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Brilliant 4.72rating (254)
  • Sustainable Cities And Communities

Ancient Temples Restoration

location
1 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Help restore precious temples back to glory, in a small village
  • Bring along your creativity to brighten up the old buildings
  • Laying bricks,titles, gardening, building strutures (all depending on prior experience)

Highlights

  • Help restore precious temples back to glory, in a small village
  • Bring along your creativity to brighten up the old buildings
  • Laying bricks,titles, gardening, building strutures (all depending on prior experience)
  • Basic renovation such as sanding and painting walls
  • Creating murals on the walls- you can get creative here!
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Families
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    Renovate and restore ancient temples in a quiet village and bring them back their former glory. You will also get a chance to renovate community buildings.

    There are many temples, schools, and community centres in and around Kandy that require renovation, restoration, and repair work. Our project works to bring many of them back to life. Your volunteer work will include basic renovation, painting and restoration of artwork in and around the temples.

    The ...

    About the program

    There are many temples, schools, and community centres in and around Kandy that require renovation, restoration, and repair work. Our project works to bring many of them back to life. Your volunteer work will include basic renovation, painting and restoration of artwork in and around the temples.

    The projects take you deeper into the rural parts of Sri Lanka, for the chance to see the local way of life. Kandy is known as the cultural capital of Sri Lanka and has many important temples. Although many of its palaces and temples were destroyed by invaders in the early 19th century, meaning your help will be greatly valued in restoring the broken ones back to life.

    You will be helping the local community in restoring and saving these symbolic and cultural buildings.

    You will also be involved in various other construction and restoration projects such as improvement of parks, painting local classrooms and putting up educational posters, making it a much more enjoyable environment for the school kids. You could also help create fun playground activities for the children and take part in enhancing the local town with creative activities and painting.

    Location
    Kandy, is an amazing destination high up in the hills approx 3 hours drive from Colombo with incredible views, dense forests and a buzzy atmosphere with locals and tourists. Kandy is the last royal capital of Sri Lanka and is famous for it’s culture and temples such as Temple of the Tooth and plenty of others. The city has bustling markets with all kinds of interesting and diverse goods and services from unique handicrafts, exotic foods, arts, music and dance. Kandy has a really cool vibe and is somewhere you can happily explore for an extended period of time.

    Project Tasks
    • Renovate, restore and paint ancient temples
    • Create a nicer environment for the community and future tourists
    • To assist with other construction projects in the community and local schools

    Typical day

    Monday to Friday
    • Cleaning the surroundings of temple sites
    • Painting buildings and old temples
    • Creating mural work if available
    • Painting any artwork the temple may request
    • The work usually starts at 8.30 am and finishes around 2.30 pm.
    *Schedule possible to change due to the project and community needs at ...

    Typical day

    Monday to Friday
    • Cleaning the surroundings of temple sites
    • Painting buildings and old temples
    • Creating mural work if available
    • Painting any artwork the temple may request
    • The work usually starts at 8.30 am and finishes around 2.30 pm.
    *Schedule possible to change due to the project and community needs at the time. Volunteer flexibility and adaptability is important to a positive volunteering experience. 

    Free-time activities

    Here are a few things you can do in Sri Lanka!

    Royal Botanical Gardens
    The Botanic Gardens are situated around 5. km to the West of Kandy. Once being only for the Kandyan royalty, they are now open to the public to wander around at their leisure. There’s 60 hectares of beautiful garden to explore, ...

    Free-time activities

    Here are a few things you can do in Sri Lanka!

    Royal Botanical Gardens
    The Botanic Gardens are situated around 5. km to the West of Kandy. Once being only for the Kandyan royalty, they are now open to the public to wander around at their leisure. There’s 60 hectares of beautiful garden to explore, where you will see a huge Javan fig tree, pretty orchids and even monkeys!

    Knuckles mountain range
    This stunning mountain range is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and hosts many walking trails. You will find small villages, beautiful waterfalls, numerous native wildlife and rice fields. This is the perfect place for people who love the outdoors and adventurous hiking trails.

    Sigiriya (Lion Rock)
    Another UNESCO World Heritage site, this ancient rock is situated around 91km North from Kandy and is very popular with tourists, who can climb up to the top for some seriously stunning views. Along the way you will see antient rock carvings and paintings on the walls of this sacred rock. It will take roughly just over an hour to climb up.

