Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle

Elephant Trek in Habarana - The quaint village of Habarana is located within the district of Anuradhapura in the north central province. Set amidst natural wilderness and serene lakes, Habarana is situated in close proximity to the Minneriya National Park famous for its large herds of elephants.
Those wanting a closer encounter with an elephant, a jungle trek on elephant back is an adventurous experience. Accompanied by the mahout - the elephant handler, you set off for a ride of a lifetime along jungle paths and across shallow rivers.

Wilpattu National Park - Covering an area of 131,000 hectares that stretches from the Northwestern coast to the north-central province, the Wilpattu National Park is one of Sri Lanka's oldest wildlife parks. Wilpattu's varying natural habitats - coastal belt, natural lakes (villus), cliff tops, scrublands, open grasslands and dense forest - consists of numerous species of animals. Many of the `big game' found in Sri Lanka including elephant, sloth bear, water buffalo, spotted dear and leopard can be seen here. The coastal belt and natural lakes attract many species of birds such as painted storks, white ibis, open bills, Whistling teals, spoonbills, cormorants and kingfishers as well as water monitors and mugger crocodiles.Situated away from the common tourist routs, Wilpattu is unspoilt and can be enjoyed in tranquil seclusion.

Wasgomuwa National Park - Wasgomuwa National Park located within the central and north central provinces, covers an area of approximately 39,000 hectares. This National Park consists of riverine and dry evergreen forests, grasslands and wetlands. Wasgomuwa is endowed with a number of canals and waterways springing up from the 470 metre high Sudu Kande (hill) near by. Famous for the elephants frequenting the Mahaweli River, which runs along one of the boundaries of the park, Wasgomuwa is also home to numerous other animals including sloth bear, sambur, spotted and barking deer, wild boar, the purple-faced leaf monkey, and 143 species of bird.
Archeological ruins of ancient settlements dating back to the period of Sinhala kings can be seen within this national park. Wasgomuwa can be accessed from the districts of Matale or Polonnaruwa.

Anuradhapura - Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s first capital, was the greatest monastic city of the ancient world. It was royal capital for more than 100 Sri Lankan kings and at its peak was home to thousands of monks. Originally founded by Anuradha in the 4th century BC it became the capital of Sri Lanka two centuries later. After a long and bloody history it was abandoned in 1073 and is today the most important religious and cultural site in Sri Lanka.

Mihintale - Mihintale lies 13kms east of Anuradhapura and is where Buddhism originated on the island. In 247 BC King Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura was deer hunting on the plains beneath Mihintale and met Mahinda, son of the Indian Buddhist emperor. The King chose the path of Buddhism for the Sinhalese nation following Mahinda’s persuasion. It is a spiritual visit at all times of the year, especially on the full moon festivals of Vesak (May) and Prinivanpama (June) when thousands of pilgrims and devotees flock.

Aukana - One of Sri Lanka’s most perfect and elegant statues, the Aukana Buddha lies to the west of the large Kala Wewa tank. Creation of both the temple and the tank (reservoir) is attributed to King Dhatusena in the 5th century. The statue stands 12m high, carved from a single rock and is completely free-standing. It is an example of the Abhayamudra Buddha, showing superhuman qualities. The Aukana Buddha can be visited en route to Anuradhapura and can be combined with the ancient monastery site of Sasseruwa.

Yapahuwa - After the fall of the great city of Polonnuruwa, the Kandyan kings fled to a succession of inaccessible crags, bearing with them the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. One of them was Yapahuwa, a huge, yet little-visited rock fortress a little way off the Kurunegala-Anuradhapura road, and one of the great architectural sites of the island. This early 13th century stronghold is reminiscent of Sigiriya, a massive granite outcrop rising 100m above the plains.

Ritigala - Ritigala nestles deep inside a nature reserve off the Anuradhapura-Habarana road. The site includes the partially excavated ruins of an extensive Buddhist Monastery. It was abandoned following invasions in 10th and 11th centuries and today holds special appeal with its curious blend of nano-safari and archaeology. Walking around the beautiful ruins does certainly give you a feeling of adventures in search of mythical pasts as you clamber over the overgrown relics of a forgotten time.

