Trip Details

Restoration & Renovation Volunteering in Kandy Sri Lanka

How often do you have the opportunity to lovingly restore or repair a temple?! In Kandy, our Restoration and Renovation Volunteering Programme helps to breathe new life into many of the buildings here which need a little TLC. Whether you are a gap year volunteer – or simply want to try your hand at something new for a couple of weeks, you will have the chance to learn some great new skills. In fact, you may even find yourself putting some loving touches to the many temple artworks in and around Kandy! 

Give Kandy’s Community Buildings a Facelift!

Set around the beautiful Kandy Lake, the town still has many important temples. Sri Lankans as well as tourists make their way here, offering prayers and flowers. However, apart from restoring broken temples, you will also be involved in various other restoration, reconstruction, and beautification activities in and around Kandy, such as those in parks, schools and areas of the town. Importantly, you don’t have to be artistic to take part in this project; whatever your creative bent, there will something here for you to do, which will make your day rewarding!

Find Hidden Gems in Kandy’s Forests, Hills and Nature Parks

There’s so much to see locally, and you can easily find your way to Kandy’s bustling marketplaces, national parks, Kandy Lake – and – you’ve guessed it – many, many temples! In fact, Kandy’s history goes back 3000 years, so you’ll also pick up many ancient ruins, as well as monasteries (that you can visit) hidden in the forests. Further, if you’re up for a truly memorable journey, the Kandy to Ella train will take you through stunning scenery as you are entertained by musicians and singers throughout the journey! Truly, Sri Lanka is culturally such a diverse country, that you will find influences from all over the world in its cities and its people.

Why Restoration & Renovation Volunteering in Kandy, Sri Lanka?

  • Help to rebuild parts of Kandy’s historical and community buildings
  • Learn new skills in renovation and restoration of Sri Lankan artefacts
  • Get to know the Sri Lankan people and their way of life
  • Explore ancient ruins, temples and learn about Sri Lankan history
  • Stay at our accommodation with meals and beverages* included

*tea, coffee, water and milk

Get in touch to find out more or browse through our many other volunteer experiences.

Trip Itinerary

This project is a unique opportunity for gap year volunteers and explorers to help bring temples, schools, and community centres in Kandy back to their previous glory as you explore all that Sri Lanka has to offer its visitors!

Mandatory Orientation Day

On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarise yourself with the surroundings as well as the local culture.

Orientation Schedule

Monday

  • Welcome, introduction to Sri Lanka and projects, House rules, Code of Conduct and handling of documents
  • Sinhalese Language Lesson
  • Cultural Lesson
  • Kandy City Tour

A typical weekly schedule may look like this:

Weekly Schedule

Tuesday to Friday 

A typical day as a Restoration and Renovation Volunteer here in Sri Lanka, may involve some of the following activities. However, your tasks will be subject to what is needed at the time you arrive:

  • Cleaning the surroundings of the identified sites
  • Painting buildings
  • Engaging in mural work if available
  • Engaging in artwork if the temple makes requests

Please note: This schedule can be changed and/or amended depending on weather conditions, local conditions and unforeseen circumstances.

Evenings and Weekends

After a day of medical volunteering, you can choose to explore the area or head further afield on the weekends. In fact, many of our volunteers enjoy mixing with their new volunteer friends during the week and plan their weekend adventures as they go!

Places to Visit

Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, Knuckles mountain range, Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, Hortons plains National Park, or take a boat ride down Kandy Lake to see the city from an alternative viewpoint!

 

Trip Accommodation

Famous for the Temple of the Tooth and many ancient sites, Kandy is a vibrant city and bustling market town. Truly, this is a culturally diverse city, with songs dances and handicrafts to ancient temples and adventure activities to discover. In fact, Kandy was a royal capital and the last stronghold of the Kandyan kings against foreign powers, and therefore, enjoys a very rich history. So as a Restoration & Renovation Volunteer, you will find plenty of opportunities for your creative outlet!

Accommodation

Our accommodation is comfortable and is located 2 – 4 km from Kandy centre, comprising single-gender rooms sleeping 4 – 8 people. Further, private rooms can be requested but are subject to availability, depending on the number of gap year volunteers. Consequently, if you would like to book these, please let us know at the time of booking your week.

Food Arrangements

You will be provided with three meals a day on weekdays and two meals per day on weekends. Usually, the meals are a mix of Western and Sri Lankan food, consisting mainly of vegetarian dishes including rice and vegetables. However, you can also eat out at any of the local restaurants for some great authentic Sri Lankan cuisine!

Facilities

Our house is located 2 kilometres away from the city centre (a 15-minute walk), where you can find anything you might need for your Sri Lankan holiday. Further, you will find ATMs, and a supermarket there, where you can buy anything you might need for the week ahead.

 

Trip Country Info

Sri Lanka

Population: approx. 20 million
Capital: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Colombo
Language: Sinhalese, Tamil
Currency: Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR)
Time zone: UTC +5:30

Sri Lanka’s over 2000 years of history and culture can still be seen in every corner of its cities and the details of its ever-beautiful ancient temples. With eight UNESCO World Heritage sites and its short distances between the main sights, Sri Lanka is a country that, despite often being overlooked in itineraries, has left travelers filled with awe.

Visit the sacred home of the world’s oldest living tree in Anuradhapura, wander around the colonial architecture of Colombo, get sun-kissed at the untouched beaches that inclose the territory, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters, head to the hills for a cooler temperature and get surrounded by lush natural, visit two thousand year-old temples or get overawed at the sight of hundreds of elephants in Minneriya.

While traveling through Sri Lanka you will experience adventures from the highest and chilliest mountains like the famous Adam’s Peak – a stairway mountain considered sacred in three different religions, thru the elephant shelters, to the most peaceful beaches up north near Trincomalee and their tiny- one floor- hostels facing the calm sea.

Tru Experience Travel welcome people from all over the world to join ongoing Sri Lankan programs and you can even compose your schedule the way you like it. With this flexibility it enables you to say when you are on site and when you spend time with the new friends you have made from all over the world.

Participant Criteria & Requirements

Standard Requirements

Under 18, Parental Consent is Required
Travel Insurance

Additional Requirements

No requirements have been provided.

What's included

  • 24/7 support in case of emergencies
  • Accommodation
  • Airport Pick up
  • English speaking coordinator
  • Meals
  • Orientation

What's not included

  • Airport drop off
  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Vaccination
  • Visa