Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa & Dambulla "Trilogy" Day Tour from Colombo
Description
Forget transport worries and experience three Sri Lankan highlights in one easy day trip on this private tour from Colombo or Negombo. Put your focus on the sights as a private chauffeured vehicle ferries you to Sigiriya Rock to view its ancient Fortress and Murals and on to 11th-century Polonnaruwa Ruins and Dambulla art-filled Cave Temples. Your experience includes Lunch, select Hotel pickup, and drop-off. The admission fees are down to you. This day tour will make you a hassle-free memorable experience with total sophistication by friendly company.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Sigiriya Rock is an extinct volcanic magma outcrop located 200 m above the ground, and the chronology of Sigiriya dates back to the prehistoric era. However, historic genealogy describes an epic legend about a rebel Prince who fled his great dynasty and built this Splendid Kingdom beyond human imagination. The meticulously designed Sigiriya Fortress and elongated grasslands have protected by massive ramparts and deep moats, and its castles with 360 degrees views of the surround, cave frescos, mirrored walls, lively fountains, and Lion Mouth ravishingly formed.
Polonnaruwa became the 2nd kingdom of Sri Lanka in the 11th century and had comprehensively famed for its unique irrigation system, architecture, art, culture, and prosperous social style. The kingdom has created by different dynasties with variant cultural, religious, and architectural clouts in Sri Lanka and Southern parts of India, and located at a borderland of a huge Man-made lake. The citadel complex consists of Palaces, Royal Courts, Auditoriums, Ponds, and Religious Monuments. UNESCO accredited Polonnaruwa with World Heritage as an essence of a great civilization.
Dambulla Caves was once, upon a time, an abode for pre-historic indigenous tribes, which later became a monastic temple for Buddhist monks. In the 1st century, the King recognized the cave complex and region as a sanctuary devoted to a religious realm. The cave monastery is elevated 160M over the surrounding ground and wilderness. The naturally preserved 05 caves have murals painted with stories of Buddhism. Rock-cut cave interiors are spacious for all religious practices and rituals. The sculptures and the paintings are authentic and remain unchanged. The enchanting backdrop of the cave complex is splendid and reserved as an archeological geographical resource. Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage monument in Sri Lanka and a must-visit phenomenon.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pickup from any Hotel in Colombo or Negombo area
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(28)
A fully packed day, you really get a lot for your money here! We visited 3 different places, all were amazing. My favorite was actually Sigiriya, but also the other 2 stops were really good and worth to visit! I would definitely recommend this tour, great value for money! Just a minor advice: You can book a tour guide at each of the sights, and imo, they are not really worth it. Just enjoy for yourself and read the signs!
Pickup at hotel was on time. Our guide was not only friendly, he became family with us. His knowledge for history, sharing the experience with my daughter and I (yes, he climbed 1200 steps up the Siguria Rock!) We had such an amazing time that will forever be in our heart ❤️
Very disappointed with our Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa & Dambulla "Trilogy" Day Tour We were expecting an experienced guide who was going to bring us to the 3 different sites. The tour was advertised as taking 12-14 hours. We left the hotel at 5:30 a.m. and returned 17 hours later, mostly because the driver got lost in Polonnaruwa. We had to skip dinner. The driver admitted that he had only been there when he was a schoolboy. Due to the wasted time, we had to skip the Dambulla part of the trip. The driver wasn’t knowledgeable which forced us to take a paid guide at Sigiriya. We were also pressurised to take a guide at Polonnaruwa which we declined due to the time lost finding the place. The driver was calling his mum whilst driving. Not once did he ask us if we needed a comfort break. His English was poor.
First I just want to Malan went above and beyond to make sure I had a wonderful experience after I made the mistake of net reading the booking details thoroughly. I thought everything was included and came I’ll prepared to pay for my entry fees. Malan made the exception to allow me to see Sigirya Rock and Dissa my amazing tour guide allowed me to see Dambulla. I’m so overwhelmed with how hospitable and kind Dissa and Malan were and I had an amazing time! Dissa climb to the lions paw with me and helped me managed my fear of heights along the way. It was truly a magical experience!
A very long day but the sites are amazing and well worth the trip! Our driver was attentive and helpful and we felt very safe despite the intense traffic. The air conditioned car was great comfort between each stop and the scenery was magnificent- we even saw wild elephants! Only thing we did not enjoy was the lunch stop, which were not offered a choice on and was a banquet style lunch. Overall, if you really want to see these three sites and have limited time, this is a great option.
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.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience! I'm absolutely delighted to hear that you found the tour worthwhile despite the packed schedule. Covering Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla in one day is indeed ambitious, but it sounds like it was the perfect way for you to experience these incredible UNESCO World Heritage sites. I'm particularly pleased to hear about your positive experience with the driver - safety and punctuality are always our top priorities, and it's great to know that came through in your experience. Your feedback about the highlights being well worth the long day is exactly what we hope to achieve for our guests. Thank you for recommending the tour to others. Reviews like yours help fellow travelers understand what to expect and make the most of their time exploring Sri Lanka's rich cultural heritage. We truly appreciate you choosing us for your Sri Lankan adventure and for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Perfect one day trip from Negombo : very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful guide Namal; excellent and careful driver Ravi. Both of them made this experience very special, also thanks to the reliable logistical planning from Belkin agency.
Great careful driver, great to see these 3 sights, well worth the visit to these 3 sights, ideally do it in the cooler months
An amazing experience! We spent an extraordinary day on the excursion to Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla. The landscapes are breathtaking and the sites are simply impressive, full of history and culture. A huge thank you to our guide, passionate and very professional. Everything was perfectly organized, in a relaxed and warm atmosphere. 100% recommend this excursion to discover the wonders of Sri Lanka in an unforgettable day! Many thanks to Namal and all his team for this just amazing day! We really had a magical time thanks to you. Your kindness, smile and attention made all the difference. We felt great surrounded from start to finish. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all these beautiful memories, we are not about to forget this day and especially your beautiful energy! See you soon, I hope.
Thank you so much for the great review, Goran! We're so glad to hear that you had a good time with Namal as your guide of the Trilogy Tour! Belkin Tales Holidays, Sri Lanka
Loved all 3 locations - especially Sigiriya and Dambulla. 3rd stop really cool but made for too long a day (for us). The trip description said that the tour would take 10 hours round trip, water would be provided, and that we’d have an “English-speaking guide.” What we had was an incredibly uncomfortable car with half-functioning seatbelts for what was a 16 hour round-trip day, water provided was tap in refillable bottles (not ok for western consumption), and our “guide” was a driver (not a guide) whose English was incredibly limited so he couldn’t answer any questions (asking him to turn down the blasting AC took 4-5 tries to communicate) and he sadly couldn’t tell us anything about the country we were seeing. He was a good driver and pleasant but barely spoke to us the entire journey. They also don’t tell you that you can pay entry fees at each site with a credit card, but if you want to hire a guide (which you really should do at Sigiriya), you will need to pay cash ($50 US before a tip of 2,000 local currency). Summary - loved the sites - truly amazing - but the car, driver/guide and length of journey were not the quality we’ve enjoyed in other Viator trips.
