry sea...

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  3. Hurulu Eco Park: 3-Hour Morning or Evening Safari

  Sneak along the narrow tracks of Hurulu Eco Park on a 3-hour morning or evening jeep safari searching for the best sights of majestic elephants and leopards. Overlooking the dense shrublands and forests, this is the ideal place for spotting wild animals in their natural habitat.  Each year during the months of July to September large groups of elephants are found in the Minneriya National Park. They then migrate to Kaudulla National Park during the months October to November due to high rains and lakes filling up. The elephants then move on to Hurulu Eco Park for the final leg of their migration during the months of December and January. Playing a dominant role in the park’s wildlife, see the majestic Sri Lankan elephants — a very common sighting that safari-goers never tire off. The Hurulu Eco Park assures you a feast of sightings of leopards, rusty-spotted cats, star tortoise, jungle...

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  4. Minneriya National Park and Hiriwadunna Village Tour

  Get picked up from your hotel and driven to Minneriya National Park for a morning game drive. Unlike in other national parks, hundreds of animal species live here and you might spot elephants at close range!  After the park, you'll trek through a typical Sri Lankan village. The trek begins with an awesome walk along the bund of a Wewa (manmade reservoir). The area, surrounded by jungle and marshland, and the village, bustle in the morning or evening. The amazing birdlife and butterflies—and maybe even a crocodile or two—only add to the excitement and charm of the village and its surroundings. You will continue your tour with a bullock cart ride up to a village house where you can enjoy a delicious local lunch.

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  5. From Kandy: Sigiriya Rock, Village Tour and Minneriya Park

  Start your tour at 6:30 AM with pickup from your hotel in Kandy. The first stop on your itinerary will be the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. which you will reach at approximately 9:00 AM. Rising from the central plains, the iconic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilization, where you will discover spellbinding vistas across mist-wrapped forests in the early morning. Climb a series of vertiginous staircases attached to sheer walls to reach the top of the ruins. Pass a series of frescoes and a pair of colossal lion's paws carved into the bedrock. Marvel at the surrounding landscape of lily-pad-covered moats, water gardens, and quiet shrines that surround the site. After visiting the fortress, proceed to a local village in Sigiriya to...

  great day, had a very knowledgable driver, great food and learned a lot about the people and the country.

  Reviewed by W, Austria, 08/02/2020
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  6. From Negombo: Full-Day UNESCO City of Anuradhapura Trip

  Declared by UNESCO as a world heritage city, Anuradhapura is regarded as Sri Lanka’s first known kingdom and the capital of the island for many centuries. Being well known for its cultural and religious value, the city attracts many local and foreign visitors who want to explore the ancient history of Sri Lanka.  See the remains of the Brazen Palace, which was once 9 stories high, and the Sri Maha Bodhi a Bo Tree, which is over 2000 years old and grew from the branch of the very tree beneath which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Visit the ruins of the Ruwanweliseya Dagaba and see the 2nd-century BC shrine, containing the Buddha’s collarbone relic. Explore the Abhayagiriya temple and the Jetawanaramaya dagobas.

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  7. Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Private Safari

  With the grace of majestic giants and pristine tropical dry forest settings, Minneriya National Park is a perfect spot to spend a few hours witnessing one of the most astonishing wildlife spectacles on earth.  Renowned as a prominent stopover for wandering elephants searching for food during the August and September the dry season, Minneriya National Park attracts up to 300 giants from the neighboring national parks. Enjoy the flicker of monkeys swinging through the branches and search the forest for the sight of majestic elephants, leopards, sloth bears, mongooses, spotted deer, sambar deer, wild buffalo, porcupine and Indian pangolins. Do not miss out on this quintessential safari destination in a strikingly beautiful forest.

  We attended the afternoon safari and had the most amazing time. We were fortunate enough to see over 120 elephants, including lots of babies at the watering hole. Jeeps were fantastic for viewing.

  Reviewed by John, Singapore, 24/10/2019
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  8. From Colombo: Private Minneriya National Park Day Safari

  Your tour begins with 8:00 AM pickup. Your friendly driver will meet you at your Colombo hotel and you'll start the 4 to 5-hour journey to the Minneriya National Park by car. Enjoy the ride there and admire the stunning landscapes along the way.  At Minneriya National Park you will enjoy a safari experience as you explore the vast area in a 4x4 vehicle. The park is famous for its wild elephant population and you will hopefully see many of them roaming by the lakes or exploring through the jungles. You might see wild buffaloes, wild boars, spotted deer, sloth bears, and even leopards and crocodiles. The park is also home to many amphibians and different kinds of reptiles and birds. Your guide will point out the extraordinary wildlife. After the safari, you will be transported back to your hotel in Colombo.

  Earlier this month myself and my wife took a day trip to see elephants at the Minneriya National Park whilst away on our honeymoon. We were delighted with the day we had after being picked up early by Visagen & Lathushan for the long drive to the national park from Colombo. We could not recommend this trip enough and it was made even better with our hosts. They were fantastic throughout the whole day and we will be sure to use them again when we return to Sri Lanka in the future. The trip was good value for money, it is a long day but it was well worth it with the experience that we had. Visagen and Lathushan even took us to see Sigiriya Rock as well which really added to our experience. Thank you ever so much to Visagen and Lathushan for making our honeymoon extra special!!

  Reviewed by Sean, 27/11/2019
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  9. Day Trip to UNESCO City Anuradhapura From Colombo

  Declared by UNESCO as a world heritage city, Anuradhapura is regarded as Sri Lanka’s first known kingdom and the capital of the island for many centuries. Being well known for cultural and religious value, the city attracts many local and foreign visitors who love to explore the ancient history of Sri Lanka. See the remains of the Brazen Palace, which was once 9 stories high, and the Sri Maha Bodhi a Bo Tree, which is over 2000 years old and grew from the branch of the very tree beneath which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Visit the ruins of the Ruwanweliseya Dagaba. See the 2nd-century shrine containing the Buddha’s collarbone relic, the Abhayagiriya temple, and the Jetawanaramaya dagobas. 

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  10. Colombo: Colombo Airport (CMB) and Negombo City Transfer

  Enjoy a relaxing and comfortable private transfer from Sri Lanka's Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) to your hotel in Negombo. After landing at the airport, head to the arrivals lobby to meet your driver who will be holding a board with your name on it. If you are unable to locate your driver, a support team is on hand 24/7. Your driver will escort you and your luggage in a comfortable and safe vehicle so all you have to do is sit back and relax during the 1-2 hour journey. Rely on your driver's expertise to travel the safest, most traffic-free route possible. Feel free to let your driver know in case you need to stop for refreshments or emergencies.

  That was a very smooth transfer from Colombo Airport and I am glad that I pre-booked it. On arrival, the diver was holding a name card by my name; once I met him there, he took care of everything else. I will recommend this service to friends and family.

  Reviewed by Kacper, Estonia, 15/01/2020