Three Ancient Kingdoms Tour | from Negombo

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Dambadeniya

  You will be starting your tour at 6:00 am when you get picked up from your hotel in Colombo. You will be taking 2 hours to travel to your first destination, Dambadeniya. It is recommended that you bring a packed breakfast with you to eat on the way. The kingdom of Dambadeniya was at its peak during the mid-thirteenth century, especially during the reign of King Parakramabahu II. He was a peaceful king who brought Sinhalese literature to new heights with his epic poetic masterpieces ‘Kavisilumina’ and ‘Visuddi Marga Sannasa’. You will get to see the recently excavated remains of the old Temple of the Tooth, where the Tooth Relic was housed previously, and the ruins of the royal palace complex with its gardens, walls, and moats.

  1 hour • Admission ticket free
• 2
  Yapahuwa Rock Fortress

  You will leave for Yapahuwa at 9:00 am. You will get there by 10:30 am. Yapahuwa was the capital of Sri Lanka right after Dambadeniya when the Dravidians invaded. The fortress was built on a giant rock in the style of the Sigiriya rock fortress. However, the architecture of this fortress is completely different from Sigiriya with wide staircases, beautiful stone sculptures and highly detailed carvings on pillars. The fortress was later used as a monastery by Buddhist monks. On your visit, you will be able to climb to the fortress and view the ruins of the stupa on the summit of the rock. The stupa has some notable statues and imagery from the Kandyan era that you can peruse. You will be spending a couple of hours at Yapahuwa. After this, you can spend some time having lunch at one of the good restaurants in the area.

  2 hours • Admission ticket included
• 3
  Kurunegala

  The drive to your final destination, Panduwasnuwara, will take up to an hour and a half. The ancient city was one of the first kingdoms of Sri Lanka, having been the capital during the 5th century BC. The site was used much later in the 12th century as well, resulting in a mix of ruins from various periods. The ruins are spread over an area of almost 12 hectares. Some of the most notable sights are the recently restored monument that was the two-storied former Temple of the Tooth, ruins of the royal palace and the artificial reservoir Panda Wewa that is considered one of the earliest irrigation systems ever made by man. You will also be visiting the museum of Panduwasnuwara, which has many archeological finds from excavations in the area. You will be spending an hour and a half in Panduwasnuwara. You will be leaving at 5:00 pm and returning to your hotel.

  1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

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