In a nutshell

The perfect excursion for those wishing to sample the city of Colombo's main attractions, including the buddism culture.

Main stops

Gangaramaya temple
Ashokaramaya temple
Kelaniya temple
Panoramic tour
Shopping

The programme

We start our journey through Colombo’s Buddhist spirituality by visiting the nearby Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara temple. This historic shrine, founded 2500 years ago, attracts a large cult and is embellished by grand sculptures making it a fascinating stop not to be missed.
We continue with the Asokaramaya Buddhist temple in the southern part of Colombo. The exterior is very bland but, inside, we are struck by a wealth of colours with Buddha statues and excellently-preserved vibrant frescoes depicting various moments in the life of Siddhartha Gautama.
We then move on to the heart of Colombo to visit the largest Buddhist temple in the city: Gangaramaya. It is located on the banks of lake Beira and hosts the most extravagant celebrations during the Vesak Poya festival which commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha.
Made up of a series of imposing buildings, it also includes a fascinating well-stocked museum displaying countless Buddha statues from all over the world, as well as Hindu deities, ancient clocks, Dutch coins and many other antiquarian objects.
Next is a sightseeing tour of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. and a mixture of the multiple identities that coexist in the country.
We stop for a few photos at the Buddhist temple of Seema Malakaya in the enchanting Independence Square and at the monument commemorating those who lost their lives in the two World Wars to capture the most evocative corners of the city.
We end this thrilling excursion with some shopping in the Premadasa craft shop.

Good to know

When visiting Buddhist Temples, you must remove your shoes and wear socks.
The panoramic tour will be operated by bus.
In order to take photos or film videos within the temple, you must purchase the necessary tickets.
Places on this excursion are limited. We recommend booking early.