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Sri Lankan Crafts and Spices Tour from Kandy

Explore a Matale spice garden, Kandy batik and woodcarving workshops, and a gem museum on this private 9-hour guided tour from Kandy.

Spices Elephant Carving Wood Carving Kandy Craft Sri Lankan Crafts and Spices Tour from Kandy Sri Lankan Crafts and Spices Tour from Kandy

About this experience

Board your private, air-conditioned vehicle in Kandy and spend nine hours uncovering Sri Lanka's artisan heritage. Your English-speaking chauffeur guide takes you first to a spice garden in Matale, where you walk among cinnamon, cardamom, and pepper vines and learn how each crop is harvested and processed. Back in Kandy, step inside a batik workshop to watch craftspeople apply wax and dye to fabric, then visit a woodcarving studio to see intricate designs take shape by hand.

The tour also includes a gem museum visit, where you discover how Sri Lanka's sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones are graded, and a stop at a jewellery shop to see the finished pieces up close. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Kandy are included, as is your guide throughout. Food, drinks, and gratuities are not included, so bring spending money if anything in the workshops or gem shop catches your eye. Minimum age for this private tour is five years.

Duration9 hours
LanguagesEnglish
Group typePrivate — your party only
Min age5 years
ReferenceLKXVGK7PPG

What’s included

Included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off from your hotel in Kandy.
  • Transport by an air-conditioned private vehicle.
  • Service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide.

Not included

  • Food and drinks.
  • Gratuities (optional).
  • Expenses of personal nature.

Day-by-day itinerary

1

Day 1 — Sri Lankan Crafts and Spices Tour from Kandy

You will start your tour at 9:00am when you are picked up from your hotel in Kandy. You will proceed to Euphoria Spice and Herbal Gardens in Matale, which is the first place in your itinerary. You will get there by 10:00am and will go on ‘The Spice Tour’, an educational tour that shows you the spices and herbs of Sri Lanka and how they are grown and processed at the Spice Garden. You will also learn how to use them to their best effect. Afterwards you will get an opportunity to make purchases of various fresh spices and herbal products.

After finishing the spice gardens tour at approximately 11:30am, you will be moving back to Kandy to visit the Jayamali Batik Factory. You will get there by 12:30 pm. Though it is called a factory, this craft industry is not as large scale as you would expect from its name. Instead it involves a few expert craftspeople, usually women, and a few apprentices. You will get to see the elaborate batik-making process with its detailed crafting. You will also have a chance to purchase some beautiful products made with batik fabrics; such as wall hangers, table cloths, clothing and etc.

After a one-hour visit to the batik factory, you will go for lunch at 1:30pm. You can choose to have lunch at a place of your choice according to your own affordability. The Cinnamon Citadel, Mahaveli Reach or Helga’s Folly are recommended for a delicious lunch.

At 3:00pm after lunch (At your own expense), you will be visiting a Oak Ray Wood-carving center. You will spend an hour at the center and see the process of woodcarving and get to know more about the types of wood used. You will be able to buy purchase some carved wooden souvenirs, if you so wish.

At 4:00pm you will leave the woodcarving center to visit the gem museum, which you will reach by 4:2 pm. You will spend a fun hour and a half at the Tiesh Gem Museum, increasing you knowledge on the gems of Sri Lanka, and the gem crafting process. You will also be able to purchase both crafted gems and gem studded jewelry at the retail shop attached.

 You will be finishing your tour and getting back to your hotel at 6:30pm.

Please note

  • Public transportation nearby
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Not suitable for pets
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • A maximum of 8 people per booking
  • Your Hotel in Kandy

Cancellation policy

  • More than 24 hours notice: full refund
  • Less than 24 hours notice: no refund

To cancel, reply to your booking confirmation email or message us on WhatsApp.

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