Skip to main content
LANKA CHAUFFEURPrivate Drivers & Bespoke Tours

Hill Country

Kandy

The last royal capital, cradled by misty hills

Region
Hill Country
Best time
Kandy is a year-round destination thanks to its elevation, though the driest, most reliable months are roughly January to March and July to September. The inter-monsoon period around October to December brings heavier afternoon rain. If you are visiting during Esala Perahera (July/August), book accommodation well in advance.
Include Kandy in my journey

Why Kandy belongs on your route

Sitting around a tranquil lake at 500 metres above sea level, Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and remains the cultural heart of Sri Lanka. The city grew wealthy and proud in the hills, out of reach of successive colonial powers for three centuries, and that independent spirit still shapes its temples, ceremonies and way of life.

Most travellers come for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic — Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist site — but stay longer than planned for the cooler air, the ring of forested hills, the evening puja drums and the easy access to tea country, spice gardens and the great Knuckles escarpment.

  • The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) houses Buddhism's most venerated relic and comes alive during evening ceremonies, when drums and horns fill the courtyard.
  • Kandy serves as the natural gateway between the Cultural Triangle and the hill country — almost every well-planned Sri Lankan itinerary passes through, and it rewards a full day rather than a quick stop.
  • The Esala Perahera festival (usually July or August) is one of Asia's great pageants: dozens of adorned elephants, drummers, dancers and torch-bearers move through the streets for ten nights. Dates follow the lunar calendar, so confirm them early if you want to build a trip around it.

Things to do

Experiences we arrange around Kandy

Evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth

Join the thrice-daily ceremony, when the relic casket's chamber is briefly opened to visitors. Arrive 45 minutes before the evening puja for a good spot, and dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered.

Walk the lake loop

The 3-kilometre path around Kandy Lake takes about 40 minutes at a stroll and offers the best views of the temple, the cloud-wrapped hills and the white-domed Malwatte temple across the water.

Kandyan cultural show

A one-hour evening performance of drumming, dance and fire-walking offers context for the temple ceremonies. Ask your driver to book seats near the front.

Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens

Six kilometres from the centre, these 60-hectare gardens are among the finest in Asia — a canopy of palms, a famous avenue of royal palms, orchid houses and a huge population of fruit bats at dusk.

Day trip into the Knuckles Range

The serrated mountain range northeast of Kandy offers cooler treks through villages, tea smallholdings and cloud forest — a rewarding half- or full-day excursion with a driver-guide.

Getting there with your driver

Kandy lies approximately 115 kilometres from Colombo and Colombo Bandaranaike Airport. The drive takes roughly 3 to 4 hours by private car depending on traffic and the route chosen; the expressway combinations can shorten it slightly.

From Sigiriya or Dambulla, allow around 2.5 to 3 hours over the Knuckles foothills via Matale — a beautiful stretch that includes spice gardens and a stop at a pine-viewpoint if you wish.

Many travellers arrive by train from Colombo or continue onwards to Nuwara Eliya and Ella on the celebrated hill-country line. Your driver can meet you at Kandy station with the vehicle, so you enjoy the train ride without hauling luggage aboard.

Commonly combined with Colombo, Airport (CMB), Negombo, Sigiriya.

Know before you go

  • Dress code at the Temple of the Tooth is strict: covered shoulders and knees, and shoes removed inside. Bring a pair of socks — the stone courtyard heats up by mid-morning.
  • The evening puja (around 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm) is the most atmospheric time to visit, but it is also the busiest.
  • The city centre is compact and traffic-heavy; it is far quicker to walk around the lake than to drive, and your driver can wait at a convenient meeting point.
  • ATMs and banks are plentiful in the centre, but services thin out quickly in the surrounding hills — stock up on cash before heading into tea country.

Private tours

Journeys that include Kandy

Begin your journey

Want Kandy in your itinerary?

Tell us how long you have and what you love — we'll shape a private journey around Kandy and the rest of the island.

Plan Your Journey Explore Our Tours