BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//https://induwara.lk//Trip Planner//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Anuradhapura\, Sri Lanka — 3 days
X-WR-CALDESC:A 3-day culture\, food and photography itinerary through Anura
 dhapura's ruined dagobas\, monasteries and reservoirs\, plus a Mihintale d
 ay trip.
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:trip-custom-c46rw365-d1-20260604T003818Z@induwara.lk
DTSTAMP:20260604T003818Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260604
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260605
SUMMARY:Day 1 — the southern sacred core
DESCRIPTION:1. Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (1 hour) — Start at the sacred Bo tree a
 t dawn\, before tour groups and heat arrive\; the temple opens early for p
 ilgrims and entry is a small separate fee. Walk the gilded railing platfor
 ms quietly\, keep shoulders and knees covered\, and watch worshippers offe
 r lotuses. The morning light through the leaves is the best photography of
  the day.\n\n2. Ruwanwelisaya (Ruwanweli Maha Seya) (1 hour) — A short wal
 k north brings you to this dazzling white restored stupa\, one of the most
  revered in the country\, encircled by a wall of carved elephant heads. Wa
 lk the marble platform clockwise barefoot\; the surface gets scorching by 
 late morning\, so come now. It's the iconic Anuradhapura photograph agains
 t a clear sky.\n\n3. Thuparamaya (45 minutes) — The island's oldest stupa\
 , said to enshrine the Buddha's collarbone\, ringed by leaning stone pilla
 rs that once supported a wooden roof. The scale is intimate compared with 
 the giants nearby\, and the columns make strong foreground frames. Allow t
 ime to read the site board on its 3rd-century-BC origins.\n\n4. Jetavanara
 maya (1 hour) — This colossal red-brick dagoba was one of the tallest stru
 ctures of the ancient world\; the unrendered brick glows warm in afternoon
  light. Visit the small on-site museum for excavated relics and an idea of
  the original height. The vast base gives a sense of scale you won't get f
 rom photos.\n\n5. Archaeological Museum (45 minutes) — Air-conditioned rel
 ief in the heat of the day\, with sculptures\, a model of the Thuparamaya 
 vatadage and excavated artefacts that tie the morning's monuments together
 . Opening hours run roughly 8am–5pm\; it's closed on some public holidays.
  A useful context stop before you leave the core.\n\nNote: Buy the Sacred 
 City ticket early and keep it — it's checked at several monuments through 
 the day.\n\nFull itinerary: https://induwara.lk/tools/trip-planner/custom-
 c46rw365
URL:https://induwara.lk/tools/trip-planner/custom-c46rw365
LOCATION:Anuradhapura\, Sri Lanka
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:trip-custom-c46rw365-d2-20260604T003818Z@induwara.lk
DTSTAMP:20260604T003818Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260605
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260606
SUMMARY:Day 2 — the northern Abhayagiri monastery quarter
DESCRIPTION:1. Abhayagiri Dagaba (1.5 hours) — The heart of a once-vast mon
 astic university\, this huge brick stupa is quieter and more atmospheric t
 han Ruwanwelisaya\, often half-wrapped in green. Come early for soft light
  on the brick and to walk the surrounding ruins alone. The on-site Abhayag
 iri Museum explains the monastery's role as a centre of learning.\n\n2. Sa
 madhi Buddha Statue (30 minutes) — A 5th-century seated Buddha in deep med
 itation\, praised for its calm expression and one of the finest stone scul
 ptures in the country. Photograph it slightly from the side in morning lig
 ht to catch the serenity of the face. It sits in a small enclosure a short
  ride from Abhayagiri.\n\n3. Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds) (30 minutes) — Two
  beautifully cut stone bathing tanks for monks\, fed by an ingenious filtr
 ation channel and edged with a carved naga (cobra) stone. The symmetry and
  reflections reward a wide-angle lens. A quick but worthwhile stop just no
 rth of the Samadhi statue.\n\n4. Isurumuniya Vihara (1 hour) — A rock temp
 le built into a boulder beside Tissa Wewa\, famous for the 'Isurumuniya Lo
 vers' carving and the small museum of Gupta-style sculpture. Climb the roc
 k for a view over the tank and surrounding trees. Late afternoon light sui
 ts the carvings and the climb.\n\n5. Tissa Wewa bund (45 minutes) — End at
  this ancient reservoir's grassy embankment\, a local sunset gathering spo
 t with water birds and a clear western horizon. Bring water and watch the 
 light drop behind the tank — easily the day's best golden hour. Stay alert
  near the water at dusk for the odd crocodile sign.\n\nNote: Hire a bicycl
 e or tuk-tuk for the day\; the northern sites are too spread out to walk c
 omfortably.\n\nFull itinerary: https://induwara.lk/tools/trip-planner/cust
 om-c46rw365
URL:https://induwara.lk/tools/trip-planner/custom-c46rw365
LOCATION:Anuradhapura\, Sri Lanka
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:trip-custom-c46rw365-d3-20260604T003818Z@induwara.lk
DTSTAMP:20260604T003818Z
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260606
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260607
SUMMARY:Day 3 — Mihintale pilgrimage and local food
DESCRIPTION:1. Mihintale Stairway and Ambasthala Dagaba (2 hours) — Drive 1
 3km east and climb the grand 1\,840-step granite stairway where Buddhism w
 as introduced to the island in 247 BC\; go early to beat the heat. The Amb
 asthala Dagaba marks the meeting of King Devanampiyatissa and the monk Mah
 inda. Wear socks — the upper rock platforms burn underfoot by mid-morning.
 \n\n2. Aradhana Gala (Invitation Rock) (30 minutes) — A bare granite outcr
 op beside the dagoba with a short hand-railed scramble to a panoramic view
  over the plain and distant tanks. It's the photographic high point of Mih
 intale\, best in the clear morning air. Hold the rail\; the rock is slick 
 when dusty.\n\n3. Kaludiya Pokuna (45 minutes) — A tranquil 'black water' 
 pond at the foot of Mihintale with rock-cut monastic ruins\, meditation ca
 ves and shade under the trees. A calm\, lightly visited contrast to the bu
 sy stairway. A good spot to cool down before heading back to town.\n\n4. L
 ocal rice-and-curry lunch\, Anuradhapura town (1.5 hours) — Return to town
  for a mid-day Sri Lankan rice-and-curry spread — expect a dozen vegetable
  dishes\, dhal\, papadam and a choice of fish or chicken. Finish with buff
 alo-milk curd and kithul treacle\, a regional speciality of the dry-zone n
 orth. Most local 'hotels' (eateries) serve the full lunch buffet from arou
 nd noon to 2pm.\n\nNote: Mihintale also charges its own entry ticket\, sep
 arate from the Sacred City pass.\n\nFull itinerary: https://induwara.lk/to
 ols/trip-planner/custom-c46rw365
URL:https://induwara.lk/tools/trip-planner/custom-c46rw365
LOCATION:Anuradhapura\, Sri Lanka
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR