Cultural Triangle · North Central Province
Anuradhapura Sacred City,
Sri Lanka
Giant white stupas, forest monasteries and a sacred tree more than 2,000 years old, in the first royal capital of the island. See it all on a private Anuradhapura city tour from Colombo, Sigiriya or Kandy.
UNESCO World HeritageSacred City of Anuradhapura, listed 1982
Anuradhapura, Sri LankaNorth Central Province
About 4 to 5 hoursto see the main sites
Open every dayMain sites about 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
The first royal capital
A sacred city
of stupas and lakes
Anuradhapura was founded in the 4th century BC and ruled as the capital of Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years. Its kings built some of the largest structures of the ancient world, dug great reservoirs that still feed the rice fields, and made the city a centre of Buddhist learning visited by monks from across Asia.
Today the ancient city of Anuradhapura is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and still a living place of pilgrimage. Every day, pilgrims dressed in white bring lotus flowers to the sacred Bodhi tree and walk slowly around the great white domes, especially on full moon (Poya) days.
The Anuradhapura sacred city is spread over more than 40 square kilometres, so a private Anuradhapura city tour with your own car and driver is the easiest way to see it. Your driver takes you from site to site in comfort, and you choose how long to stay at each.
Plan your day
Four easy ways to visit
From Colombo or Negombo
A full day trip, about 4 to 4.5 hours each way.
From Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana
About 1.5 to 2 hours, with Mihintale in the afternoon.
From Kandy
About 3.5 hours each way, through the Cultural Triangle.
Staying in Anuradhapura
Day trips from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya and Dambulla.
In the sacred city
What you will see
in Anuradhapura
01 / The sacred tree
Sri Maha Bodhi
A fig tree grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha found enlightenment, planted in 288 BC and the oldest documented tree in the world.
02 / The great stupa
Ruwanwelisaya
A brilliant white dome about 100 metres tall, ringed by a wall of carved elephants, built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BC.
03 / The oldest stupa
Thuparamaya
The first stupa built in Sri Lanka after Buddhism arrived, surrounded by slender stone pillars that once held up a roof.
04 / A giant of brick
Jetavanaramaya
Once the third tallest building in the ancient world, made of around 90 million bricks.
05 / The northern monastery
Abhayagiri
A vast forest monastery with the serene Samadhi Buddha statue and the beautifully carved Twin Ponds (Kuttam Pokuna).
06 / Rock temple
Isurumuniya
A small temple built into the rocks beside a pond, famous for its carving of the lovers and the elephants in the water.
Through the centuries
How Anuradhapura
rose and fell
King Pandukabhaya made Anuradhapura his capital in the 4th century BC. A little over a century later, the monk Mahinda brought Buddhism to the island, and Princess Sanghamitta brought a cutting of the Bodhi tree from India. For the next thousand years the city grew into one of the great cities of South Asia, until invasions from South India in the 10th and 11th centuries moved the capital to Polonnaruwa and the jungle slowly covered the ruins.
377 BCPandukabhaya makes Anuradhapura the capital
288 BCThe sacred Bodhi tree is planted
1982Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura is one of eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka, alongside Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla in the Cultural Triangle.
Practical tips
Anuradhapura city tour:
how to see the sites
The main sites are spread out, so most visitors move between them by car, tuk-tuk or bicycle. A good route starts at the Sri Maha Bodhi and Ruwanwelisaya in the morning, continues to Thuparamaya and Jetavanaramaya, and ends at Abhayagiri, the Twin Ponds and Isurumuniya in the afternoon.
- Opening hours: the main sites are open about 7:00 am to 6:00 pm every day; the Sri Maha Bodhi temple is open longer.
- Tickets: one ticket covers most of the ancient city. Prices change from time to time, so we confirm the current price when you book.
- Time needed: allow 4 to 5 hours for the main sites at a relaxed pace.
- Dress code: wear white or light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and remove your shoes and hat at the sacred sites.
- Bring socks: the stone paving gets very hot by midday.
- Best time: early morning or late afternoon, and Poya (full moon) days to see the pilgrims.
Getting around
Car, tuk-tuk or bicycle
The roads between the ruins are flat and shaded, so cycling is a pleasant way to see the ancient city. Ask us to arrange bicycles, and your driver will meet you with the car at the end.
