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From £931 pp*
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Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka – An Ancient Story

Highlights

  • Visit three ancient capitals of Sri Lanka including Lion Rock
  • Guided bike tour of Polonnaruwa
  • Stay in a tranquil eco-lodge on the jungle
From £931 pp*
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3 Nights

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2 -11
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What you'll do

Overview

The cultural triangle of Sri Lanka is marked by Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya and you will explore all three amazing locations with a slightly different perspective. Your guide will give you local and cultural insights and you will stay in a beautiful eco lodge nestled in the jungle, for an unforgettable experience!

The ancient historical sights you will visit mark the locations of the ancient Sri Lankan capitals as invaders from India pushed the Sri Lankan Kings southwards, each has amazing architectural remains, learn about their history from our local guides .Our base for our explorations will be Habarana which is located at the centre of the triangle.

Tour Summary:
Day 1 Anuradhapura
Day 2 Polonnaruwa
Day 3 Sigiriya and Dumbulla

*From price based on travel for 2 people between 1st Sept 2025 until 31st October 2025. For larger groups or solo travellers please enquire directly to hello@nitgb.com

*Please note*
All accommodation will be reserved at time of booking. Depending on availability there may be changes to similar accommodation.
This is a private itinerary but on some experiences throughout the tour you may join a small group.

Exploring Anuradhapura

Today you’ll meet your guide at Habarana or at Anuradhapura, which will be our first stop on our tour of the cultural triangle. This UNESCO world heritage site was the  capital of Sri Lanka from the 5th century BC to the 10th century AD. The ruins of Anuradhapura are one of South Asia’s most evocative sights. The sprawling city contains an abundant collection of ancient buildings and architectural wonders: enormous dagobas (stupas), Buddhist bathing  pools and the ruins of temples dating back to Anuradhapura’s thousand year of rule over Sri Lanka. Several sites are still in use as holy places and temples where regular ceremonies and processions create  a vibrant atmosphere.

Explore the ancient brick dagobas, and walk in the footsteps of ancient people centuries ago.

The jewel in the crown of the city is the sacred Bo Tree, the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world, planted 2250 years ago – it is said that it grew from a branch of the tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment.

At the end of your day of exploring, you’ll head to your accommodation.

Accommodation: The Other Corner

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

 

Exploring Polonnaruwa

Today you’ll visit another World Heritage Site, the capital of Sri Lanka from 11th–13th Centuries, Polonnaruwa.

The city contains splendid and spectacular statues and the medieval capital was fortified with inner & outer moats and walls.

Explore royal palaces, audience halls and other spectacular examples of ancient Sri Lankan architecture on a guided bike tour, the best way to see as much of possible of the city.

In the afternoon, head out on a guided walk of the ruins with a local primatologist. You’ll learn about the different monkey species that make their homes in the ruins, an atmospheric tour you’ll never forget!

Accommodation: The Other Corner

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Exploring Sigiriya and Dambulla

Today you’ll head south to Sigiriya and Dambulla. Though you may have see many pictures of ‘Lion Rock’, nothing can quite prepare you for the real thing.

Sigiriya, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that is the 5th century “Fortress in the Sky” is perhaps the most jaw-dropping single wonder on the island. It’s known as Lion Rock because it was said there was a huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the Palace, on the summit of the 600-foot high rock.

The walk to the summit leads you on paths and staircases through some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world, past pools, statues, carvings and caves with ornate frescoes. There are plenty of stopping places on the ascent and you should stop to admire the stunning panoramic views.

Once you reach the summit you can still find the foundations of the Royal Palace, which you will explore with your guide and learn the many fascinating stories about what took place in this incredible location.

Lunch is at your leisure at the hotel before we head to Dambulla Cave Complex, the largest and best-preserved cave temples in Sri Lanka. There are more than 80 documented caves in the surrounding area. We spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the cave complex, and its many statues and paintings before heading back to the hotel for dinner.

Accommodation: The Other Corner

Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Departure Day

You’ll check out of the hotel, and this is the end of your tour.

Please let us know if you need onward transport to your next destination, we can arrange transfers at an extra cost.

We hope you’ve created some incredible memories during your time in Sri Lanka, and whether this makes up just part of your adventure on the island or you’ve packed it in before flying home, we’re sure the incredible scenery, hospitality and culture you’ve enjoyed will stay with you forever.

Meals: Breakfast

What's included

Included

  • 3 nights accommodation at a fantastic eco-lodge - HB*
  • All transport for the three days in an air-conditioned vehicle
  • Guided tour of Anuradhapura
  • Guided bike tour of Polonnaruwa
  • Guided tour of Sigiriya and Dambulla
  • Guided walk of the ruins at Polonnaruwa with a Primatologist
  • *HB - Breakfast and dinner included

Accommodation

The Other Corner (or similar)

Set amidst a natural greenery, The Other Corner Habarana offers a peaceful retreat, a 5-minute walk from Habarana Temple. It features an outdoor swimming pool, Spa, bar and restaurant serving a variety of Sri Lankan specialities.

Habarana Corner is a 10-minute drive from Habarana Town and Habarana Railway Station. Minneriya National Park is a 20-minute drive away.

The property offers the following for an additional charge: bicycle rental, cooking class, horse riding and fishing which can be booked and paid locally.

Your local host

Prateeque

Hi! My name is Prateeque, your host. I grew up in India, in Bangalore and after completing an engineering degree I decided to not actually follow this path and chose to follow my passion of travel. I quickly got a job as a tour guide in the wonderful southern region of Kerala, India, for a few months and ended up staying for 2 years.

An opportunity opened up to go to Sri Lanka to become manager for the country, so when I was offered it, I jumped at the chance. During my time working in travel, I’ve travelled the majority of both India and Sri Lanka and discovered almost every place you could possibly explore in these crazy, yet amazing countries.

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and exploring, I grew up in an ur... Read All

Hi! My name is Prateeque, your host. I grew up in India, in Bangalore and after completing an engineering degree I decided to not actually follow this path and chose to follow my passion of travel. I quickly got a job as a tour guide in the wonderful southern region of Kerala, India, for a few months and ended up staying for 2 years.

An opportunity opened up to go to Sri Lanka to become manager for the country, so when I was offered it, I jumped at the chance. During my time working in travel, I’ve travelled the majority of both India and Sri Lanka and discovered almost every place you could possibly explore in these crazy, yet amazing countries.

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and exploring, I grew up in an urban setting, so any chance I could get I was out exploring. The feeling of release you get from the outdoors, is completely different to anything you can feel.

The thing that inspired me to work in travel is the feeling of pure amazement when discovering something new or seeing something spectacular for the first time, you’re just totally immersed in this place and you just forget about everything else for a while.

Seeing this look on people’s faces during their tour in Sri Lanka is something I absolutely love and it’s what drives me to find amazing experiences for travellers to enjoy.

Sri Lanka has become very busy with tourism in some areas as many companies here offer the same tours to the same places. We however, like to go off the beaten track. It’s unbelievable how much there is to see in this wonderful country away from the main sights. For example, the busy national parks such as Yala or Udawalawe National Park can be very crowded, but if you go just 2 hours away to Gal Oya national park, it’s much less busy and you have a much more intimate experience, getting closer to the wildlife.

Prateeque image

Location

You will meet your guide in Anuradhapura where If you require transport to get to the starting location , this can be arranged at an extra cost – please let us know.

Your accommodation will be at the Other Corner eco resort in Habarana.

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