2 Days Kandy Tour: Pinnawala Elephants, Temple & Tea – 4-Star Hotels

A 2 day Kandy tour from Colombo is the quickest way to meet the green heart of Sri Lanka. In just two days you travel from the airport to the hill capital, stopping on the way to watch rescued elephants bathe in a river. Once in Kandy you see the temple that holds the Buddha's tooth relic, enjoy an evening of drumming and dance, and next morning walk through a tea estate and visit a gem workshop before the road carries you back to the airport. A private driver-guide handles every transfer, so you never need to arrange transport.

Stay in 4-star hotels

This version of the tour is booked in 4-star hotels for all 1 nights: Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy, or similar hotels of the same standard. Rooms are double or twin, or single if you travel alone, with breakfast included each morning. The route, the sightseeing and your private driver-guide are the same as on the 3-star and 2-star version of this tour, so the difference is a more comfortable room, a better restaurant and pool, and in most places a quieter setting. Lunch, dinner, entrance fees, activity fees and train tickets are not included in the price.

Who the 2 day Kandy tour from Colombo suits

This trip suits people with little time: travellers on a stopover, guests who land in the morning and want to see something real before a beach week, and families who want a gentle introduction rather than a full circuit. It also works as a first chapter before a longer trip, since the route runs along the main road that most island itineraries follow. Nothing here is strenuous. You will do a few short walks, climb a handful of temple steps and sit in the car for the longer stretches. Children enjoy the elephants and the dance show, and older travellers appreciate the unhurried pace and the private vehicle.

The route from airport to Kandy

Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall and sets off towards the hills. The road from the airport to Kandy takes about three hours without stops, and the first major break is Pinnawala, roughly an hour and a half from Colombo. After about two hours with the elephants you continue upwards, passing coconut groves, rubber trees and roadside fruit stalls until the land begins to fold into ridges. Kandy appears around a small lake, with the roofs of the temple beside the water. That evening you attend a dance performance, visit the temple while the drums are playing and then choose a place for dinner, either at your hotel or in town.

Highlights of the Pinnawala and Kandy tour

The orphanage at Pinnawala was founded in 1975 beside the Maha Oya river, and it cares for elephants that were found orphaned or hurt. The most absorbing part of the visit is the herd's trip to the water: the animals pad down a lane to the river, wade in and spend a long time spraying, rolling and playing. Smaller calves, those under three, are still fed milk from bottles. It is a lively scene, and children rarely want to leave.

Kandy's great attraction is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The relic is said to have arrived in the fourth century, carried in the hair of a princess from Orissa, and over the centuries it became the most revered possession of the island. Drummers and worshippers fill the courtyard at ritual times, and the atmosphere is moving even if you are not a Buddhist. Later, the cultural show brings dancers in elaborate costume, acrobats and fire acts to the stage.

Day two: tea, gems and the airport run

The second morning is about two local industries. First you visit a tea estate to see how the leaf grows and how it is processed, finishing with a tasting of freshly made Ceylon tea. The central hills were converted to tea during British rule, and the first plant is said to have come from China to the botanical gardens at Peradeniya. Then you visit a gem gallery, where a mine reconstruction and a film explain how sapphires and other stones are found, cut and set, with no obligation to buy. There is also free time for shopping in Kandy before the drive to the airport.

Practical details and comfort

Your vehicle is private and air-conditioned, and your driver-guide speaks English and explains the sights as you go. A hotel in Kandy is included for one night on a bed-and-breakfast plan, so breakfast is included and you choose where to have lunch and dinner; your driver-guide is happy to suggest good local restaurants. Entrance fees are paid separately. Dress modestly for the temple, with shoulders and knees covered, and carry a light jacket, since Kandy's evenings can be cool. Comfortable shoes help on wet ground at Pinnawala.

When to go and how to extend

Kandy and the hills are driest from about December to March and remain pleasant into April, but the city is rewarding all year, and a shower does not stop the elephants bathing. If you have more time, the same route continues naturally to Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya and the south. Tell us your dates, and we can add nights, move the finish to Colombo or the airport, or build a longer tour around these two days.