Detailed Itinerary
Day 01 to Day 03
Day 1
After arriving in Sri Lanka, you will be taken to the coastal town of Negombo, north of the airport to stay at a Jetwing Hotel designed by famed architect Geoffrey Bawa. Negombo is a quaint fishing town with an interesting colonial past. The British, Dutch and the Portuguese have all fought over this town as it was a lucrative source of cinnamon as it impacted the economy. But the stronger influence came from the colonizer’s historic Catholic Church – so much that the town came to be known as “Little Rome”. You can find many colonial style architectural buildings in Negombo attributing to its heavy colonial past. Today Negombo is known for its blend of religion and culture.
Day 2
After breakfast at the hotel, you will leave to Anuradhapura via Yapahuwa. Your first stop for sightseeing will be Yapahuwa, a short lived capital of old Ceylon which is also an archeological site with influences of Chinese architecture dating back to the 13th century AD.
The citadel of Yapahuwa lies midway between Kurunegala and Anuradhapura and is built on a large granite rock that rises abruptly for almost a hundred meters above the surrounding lowlands. The story of Yapahuwa Kingdom is a very short-lived one; in the 13th century king Buwanekabahu transferred the capital from Polonnaruwa to Yapahuwa in the face of South Indian Dravidian invasions bringing the Sacred Tooth Relic with him to his new kingdom. Following his death, the South Indian Pandyans invaded Sri Lanka and succeeded in capturing the Sacred Tooth Relic and subsequently abandoning the kingdom which was later inhabited by Buddhist monks and religious ascetics.
You will then continue the drive until you reach Anuradhapura, a now UNESCO World Heritage Site which was found in 377 BC and is renowned as one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and a great place to lean about the Sinhalese civilization including its culture, arts and architecture. This first established kingdom of Sri Lanka has left behind some marvelous structures of architecture which you will be visiting today.
The highlight of your tour of Anuradhapura, will be your visit to Mirisawetiya, Ruwanweliseya and Jethawanaramaya which are known as the ‘Star Tracing Stupas of Sri Lanka’. Whilst there are many great man-made structures such as pyramids present in countries like Egypt, South America, China and smaller ones in Greece, North America and the Canary Islands, the 3 stupas in Anuradhapura is unlike any other. These 3 stupas were built with precision and has a smooth finish. But the most notable aspect is that all three - Mirisawetiya, Ruwanweliseya and Jethawanaramaya – perfectly align with the 3 stars of the Orion constellation – Rigel, Al Nitak and Bellatrix. After a quick stop for lunch, you will visit the the Kuttam Pokuna and Ranmasu Uyana, 2 other notable locations in Anuradhapura and head back to the hotel to end your day.
Day 3
After breakfast the hotel, you will visit the remaining archeological sites in the Anuradhapura sacred city beginning with the Ath Pokuna (Elephant Pond) which is 159 meters in length, 52.7 meters across and 9.5 meters in depth whose water is supplied from the nearby Periyamkulama Tank through a network of underground canals which still work centuries after being built.
Next you will visit, the remains of the Rathna Prasadaya, a skyscraper built by the Abayagiriyans in the 2nd century AD to compete with the Lova Maha Prasadaya built by Maha Viharians. When Maha Viharians called their building the The Copper Palace, The Abhayagians called theirs The Jewel Palace. The size too seems to be no second to the Lova Maha Paya as the size Rathna Prasadaya can be guessed even today by the gigantic stone pillars. Until recent times, this site was called the elephant stable due to the monolithic pillars on the site. In the 8th century king Mahinda II rebuilt this on splendor scale with many storied and installed Buddha statue made out of gold. But all these treasures was plundered by South Indian Pandyans in the time of King Sena I but was recovered by King Sena II.
Your final destination for the day will the Stone Bridge – Gal Palama – that has been built over the Malwatu Oya. However only part of this bridge can be seen today. Although there was a restoration going on, it was abruptly stopped in 2001.
Post the sightseeing you will head back to your hotel which has been designed like an ancient palace combined with modern architectural aspects to make you feel like royalty of the ancient Sri Lanka for an evening of rest and relaxation.
Day 04 to Day 06
Day 4
Today you will leave for Polonnaruwa after breakfast. Once you reach your destination, you will check-in to your hotel and visit the Polonnaruwa historical site. Polonnaruwa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the 2nd capital of Sri Lanka built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD. During your tour, you will visit the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya which holds 4 splendid ginormous statues of Lord Buddha in ‘upright’, ‘sedentary’ and ‘recumbent’ positions carved out of rock, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, King Parakramabahu’s statue, the Parakrama Samudraya and the Vatadage before heading back to your hotel for the night.
