Overview in Negombo

Negombo, Sri Lanka · Day Trips, Food, Classes, Guided Tours, History · USD 120

Kandy day tour from Colombo or Negombo: Pinnawala elephant bathing, a herbal garden, a tea factory, the Temple of the Tooth and Kandy viewpoint. From US$120. Our private Kandy day tour from Colombo packs the best of the hill capital and the road to it into one full day. Your driver picks you up from your hotel in Colombo, Negombo or near the airport at about 7:00 am, and you travel in your own air-conditioned car or van. The first stop is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the best-known elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, timed for the 10:00 am river bathing. Then visit a herbal garden, see tea made at a Pilimatalawa tea factory, explore the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and finish at the Kandy viewpoint above the lake before the drive back. The price covers your private transport: US$120 for 1 to 3 people in a car, or US$150 for 4 to 7 people in a van. The herbal garden and the tea factory entrance are included; tickets for Pinnawala and the Temple of the Tooth are extra. Kandy day trip from Colombo: the plan We leave early to reach Pinnawala as the herd walks down to the Maha Oya river. After the elephants, a short drive brings you to a herbal and spice garden, where you learn how Ayurvedic plants and spices are grown and used. Near Pilimatalawa you walk through a working tea factory and taste fresh Ceylon tea. In Kandy you visit the Temple of the Tooth, the most sacred Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, then stop at the viewpoint for the classic view over Kandy Lake and the city. Read more about Kandy. Want to stay the night? See our Kandy and Pinnawala 2 day itinerary, with one night in Kandy, the cultural dance show and Peradeniya gardens. Kandy tour from Negombo and the airport Staying in Negombo or near Bandaranaike International Airport? We pick up from any hotel in Negombo or the airport area at no extra cost, and the drive to Pinnawala is a little shorter. Is it a long day? Yes, about 14 hours door to door, as Kandy is around 3 to 3.5 hours from Colombo. If you prefer a slower pace, we can add a night in Kandy. More day trips from Colombo This is one of our private day trips from Colombo and Negombo. See all day trips from Colombo → Highlights - Kandy day tour from Colombo with hotel pickup at about 7:00 am - Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage at the 10:00 am river bathing - Herbal and spice garden walk - Pilimatalawa tea factory visit with a cup of tea - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Kandy viewpoint over the lake - Private car (1–3 people) US$120 or van (4–7 people) US$150 · herbal garden and tea factory included Itinerary Your driver collects you from your hotel in Colombo, Negombo or near the airport at about 7:00 am. We confirm the exact time after booking. Arrive in time for the 10:00 am river bathing, when the herd walks down to the Maha Oya river to bathe and play. You may also see the baby elephants being bottle-fed. A short guided walk through a herbal and spice garden to see cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and Ayurvedic plants, and learn how they are used. Lunch at a local restaurant on the way to Kandy (not included). Walk through a working tea factory near Pilimatalawa to see how fresh leaf becomes Ceylon tea, then enjoy a cup of tea. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most sacred Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka. Cover your shoulders and knees. Stop at the Kandy viewpoint above the lake for the classic view over Kandy Lake, the temple and the city. Drive back to Colombo or Negombo, arriving at your hotel at about 8:30 to 9:00 pm. What’s included Included - Private air-conditioned car or van for the whole day - English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup and drop-off in Colombo, Negombo or the airport area - Herbal garden visit - Tea factory entrance with a cup of tea - Fuel, parking fees and highway tolls Not included - Pinnawala and Temple of the Tooth entrance tickets - Meals and drinks - Tips for your driver (optional) FAQs Private return transport with an English-speaking driver, visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage at river bathing time, a herbal garden, a Pilimatalawa tea factory, the Temple of the Tooth and the Kandy viewpoint. US$120 for 1 to 3 people in a car or US$150 for 4 to 7 people in a van, including the herbal garden and tea factory entrance. Pinnawala and Temple of the Tooth tickets are extra. We pick you up at about 7:00 am so you reach Pinnawala in time for the 10:00 am river bathing. The herbal garden visit and the tea factory entrance are included. Entrance tickets for the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and the Temple of the Tooth are extra and paid at the gate. About 115 km, roughly 3 to 3.5 hours by road. Yes. We pick up from hotels in Colombo, Negombo and near Bandaranaike International Airport at no extra cost. Clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. You remove your shoes before entering the temple.