Overview

Ramayana Trails

7 Nights / 8 Days

 

Itinerary for Ramayana Trails

Day 01 : AIRPORT – CHILLAW

This itinerary and the sightseeing plan or the mentioned attraction points may change or may have to skip depending on the flight timing, time factor and the instructions issued by the relevant authorities time to time.

After the immigration and Migration clearance at the counter you will be Welcome by our Representative at the Arrival Lounge and you will be escorted to Chillaw.

Lunch at an outside Local restaurant during the tour-Not included

This afternoon visit & worship Muneeshwaram temple & Manvari Temple. (Entrance Free)

It is believed that Munneswaram is a significant historical place in Sri Lanka and predates the Ramayana. Sinhala, Hindu, and Buddhist devotees worship by this historical temple.

Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ajodhya in one of Rawana’s Vimanas. He felt he was being followed by a Brahmaasthi Dosham as he had killed. King Rawana who was a Brahmin. Whilst passing over this Chilaw area, Rama noticed that the Brahmaasthi Dosham was not following him. He stops the Vimana at this juncture and asks God Shiva for a remedy. God Shiva blessed Lord Rama and advised installing and praying for four lingams, as the only remedy to get rid of the Dosham.

Proceed to Manavari. Manavari is the first place where Lord Rama installed the Shiva Lingam and prayed after the end of the war with King Ravana. This Lingam is Ramalingam because it was made by Lord Rama. Apart from this, the Lingam in Rameshwaram is the only Lingam in the world which is named after Lord Rama

Check in to your hotel at Chillaw.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner & Over Night stay at Negombo / Chillaw

 

Day 02 : NEGOMBO – SIGIRIYA

After the breakfast leave for Kandy. En Route visit the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala. (Included)

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage: This orphanage was set up by the government to take care of baby elephants lost or abandoned in the wild. Witness the feeding of the elephants. The baby elephants being bottle fed with milk is a heartwarming sight.

Thereafter observe them as they take their daily bath in the river nearby, which affords marvelous photo opportunities. Bath time is enjoyed by all elephants, young and old alike and it is a good time to closely observe their tightly knit family structure. The young elephants are protected and cared for, by the older ones in the group and the leader of the group is respected by all. (Open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Daily feeding times- 9.15 a.m.,1.15 p.m. 5.00 p.m. Bathing times – 10.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m.)

After the completion leave for Sigiriya.

En Route Worship the Dambulla Cave Temple.(Included)

Dambulla and visit the famous Golden Rock cave temple which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, a vast isolated rock mass with its five caverns is the largest best preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka.

The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 sq. meters) are of particular importance as are the 157 statues including a 47 foot long statue of the recumbent Buddha. The ceiling of one cavern is fully illustrated with paintings that follow the natural folds of the rock so closely that it appears to be made of cloth. The complex of caves is one of the most impressive Buddhist Temples in the world. For a Fact Dambulla Cave Temple is located in the Opposite Side of the Middle of Bermuda Triangle and is filled with lot of stories

Lunch during the tour at an outside local restaurant. (Not Included)

Check in to your hotel at Sigiriya

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner & Over Night stay at Sigiriya

 

Day 03 : SIGIRIYA – TRINCOMALEE

Breakfast at the hotel and early morning climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and witness the Sunset. Also known as Ravana Fort (Included)

Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 3rd century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the Buddhist Sangha. The garden and palace were built by Kasyapa 477 - 495 AD. Following Kasyapa's death it was again a monastery complex up to about the 14th century, after which it was abandoned. The ruins were discovered in 1907 by British Explorer John Still.

Today Sigiriya is famous for its ‘Mirror Wall’, which consists of poems and paragraphs carved by visitors to the rock many years ago and for its magnificent frescoes of shapely be-jewelled maidens, vibrant colours and the water garden similar to the Ajantha frescoes of India. Sigiriya is in fact, the best-preserved city center in Asia from the first millennium and has been named as a UNESCO world heritage site and 08th Wonder of the World. In the rock garden area of Sigiriya there is the Cobra Hooded Cave. It is a rock-shelter surmounted by a boulder in the form of a cobra hood. It is one of the many spots believed to have been a palace of Sita's captivity on Lanka. An inscription mentioning a Naguliya Lena is said to be a proof for it as Naguliya is identified with Sita as allegedly both names can have the same meaning "born from a furrow", because "Naguliya" could be derived from the words for snakes and for plough. But historians believe Naguliya to be the name of a local chieftain who donated the cave to the Buddhist order.

In the Ramayana Trail legend, even the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya itself is sometimes claimed to have been a palace of Ravana, because historically it is connected to the cult of Kuwera. Kuwera was the step brother of Ravana who became his successor as King of Lanka.