Day 5
After breakfast, you will check-out of the hotel and tour the last part of Polonnaruwa covering Thiwanka Image House built by King Parakramabahu as part of the Jethvanaramaya Complex. The building gets its name from the 3 large images of Lord Buddha which has been curved in 3 places which literally means ‘three-curved’ or ‘Thiwanka’ in Sinhalese. The Buddha statue inside the building was originally at 8 meters in height, but since the head was destroyed it now stands at 6.6 meters in height. The inside walls of the buildings are decorated with frescos showing depicting various ‘jataka stories’ – previous births of Lord Buddha before he attained enlightenment.
Next you will be visiting the Nissanka Latha Mandapaya built by King Nissankamalla which was a council chamber of the ancient king where he used to listen to ‘pirith’ – chanting of Buddhist scriptures of faith.
En route to Dambulla, we will stop at the Lankathilaka Viharaya, an ancient Buddhist temple dating back to the 14th century built by King Buwanekabahu IV with architectural designs by a South Indian architect with a mix of architectural styles from the Polonnaruwa era as well as other Dravidian and Indo-Chinese patterns. The temple has been built on natural rock and the temple premises hold inscriptions found in both Sinhalese and Tamil and holds 5 devales or ‘kovils’.
Once you reach Dambulla, you will check in at the Heritance Kandalama Hotel, a creation of the late Geoffrey Bawa. The hotel was designed a few kilometers away from the Sigiriya Rock Fortress giving patrons the unique opportunity of seeing the fortress from a distance and enjoy its spectacular view.
In the evening you will visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is a 5th century rock fortress that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be the 8th Wonder of the World due to its architectural genius and highly advanced water management system that even modern engineers cannot comprehend. The Lion Rock is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the shrub jungles of Sigiriya. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town complete with a moat, rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring at the base of the rock which are true marvels of ancient architecture. You will also have the opportunity to visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, painted with earth pigments on plaster which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway.
Day 6
You will be leaving for Kandy after breakfast at the hotel. On your way, we will stop at the Dambulla Cave Temple which is another UNESCO World Heritage Site and is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers over 160 meters and holds more than 80 documented caves in the area. However, majority of the attractions are spread between 5 caves where some contain statues and painting related to Lord Buddha and his life. There is a total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Lankan kings, 4 statues of gods and goddesses including Lord Vishnu and Lord Ganesh and murals covering 2100 square meters.
Once you reach Kandy, you will check-in at the Hotel Suisse which is another creation of Geoffrey Bawa and end your day with dinner and a nightcap at the hotel.
Day 07 to Day 09
Day 7
After breakfast you will be visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy. The temple has to have 3 structures known as the Vedahiti Maligawa, Pattirippuwa and Aluth Maligawa and is built keeping to the Kandyan style of architecture. Majority of Kandyan architecture consists of murals on walls and stones, carvings on both stone and wood. The temple was first built by King Vimaladharmasooriya, however the structures built by him are no more. Many kings have contributed to the revamping of the building over time during their respective reigns.
After paying homage to the temple, you will have the opportunity to visit the Buddhist ritualistic ceremony which happens every day. Post that, you will proceed for luncheon with French turned Sri Lankan historian Professor Jacques Soulie. He was a former lecturer at the Peradeniya University for French language and is fluent in Sinhalese too. He will discussing with you the colonial architectural influences on the local culture and how they have been sustained throughout the many centuries that have passed by.
Afterwards you will retreat to your hotel for a relaxing night.
Day 8
Post breakfast, we will be visiting three other temples in Kandy, beginning with Gadaladeniya, a well-known tourist destination in Sri Lanka visited usually by devotees, pilgrims, history and architecture enthusiasts and nature lovers. The ancient monastery is located atop a hill in Diggala and according to the scriptures found, it is said that the temple was designed by a South Indian architect and has dagobas, an image house holding Buddha statues, frescoes and interior sculptures depicting Jataka stories, a “Makara Thorana” (dragon arch) embellished with gods like Brahma, Sathusta, Suyama and Natha, a shrine room dedicated to God Vishnu and the Gadaladeniya inscription carved on a rock.
Lankathilaka Viharaya, is a dramatic building made out of clay brick which was once a five-storied building. The temple was decorated with flowers, creepers, birds, animals and statues of gods with two pillars standing at around 116 feet in height at the entrance of the building. However, in the present day, these pillars have broken and reduced to a height of 58 feet.
