Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower, Sri Lanka: A Complete Guide

I have said time and again that Sri Lanka is the destination not to check off things on a to-do list, but for one-off adventures that you are unlikely to encounter in another country and Ambuluwawa Tower is one of them. Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower in Sri Lanka on your trip soon? Read on!

I was so excited to have chanced upon this marvel during my initial research for my Sri Lanka trip that I made sure to mark it on my itinerary and make a detour on my way from Kandy to Hatton. I was driving a tuktuk in Sri Lanka by myself so that definitely made taking detours a whole lot easier. So on a side note, I highly recommend renting a tuktuk in Sri Lanka to up your adventure a notch!

Use my code “AVANTIKA” for a 5% off on the Tuktuk Rental website!

But even if you decide to go the public transport way, visiting Ambuluwawa is actually quite simple and doesn’t take a lot of time off your itinerary. Ambuluwawa is a great day trip from Kanndy, but can be done other ways too. Read on to find out more!

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What is the Ambuluwawa Tower?

The Ambuluwawa Tower is a unique landmark in Sri Lanka, known for its breathtaking views and interesting architecture.

This 48-meter-tall, cone-shaped tower is situated on a hilltop near Gampola town in the Kandy district at a height of 1,085 meters above sea level. While visiting Ambuluwawa Tower, from the top you can see panoramic views of the surrounding mountains including the famous Knuckles Range of Kandy, beautiful pine forests that I didn’t think existed in a tropical island country, and the Mahaweli Ganga River, which is the longest river in Sri Lanka.

On a clear day, apparently, even the distant coastline is visible from the top!

The tower was supposedly designed to resemble a Buddhist stupa but with a unique twist. An increasingly narrow spiral staircase winds its way up which visitors like you and me can climb to enjoy the aforementioned views!

Be warned though: The narrowing staircase makes for an increasingly challenging climb as you reach higher levels while visiting Ambuluwawa Tower. Add to that hoards of domestic and international tourists, and you’re in for a claustrophobic and acrophobic nightmare.

Regardless, the 360-degree view of the central highlands of Sri Lanka was definitely a highlight for me and worth visiting Ambuluwawa Tower for!

The History of Ambuluwawa Tower

The history of Ambuluwawa Tower is interesting, though it’s a relatively recent landmark. The modern development of the Ambuluwawa area began in 1997 and the construction of the tower itself was completed in 2006.

The mountain peak that Ambuluwawa Tower sits on is itself of historical significance. It was the centre of the Gampola Kingdom during the reign of King Buwanekabahu IV in the 13th century. However, the Ambuluwawa Tower project was spearheaded by D. M. Jayaratne, who later went on to becoming the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.

The key purpose behind the tower’s creation seems to have been to promote religious harmony and unity in Sri Lanka. Within the tower itself is a pagoda (a Buddhist stupa), and the surrounding complex houses a Hindu kovil (temple), a Christian church, and a Muslim mosque.

Climbing the Ambuluwawa Tower

As someone who has no fear of heights or crowds and tight spaces, I absolutely had no issues with visiting the Ambuluwawa Tower and instead, had a really grand time. But I also know a lot of people around me who did not. So here is what you need to know about actually climbing the Ambuluwawa Tower.

The climb begins with a pretty decently sized staircase at the base of the tower but as you keep progressing up, it gets increasingly narrower. I saw there were a few rest stops where you could have potentially exited the line climbing up to catch a break but unfortunately, those were filled with stagnant water and trash so it was a no-go.

About halfway through, the staircase relaxes a little bit and you have space to breathe in the otherwise single file. There are no tow lanes, there is only a single file and people are both climbing up and down in that single file while being pressed against a railing that is only waist high.

It was also an interesting place to people watch for the wide range of human emotions taking place. There were unfazed children, squealing teenage girls, carefree teenage boys, angry spouses for being dragged here, angry tourists for the “mismanagement”, people crying literal tears because of the fear and abandoning the climb midway and scrambling to turn around and go back down, and tourists taking it all in and enjoying their time.

If you are visiting Ambuluwawa Tower on a weekend (like I did on a Sunday), you might even find an otherwise unusually large number of domestic tourists, especially school children out on a field trip. So if you want to escape the crowds, you might want to time your visit early in the morning and preferably on a weekday.

However, for me, visiting the Ambuluwawa Tower was definitely worth it. And I would love to visit it again, but this time on a weekday and with a drone in my hand!

Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower in Sri Lanka

The main town is Gampola when visiting Ambuluwawa Tower, about 20 kilometres south of Kandy. Though Gampola does not directly fall on the tourist trail as there is not much else to do here apart from visiting Ambuluwawa Tower, it is quite easily doable and not a waste of your efforts at all!

Ambuluwawa Tower By Train

If you are visiting Ambuluwawa Tower by train, plan to get to Gampola railway station first. There are direct trains to Gampola from both Kandy and Colombo several times a day, starting at 6 am. From Colombo, the journey takes a little over 3 hours. From Kandy to Gampola, the train ride is just half an hour long!