Book your day out
Anuradhapura tours
with NH Lanka Holidays
Every trip we arrange is private, with your own air-conditioned car or van, an English-speaking driver and hotel pickup. Choose where you are starting from, or ask us about day trips from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya if you are staying in the sacred city.
Departing Colombo or Negombo
Colombo to Anuradhapura day trip
From US$160 per car
A full day from the coast to the sacred city and back, with breakfast on the way.
- Pickup at 6:00 or 6:30 am
- About 5 hours in Anuradhapura
- Back by about 8:30 pm
Departing Sigiriya, Dambulla or Habarana
Anuradhapura day trip from Sigiriya
From US$85 per car
The sacred city in the morning and the hill of Mihintale in the afternoon.
- Pickup at 7:30 am
- About 1.5 to 2 hours each way
- Mihintale included
Departing Kandy
Anuradhapura day trip from Kandy
From US$150 per car
A day trip north from the hill capital to the first royal capital and back.
- Early pickup from Kandy
- About 3.5 hours each way
- Private car or van with an English-speaking driver
Staying in Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura to Sigiriya day trip
From US$85 per car
Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple and climb Sigiriya Rock, with an optional elephant safari.
- Pickup at 8:00 am
- Dambulla and Sigiriya included
- Optional Minneriya safari (+US$60)
Entrance tickets, meals and safari jeeps are not included unless stated. Pay on the day of the tour or in full in advance, with free cancellation until 24 hours before pickup.
Around Anuradhapura
Make more of your trip
20 minutes away
Mihintale
The sacred hill where Buddhism first came to Sri Lanka, with a long stone stairway and wide views over the plains.
45 minutes away
Wilpattu National Park
The largest national park in Sri Lanka, known for leopards, sloth bears and natural lakes. Wilpattu National Park safari
1.5 to 2 hours away
Sigiriya Rock
The 5th-century rock fortress with its frescoes and Lion Gate. Anuradhapura to Sigiriya day trip
Good to know
Your Anuradhapura questions, answered
What is Anuradhapura famous for?
Anuradhapura was the first royal capital of Sri Lanka and is one of the most sacred places in the Buddhist world. It is famous for the Sri Maha Bodhi tree and the great stupas of Ruwanwelisaya, Thuparamaya and Jetavanaramaya.
Is Anuradhapura Sri Lanka worth visiting?
Yes. Anuradhapura Sri Lanka is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and, with the Sri Maha Bodhi and the great stupas, one of the most moving places on the island. It is quieter than Sigiriya and easy to combine with Mihintale or Wilpattu National Park.
How long does an Anuradhapura city tour take?
Allow 4 to 5 hours to see the main sites at a relaxed pace, including the Sri Maha Bodhi, the great stupas, Abhayagiri and Isurumuniya.
What is the best time to visit Anuradhapura?
Anuradhapura can be visited all year. Start early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the heat. Poya (full moon) days are busy with pilgrims and very atmospheric.
What should I wear in Anuradhapura?
White or light clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. You remove your shoes and hat at the sacred sites, so bring socks for the hot stone paving.
How far is Anuradhapura from Colombo and Sigiriya?
About 205 km from Colombo (4 to 4.5 hours), 75 km from Sigiriya (1.5 to 2 hours) and 140 km from Kandy (about 3.5 hours).
Can I do day trips from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya?
Yes. Our Anuradhapura to Sigiriya day trip picks you up at 8:00 am, visits the Dambulla Cave Temple and Sigiriya Rock, and can include an afternoon elephant safari.
Can I visit Anuradhapura as a day trip from Colombo?
Yes. Our Colombo to Anuradhapura day trip leaves at 6:00 or 6:30 am and returns at about 8:30 pm, with about five hours in the sacred city.
Can NH Lanka Holidays arrange a private Anuradhapura tour?
Yes. NH Lanka Holidays is a licensed, Sri Lankan-owned tour operator based in Negombo. We arrange your car, driver and hotel pickup, or include Anuradhapura in a longer private tour. You can pay on the day of the tour or in full in advance, and cancellation is free until 24 hours before pickup.
Keep exploring: Polonnaruwa · Sigiriya · Dambulla · Wilpattu National Park · Day trips from Colombo · All destinations
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