2-Day Anuradhapura Private Tuk Tuk Tour: Hidden Temples & Ruins

Ancient Anuradhapura by tuk tuk, where backroads reach what buses can't.

A 2-day private tuk tuk tour of Anuradhapura combines UNESCO sites, hidden temples and quiet ruins on routes large groups cannot access. Your local driver-guide shares history and legends as you travel between monuments like the Ruwanwelisaya stupa and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi sacred fig tree. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Entrance tickets and a site guide are available as add-ons at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Anuradhapura: Private Tuk Tuk Tour

• Visit Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree
• Explore Ruwanweliseya stupa
• See tallest ancient stupa
• Visit Kuttam Pokuna twin ponds
• View Samadhi Buddha statue
• Explore Jethawanaramaya Stupa
• See Sandakada Pahana moonstone
• Visit Elephant Pond reservoir
• Explore Thuparamaya Stupa
• Visit Isurumuniya Temple

Day 2: Optional Drop at Anuradhapura Bus Stand

• Drop at Anuradhapura Bus Stand

The experience

Anuradhapura spreads across an area too large and too fragmented for walking, and too narrow for tour buses to navigate the backroads where the quietest temples sit. A private tuk tuk solves that: it reaches the Isurumuniya Temple carved into rock in the 3rd century BC, the Thuparamaya Stupa enshrining Buddha's collarbone relic, and the Elephant Pond measuring 159 meters long, all without the schedule of a group. Your driver-guide is local and knows the legends and history that guidebooks skip: the stories that make the stones matter.

The two days let you move at a pace that fits the scale of the site. You stop for a king coconut or traditional Ceylon tea along the way, which means you're not rushing between monuments or eating lunch in a tour van. The Ruwanwelisaya, built by King Dutugamunu in 137 BC and once the world's tallest stupa at 122 metres, demands time to walk around. So does the Samadhi Buddha statue carved from dolomite marble in the Mahamevnāwa Park, or the twin ponds called Kuttam Pokuna, which show the hydraulic engineering the ancient Sinhalese mastered. A single day would compress these into a checklist. Two days let you linger.

The tuk tuk itself is how you feel the city's rhythm. You're not sealed in air conditioning. You move through the streets and past the people and the markets. When you're ready to move on, your driver takes you to the next site. If you need transport onward (to the bus stand or another town), that's arranged as part of the drop-off.

What’s included

• Private tuk tuk transportation for your group.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Anuradhapura.
• refreshments of king coconut and bottled water during the tour.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:30, 08:00, 08:30 and 14:30

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 12 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for back problems

Operated by Haven Lanka Tours

Is this one for you?Two days gives you time to move between monuments without rushing, and space to stop for tea or simply sit with a site before moving on. Something a single-day tour compresses into a schedule. The private tuk tuk reaches backroads and smaller temples that large group buses cannot access.

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Top questions

What is the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and why does it matter?

The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi is a sacred fig tree, or Ficus religiosa, standing in the Mahamewna Gardens in Anuradhapura. It is the oldest human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date and recorded history, and the closest authentic living link to Gautama Buddha.

How big is the Ruwanwelisaya stupa?

The Ruwanwelisaya stands among the tallest ancient monuments in the world. Built by King Dutugamunu in 137 BC and completed by his brother King Saddhatissa, it once rose 122 metres: making it the world's tallest stupa when constructed.

What are Kuttam Pokuna and what do they show?

Kuttam Pokuna are twin ponds or bathing tanks built in the ancient Anuradhapura Kingdom as part of the Abhayagiri vihāra complex. They demonstrate the hydrological engineering, architecture and artistry the ancient Sinhalese achieved.

Does the tour include entrance fees to the sites?

Entrance tickets to the Anuradhapura archaeological site are available as an add-on at checkout. You can also add a site guide if you want deeper interpretation of the monuments beyond what your driver-guide provides.

What happens if I need to catch a bus after the tour?

A drop-off to the Anuradhapura Bus Stand is available if you need onward transport, arranged as part of your hotel drop-off at the end of the tour.