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Matale Highlands and Cooking Experience from Kandy

5.01 review

  • 10 hours
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • Guided in English
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

This tour takes you to three lesser-known, but amazing, locations in the area of Matale. You will first view the beautiful, historic, and completely mysterious Nalanda Gedige. Then you will have a fun-filled visit in the form of the Euphoria Spice and Herbal Gardens in Matale, where you learn more about spices and watch a traditional cooking demo that puts them to good use. You will then move onto a serious note with the secretive and ancient rock temple Aluvihara. Finally, you will visit the spectacular Sembuwatta Lake at sunset, making for some amazing views.

Inclusions

What's included

  • Transport by a private air conditioned vehicle.
  • 1-Liter Water bottle (per-person).
  • Entrance tickets to the visiting sites. (Sembuwatte Lake, Nalanda Gedige, and Matale Aluviharaya)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Kandy.
  • Cooking demo at the spice garden.
  • Service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide.
  • Tuk tuk ride to Sembuwatte Lake.

What's not

  • Food and beverages.
  • Gratuities (optional).
  • Expenses of personal nature.

Itinerary

  1. Nestled amidst Sri Lanka's lush hill country, Kandy captivates with its rich cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty. Home to the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic, it holds a revered place in Buddhist tradition, drawing pilgrims and visitors alike. The city's serene lake, surrounded by verdant hills, offers a tranquil retreat, while its vibrant markets and bustling streets provide a glimpse into local life. With its blend of history, spirituality, and scenic charm, Kandy exudes an enchanting allure.

    Passes by

  2. Nalanda Gedige is an old Dravidian (Pallava era) structure believed to have been built between the 8th to 10th century. At first view it’s an obviously Hindu temple from the detailed wall and roof architecture, to the little windowless main shrine. However, the ruins of the erotic tantric sculptures, and plain moonstone point to a more Buddhist origin.

    30 minAdmission included

  3. Euphoria Spice and Herbal is located 12 km away from Matale (The spice capital of Sri Lanka). Enriched with herbs, spice groves and plants with fragrant greenery shading from the tropical trees that enlightens the unique aroma of each spice and herb. We give the opportunity for our visitors to explore and gain knowledge on Sri Lankan spices, herbs and the benefits of Ayurveda. The tropical climate in which our plants and herbs are grown helps them preserve its ancient originality. The educational tour around the garden, which we call “The Spice Tour”, let the visitors feel the sensation of the Sri Lankan spices and herbs which is demonstrated in different foreign languages to suit our customer need.

    1.5 hAdmission included

  4. Aluviharaya cave temple in Sri Lanka is a rock-cave temple close to Matale where Buddhist monks wrote the Tripitakas during King Walagamba’s rule. These Tripitakas originally had come down by mere word of mouth by being committed to memory by Buddhist monks of the time.

    1 hAdmission included

  5. Sembuwatta is an artificial lake made from a natural spring in the area. It’s famed for its amazing views and natural swimming pool. You will be spending a relaxing hour here, allowing you to take some spectacular photos with the setting sun.

    1 hAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

5.0

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Ratings come from 1 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Pickup
Pickup is included for everyone.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Operated by
Lakpura LLC
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • A maximum of 8 people per booking
  • Comfortable walking shoes and hats are recommended

How it compares in Kandy

  • Its from-price is 36% above the median of the 767 experiences we list in Kandy.
  • Its length is typical for the group.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 318 of 767.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Kandy

Kandy is the hill-country city of Sri Lanka, home to the Temple of the Tooth, a tree-fringed lake and a botanical garden among tea-covered hills.

Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings until the British took it in 1815. It stands around an artificial lake, about 500 metres above sea level, in the Central Highlands. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO site, holds a relic said to be a tooth of the Buddha, and pilgrims bring lotus flowers each day. Drummers and dancers perform at the shrine's rituals.

Top-ranked sights in Kandy: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), Alagalla Mountain Range.

See all 767 experiences in Kandy

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

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