Matale Highlands and Cooking Experience from Sigiriya
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
This tour takes you to three lesser knowns, 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
- Service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide.
- Transport by a private air-conditioned vehicle.
- Cooking demo with traditional lunch.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Sigiriya.
What's not
- Entrance tickets to the visiting sites. (Sembuwatte Lake, Nalanda Gedige)
- Food and beverages.
- Expenses of personal nature.
- Gratuities.
Itinerary
Sigiriya, located in central Sri Lanka, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its ancient rock fortress. Rising dramatically 200 meters above the surrounding plains, Sigiriya is a remarkable testament to ancient engineering and architectural prowess. Also known as Lion Rock, it boasts exquisite frescoes, landscaped gardens, and the remnants of an extensive network of water gardens and reservoirs. The site offers visitors a glimpse into Sri Lanka's rich history and cultural heritage amidst breathtaking natural beauty.
Nalanda Gedige is an old Dravidian (Pallava era) structure believed to have been built between the 8th to 10th centuries. At first view, it’s an obviously Hindu temple from the detailed wall and roof architecture, to the little windowless main shrine. However, the site’s erotic tantric sculptures, along with its plain moonstone, point to a more Buddhist origin.
Europia Spice Garden Start your visit with a 1 to 1.5-hour tour of the spice and herbal gardens. During the tour, you will learn more about the gardens’ different spices and herbs, as well as how they are grown and harvested and watch a traditional cooking demo that puts them to good use.
Aluvihara is most famous as the place of creation of the Buddhist religious script ‘Tripitaka’. The stupa is literally built on top of a large rock. Meanwhile, the rock itself is riddled with a cave system. So far 13 caves have been found, with much more buried under old cave-ins. You will have to climb up and through the rock to see the historic and interesting insides of these caves and learn more about the history within.
You can return to Kandy at this time, or opt for a sunset visit to Sembuwatta Lake located in the Elkaduwa area. You will get there by 4:30 pm. 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.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
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
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Sigiriya
- Its from-price is 12% below the median of the 60 day trips we list in Sigiriya.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Sigiriya
Sigiriya is a village in Sri Lanka's dry central plains, dominated by a huge rock fortress with palace ruins, frescoes and gardens.
Sigiriya Rock rises almost two hundred metres out of the forest plain. In the fifth century King Kashyapa built a palace on top and a city around it, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The climb passes the Mirror Wall, a polished surface scratched with ancient verses, frescoes of women in a sheltered pocket of the cliff, and a gateway shaped like the paws of a lion. Water gardens and boulder gardens lie at the foot.
Top-ranked sights in Sigiriya: Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple of Dambulla).
