Overview
Our private Anuradhapura day trip from Sigiriya takes you to the first royal capital of Sri Lanka, a sacred city of giant stupas, ancient monasteries and the oldest documented tree in the world. Your English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel in Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana at 7:30 am, and you are in Anuradhapura by mid-morning.
The price covers your private return transport for the day: US$85 for 1 to 3 people in a car, or US$100 for 4 to 7 people in a van. Entrance tickets are extra.
The sacred city of Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura was the capital of Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Sri Maha Bodhi, a fig tree grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment, the white dome of Ruwanwelisaya, the huge brick Jetavanaramaya, the Abhayagiri monastery and the rock temple of Isurumuniya. Read more about Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura and Mihintale
In the afternoon, drive 20 minutes east to Mihintale, the hill where the monk Mahinda is said to have brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC. Climb the long stone stairway to the stupas and the rock summit for wide views over the plains.
More day tours from Sigiriya and Dambulla
This is one of our private day tours from Dambulla and Sigiriya.
Highlights
- Anuradhapura day trip from Sigiriya with hotel pickup at 7:30 am
- See the Sri Maha Bodhi tree and the great stupas of Ruwanwelisaya and Jetavanaramaya
- Climb Mihintale, where Buddhism first came to Sri Lanka
- Explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site at your own pace
- Private air-conditioned car (1–3 people) or van (4–7 people) with an English-speaking driver
- Transport from US$85 · entrance tickets extra
