Kandy

Udawattakele was originally a pleasure garden used by the royals of Kandy, but today it is an abundant, lush rainforest and a birder’s paradise. Our trek, led by an experienced and enthusiastic guide, will give us a valuable insight into the forest, the fauna and the flora around us. As Kandy has a temperate climate, the forest has a plethora of bird species from both wet and dry zones. Some of th..

A bhikkuni is a female Buddhist monk, and this tour takes us to a monastery on the outskirts of Kandy where our host will teach us about the history of Buddhist nuns starting with the first one; Mahapajapati Gotami. She was the stepmother of Buddha and the first woman to seek ordination for women, which at the time was unheard of, as women were not regarded as equal to men. You will be taken throu..

Distant Journeys are proud to offer some of the world’s best rail holidays. Instead of journeying from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by road, travel in the style of the British during the colonial times on the original train tracks laid in 1864. Board a local train and travel through an idyllic panorama of forests, villages, tea estates and waterfalls en route to Nuwara Eliya. The train itself is a sight..

For something a little different today, hop on a tuk tuk to be taken to the rural setting of Gampola to explore three lesser-known temples with a knowledgeable guide. Start off with Gadaladeniya Viharaya, one of the so-called ‘Three Temples’ or "Western Shrines’. Built of stone by Gampola’s King Bhuvanekabahu IV and perched on a rock cliff, the temple is a fine example of the Dravidian style of ar..