Cultural Triangle
Anuradhapura
The island's first capital, occupied for well over a thousand years, spread across forty square kilometres of dagobas, tanks and monastery ruins.
- From Colombo
- 4 hours
- Good for
- Ancient history · Pilgrimage · Cycling
Bigger and older than Polonnaruwa, and far more spread out — you need a vehicle or a bicycle, not shoes.
The Sri Maha Bodhi is a cutting from the tree the Buddha sat under, planted in 288 BC and tended continuously since. Whatever you believe, that is a long time for anyone to look after a plant.
Routes that include Anuradhapura
12 daysSri Lanka End to End
The full circuit in twelve days — ancient cities, the mountain railway, a proper safari and the south coast — without the 5am departures that usually come with it.
from$1480pp
See the route