    Yala National Park
    Located on the South coast of Sri Lanka, this stunning park hosts one of the highest leopard densities in the world. Not only that, you can also spot elephants, monkeys, birds, buffalo and more. There are numerous tours in Yala, from day tours to over several days of safari.

    Adam’s Peak
    Around 91km South of Kandy you can climb to the top of this sacred sight, just as the locals do for pilgrimage. It’s a bit of a trek up in the dark but totally worth it to see the sun coming up over the clouds, mountains and lush forest. You will be greeted by stunning views to reward your efforts!

    Hortons Plains National Park
    You can trek through this beautiful national park to ‘World’s End’, a 9.5km round loop trail, taking around 3 hours. This is a pretty easy walk, but you will be greeted with amazing views out over the countryside and above the clouds! It’s best to visit here early (before 10am) as the clouds can roll in after that and block the incredible views.

    Udawatta Kele Reserve
    Situated near the Kandy lake, this nature reserve is complete with monkeys and birds- fantastic for wildlife and nature lovers. Here you will find wooded forests, over 400 species of plants and 70 bird species. You can trek through the forest for a relaxing break away from the city.

    Tea Plantations
    Kandy and Nuwara Eliya are both popular places to visit a tea plantation, for a refreshing taste of some of Sri Lanka’s best fresh tea! Not only do they produce great tea, the landscape is stunningly green, with endless hills rolling off into the distance.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Accommodation
    3 meals p/day weekdays / 2 meals p/day weekends
    Arrival airport transfer (Sat/Sun arrivals)
    Filtered drinking water, coffee & tea
    1 day orientation
    Daily transportation to project
    In country 24/7 support & emergency assistance
    Fundraising support
    University course credits (where applicable)
    Certificate of Completion

    Airport Pickup at Bandaranaike International Airport

    Programs begin every Monday, and volunteers are required to arrive the day prior, for orientation before the project. Your accommodation on the Sunday is included in the program fees.

    A free airport pickup is included when arriving to Bandaranayake International Airport (CMB). You must arrive between the hours 05:00 to 21:00 on Sunday.

    If you arrive outside the pickup times, you can book a private transfer for an extra fee.

    If you want to book any extra nights before or after your program, you can do this for an extra fee.

    Alternatively, if arriving early you could wait at the arrival’s terminal for the pickup time, book accommodation at the airport and meet us during the pickup times or make your own way to the project (we will advise on how to do this).

    From the airport to the Kandy accommodation, it takes around 3-4 hours by road and to the Ambalangoda accommodation, around 3 hours.  

    Accommodation

    You will be accommodated in one of our centres which are located 2-4 km away from Kandy centre, and about a 15 min walk to the nearest supermarket and ATM. You’ll share rooms with 4-10 other volunteers of the same gender with a shared toilet per room. A fridge, safety deposit boxes, lockable rooms, hot showers, bed linen and fan are included with volunteers expected to bring their own towel. Laundry facilities are available at a small fee. The centres do not have Wi-Fi but you can buy a local sim card. Most volunteers will purchase a local data plan and connect this to their personal devices.

    *Accommodation may be in our local centre or in close proximity, depending on availability and time of year.


    Private Room Upgrade: please contact us directly for options and pricing

    *Please note: Upgrade prices can change, so please check the price with us first

    Food & Beverages

    3 meals per day are provided during weekdays and 2 meals per day on weekends. Safe filtered drinking water is provided along with tea and coffee. You can expect meals with rice, coconut, spices, roti, lots of vegetables & sparing amounts of meat. 
    You don't have to pay anything yet

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Internet Access

    Sorry, no access at the project site

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo. We assist you to find cheap flights to Sri Lanka. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Sri Lanka provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Sri Lanka you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Sri Lanka. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Program starts every Monday. Arrivals on Sat/ Sun. If arriving on Sat, an extra night is charged.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program Fees

    $597 per week 1 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    1 - 12 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.7
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers
    •
    2025
    Very well organised, had no problem checking in. The work was so nice and the people were wonderful. Staff is also there to help out with ...
    Sarah Damaschin

    School Construction

    Location

    Asia > Southern Asia > Sri Lanka > Kandy

    Meet your project coordinator

    Lauren
    254
    reviews
    4.72
    Brilliant
    1989
    Founded

    Verified

      Very high response rate
    Spoken languages: English
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    You might also be interested in

    Volunteer Abroad  >  Community  >  Construction in Sri Lanka
    Contact Lauren
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    Travel dates

    1. - 1. Jan 1

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    Price details