Kandy City Tour in a TukTuk: 10 Hours of Temples & Tea

Breathe in spice-scented air and catch sunset views from a hilltop Buddha shrine

A full-day tuktuk tour of Kandy, Sri Lanka, with a live English-speaking guide and hotel pickup, visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Embekka Dewalaya, a working tea factory, Royal Botanical Gardens, and ending with a cultural dance show at Kandy Lake Club. The tour runs ten hours and includes fuel. Food and drinks are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Kandy's cultural and natural sites

• Visit Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Explore Embekka Devalaya temple
• Tour Lankatilaka Vihara temple
• Discover Gadaladeniya Temple
• Visit local tea factory
• Walk through Royal Botanical Garden
• Explore Spices and Herbal Farm
• See Big Buddha Statue
• Enjoy views at Kandy Viewpoint
• Attend Kandy Cultural Show

The experience

The day starts at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Buddha's tooth relic is housed. Your guide walks you through the temple's chambers and prayer halls, explaining the architecture and the religious significance that draws pilgrims from across the island. From there, the tuktuk carries you to Embekka Dewalaya, an older temple known for its wooden pillars carved with intricate detail: each one a piece of Kandyan craftsmanship that took centuries to accumulate. The contrast between the two temples shows how Sri Lankan sacred architecture evolved.

Mid-morning brings you to a local tea factory, where you watch the process from leaf to package. The smell of drying tea fills the air as workers sort and blend the leaves that become Ceylon tea. You'll see the machinery and learn how altitude and timing affect flavor, then move through the Spies and Herbal Farm to understand how traditional remedies and culinary herbs grow in the region. The Royal Botanical Gardens come next: a sprawl of manicured lawns, flower beds, and specimen trees where you can walk at your own pace and spot plants from around the world.

The afternoon takes you to two viewpoints: the Big Buddha Statue at Bahiravokanda Vihara, where you stand in front of a towering white Buddha with the city spread below, and the Kandy Viewpoint, which frames the lake, the Temple of the Tooth, and the surrounding hills. By evening, you're at Kandy Lake Club for a cultural dance show: traditional performers in bright costumes executing age-old dances, with a fire-walking ceremony as the finale. The tuktuk and driver handle the route. You step out at each stop.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and tuktuk transport throughout the day.
• a live English-speaking guide at each site.
• entry to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Embekka Dewalaya, the tea factory, Royal Botanical Gardens, and viewpoints.
• the cultural dance show at Kandy Lake Club in the evening.
• fuel surcharge.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:30

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 38 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 34

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tour Lasantha

Is this one for you?The ten-hour commitment means you're out for most of the day, so plan accordingly if you have evening plans or want to explore Kandy's markets and restaurants on your own. The tuktuk pace and fixed itinerary work well if you prefer a structured route with a guide handling the stops. If you want to linger at one site or skip ahead, a private driver or self-guided walk would give you more flexibility.

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Top questions

What is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and why is it on this tour?

The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Kandy that houses a relic of the Buddha's tooth, believed to bring blessings and protection. It's the spiritual heart of the city and the tour's opening stop, where your guide takes you through the temple's chambers and explains the history and religious significance that have made it a pilgrimage destination for centuries.

Does the tour include food and drinks?

Food and drinks are not included in the tour price. You'll visit a tea factory where you can experience the tea-making process, and you'll have time at the Royal Botanical Gardens and viewpoints, but you'll need to arrange and pay for meals separately.

Is the cultural dance show at Kandy Lake Club included, or is it optional?

The cultural dance show at Kandy Lake Club is included as the final stop of the day. It features traditional Sri Lankan dances, live music, and a fire-walking ceremony, and is part of the full ten-hour itinerary.

How does the tuktuk tour work? Do I stay in the vehicle the whole time?

The tuktuk is your transport between stops, but you get out at each site to explore. Your guide accompanies you at temples, the tea factory, the botanical gardens, and viewpoints. The tuktuk and driver handle the route and timing so you don't need to navigate or arrange transport between locations.

What are the wooden carvings at Embekka Dewalaya?

Embekka Dewalaya is an ancient temple dedicated to the gods Kataragama and Vishnu, famous for its wooden pillars carved with intricate designs that showcase Kandyan craftsmanship. Each pillar tells a story through its detailed woodwork, reflecting centuries of artistic tradition in Sri Lankan temple building.

Can I visit Lankatilaka Vihara or Gadaladeniya Temple on this tour?

Lankatilaka Vihara and Gadaladeniya Temple are not included in this tour's standard itinerary. The tour focuses on the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Embekka Dewalaya, the tea factory, Royal Botanical Gardens, viewpoints, and the evening cultural show.