Overview
Our private Kandy day tour from Colombo packs the best of the hill capital and the road to it into one full day. Your driver picks you up from your hotel in Colombo, Negombo or near the airport at about 7:00 am, and you travel in your own air-conditioned car or van.
The first stop is the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the best-known elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, timed for the 10:00 am river bathing. Then visit a herbal garden, see tea made at a Pilimatalawa tea factory, explore the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and finish at the Kandy viewpoint above the lake before the drive back.
The price covers your private transport: US$120 for 1 to 3 people in a car, or US$150 for 4 to 7 people in a van. The herbal garden and the tea factory entrance are included; tickets for Pinnawala and the Temple of the Tooth are extra.
Kandy day trip from Colombo: the plan
We leave early to reach Pinnawala as the herd walks down to the Maha Oya river. After the elephants, a short drive brings you to a herbal and spice garden, where you learn how Ayurvedic plants and spices are grown and used. Near Pilimatalawa you walk through a working tea factory and taste fresh Ceylon tea. In Kandy you visit the Temple of the Tooth, the most sacred Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, then stop at the viewpoint for the classic view over Kandy Lake and the city. Read more about Kandy.
Want to stay the night?
See our Kandy and Pinnawala 2 day itinerary, with one night in Kandy, the cultural dance show and Peradeniya gardens.
Kandy tour from Negombo and the airport
Staying in Negombo or near Bandaranaike International Airport? We pick up from any hotel in Negombo or the airport area at no extra cost, and the drive to Pinnawala is a little shorter.
Is it a long day?
Yes, about 14 hours door to door, as Kandy is around 3 to 3.5 hours from Colombo. If you prefer a slower pace, we can add a night in Kandy.
More day trips from Colombo
This is one of our private day trips from Colombo and Negombo.
Highlights
- Kandy day tour from Colombo with hotel pickup at about 7:00 am
- Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage at the 10:00 am river bathing
- Herbal and spice garden walk
- Pilimatalawa tea factory visit with a cup of tea
- Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Kandy viewpoint over the lake
- Private car (1–3 people) US$120 or van (4–7 people) US$150 · herbal garden and tea factory included
