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View all Kandy toursSigiriya and Dambulla Group Day Tour from Kandy with an Elephant Safari
The shared-group version of the cultural triangle day from Kandy: the Matale Hindu temple, a spice garden, a woodcarving workshop, the Dambulla caves and Sigiriya, closing with a jeep safari for elephants.
Highlights
- The full cultural triangle day at a shared-group price
- The Matale Hindu temple, a spice garden and a woodcarving workshop
- The Dambulla cave temples and the Sigiriya rock climb
- An afternoon jeep safari when the elephants come to the water
- Everything driven and organised from your Kandy hotel
Sigiriya and Dambulla Group Day Tour from Kandy with an Elephant Safari: Key Facts
| Price | From $45.5 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | 11 hours |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
Full description
This is the group version of the big Kandy day out, and the price reflects it — you share a van with up to a dozen others, which brings the cost down to a fraction of the private equivalent for the same itinerary.
The morning runs north through Matale, stopping at the Sri Muthumariamman Hindu temple with its painted gopuram, a spice garden where cinnamon and cardamom grow in the same plot, and a woodcarving workshop of the kind Matale has had for generations.
Dambulla's five caves come next — painted floor to ceiling, around 150 Buddha images, cool after the drive. Then Sigiriya, the fifth-century citadel on the rock, with the water gardens, the mirror wall frescoes and the summit.
The safari closes the day. Late afternoon at Minneriya or a neighbouring park is when the elephants come down to the reservoir, and in the dry season the gathering there is one of the largest concentrations of wild Asian elephants anywhere.
A group tour means fixed timings and waiting for the slowest climber, which is the honest trade for the price. If that matters, the private versions of this same day are also listed.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Pickup in Kandy
Collection from your hotel, then the group assembles.
Matale temple and spice garden
The Hindu temple and the growing plots.
Woodcarving workshop
A working Matale studio.
Sigiriya rock
The climb and the summit.
Dambulla cave temples
The five painted caves.
Jeep safari
The afternoon drive for elephants.
Kandy
Drop-off at your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
[{"time": "05:30", "title": "Hotel pickup", "description": "Group pickups take a while; the van may collect several hotels."}, {"time": "07:00", "title": "Matale", "description": "Shoes off at the temple; the spice garden has a shop and no obligation."}, {"time": "10:00", "title": "Sigiriya", "description": "Around two and a half hours. Group timings are fixed, so pace yourself on the stairs."}, {"time": "13:00", "title": "Dambulla", "description": "An hour in the caves."}, {"time": "15:30", "title": "Safari", "description": "Two to three hours by jeep. Which park depends on where the herds are that week."}, {"time": "18:30", "title": "Kandy", "description": "Drop-off at your hotel."}]
Includes
- Shared air-conditioned van with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotel pickup and drop-off in Kandy, the safari jeep, all driving between sites.
Excludes
- Entrance fees at Sigiriya and Dambulla and the national park permit, meals and drinks, gratuities, workshop purchases.
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup in Kandy; the exact address and time are confirmed after booking.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts