On arrival at the Bandaranaike International airport, you will be warmly greeted and driven to Mihintale (approx. 4 hours’ drive)

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

09:00 After breakfast, you will be driven to Kudagama Village adjoining the Mahakanadarawa lake.

09:30: Arrive at a Village house and spend the day with a Buddhist family and learn their beliefs and values. You will also be able to experience Chena cultivation and learn the rituals and practices of the farmers.

11:30: Cook a vegetarian meal with the village family and enjoy lunch.

15:00: You will accompany the Village family when they visit a rural temple in the village and engage with all the traditional Buddhist proceedings. At the end of the day you will be able to speak to one of the monks in the temple.

17:30: You will be driven to your holiday resort in Mihintale.

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

08:15: You will be taken to Kaludiya Pokuna Mihintale Monastery.

08:45: Arrive at the Monastery and proceed with a full day meditation session under the guidance of a monk who has been meditating for the last 6 years in the jungle nearby. As the outsiders are not allowed, the natural ambiance provides a perfect setting for meditation.

11:00: When the bell rings at the monastery, you will peacefully walk to the “Dhana shala” for your mid-day meal offered by the devotees of the monastery.

11:45: After the meal you will be able to discuss with some of the experienced monks who have been meditating in this forest.

12:15: Proceed back to the forest and start your second meditation session of the day. This session will be more comfortable for you as you have got used to the environment and the conditions of the natural surroundings.

17:00: Finish the meditation programme and meet the monk to discuss about the things you learned during the day. You will also be able to clarify the things that you want to know.

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

06:00: You will be able to experience one-hour Yoga Session followed by 15 minutes meditation in the garden of the hotel.

08:30: You will be taken to visit Mihintale Temple. In the 3rd century BC, area of Mihintale was a thick jungle inhabited by wild animals and was a hunting ground reserved for the royals. This is the place where Mahinda Maha Thero, the son of the Indian Emperor Asoka, met king Devamnampiyatissa in 250 BC which resulted in inauguration of Buddhism to Sri Lanka. Today it is the main center for Theravada Buddhism and the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

10:30: After the visit, you will be taken to Doramadalawa rock temple which is in a remote village of Anuradhapura. Here you will be able to engage with a half day learning exercise of Buddhism. The monk will teach basic lessons about Buddhism and give make you understand the philosophy at the basic level. At the end of the day, you will be able to sit with the monk and chant the maha piritha. The mid-day meal will be served by the devotees of the temple.

17:00: You will be taken back to your resort.

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

06:00: You will be able to experience one-hour Yoga Session followed by 15 minutes meditation in the garden of the hotel.

08:30: You will be able to explore Anuradhapura ancient city. It was also the center of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The relic chambers like Ruwanveliseya, Abhayagiriya and Jetavanaramaya, stand as the largest manmade brick structures in the world. Th Brazen Palace, Twin Ponds, Samadhi Buddha Statue, Isurumuniya temple with finest rock carvings in the country, The Moonstone, The Guard stones and Thuparama and Lankaramaya Dagobas are the other important attractions that you cover during this city tour.

In the afternoon, you will be taken Thanthirimale Temple. Thanthirimale is a prominent Buddhist sacred place, situated about 40 kilometers north-west to the city of Anuradhapura. Having spread over a vast area exceeding 300 acres, one highlighted feature is the location of the sacred Bo tree. This Bo tree is believed to be one of the eight sacred saplings obtained from the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. The main attractions include stone statues (a Samadhi statue and a reclined statue), ancient inscriptions, ruins of several ancient buildings, natural ponds, museum and the new shrine. Incomplete stone carvings are believed to be the result of a sudden invasion which forced the civilization to be withdrawn from the area.

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

06:00: You will be taken to Na Uyana Buddhist Forest Monastery.

08:00: Arrive at the Monastery and proceed with a full day meditation programme under the guidance of a monk. This is one of the oldest Buddhist forest monasteries in Sri Lanka, dating back to the time of King Uttiya (3rd Century BCE). The modern revival of this ancient monastery during the past few decades has seen its emergence as one of the main meditation centers in the country. Today it is again a home to a thriving community of monastic and lay Buddhist practitioners.

11:00: When the bell rings at the monastery, you will peacefully walk to the “Dhana shala” for your mid-day meal offered by the devotees of the monastery.

11:45: After the meal you will be able to discuss with some of the experienced monks who have been meditating in this forest.

12:15: Proceed back to the forest and start your second meditation session of the day. You will be able to explore something more about you during this session of meditation.

17:00: Finish the meditation programme and meet one of the monastic and lay Buddhist practitioners to discuss about the things you learned during the day. You will also be able to clarify the things that you want to know.

Spend the overnight at Saji Sami Holiday Resort with vegetarian meals

After breakfast, you will be driven to visit Dambulla Cave Temple. Dambulla Cave temple is one of the most impressive and well-preserved cave temples in Asia. This complex contains five caves with over 2000 sq.m of painted walls and ceilings. This emphasizes the artistic talents of the people lived in this small island. Due to its artistic & archeological values, Dambulla Cave temple has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Today you can see the Golden temple at the entrance of Dambulla rock that includes a Buddhist museum completed in 2000.

In the afternoon, you will visit Bahirawakanda Temple and attend the Puja Ceromancy of Kandy Temple. Every day there are ceremonies (at 6 am, 10 am and 6 pm) during which the tooth, kept in an ostentatious golden case, is taken out of its chamber for devout Buddhists to see. Offerings of flowers are laid before the sacred tooth’s chamber, prayers fill the room, and drummers fill the air with rhythmic song. People line up for the chance to catch a glimpse the golden case up close. While the room is sticky with sweat and humidity and space is tight with both devotees and tourists, it is worth every second of your time. You really get a feel for the ritual, the tradition, and the importance of this place.

Spend the overnight at Samadhi Center with vegetarian meals

After breakfast, you will be driven to airport for your flight back home