Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is a sacred city that endured for over a thousand years and grew into one of the most impressive historic centres of the ancient world. Today, it is home to the most sacred sites in Buddhism, including the Sri Maha Bodhi, a cutting from the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, […]
Yapahuwa
Yapahuwa is a 13th-century royal citadel built atop a dramatic granite outcrop in the north-central lowlands. The intricately carved stone staircase leading to the palace terrace is considered among the finest examples of medieval Sri Lankan decorative stonework, and the views from the summit stretch across a vast plain of forest and paddy.
Dambulla Cave Temple
The Dambulla Cave Temple is a complex of five cave sanctuaries carved into a granite outcrop and filled with over 150 Buddha statues and some of the finest ancient murals in Asia. Revered as a sacred Buddhist site for over two millennia, the temple remains an active place of worship and pilgrimage and is also […]
Sigiriya
Rising 200 metres from the surrounding jungle plains, Sigiriya is one of the most dramatic and iconic sites in all of Asia. King Kashyapa’s 5th-century rock palace & garden complex sits atop a volcanic plug of singular beauty, accessible via a climbing route that passes ancient frescoes of celestial maidens and a pair of enormous […]
Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is a masterwork of royal ambition and irrigation engineering that sustained a civilisation at the height of its power. Cycling through its archaeological park reveals royal palaces, Hindu shrines, dagobas, and the Gal Vihara, where four Buddha figures carved from a single block of granite represent the pinnacle of ancient Sri Lankan sculpture.