Overview in Negombo

Negombo, Sri Lanka · History, Animals, Day Trips, Food, Literature · USD 130

Private Polonnaruwa day trip from Kandy from US$130 per car, with hotel pickup. Explore the ancient city: Royal Palace, Sacred Quadrangle and Gal Vihara. Our private Polonnaruwa day trip from Kandy takes you to Sri Lanka’s medieval royal capital and back in a single day. We pick you up from your hotel in Kandy and drive you north to the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Polonnaruwa, where you explore royal palaces, sacred temples and the famous rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara, before bringing you back to Kandy in the evening. This Polonnaruwa day tour from Kandy is completely private: just your group, your own air-conditioned car or van and an experienced English-speaking driver. Choose a 6:30 am or 7:00 am start. An early start means you explore the open ruins before the strongest midday sun. Kandy to Polonnaruwa: how far is it? Polonnaruwa is about 140 km north-east of Kandy, roughly 3 to 3.5 hours by road through Matale, Dambulla and Habarana. A day trip to Polonnaruwa from Kandy usually takes about 12 hours door to door, including 4 to 5 hours in the Polonnaruwa ancient city and a lunch stop. More day trips from Kandy Polonnaruwa is one of many Kandy day tours that we run with hotel pickup. If you have another free day, here are more private trips you can join from your hotel in Kandy. Staying in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana? Book our Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa tour, only an hour each way, with an optional Minneriya safari. See all day trips from Kandy → Highlights - Explore Polonnaruwa, the medieval royal capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - See the ruins of the Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu I - Visit the Sacred Quadrangle with the circular Vatadage and the Gal Pota stone book - Stand before the giant rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara - Private air-conditioned car or van with an experienced English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup in Kandy at 6:30 or 7:00 am Itinerary Your driver meets you at your hotel, guesthouse or homestay anywhere in Kandy. The drive north to Polonnaruwa takes about 3 to 3.5 hours through Matale, Dambulla and Habarana, with a stop for breakfast or tea on the way. Start at the Polonnaruwa Archaeological Museum, where you buy your entrance ticket for the ancient city. Its scale models and finds give you a clear picture of how the medieval capital looked at its height in the 12th century. Walk through the ruins of the Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu I, his Council Chamber and the stepped Kumara Pokuna royal bath. Then visit the Sacred Quadrangle, the most important group of buildings in Polonnaruwa, with the circular Vatadage, the Hatadage, the giant stone book of Gal Pota and the stepped Satmahal Prasada. Stop for a traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch at a local restaurant near the ancient city (at your own cost). Your driver can suggest places for every budget. Continue north through the ancient city to the huge brick stupa of Rankoth Vehera and the tall Lankatilaka image house. End at Gal Vihara, the highlight of Polonnaruwa: four Buddha statues carved from a single granite rock face, including a 14-metre reclining Buddha. Before leaving, stop at Parakrama Samudra, the vast reservoir built by King Parakramabahu I, sometimes called the “Sea of Parakrama”. It still waters the rice fields around Polonnaruwa today, and it is a peaceful place to watch birds and local life on the water. Relax on the drive back south, and be dropped off at your hotel in Kandy in the evening. What’s included Included - Private air-conditioned car or van for the whole day - Experienced English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kandy - Fuel, parking fees and highway tolls - Bottled water Not included - Polonnaruwa ancient city entrance ticket (paid on the day) - Lunch and personal expenses - Tips for your driver (optional) FAQs Polonnaruwa is about 140 km from Kandy, which takes around 3 to 3.5 hours by car through Matale, Dambulla and Habarana. Yes. A day trip from Kandy to Polonnaruwa takes about 12 hours, with 4 to 5 hours exploring the ancient city and a lunch stop, and you are back at your hotel in the evening. You can choose a 6:30 am or 7:00 am pickup from your hotel in Kandy. We recommend 6:30 am, so you have more time in the ruins before the midday heat. No. The ticket for the Polonnaruwa ancient city is paid on the day at the Archaeological Museum, and your driver will help you buy it. Most visitors spend 4 to 5 hours in the ancient city. That is enough to see the Royal Palace, the Sacred Quadrangle, Lankatilaka, Rankoth Vehera, Gal Vihara and Parakrama Samudra at a relaxed pace. The ruins are spread out, so your driver takes you between the main sites by car, with short walks at each one. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water, as there is little shade. Wear light, comfortable clothes and easy-to-remove shoes. At the temples and the Sacred Quadrangle, shoulders and knees must be covered and shoes and hats are removed. The tour is private for 1 to 7 people, with one price for 1 to 3 people in a car and another for 4 to 7 people in a larger van.