Overview in Negombo

Negombo, Sri Lanka · History, Day Trips, Food, Animals, Literature · USD 100

Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa tour: a private Polonnaruwa day trip from Sigiriya with an optional Minneriya safari. Car US$100 (1–3) or van US$120 (4–7). Our private Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa tour takes you to the second royal capital of ancient Sri Lanka, about an hour from Sigiriya. Your English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana at 8:00 am, and you spend the morning exploring palaces, temples and giant stone Buddhas at your own pace. The price covers your private transport for the day: US$100 for 1 to 3 people in an air-conditioned car, or US$120 for 4 to 7 people in a van. Entrance tickets are extra. Want to see wild elephants too? Add an optional afternoon jeep safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla for US$60 per jeep in the booking box. Polonnaruwa day trip from Sigiriya: what you will see Polonnaruwa was the capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th century, and its ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Royal Palace of King Parakramabahu, the round Vatadage and the Quadrangle, the towering Lankatilaka image house, the great Rankoth Vehera stupa and the four magnificent Buddha statues of Gal Vihara, carved from a single wall of granite. Read more about the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa and Minneriya safari After lunch, the Minneriya and Kaudulla national parks are only 30 to 45 minutes away. On the optional safari you take a private jeep into whichever park has the elephant herds that day, usually until about 6:00 pm, before returning to your hotel. Without the safari, you are back at your hotel by mid-afternoon. See our Minneriya safari for more about the park. More day tours from Sigiriya and Dambulla This is one of our private day tours from Dambulla and Sigiriya. Staying in Kandy instead? Try our Polonnaruwa day trip from Kandy. Coming from Colombo or Negombo? Book our Colombo to Polonnaruwa day trip, with Sigiriya Rock on the same day. See all day tours from Dambulla and Sigiriya → Highlights - Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa tour with hotel pickup at 8:00 am - Explore Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Sri Lanka’s medieval royal capital - See the Gal Vihara rock-cut Buddhas, the Vatadage and the Royal Palace - Optional afternoon elephant safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla - Private air-conditioned car (1–3 people) or van (4–7 people) with an English-speaking driver - From US$100 per car · safari jeep US$60 · entrance tickets extra Itinerary Your driver collects you from your hotel in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana at about 8:00 am. We confirm the exact time after booking. Drive east through farmland and past the Minneriya tank to Polonnaruwa, arriving at about 9:15 am. Your driver drops you at the ticket office and moves the car between the main ruins for you. Explore the Royal Palace of Parakramabahu, the Vatadage and the Quadrangle, Lankatilaka, Rankoth Vehera and the Gal Vihara rock-cut Buddhas. Cover your shoulders and knees, and bring a hat for the open grounds. Lunch at a local restaurant near Polonnaruwa (not included). Your driver will take you to a good place nearby. Add a private jeep safari in Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park to see wild elephant herds by the water. The jeep is US$60 for up to 6 people and park tickets are extra. Without the safari, you head back to your hotel after lunch. Return to your hotel in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana at about 3:00 pm, or around 6:45 pm if you add the safari. What’s included Included - Private air-conditioned car or van for the day - English-speaking driver - Hotel pickup and drop-off in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana - Fuel and parking fees Not included - Polonnaruwa entrance tickets - Optional safari jeep (US$60, can be added when you book) and park tickets - Meals and drinks - Tips for your driver (optional) FAQs Polonnaruwa is about 60 km from Sigiriya, roughly 1 hour by road. It is a little further from Dambulla, about 1.25 hours. Private transport for the day costs US$100 for 1 to 3 people in a car or US$120 for 4 to 7 people in a van. Entrance tickets are extra, and the optional safari jeep is US$60. Allow 3 to 4 hours to see the main ruins at a relaxed pace. Your driver moves the car between the sites, so there is little walking in the heat. Yes. You can add a private jeep safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla in the afternoon for US$60 per jeep for up to 6 people. Park tickets are paid at the gate. We pick up from hotels in Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana at about 8:00 am. Pickup from further away can be arranged on request. No. Polonnaruwa and national park entrance tickets are paid separately on the day. We will tell you the current prices when you book. Light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for the temples, comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen. You will remove your shoes at some shrines.