Rathnapura has been the heart of Sri Lanka’s extraordinary gemstone industry for over two thousand years, a tradition of artisanal mining and stone identification that has produced some of the world’s finest sapphires, rubies, cat’s eyes and spinels from the rich alluvial deposits of the Sabaragamuwa region. This day tour takes you deep into the living culture of Sri Lanka’s gem industry, beginning with a visit to working gem pits where traditional miners use hand tools and ancient techniques to excavate the gravel beds known as ‘illam’ from which precious stones are recovered. Your expert guide explains the geology, history and skill involved in identifying raw gemstones before they are cut and polished into the vivid jewels that have attracted traders and collectors to Rathnapura for millennia. A visit to a polishing workshop reveals the transformation from rough stone to finished gem in fascinating detail, while the Rathnapura Gem Museum provides essential context for the industry’s remarkable history.