Sri Lanka · ANCIENT CITY TOURS
Good ancient city tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
A private half-day city tour of Anuradhapura’s most important Buddhist sites, with pickup, a licensed guide, and flexible pacing.
“Navin's city tour is fun! Next to that, you see and learn a lot. Going by tuktuk from one sight to the other in the beautiful green centre of Anuradhapura. Navin is very knowledgeable! Whatever question pops up in your mind, you will get a cleaRead more”
Private guided Anuradhapura tour with Vogel Tours, temple highlights, snacks and coffee, pickup, and a required $30 UNESCO entry ticket.
“Het is echt veel leuker om de stupa’s, tempels en opgravingen te bekijken als je de geschiedenis erbij krijgt. We waren echt blij met onze gids. Hij nam ons mee langs alle belangrijke bouwwerken en kon goed uitleggen. Zijn Engels is goed en hij is echt super aardig. Wij kunnen Vogel tours (zo noemt hij zich, het is slechts 1 persoon) echt aanraden.”
Full day Wilpattu safari from Anuradhapura with customized jeeps, packed breakfast and lunch, and a real chance at leopards and willus lakes.
“We had a very nice day. We saw many animals, but you have to be lucky to see them all. We had a very good safari guide.”
Private-feel day trip from Sigiriya to Anuradhapura, mixing Sigiriya Rock and major Buddhist sites, with a small group and stress-free transfers.
“We did a day trip to Sigriya . It was a bit rushed and we had to get through the museum so quickly but what we saw looked very interesting . We then climbed to the top and had fabulous views of the surroundings. I loved the lions paws, the remnants of the pool , thRead more”
Private 5-hour Anuradhapura tuk tuk tour with an English guide, pickup, and key Buddhist sites like Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanwelisaya.
“The tour was incredible and I learned so much about ancient Sinhala culture and Buddhism. I would recommend to anyone travelling to Anuradhapura”
Polonnaruwa ruins and a Minneriya 4x4 elephant safari in one full day, with hotel pickup and expert guidance.
“great day, with beautiful sights and a very nice guide with a lot of god stories to share.”
Private half-day Polonnaruwa ride from Sigiriya with a flexible driver, written guide, and key UNESCO ruins plus temples.
“We got exactly what we wanted on this trip! We didn’t need a tour guide but the driver was really friendly and pointed us in the right direction of where to go. 23 has the option to hire bikes or have use the car to get around to the various sites, Read more”
A long, well-paced private day from Colombo to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla with lunch, chauffeur transport, and extra entrances.
“I did a one-day tour covering Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla. It was definitely a long day, but absolutely worth it to see so many incredible sites in one go. The driver was very nice, punctual, and drove safely the whole time. Highly recommend this tour if you want to experience the highlights in a single day.”
Private Wilpattu safari from Anuradhapura with leopard spotting, picnic lunch in the park, hotel pickup, English guide, and jeep rides.
“Nice driver. lots of focus on looking for leopards meaning we mostly drive around the same area most of the time. we were lucky to see a bear at the end of the day”
Half-day Anuradhapura temple tour with Lampa, pickup, and mobile tickets, visiting Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, stupas, and moonstones in 3-4 hours.
“Had a super nice two day tour with Lampa . He explained everything about the tempels and other facts about Sri Lanka perfectly and was fun as well. Would 100% recommend!”
Private day trip from Colombo to Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa with hotel pickup, bottled water, and simple transport.
“The guide is no more than just a driver. He doesn't talk except when stop and ask to if we need bathroom break. We only had enough time for 2 destinations. I know lunch is not included but he shouldn't wait until 4pm and ask if we need to take lunch :).”
Private guide in Polonnaruwa for a full day of major ruins, quieter temples, and sunset views, plus bottled water and rice and curry.
“Our temple tour was very interesting and apart from not always being able to easily understand our guide's accent, he was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot. Very enjoyable.”
Full-day Wilpattu safari from Anuradhapura with private pickup, custom jeeps, picnic meals, and a good shot at leopards, elephants, and more.
“We had an amazing day at Wilpattu 🙏🏻 Everything was well organised.”
Private jeep day tour linking UNESCO Polonnaruwa ruins with Minneriya Gathering safari at sunset, plus lunch and countryside views.
“Kumar was an excellent and friendly guide and driver for the day. He made the trip extremely enjoyable. The ancient city was very interesting. The lunch was very good & the Elephant Safari great fun charging around searching for Elephants. I would highly recommend Kumar as your driver on this trip”
Polonnaruwa ruins by day, Minneriya or Kaudulla elephants at sunset, with hotel pickup, small group pacing, and bottled water.
“We had an incredible trip with Kumara as our driver and Suminda Silva as our Polonnaruwa guide. Both were incredibly kind and knowledgeable, ensuring we had a great day. Kumara was also a mega safari driver!!! We definitely had the besRead more”
Every kind of day on the island, and the best of each.