The Embekke Shrine was built dedicated to the worship of Mahasen, popularly known as Kataragama Deviyo – The Lord of Kataragama whilst a local deity called Devatha Bandara is also worshiped at the site. The shrine consists of three sections, the "Sanctum of Garagha", the "Digge" (Dancing Hall) and the "Hevisi Mandapaya" (Drummers' Hall). The Drummers' Hall has drawn the attention of visitors to the site, due to its splendid wood carvings which are also considered to be some of the best examples of Sinhalese art and architecture whilst confirming that local craftsmen did not only limit themselves to stone carving.
After this tour you will head back to your hotel and relax for the rest of the day.
Day 9
On your way to Nuwara Eliya post breakfast, we will stop at the Galmaduwa Temple, an impressive building with a strange folklore and a very unique style of architecture. This temple was built with stone and has strong characteristics of Hindu architecture and is considered to be the most Hindu-looking Buddhist temple in existence. The edifice is 80 feet long and 80 feet high, with the ground floor made of stone and the upper floors made of mud bricks and granite that gets smaller the higher floors you go. Even though rituals such as offering flowers and lighting oil lamps have been performed at the temple, Galmaduwa has never been considered as an ‘ordinary’ place of worship. After touring Galmaduwa, we will resume our journey to Nuwara Eliya and check-in to your hotel, where will have the opportunity to explore the hotel and relax in the evening.
Day 10 to Day 14
Day 10
Set in the heart of the Tea Country, Nuwara Eliya is often referred to as “Little England” as it has a climate and atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka and even retains some feel of the ‘Old English World’. The town is filled with many buildings built during the colonial times and is also famous for horse racing and boasts an impressive golf course.
Your day will be spent visiting some of the famous landmarks in the town beginning with the Hill Club, a private gentleman’s club still living true to the old English traditions.
Next you will visit the Nuwara Eliya Post Office, a Tudor style building first built by the British in 1894. The building currently serves as the post office as well as a tourist destination by the 2012 conversion of the poster master’s living quarters to accommodate tourists.
Your third venue on today’s itinerary is the Queens Cottage, the vacationing and country residence of the President of Sri Lanka. The premises was originally built as an English country house during the late 19th century by the British Colonial administration for the Governor of Ceylon as a vacation residence. While you are visiting the premises, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the history of the building including its past governor’s during the colonial period.
Your final sightseeing will me the St. Xavier’s Church, yet another grand structure built during the British rule in colonial Ceylon – afterwards which you will head back to the hotel for dinner concluding your tour of ‘Little England’.
Day 11
The final few days of your architectural tour will be a stark contrast to the cold climate you experienced the last few days in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. But before heading for changing landscapes, you will have a brief stop at Ella, a small town in covered with lush forests, rich tea plantations and rich bio-diversity which is now famous for many tourists both local and foreign. Later on today, you will be experiencing the sheer beauty of local wildlife at Yala National Park, the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Amongst the wildlife in the park, you will have the opportunity to see the famous Sri Lankan leopards, spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, wild buffaloes, sloth bears, jackals and mongoose along with many variety of birds, out of which 6 are endemic to Sri Lanka. After your jeep safari in Yala, you will head back to your hotel; Jetwing Yala where you will be spending the night at.
Day 12
Today you will be visiting the Mulkirigala Rock Temple en route to Galle. The Mulkirigala Rock Cave Monastery dates back to the 2nd century AD and is reminiscent of the famous Dambulla Rock Cave Temple which you witnessed at the early parts of this tour. After visiting the monastery, you will continue to Galle and end the day with a relaxing evening in Galle.
Day 13
After breakfast at the hotel, you will spend your last full day in Sri Lanka by exploring Galle and walking down the cobblestone streets of the historic Galle Dutch Fort. Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative center of the southern coast, and was Sri Lanka's first international commerce and trade center. The ancient port city is famous for Unawatuna Bay, a lovely cove protected by a reef. Even as the city of Galle modernizes, its remarkable collection of ancient structures transports visitors to another time. The Area is superb for you to witness and learn about the Dutch and Portuguese influence architecture during ancient times.
Thereon, you will visit the Galle Dutch Fort, which was first built by the Portuguese and later extensively fortified by the Dutch. It is now a heritage architectural monument that was declared as a UNESCO Heritage World Site for its unique exposition of an urban ensemble which illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
You will then end your last night in Sri Lanka at the beach relaxing in the sun and sand, enjoying the sea and later on with dinner and an overnight stay in Galle.
Day 14
After breakfast you will check-out of the hotel and be transferred to the airport to catch your flight back home after a n enjoyable architecture based vacation.
