TOURS OF MANOR HOUSE
Currently being a home to 93 elephants. Pinnawala at the time was a very remote area with lush coconut plantations and most importantly an area where the availability of mahouts was not lacking. Also the immense amount of water required by the elephants is supplemented with the availability of “Ma oya” running close by.
Visit Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple.
The Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane is three kilometres from Kandy city. The museum consists of four floors. The ground floor and the second floor exhibit very old items of machinery and the first floor consist of a library and an auditorium with facilities for audio visual presentations. The third floor is allocated to tea sales outlets, where a selection of Sri Lankas fine tea is available. The entire top floor is a tea cafe. A panoramic view of the Kandy town surrounded by the beautiful Hunasgiriya, Knuckles Range and the Matale range of hills can be viewed through a telescope mounted on the fourth floor.
Udawattakele Forest Reserve, often spelled as Udawatta Kele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares (257 acres) large. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawattakele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in Sinhalese meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawattakele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938. You would have a moment in your life to review what you have been doing and change the way you look at yourself, A meeting with Buddhist Lamas who live in a cave or jungle Hermitage at the foothills of Kandy are offered to Guests.
Revel in the tranquil ambiance known to the Victoria Golf Club Kandy– its undulating hills setting the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable getaway. Sprawling coconut and jack forests await you as you stroll along unending green slopes – taking in the splendour of birds and butterflies fluttering across the landscape. Beautifully cast over every undulation, peak and slope, the course was voted ‘Best in Asia 2005’ by Asian Golf Monthly and ranked in top 100 ‘Most Beautiful Courses in the World’ by Golfers Digest. Horse riding is available at the Golf Course.
Kandy is a major city in Sri Lanka located in the Central Province. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. The city was born in the 14th century and became the capital of the Kandyan kingdom in the 16th century. It was the seat of much of Sri Lanka’s culture. The Royal City fell to the British in 1815, when the last Kandyan King, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe was captured. The highlight of the year is the Kandy Esala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is taken in procession accompanied by exotically costumed drummers, dancers and about 80 – 100 caparisoned elephants during ten glittering nights in July/ August. The beautiful city is surrounded by hills and valleys, rivers, lakes and cascading waterfalls, boasts of the Royal Botanical gardens at Peradeniya. Kandy is an exciting place for shopping with souvenirs of wood, copper, silver, brass and bronze. Ceramics, lacquer work, handlooms, batiks, jewellery, rush and reed-ware too could be purchased.
The Kandy Esala Perahera also known as The Festival of the Tooth is a grand festival celebrated with elegant costumes and is held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka.
As Sri Lanka’s largest garden an elegant and spacious 147-acres (60-hectares) plenty of time is needed to stroll Peradeniya’s imposing Avenue of Royal Palms. There are some 4,000 different species of plants at Peradeniya Gardens. The 10,000 or so trees, which are the stars, are mature, lofty giants, many of them tropical timber trees. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, capable of growing to 40 meters height (130 feet) with a 25-centimetre (10-inch) stem diameter. And it can grow by a rapid 30 centimeters a day (12 inches).
Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a World Heritage Site mainly due to the temple.
The Kandy Dance cultural show is one of the most famous evening events in this city of heritage, and is a major highlight of any trip. Starting in the evening, show captivates your ears and eyes with spectacular displays of local culture and art. Covering various aspects of Sri Lanka’s traditions, expect to see drummers, fire dancers, and more in a cultural spectacle that should not be missed.
The lush forest cover of Udawatta Kele Sanctuary behind Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy has a long history dating back to many centuries. It was declared Tahansikele or forbidden forest by the Sinhala kings who ascended the throne when Kandy became the capital city. It was a royal forest reserve where no one was allowed to venture. Located close to Sri Dalada Maligawa and the royal palace in this verdant jungle where among trees, creepers, lichen, mosses, ferns, grasses, fungi, and bacteria are found in abundance.
Visit a spice garden in Matale to see many different types of spices Sri Lanka is famous for. Gardens are open to visitors, a delightful place to stroll in fragrant greenery and learn about nutmeg, pepper vines, clove trees and curry, cinnamon and the precious cardamom, a relative of ginger. It grows in the shade of high jungle trees and can only be harvested by hand. Visitors may buy spices, traditional remedies and cosmetics, taste a herbal brew and in some venues, enjoy the full flavors of Sri Lankan spices over lunch or an Ayurveda massage based on natural products from the garden.
The grounds surrounding the Tea Museum are landscaped with different varieties of teas. Kandy is a mandatory stop virtually on every tourist's itinerary and the location of the Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane enhances the attraction of the hill country to visitors. Additionally, its proximity to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and Loolecondera estate, where tea was first grown commercially in Sri Lanka makes Hantane the perfect location.
Throughout history, Sri Lanka has been known as a land of gems. King Solomon was said to have procured a great ruby for the Queen of Sheba from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Marco Polo wrote Wonderful Ceylon Gems. The Gem industry in Sri Lanka (also known as Ceylon, Serendib, etc.) has been in existence for over 2500 years. Some of the rarest of gem stones of exquisite beauty have taken pride of place, in the Crown jewels of Kings and Queens from time of Great Roman Emperors.
Located on the outskirts of Kandy, the Victoria Golf Club is one of the few golf clubs in Sri Lanka. However, it is perhaps the most popular, owing to its unique yet scenic landscape. The Award Winning Donald Steele designed masterpiece is set in 500 acres, taking advantage of the island’s distinctive terrain. Bordering the edge of the vast Victoria reservoir and overlooked by the Knuckles mountain range.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (PEO) just as the name suggests holds a unique disposition in the ex-situ animal care. It’s success and fame has travelled not just within the country but throughout the world to an extent where Pinnawala synonymous with the Sri Lankan Elephant.
The Knuckles Forest Range is named after the five peaks; Kirigalpottha, Gombaniya, Knuckles, Koboneelagala, and Dotulugala, which look like the knuckles of a clenched fist, that could be seen from many viewpoints.