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Kandy and Pinnawala Day Trip from Bentota with the Temple of the Tooth

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Activity provider: Sign of Lanka (Pvt) Ltd
Kandy and Pinnawala Day Trip from Bentota with the Temple of the Tooth
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A long day inland from the Bentota coast to the hill capital: the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya.

Highlights

  • The one day that shows a beach-based trip the hill country
  • Pinnawala, an elephant orphanage holding around eighty rescued animals
  • The Temple of the Tooth, the reason Kandy is a World Heritage site
  • Kandy lake and the town in its ring of hills
  • The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya

Kandy and Pinnawala Day Trip from Bentota with the Temple of the Tooth: Key Facts

PriceFrom $143 per person
Duration10 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Tour typeGuided Tour
BookingDirect with the local operator — no OTA markup

Full description

Bentota is a beach town and Kandy is three and a half hours inland, which makes this a long day — but for anyone whose Sri Lanka trip is otherwise entirely coastal, it is the one day that shows them the other country.

Pinnawala is the first stop and it deserves an honest description. It is an elephant orphanage established in 1975 for animals found abandoned or injured, it holds around eighty elephants, and it is also heavily commercialised, with bathing sessions timed for tour groups and bottle-feeding you can pay to do. The animals are real and the rescue work is real; the presentation is built for visitors. If that combination sits badly with you, say so when booking and the stop can be replaced.

Kandy is the point of the day. The Temple of the Tooth holds a relic of the Buddha and is why Kandy is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the town around it — the lake dug by the last king in 1807, the market, the hills closing in on all sides — is a completely different Sri Lanka from the coast you drove up from.

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, just outside Kandy, close the day before the long drive back down.

Tour Itinerary

Itineraries are customisable as per your request

The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.

6:00 AM

Pickup in Bentota

An early start for the drive inland.

9:30 AM

Pinnawala

The elephant orphanage.

12:00 PM

Drive to Kandy

About an hour further into the hills.

1:30 PM

Temple of the Tooth

The temple complex and the relic chamber.

3:00 PM

Peradeniya gardens

The palm avenue and the great fig.

4:30 PM

Return drive

The long road back to the coast.

8:00 PM

Bentota

Drop-off at your hotel.

Detailed Itinerary

[{"time": "06:00", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "Three and a half hours inland. Seven hours of driving across the day."}, {"time": "09:30", "title": "Pinnawala", "description": "Bathing sessions run mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Entry is paid at the gate."}, {"time": "13:30", "title": "Sri Dalada Maligawa", "description": "Shoes off, shoulders and knees covered. Pujas at 9.30am and 6.30pm."}, {"time": "15:00", "title": "Peradeniya", "description": "An hour is enough for the highlights."}, {"time": "20:00", "title": "Bentota", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]

Includes

  • Private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Bentota or Kalutara, all driving, fuel and parking.

Excludes

  • Entrance fees at Pinnawala, the Temple of the Tooth and the botanic gardens, meals and drinks, gratuities.

Important information

Meeting point

Hotel pickup in Bentota or Kalutara; confirmed after booking.

Know before you go

  • Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more
Duration 10 hours
Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

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Main Tour Price
Starting from $143
$143
Tour Type
Day TripCulturalWildlife
Need a custom booking or have a larger group?Contact Support via WhatsApp
Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Secure payment
Complete your booking safely with Razorpay. Full refund if you cancel 24h prior. Read more

Frequently Asked Questions

Private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Bentota or Kalutara, all driving, fuel and parking.
The duration of the Kandy and Pinnawala Day Trip from Bentota with the Temple of the Tooth is typically 10 hours. We recommend arriving 15 minutes before the scheduled start time for a smooth check-in. Your guide will meet you at the designated meeting point and ensure the experience runs on schedule while remaining flexible to your pace.
For most experiences, we highly recommend an early morning start. This allows you to avoid the midday heat, bypass the largest crowds, and capture the best lighting for photography. Your guide can advise on the optimal timing based on the season and specific attractions included.
Yes, once your booking is completed via our secure payment gateway, you will receive an instant confirmation email with your tour details, meeting point address, guide's name, and direct contact information. You can also view and manage your booking through your AsiaByLocals account dashboard.
Yes! All our private tours are fully customizable. Whether you want to add extra stops, skip certain locations, change the pace, or adjust the start time — simply let your guide know in advance or on the day. We aim to create a personalized experience tailored to your interests and energy level.
We offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time for a full refund. Cancellations within 24 hours may be subject to a partial charge depending on the tour type. Weather-related cancellations for outdoor and boat tours are handled on a case-by-case basis, with full refunds or free rebooking offered when safety is a concern.
Most of our experiences are family-friendly and suitable for children of all ages. However, some tours involving extensive walking, water activities, or early morning starts may be better suited for children aged 5 and above. Please check the specific tour description for age recommendations, or contact us for personalized family itinerary advice.
After booking, you will receive detailed meeting point instructions via email. Most tours include complimentary hotel pickup within the central area. For tours without pickup, your confirmation email will include the exact address, Google Maps pin, and your guide's phone number for easy coordination. Guides typically arrive 10 minutes early and will message you on WhatsApp.
We accept all major credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), PayPal, Apple Pay, and Razorpay for Indian cards. All payments are processed through a PCI-compliant secure gateway with 256-bit encryption. You can also pay in multiple currencies — the price is automatically converted to your local currency at checkout.
Yes, all AsiaByLocals guides are licensed professionals who have been rigorously vetted through background checks, skill assessments, and customer reviews. Many hold government-issued tourism licenses, university degrees in history or cultural studies, and have years of experience leading tours for international travelers. Every guide maintains a minimum 4.5-star rating to remain active on our platform.
Starting from$143