Kandy One-Day Tour

1. 1

   Morning Pick-up

   Pick-up from your hotel in the morning. Begin your journey to Kandy, the beautiful hill capital of Sri Lanka.

2. 2

   Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

   Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and watch gentle giants bathing in the river and roaming freely. This is one of Sri Lanka's most popular attractions, offering a unique opportunity to observe elephants in a natural setting.

3. 3

   Tea Plantation & Factory

   Explore lush tea gardens and visit a tea factory to learn about the process of making world-famous Ceylon Tea. Enjoy a tea tasting session and purchase authentic Ceylon tea as souvenirs.

4. 4

   Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

   Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage site rich in history and culture. This sacred Buddhist temple houses the tooth relic of the Buddha and is one of the most important religious sites in Sri Lanka.

5. 5

   Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya

   Wander through one of Asia's most beautiful gardens. The Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya features an extensive collection of tropical plants, orchids, and giant bamboo groves. Enjoy the serene atmosphere and stunning landscapes.

6. 6

   Kandy City Tour

   Explore Kandy city, enjoy the beautiful lake views, visit local markets, and browse gems and handicraft shops. Experience the vibrant spirit of this charming hill capital.

7. 7

   Return Journey

   Begin your return journey in the evening, arriving back at your hotel with unforgettable memories of Kandy's elephants, temples, tea, and cultural heritage.

Pinnawala — feeding and bathing

Open 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Bottle feeding is published at 9:15 am, 1:15 pm and 5:00 pm, and the herd is walked down to the Maha Oya to bathe roughly 10:00 am to midday and again 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Mid-morning catches a feed and a bathe together. Foreign entry is published at around US$17–20.

Ceylon Tea Museum — closed Mondays

This is the one that catches people out. The museum at Hantana opens Tuesday to Sunday, roughly 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, and closes earlier on Sundays and public holidays. It does not open on Mondays at all. If your Kandy day falls on a Monday, tell us and we will swap in a working estate instead.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya

Open 7:30 am to 6:00 pm every day of the year, but the ticket counter shuts at 5:00 pm — arrive at 5:15 and you will not get in, however long the gardens stay open. Foreign adult entry is published at around LKR 3,540.

Entrance fees are set by each site and revised periodically. These are the published figures at the time of writing, and none of them are included in this tour.

The three daily services

Theva are held roughly 5:30–7:00 am, 9:30–11:00 am and 6:30–8:00 pm. The chamber holding the relic casket is opened during these, and the drumming that accompanies them is the thing most visitors remember.

Which one to attend

The evening puja is the most dramatic and by far the most crowded. The dawn service is quieter and feels like what it is — a working act of devotion rather than a performance. A day tour from most starting points lands you at the midday one.

Dress and conduct

Shoulders and knees covered, no sleeveless tops or shorts, shoes and hats off before entering. Sarongs can be hired at the entrance. Entry for foreign visitors was revised in July 2026 to around LKR 3,000.

Opening hours

The temple itself is open from about 5:30 am to 8:00 pm daily, so the constraint is the puja timing rather than the gate.

• Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
• Tea Plantation & Factory
• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Royal Botanical Gardens
• Kandy City Tour

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Sri Lanka — Inscription record for the Sacred City of Kandy
• Temple of the Tooth — The temple and the relic
• Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage — Background on the orphanage
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya — The gardens and their history
• Ceylon Tea Museum — Opening days and hours, including the Monday closure

Driving times and the route map are estimates built from OpenStreetMap road data. Feeding times and entry fees are published by third parties and change, so confirm them on the day.