Dambulla Cave Temples - Dambulla’s Golden Temple and Cave Temples are two engrossing cultural sites in one place. Your first sight will be the giant gold Buddha sitting on the roof of the Golden Temple. Built in 2001, it is said to be the largest of its kind in the world. Aside from this eye-catching, if slightly tacky, recent addition, the ancient caves reward those who’ve endured a steep climb up to them with a fine panorama of surrounding jungle. The caves, full of 2000-year-old colourful frescos depicting Buddhist mythology, at first came into use as a refuge for King Valagambahu in 1st century BC.

Sigiriya - Sigiriya, a UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site, is one of the most dramatic, inspiring and beautiful historical locations in the world, a fortress-palace built by a playboy king upon a tabletop mountain. Legend says that King Kasyapa murdered his father, Dhatusena, and claimed the thrown for himself. However, Kasyapa was not the direct heir and he was fearful that his half brother would return from exile to claim his crown. Dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, Sigiriya is Sri Lanka’s answer to the Taj Mahal.

Polonnaruwa - Polonnaruwa became Sri Lanka’s royal medieval capital in 1073. For nearly a century it had been a military base for invading Chola tribes from southern India. They were defeated in the 11th Century and King Parakramabahu developed an advanced city. It remained the capital until the late 13th century, but became increasingly susceptible to Chola invasions and it became lost to the jungle once more as the capital drifted south-west. Today, the ancient city’s ruins are a fascinating site to visit, best explored on foot or pedal cycle.

Nalanda Gediga - Nalanda Gedige (Buddhist Image House) is a curious site found halfway between Dambulla and Matale. Built in the 8th century, Nalanda Gedige, uniquely, blends the architecture of Hindu temples in south India and the more traditional Sri Lankan Buddhist architecture. It also has a number of stone carvings of the Karma Sutra, which can only just be made out due to centuries of weathering. Nalanda Gedige is rarely visited, which is surprising as it stands next to a beautiful reservoir and is an atmospheric spot.

Aluvihara Cave Temple - Located 26 km from Kandy in Matale, the ancient Aluvihara cave temple is of great significance in the history of Buddhism. It was here that the doctrine of Buddhism was written down for the first time in the 3rd century AD. Until this time, Buddha’s teachings were handed down orally. The temple consists of large caves with Buddha images and frescoes.

Hot Air Ballooning - Soar high above the ruined cities of ancient kingdoms, sail over national parks to watch the wild undisturbed, glide through the morning mist rising from tropical forests and watch the sun sink slowly into the Indian Ocean – hot air ballooning is now available in Sri Lanka. We have joined up with Adventure Centre Asia, the leading balloon operator in the island. Based in the Cultural Triangle, trips are available daily throughout season from late October to April.

Jungle village of the Veddas, Dambana - Sri Lanka’s indigenous inhabitants, the Veddas or Wanniya-laeto (forest- dwellers), preserve a direct line of descent from the islands’ original Neolithic community dating from at least 16,000 BC. The few remaining Vedda communities are determined that their way of life will continue into future generations and still retain much of their own distinctive cultural identity, indigenous language, a traditional lifestyle and occupations including hunting, honey gathering, and chena cultivation. A visit to Dambana will give an opportunity for visitors to meet and interact with this community and learn about their lifestyle.

Minneriya National Park - Sitting in the centre of the cultural triangle, Minneriya is a good alternative to the busier parks in the south and it's easy to weave in a day here between visiting the ancient cities. The dry season, from June to September, is the best time to visit the 8,890 hectare park when the ancient tank, the lake that dominates the area, dries out and the grasses and shoots push through. During this time it is possible to see herds of up to 150 elephants feeding and washing, as well as toque macaques, sambar deer and leopards.

Polonnaruwa Archeological Museum - Located near the Rest House, is thoughtfully laid out with interesting exhibits, and clear explanations giving an insight into the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa. The Museum takes you through a series of rooms, each dedicated to different aspects of the ancient city - the citadel, the outer city, the monastery area and the periphery, and the Hindu monuments. Each of the monuments is interestingly explained supported by small-scale architectural models and photographs of the buildings, which reconstructs how these places may have looked at the time. Of particular interest is the model of the Vatadage (circular relic house) scaled exhibits have been made possible with the assistance of the Department of Architecture, Sri Lanka’s University of Moratuwa. The Polonnaruwa museum is well worth visiting before you head out to see Polonnaruwa’s archeological sites.