Overview in Negombo

Negombo, Sri Lanka · History, Day Trips, Food, Beaches, Outdoors · USD 150

Private Anuradhapura day trip from Kandy from US$150 per car, with hotel pickup. Visit Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya and Abhayagiri. Our private Anuradhapura day trip from Kandy takes you to Sri Lanka’s first royal capital and one of its holiest places, and back in a single day. We pick you up from your hotel in Kandy and drive you north to the sacred city of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to see the sacred Bodhi tree, giant white stupas and the ruins of great monasteries, before bringing you back to Kandy in the evening. This Kandy to Anuradhapura private day trip is just for your group, with your own air-conditioned car or van and an experienced English-speaking driver. Choose a 6:30 am or 7:30 am start. We recommend the earlier pickup, as it is a long drive and the stone paths around the stupas get very hot in the afternoon. Kandy to Anuradhapura: how far is it? Anuradhapura is about 140 km north of Kandy, roughly 3.5 to 4 hours by road through Matale and Dambulla. An Anuradhapura day tour from Kandy usually takes about 13 hours door to door, including 4 to 5 hours in the Anuradhapura sacred city and a lunch stop. More day trips from Kandy Anuradhapura is one of many private day trips from Kandy 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. See all day trips from Kandy → Highlights - Explore Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s first capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Visit Sri Maha Bodhi, the sacred Bodhi tree planted over 2,000 years ago - See the great white stupa of Ruwanwelisaya and Thuparamaya, the island’s first stupa - Stand beneath Jetavanaramaya, one of the tallest buildings of the ancient world - Private air-conditioned car or van with an experienced English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup in Kandy at 6:30 or 7:30 am Itinerary Your driver meets you at your hotel, guesthouse or homestay anywhere in Kandy. The drive north to Anuradhapura takes about 3.5 to 4 hours through Matale and Dambulla, with a stop for breakfast or tea on the way. Begin at the heart of the sacred city: Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig tree grown from a branch of the tree in India under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Planted in the 3rd century BC, it is one of the oldest known trees planted by people, and pilgrims come here every day with flowers and prayers. Nearby stand the 1,600 stone pillars of the Lovamahapaya, the ancient Brazen Palace. Walk to Ruwanwelisaya, the great white stupa built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC, ringed by a wall of carved elephants. Then visit Thuparamaya, said to be the first stupa built in Sri Lanka after Buddhism arrived on the island. Stop for a traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch at a local restaurant in Anuradhapura (at your own cost). Your driver can suggest places for every budget. After lunch, buy your ticket for the ancient city and see Jetavanaramaya, a massive brick stupa that was one of the tallest buildings in the ancient world. Continue to the Abhayagiri monastery, once home to thousands of monks, with its huge stupa, the serene Samadhi Buddha statue and the Kuttam Pokuna twin ponds. 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 - Anuradhapura ancient city entrance ticket (paid on the day) - Lunch and personal expenses - Temple donations (optional) - Tips for your driver (optional) FAQs Anuradhapura is about 140 km from Kandy, which takes around 3.5 to 4 hours by car through Matale and Dambulla. Yes. A day trip from Kandy to Anuradhapura takes about 13 hours, with 4 to 5 hours in the sacred city and a lunch stop, and you are back at your hotel in the evening. It is a long day, so we recommend the 6:30 am pickup. You can choose a 6:30 am or 7:30 am pickup from your hotel in Kandy. No. The ticket for the Anuradhapura ancient city is paid on the day, and your driver will help you buy it. Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanwelisaya are active places of worship and do not need the ancient city ticket. Wear light, loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees; white clothing is ideal at the sacred sites. Shoes and hats are removed at Sri Maha Bodhi and the stupas, so bring socks, as the stone paths get very hot. Most visitors spend 4 to 5 hours in Anuradhapura. That is enough to see Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya, Thuparamaya, Jetavanaramaya and Abhayagiri at a relaxed pace. The sites are spread out, so your driver takes you between them by car, with short walks at each stop. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water for the walks between the stupas. 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.