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Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa & Dambulla 'Trilogy' Day Tour from Colombo
4.3
16 Ratings
Sigiriya
Experience the highlights of Sri Lanka in one day with this private tour. Visit Sigiriya Rock, Polonnaruwa Ruins, and Dambulla Cave Temples. Includes lunch and hotel pickup.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress - Sigiriya Rock is an extinct volcanic magma outcrop located 200 m above the ground, and the chronology of Sigiriya dates back to the prehistoric era. However, historic genealogy describes an epic legend about a rebel Prince who fled his great dynasty and built this Splendid Kingdom beyond human imagination. The meticulously designed Sigiriya Fortress and elongated grasslands have protected by massive ramparts and deep moats, and its castles with 360 degrees views of the surround, cave frescos, mirrored walls, lively fountains, and Lion Mouth ravishingly formed.
- Polonnaruwa - Polonnaruwa became the 2nd kingdom of Sri Lanka in the 11th century and had comprehensively famed for its unique irrigation system, architecture, art, culture, and prosperous social style. The kingdom has created by different dynasties with variant cultural, religious, and architectural clouts in Sri Lanka and Southern parts of India, and located at a borderland of a huge Man-made lake. The citadel complex consists of Palaces, Royal Courts, Auditoriums, Ponds, and Religious Monuments.
UNESCO accredited Polonnaruwa with World Heritage as an essence of a great civilization.
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Dambulla Cave Temple - Dambulla Caves was once, upon a time, an abode for pre-historic indigenous tribes, which later became a monastic temple for Buddhist monks. In the 1st century, the King recognized the cave complex and region as a sanctuary devoted to a religious realm.
The cave monastery is elevated 160M over the surrounding ground and wilderness. The naturally preserved 05 caves have murals painted with stories of Buddhism. Rock-cut cave interiors are spacious for all religious practices and rituals. The sculptures and the paintings are authentic and remain unchanged. The enchanting backdrop of the cave complex is splendid and reserved as an archeological geographical resource.
Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage monument in Sri Lanka and a must-visit phenomenon.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch included
- Goods and Services Tax (GST) covered
- Complimentary bottled water
- Parking fees included
What's Not Included
- Snacks
- Dinner
- All Entrance Fees
Additional Information
Forget about transportation concerns and enjoy three of Sri Lanka’s top attractions in a single effortless day tour from Colombo or Negombo. Your focus will be solely on the attractions as you are chauffeured in a private vehicle to Sigiriya Rock to marvel at its ancient Fortress and Murals, then onto the 11th-century Polonnaruwa Ruins and Dambulla’s art-laden Cave Temples. The package includes lunch, selective hotel pickup and drop-off services. However, admissions fees are your own responsibility. This day tour offers a trouble-free unforgettable experience in total sophistication delivered by a friendly team.
Location
Sigiriya The Ancient Rock Fortress
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.3
(16 Ratings)
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Erikay568
Apr 3, 2024
HOT, but a wonderful day! - My friend and I had an amazing day with this tour company! The drivers are ALWAYS on time and communicate well with you in advance. I was also amazed with their flexibility and willingness to accommodate our needs. My friend and I needed to start the tour a little later than the company's plan, and they made subtle changes to itinerary so we could still see everything (But departing earlier is definitely better).
This company provides only transportation, and are not allowed to guide us at the sites (you have to pay extra to get a guide at the site), but reading up on the places beforehand was good enough for us, and the driver will still walk with you to make sure you don't miss anything.
The little considerations here and there were so thoughtful. We are definitely using this company when we return, and are recommending it to our friends!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
James_h
Feb 29, 2024
I had a great time with... - I had a great time with Namal and Janith on this tour! I chose this tour, because I had limited time in Sri Lanka, and wanted to see as much of this area of Sri Lanka as possible. The tour ended up being a very long day, but well worth it. Both of them were very nice - you could tell that they actually cared about my experience. I would recommend this tour to anyone looking to see these highlights in a single day!
