Heritance Kandalama

The cuisine of Sri Lanka has been shaped over centuries, influenced by Arab traders and European settlers, and trying the spice-enriched specialities – whether from a high-end restaurant or a street hawker – is a staple experience during a visit to the island. To really enhance your time here, we recommend learning how to create a handful of dishes in a local village. You’ll buy your produce from a village vendor in the company of your host; they’ll show you the essential ingredients used in traditional cooking and select the freshest vegetables that will be used to create their culinary masterpieces. In a wattle-and-daub hut that’s surrounded by paddy fields, your host will whip up a range of flavourful and authentic curries that you’ll get to enjoy at the end of the morning. • Duration 1½ hours • Time: 10am to 11.30am • Daily departures from Habarana, Sigiriya, Kandalama, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla • Operates year-round • Private experience

Adorned with statues of Gautama Buddha and ornate ceiling paintings, the iconic temple is brimming with artefacts depicting the island’s glorious past and is not to be missed. • Daily departures • Operates year round • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama, Kandy and Passikudah hotels • Available as a day trip for guests staying at hotels in Negombo Good to know — Legs and shoulders must be covered, and shoes will need to be removed when exploring the temples.

Discover the Sri Maha Bodhi Tree which is said to have grown from a cutting from the tree in India under which Buddha attained enlightenment, marvel at the preservation of the Twin Ponds and soak up the impressive history at the onsite museum housed within one of the ancient monasteries which is filled with ornate trinkets dating back to the pre-Christian era. • Duration: half day • Daily departures • Operates year round • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Sigiriya hotels Good to know — Legs and shoulders must be covered, and shoes will need to be removed when exploring the temples.

Climbing Sigiriya Rock is a Sri Lanka rite of passage, however, as with scaling any iconic viewpoint – once you’ve reached the top, it’s not part of the landscape that you’re viewing. The almost-200-metre-high Pidurangala Rock lies just to the north of its more famous neighbour and has some pretty epic views from its summit (which, like Lion Rock, is reached by man-made paths and staircases). The best times to climb are sunrise and sunset when the shifting light casts dramatic shadows across the landscape, and – if you are lucky – creates dramatic skies of many colours. Duration: half day • Daily departures from Habarana, Sigiriya, Kandalama, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla • Operates year-round • Private experience

• Duration: 1½ hours • Time: 5.30am to 7am • Daily departures • Operates between November and April • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Kandalama, Dambulla, Habarana and Sigiriya hotels Good to know — Not suitable for those under 16 years of age, pregnant passengers or those with heart conditions.

Discover the vast history of the plateau at the onsite museum before making the climb up the vertiginous staircases to the summit passing impressive frescoes and the famed Mirror Wall and colossal Lions Platform as you go. From the top, explore the ruins of the ancient civilisation through the remnants of the palace and vast gardens and soak up the panoramic vistas of the jungle covered central plains. • Duration: Half day • Daily departures • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Sigiriya, Kandalama, Kandy and Trincomalee hotels. Available as a day trip for guests staying at hotels in Negombo Good to know — For the most pleasurable experience we recommend organising this excursion first thing in the morning or after 4pm to avoid the heat of the day. While suitable for all, the climb to the summit requires a good degree of physical fitness.

During this five-hour tour you’ll have the opportunity to explore many of the city’s highlights including the beautiful white Kiri Vihara Dagoba which archaeologists found when clearing the area from jungle in perfect condition after 700 years. From evocative temples and shrines to the serene Sea Of Parakrama, this is one of the best -preserved sites in Sri Lanka and sure to create lasting memories for years to come. • Daily departures • Operates year round • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama, Passikudah and Trincomalee hotels Good to know — Legs and shoulders must be covered, and shoes will need to be removed when exploring the temples.

With an intimate knowledge of the area, your guide and driver will navigate the day based on their experience giving you the best chance to catch a glimpse of the abundant wildlife in their natural habitat. • Duration: full day • Time: 6am to 6pm • Daily departures • Operates between February and October • Private experience • Available for guests on a car and driver itinerary staying in Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Sigiriya

Dating back to 1821, finish your trip with a meander through the delightful Royal Botanical Garden where you’ll find over 100 endemic plants before exploring the rest of the city at leisure or returning to your hotel to unwind.

With an intimate knowledge of the area, your guide and driver will navigate the day based on their experience giving you the best chance to catch a glimpse of the abundant wildlife in their natural habitat. • Duration: half day • Time: 6am to 9am or 3pm to 6pm • Daily departures • between February and October • Private experience • Available for guests on a car and driver itinerary staying in Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Sigiriya Good to know — Suitable for all, for those staying further afield and those who can’t commit to a day trip, we’d recommend an afternoon visit.

As the Minneriya Tank dries up and gives way to a lush grass plain, 300 or more elephants gather in the late afternoon to feed offering visitors an unforgettable spectacle. Home to a host of other wildlife from two endemic monkey species to the Sri Lankan Sloth Bear, the endangered Grey Slender Loris and elusive Sri Lankan Leopard can also occasionally be spotted. • Duration: half day • Time: 3pm to 6pm • Daily departures • Operates year round • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Dambulla, Habarana, Kandalama and Kandy Good to know — Depending on the time of year, guests may be taken to the Hurulu Eco-park (Jan to May) or Kandulla National Park (Nov to Dec) as elephant migrations interchange between all three parks.

Set in a restaurant adjacent to a cinnamon plantation, you’ll get busy preparing a traditional Sri Lankan curry with a recipe that’s been inherited over generations before tucking into your own delicious creations over lunch. • Duration: half day • Daily departures • year round • Private experience • Available for guests travelling with a private chauffeur and staying in Kandalama, Dambulla, Habarana and Kandy Good to know — This class is ideal for those travelling between Habarana or Kandalama and Kandy or vice versa due to its location between the two.