At Gampola, you can choose to either hire a taxi or even ask a tuktuk driver to take you up. The tuktuk ride should not take more than $7, including waiting for you at the car park and bringing you back to Gampola.

Ambuluwawa Tower By Bus

Again, the nearest bus station to Ambuluwawa Tower is at Gampola. So if you are visiting Ambuluwawa Tower by bus, you can catch the bus to Gampola from Kandy. The journey takes about an hour, with buses leaving frequently throughout the day. The ticket costs about $0.50.

There are unfortunately no direct buses from Colombo to Gampola. You must change at Kandy.

From Gampola, you can then hire a tuktuk to take you up and get back. This is probably the cheapest way to do an Ambuluwawa Tower day trip from Kandy.

Ambuluwawa Tower By Tuktuk

This is the option I chose while visiting Ambuluwawa Tower. I was on a 28-day road trip across Sri Lanka on my rented, self-driven tuktuk, starting at Sigiriya. From Kandy, I was headed towards Hatton which is on a different route, but decided to take a short detour to Gampola and then on to Ambuluwawa Tower.

However, the roads leading up to Ambuluwawa from Gampola are so steep that I once stalled my tuktuk and for the life of me could not get it to start back up and climb the road again. So by the side of the road and with the help of a local man who spoke zero English, got in touch with a local tuktuk driver who agreed to take me up and back in my tuktuk for a small price!

Don’t forget my code AVANTIKA for 5% off on the Tuktuk Rental website!

In retrospect, I could have driven it all the way up if I had had a little more practice (I was only on day 3 of driving). The trick is to keep driving on first gear at 20 kmph, even if the tuktuk sounds like it’s ready to give up on you at any moment!

Ambuluwawa Tower Tours

All said and done, if you prefer visiting Ambuluwawa Tower on a pref-fixed tour where you have to do nothing but hop onto a vehicle, go about the site, and come back with the proper princess treatment, there are several Ambuluwawa Tower tours you can choose from:

🗼Kandy day Trip to Ambuluwawa, Ramboda Waterfall, Gregory Lake, Tea Factory and Nuwara Eliya
🗼Kandy day trip to Ambuluwawa Tower
🗼Kandy day trip to Ambuluwawa Tower and World’s End (Horton Plains)
🗼Negombo day trip to Ambuluwawa Tower, Kandy and Tea Factory

Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex: Things to Do

Apart from visiting Ambuluwawa Tower, the Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex has a few more things that you might want to check out if you have the time:

• Visit the Religious Area: the part of the Biodiversity Complex that is home to a Buddhist temple, a Hindu kovil, a mosque, and a Christian church to appreciate the peaceful coexistence of different faiths in one location.
• Visit the “Pinewoods”: a designated area with a pine forest cover to experience the true beauty of Sri Lanka’s central highlands.
• Go for a paddle boat ride on Jaya Wewa, the small lake within the complex. This is a perfect activity, especially for families with young children.
• Explore the Adventure Park featuring ziplining, rope climbing, and obstacle courses. Another activity for families with children

Other Tips for Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower in Sri Lanka

• The complex can get crowded, especially on weekends and holidays, so visiting Ambuluwawa Tower early in the morning or on weekdays can help you avoid the crowds.
• Make sure your clothing and shoes are comfortable. No heels! (I saw women struggling)
• Carry a water bottle to stay hydrated, when climbing the tower.
• Check the weather forecast before your visit. Clear weather will provide the best views from the top of the tower. If it’s rainy or windy, the climb might not be as enjoyable.
• As mentioned multiple times before, be prepared for narrow and steep staircases. If you have mobility issues or are uncomfortable with heights and/ or tight spaces and crowds, you might want to rethink the idea of doing the climb.

FAQs About Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower in Sri Lanka

Is Ambuluwawa Tower safe to visit?

Yes…and no. It depends on your abilities. I, for one, had no issues visiting Ambuluwawa Tower and actually had a fantastic time. But a lot of people also did not because of the height, narrow spaces, and crowds. So you need to assess yourself and see if it is safe for you. For me, yes, Ambuluwawa Tower was safe to visit.

What is the best time to visit Ambuluwawa Tower?

The best time to visit Sri Lanka is around the year. But the best time for visiting Ambuluwawa Tower is during the winter months of October through March. This is when the days are clearer and drier with less rain.

How much is the ticket for Ambuluwawa for visitors?

The entry ticket to Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex (including the tower) for foreigners is 2,000 LKR (around $7 USD).

What are the Ambuluwawa Tower opening hours?

The Ambuluwawa Biodiversity Complex is open every day from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.

What is the speciality of Ambuluwawa?

Visiting Ambuluwawa Tower is special for several reasons, combining cultural, architectural, ecological, and spiritual elements into one unique destination. However, the Ambuluwawa Tower is what the place is best known for.

Which is the tallest tower in Sri Lanka?

The tallest tower in Sri Lanka is the Lotus Tower (also known as Nelum Kuluna), standing 356 meters tall. It is located in Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, on the banks of the Beira Lake.

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