Visiting the Historical Polonnaruwa Ruins and Minneriya Safari
Description
Polonnaruwa Cultural Site Explore the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa, including temples, palaces, and statues that reflect the grandeur of Sri Lanka's historical past. Gain insights into the history and significance of Polonnaruwa with a knowledgeable guide, enhancing your appreciation of the cultural sites. Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park Safari: Experience the thrill of a wildlife safari, with the chance to witness the gathering of elephants and the diverse flora and fauna of the national park.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Journey to Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park for your evening safari, appreciating the natural beauty of the Sri Lankan countryside.
Explore the UNESCO World Heritage site of Polonnaruwa, an ancient city with a rich cultural and historical heritage. Visit the archaeological and cultural landmarks, including ancient temples, statues, and stupas. Engage in a comprehensive tour with a knowledgeable guide providing insightful explanations of the history and significance of each site. Gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and architectural marvels of Polonnaruwa.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
after booking please WhatsApp pickup location
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(28)
Amazing experience! Our driver Oshitha was great! We could see a lot of elephants, monkeys and different species of birds in Minneriya!
This tour included transportation to Polonnaruwa for self-exploration in the morning and a safari in the afternoon. The driver-guide was friendly and knowledgeable about elephants. Participants pay the entrance fees themselves for Polonnaruwa and the safari park at the official ticket offices. But please note that the tour operator may ask you to: [1] Pay an additional US$30 for the driver to take you around the various monuments in Polonnaruwa. Otherwise, you will need to walk or rent a bicycle; [2] Pay an additional US$30 to visit Kaudulla Park instead of Minneriya Park for "more elephants". I recommend consulting AI for this decision. I am unable to give this experience a full score because the tour started one hour late. The tour operator explained that a technical issue with Viator had caused them to miss my booking.
Thank you very much for your detailed and honest feedback. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed the Polonnaruwa visit and the safari, and that our driver-guide was friendly and knowledgeable, especially in helping you spot elephants. We would like to clarify a few points you mentioned. The optional US$30 in Polonnaruwa is for guests who prefer to explore the ancient city comfortably by vehicle with the driver, as the site is quite large. Otherwise, as you noted, guests are free to explore independently by walking or renting a bicycle. Similarly, the option to visit Kaudulla instead of Minneriya is always based on real-time wildlife movements, with the aim of giving our guests the best possible elephant sightings. Regarding the delayed start, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. This is not the standard of service we aim to provide. We understand how important timing is, and we are already reviewing this issue internally to ensure better coordination in the future. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us as it helps us improve our service. We hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again and provide you with a flawless experience next time
Mahesh was a fabulous driver and guided us to the best locations. We had an incredible day visiting the Ancient City and going on Safari. Mahesh made sure we got really close to the elephants and we really appreciated his care and kindness. He provided lots of interesting information about the animals in the park and made sure we spent as much time as we wanted at each location. Mahesh really is the best and we highly recommend him.
Thank you so much for your amazing review! We’re delighted to hear that you had such an incredible day exploring the Ancient City and enjoying the safari. Mahesh will be especially happy to know that his guidance, knowledge, and care made your experience so memorable. Getting close to elephants in the wild is truly special, and we’re glad he could make it even more meaningful for you. Your kind recommendation means a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable adventure in Sri Lanka!
Wonderful day exploring the ruins, not rushed to move on quickly to next. Fantastic local buffet lunch overlooking the rice paddies. The safari we saw sooo many elephants.
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed a relaxed day exploring the ancient ruins and didn’t feel rushed. The local buffet lunch with views over the rice paddies is always a special experience, and we’re glad you liked it. It’s also wonderful to hear that your safari was so memorable with so many elephants to see! We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you again for another great experience in Sri Lanka.
It was a very fulfilling tour, with Sigiriya Rock, Polonnaruwa and safari!
Thank you sir
Our group of 3 couples were picked up by our guide Oshita in his jeep at 7.30 am and went to Minneriya National Park for the morning. We saw many elephants as well as some birds. Oshita was very helpful finding the right spot to get closer to the elephants. He was also a good bird spotter. We then went to Polonnaruwa ancient city and walked around the sites. We stayed with Oshita and did a self guided tour. It was very hot so we didn't do the full tour here. Oshita took us to a local, authentic Sri Lankan place for lunch, Rasa Bojun Gedara. The food was great and we highly recommend. Thanks Oshita for being a wonderful guide, very flexible and accommodating of our wishes, also taking us to a very good souvenir shop where we got good quality TShirts. We had a great day on this trip with Oshita.
Thank you very much for your wonderful review! 😊 We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your day with Oshita. Seeing elephants in Minneriya, exploring the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, and enjoying authentic Sri Lankan food sounds like a perfect day! Oshita will be very pleased to know that his guiding, bird spotting, and flexibility helped make your experience special. Thank you also for recommending the local restaurant and sharing your kind words about the souvenir shopping experience. It was a pleasure hosting your lovely group, and we hope to welcome you again for another adventure in Sri Lanka!
Amazing trip! Our driver was amazing! Must do!
Thank you sir
This tour is packed with what you want to experience in Sri Lanka.
Thank you sir
Mahesh was truly brilliant 👏🏼🥳👏🏼. I had a wonderful day, he's a pro around the safari and it was the perfect end to an awesome tour. Sigiriya Lion's rock is worth the climb, Polonnaruwa was interesting and having the jeep all day meant we were able to see all the main sites. Mahesh was nice company and he really made the safari experience truly out of this world...so many elephants!
Thank you sir
This tour was fantastic . The tour operator was very helpful and communicated straight away with details of pick up and times. The time we left at 8am for sigiriya rock was perfect. No queues and not too hot yet. Started to get hot when we walked down and much more of a crowd heading up and you wouldn’t be able to have many breaks along the way up like we did. Polonnaruwa was ok if you are into ancient ruins. There was far too many stops of about 7 to go look at then get back in the jeep n get back out again. We didn’t go to all of them. Too many n too hot 🥵. The elephant safari was incredible. Especially with the open air jeep and being able to stand up when in there viewing elephants really close up. Our driver was fantastic especially his expert driving throughout the safari. Great company to deal with.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We are really happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour and had a great experience with us. Starting early for Sigiriya Rock was definitely the best choice to avoid the heat and crowds, so we’re glad it worked out perfectly for you. We also understand that Polonnaruwa can feel a bit overwhelming with many historical stops, especially in the heat, so it’s always okay to skip some and go at your own pace. It’s great to hear that you loved the elephant safari! Seeing elephants up close from the open jeep is truly a special experience, and we’re glad our driver’s safari experience helped make it even better. Thank you again for choosing our company and for your kind words. We really appreciate it and hope to welcome you back to Sri Lanka again in the future!