Review provided by Viator
Suzannedi6874ca
Mar 4, 2022
Highly recommended tour service - We wanted to split up the usual day trip into 2 days and ad some other activities. Namal gave me a clear trip and cost break down in advance and arranged everything. He was great company and ensured we had everything we needed. All the site are amazing and worth the visit. I highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Reese67404
Dec 23, 2021
Great Trip - The sites are amazing and well worth the trip. Even it's a long day our driver Rukshan made it so comfortable. I think this tour worth it. I'd recommend this tour to anybody.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Samcurrie
Nov 10, 2021
Rukshan was a star - The day started early and Rukshan collected us at 5am. Due to a downpour it took us a little longer to get to where we were going owing to road closures but we were kept informed throughout and knew exactly where we were. Stopped off for a decent breakfast and then on to the tour actual. It would be easy to harp on about how amazing the sights were and you could read that anywhere. The difference came from Rukshan who was incredibly accommodating throughout, explained everything, stopped whenever we asked, pulled over to see animals etc. We were behind schedule but felt at all times that the only thing important to Rukshan was our experience. When we were driving back around 11pm he was determined to find us somewhere to eat. Even with him working the next day he looked after us. I'd recommend it based on this alone. Superb. Thanks, gents
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ifh76
Jan 19, 2020
Great tour for a week - We have visited Sri Lanka with two families. It was a full week tour we made more than 1200 km Visited more than five different places across Sri Lanka. Tour was brilliantly organized by Belkin Tales and we had 2 great tour guides, Brian and Samir guided us along the entire trip. Definitely a great vacation and a highly recommend the tour by Namal & Belkin Tales. Thanks to all... 😀
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wendy_n
Feb 27, 2020
It costs more than you think! - The driver was great but the tour as advertised is misleading. In addition to $160 USD for the tour it costs an additional $60+ for entrance fees. Then if you want a guide to explain the sites you have to pay an extra $20 per attaction. So in truth this tour costs $270. Each attraction requires a tremendous amount of climbing (1200 steps up one-way ar Sigiryi) and walking in hot and humid weather so dress accordingly and be prepared!
Review provided by Viator
Jignavpatel2016
Feb 14, 2020
Wonderful tour but long day - Very long day but if you’re limited on time then this is a good way to pack in a lot of sites and info. But you will be very exhausted! Wear very comfy, ankle-support shoes.
We did sigiriya which was not too busy in the morning. This was good if you’re slower climbers like we were. It was nice to stop along the way to take photos. The scenes are amazing.
Polonuwara is really beautiful. Ancient ruins and untouched, preserved temples and monuments. Not sure if this tour included a tour guide but if so, he wasn’t very informative. Really nice but just said basic stuff and didn’t really explain much about the sites. We used the information brochure given to us for most of it. It is huge with many sites and you could easily spend a whole day just here.
Dambulla cave temple was definitely my favorite. A must see. Would recommend saving this for last as e sunset views were just gorgeous. It’s a little bit of a climb but not too bad. The driving pretty erratic but I guess that is the way of life on single lane roads in Sri Lanka. The tour includes water but all else is excluded so ask in advance about amount of cash needed for entrance fees. The breakfast spot was not good. Would highly recommend changing to a different place with more varied options and authentic Sri Lankan bfast items and staff without an attitude. Lunch was good, varied options as it was a buffet and cheap (700 Sri Lankan rupees for 2 of us). We started at 5:30am and arrived back to our Colombo hotel at 10pm. Just to give you an idea of the day.
Overall, we would do this tour again due to our time restraint. If we had more days in Sri Lanka, we would have done 2 day excursions and broken this all up.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
733wendyn
Feb 29, 2020
Things are not as they seem - The actual sites are amazing and well worth the trip. VERY long day so be prepared, left at 5:30am and returned at 9pm. I rated it lower because of the company. The driver was wonderful. However, the trip costs $160 but does not include entrance fees (an additional $65) or a tour guide (an extra $60). You should also dress appropriately because it is hot and humid. Sigiryia is 1200+ steps one way so shoes, hat and water are a must! Temple cave is another 300 steps one way up. Great trip but not impressed with company at all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daniel_j
Dec 22, 2021
Proceed with caution - Proceed with caution. The sites are beautiful but the service can definitely use some help. The driver exceeded the speed limit and showed no consideration for safety as he frequently cross lanes into oncoming traffic to speed ahead. The driver consistently divulged personal information of my nationality to inform his friends as if I were there to be taken advantage of. Just an overall uncomfortable experience. Would not recommend this service to anyone
Review provided by Viator
