Kandy

 

From gentle giants at Pinnawala to sacred temples, royal gardens, fragrant spices, and misty tea hills — Kandy brings Sri Lanka’s culture, nature, and traditions together in one unforgettable journey.

Kandy is Sri Lanka’s cultural heart, a historic city nestled in central hills, famous for the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), a major Buddhist pilgrimage site, and its serene Kandy Lake surrounded by lush plantations and rainforests. As the last capital of the Sinhalese kingdom, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site rich in history, unique arts, and vibrant festivals like the Esala Perahera, offering a blend of colonial charm, chaotic energy, and breathtaking scenery.

 

 

Pinnawala elephant orphanage

Not everyone will get the rarest opportunity of witnessing an active elephant breeding point. Luckily, you will get that chance at the Kandy day tour. The main goal of this place is to act as an orphanage, nursery and a restricted breeding point for the stranded elephants of the Pinnawala village. Situated halfway ahead Colombo and Kandy, Pinnawala elephant orphanage has the highest captive elephant density in the world. Elephants from three generations, a total of 96 can be seen at Pinnawala. Travellers can see the daily routines of them like elephant feeding, bottle-feeding young elephants and bathing in the waters of Ma Oya River.

 

 

Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya are about 5.5 km to the west of the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. In 2016, the garden was visited by 1.2 million locals and 400,000 foreign visitors.It is near the Mahaweli River (The longest river in Sri Lanka). It is renowned for its collection of orchids. The garden includes more than 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. Attached to it is the „National Herbarium of Sri Lanka“.

 

Temple of the tooth relic – Sri Dalada Maligawa

It is time to relax your body and soul after a long drive to Kandy. So, why not start your journey from the temple of sacred tooth relic? A place where you will find inner peace and composure. This world heritage site is placed in the royal palace complex in the city of Kandy. Sheltering the relic of the tooth of the Buddha, it is the most important and most visited Buddhist temple in Kandy. Visitors are welcome to take part in daily rituals held in the morning, afternoon and evening.

 

Spice garden

Wherever you are in Kandy, there you find spices. You may even come across the strong smell of spices while passing by markets and restaurants in Kandy – The heaven on earth for spices. Visit the spice garden in Kandy to see where they are grown and learn their qualities. You may find it useful to learn about the spices, as the English peaking guide will demonstrate every single detail of spices and herbs. Don’t forget to buy some freshly packed spice packs from their shop, which make special gifts.