Peradeniya Botanical Gardens (පේරාදෙනිය උද්භිද උද්‍යානය)

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Situated in a loop of the Mahaweli River and 6 km west of Kandy, the site of Peradeniya Botanical Gardens was a seat of power between 1371 and 1377, during the time of the itinerant capitals, however, nothing remains from this period today. King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1780) created the garden as the Royal Pleasure Garden and later came to live here. This garden covers some 59.5ha (147 acres) of trees, lawns and flowering shrubs, including a 20-ha (50-acre) arboretum of more than 10,000 trees of over 4000 species of plants.

In 1815 the British took Kandy under their control and imprisoned the last king of the Country, King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. Under British rule, the Royal Park became a botanical garden in 1821 and is the largest of Sri Lanka’s three main botanical gardens. Here, exotic crops such as coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber and cinchona (quinine) – all of which later became important to Sri Lanka’s economy – were tested. Sights include a palm avenue planted by the British in 1905. Another British import was the enormous spreading Javafig (covering 1600 sq m) which sprawls across the lawn, grown from a sapling brought from the East Indies.

There are extensive well-kept lawns, an Orchid House containing an outstanding collection, an Octagon Conservatory, a fernery, banks of giant bamboo from Burma and numerous flower borders with cannas, hibiscus, chrysanthemums, croton and colourful bougainvillaea. The tank has water plants including the giant water lily and papyrus reeds. You will also see exotic species, especially palms (Palmyra, talipot, royal, cabbage), Ficus elastica (latex-bearing fig or ‘Indian rubber tree’ with buttress roots), an amazing avenue of drunken-looking Cook’s Pines and some magnificent old specimen trees.

In the centre of the gardens is an artificial lake in the shape of the island of Sri Lanka, beside which a white-domed rotunda commemorates George Gardner, superintendent of the gardens in the mid-19th century.

Opening Hours

Open Days	all 365 days
Opening Hours	7.30 AM – 6.00 PM
Ticketing Hours	7.30 AM – 5.00 pm

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens Entrance Fees

Description	LKR
Local Adults	200
Local Children below 12 years and School Children	30
Local Adults over 60 (NIC proof needed)	50
Foreign Adults	3000
Foreign School and University Students ((Must have satisfactory proof)	2000
Foreign Children (5 to 12 years)	1500
Electric Cars (4 seater) – 1 hour ride	1000
Electric Cars (8 seater) – 1 hour ride	2000
Vehicle Parking	charged

(2023-06-01 Revision)

Electric Cars and other facilities are available only in certain locations and prices may be increased regularly.

Also See

Map of Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

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Traveling Directions to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

Route from Colombo to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens	Route from Kandy to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
Through : Kandy Road – Peradeniya distance : 115 km Travel time : 3.5-4 hours Driving directions : see on google map	Through : Peradeniya distance : 5 km Travel time : 10 minutes Driving directions : see on google map

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Orubendi Siyambalawa Tamarind Tree (පුරාණ ඔරුබැඳි සියඹලාව සියඹලා ගස)
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Helamulla Degalhela Viharaya Ruins (හෙලමුල්ල දෙගල්හෙල පුරාණ විහාරය නටබුන්)
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Bathalagoda Wewa Reservoir in Kurunegala (කුරුනෑගල බතලගොඩ වැව)
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Panda Wewa – The First man made Reservoir in the World (ලොව මුල්ම අංග සම්පුර්ණ වැව වන පඬාවැව සහ එහි නටබුණ්)
Panda wewa, lying close to the ancient kingdom of Panduwasnuwara is believed to be the oldest man made reservior in the world built by King Panduwasdeva (504-474 BC) in 450 BC for irrigation as well as for daily use by the citizens of Panduwasnuwara. […]
Yoda Wewa at Tissamaharama (තිස්සමහාරාම යෝධ වැව)
It is believed that this tank was built by King Mahanaga in the late 3rd Century BC and the Duratissa Wewa mentioned in the ancient texts is the current Yodha Wewa in Tissamaharama. […]
Tissamaharama Tissa Wewa: The First Oblique Dam in the World (තිස්සමහාරාම තිස්ස වැව)
The Tissa Wewa is one of the largest ancient irrigation tanks constructed the 3rd Century is considered the first Oblique Dam in the world […]