Later, leave for Trincomalee

Lunch during the tour at an outside local restaurant. (Not Included)

Check in to your Hotel at Trincomalee. Afternoon do the Trincomalee City Tour

Thiru Koneshvaram Kovil -

Thiru Koneswaram is a wonderful temple located on a rock promontory of Trincomalee. It was built by Rishi Agastya on the instructions of Lord Shiva who was impressed by the devotion of King Ravana. This place is unique in this respect because the Lord built a temple for his devotee as a reward for his devotion. Lord Rama is believed to have offered his prayers here, too, in order to get rid of the malediction of killing Ravana who was a Brahmin, meaning Brahmahasthi Dosham. The famous temple built here during the glorious era of the Tamil Pallava and Chola and Pandya empires, was destroyed by bigoted Portuguese Christians between 1622 and 1624

Sri Shankari Devi Shakthi Pitam -

Adjacent to Trincomalee's famous Koneswaram temple there is another shrine; it is small in size but of some significance for Hindu pilgrims. This Shankari Devi temple is a reconstruction at a new place. The original Shankari Devi temple, said to be built by Ravana, was the first in the list of Ashta Dasha (18) Shakti Pitas written down by Adi Shankara, but its whole cliff was destroyed by Portuguese cannon balls. Only a pillar for commemoration is placed on that spot now. And it is believed that the original idol of the Goddess has been preserved and replaced, being venerated now in this nearby new Shankari Devi temple

Vilundri – Important Sight for Ramayan

Vil means bow, and Undri means resting. This is why the Tamil name of this place, Vilundri, is believed to have been a spot where Lord Rama, returning home with Sita to Ayodhya, stopped on his way to Thiru Koneswaram and rested with his bow on the ground

FREDRICK FORT-

Fedrick Fort also known as Trincomalee Fort or Fort of Triquillimale, is a fort built by the Portuguese at Trincomalee, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, completed in 1624 CE, built on Swami Rock-Konamamalai from the debris of the world-famous ancient Hindu Koneswaram temple (Temple of a Thousand Pillars).The temple was destroyed by the Portuguese colonial Constantino de Sá de Noronha under Phillip III, occupier of the Jaffna kingdom and Malabar country on the island. On the Konamalai cape was also built a new village of Portuguese and Tamil people, 50 Portuguese soldiers and inside the fort, a church named after "Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe". The Fort of Triquillimale was dismantled and rebuilt by the Dutch in 1665, renamed Fort Fredrick.

THE KANNIYA HOT SPRINGS –

The hot wells of Kanniyai or Kanniya are close to the main road to Anuradhapura only about 10 kms from Trincomalee town. Pilgrims believe in their healing power. There are many different versions of the myth on how these curative hot water wells came into existence; most of them are connected to Ravana. One legend about Kanniya's origin has it, that this is the place where King Ravana carried out the last rites for his mother. When he was unable to find water to duly perform the rites, he in anger pierced his Trishula into the ground seven

times. Water started gushing out immediately. The very hot water cooled down to the present degree when Ravana's anger calmed down. The temperature of the water is different in all the seven wells.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at Trincomalee

 

Day 04 : TRINCOMALEE - KANDY

Breakfast at the Hotel and leave for Kandy. En Route visit below places to Kandy.

Sri Lanka is famous for its spices and spice gardens. These spice gardens offer tourists memorable visits to various spice plantations in Sri Lanka. In order to promote and uplift spice growing and spice gardens of Sri Lanka a spice council was established with all key industry private and public sector stakeholders.

During early historical times Sri Lanka known as Taprobane, was world renowed for its Quality Spices. During ancient times the Greeks, Romans and the Arabic maintained their links with Sri Lanka through the spice trade.

Also visit Muthumariamman Temple or Arulmigu Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil is a Hindu temple in Matale, Sri Lanka. The prefix “Muthu”, literally means “pearl”. "Mari" means rain and "Amman" means mother in Tamil language. The temple is dedicated to Mariamman, the goddess of rain and fertility

After the completion leave for Kandy.

Kandy: Kandy, the bustling hill country capital is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is famous for the pink painted Temple of the Tooth which houses the most sacred religious relic, the tooth of the Buddha, the Kandy Lake built in 1807 which is an attractive centerpiece to the town and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera where the inner casket covering the tooth relic of the Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city held annually in the month of July or August.

Check in to your hotel at Kandy.

This evening visit a Gem museum and obtain your Complementary gift vouchers for the Evening Cultural Show.

Gem Museum and Factory Visits – (Entrance Free) Sri Lanka is one of the world's top five gem producers. The special geological structure makes 92% of the land in Sri Lanka contain precious stones. It is a true "treasure island." Sri Lanka has a history of more than 2,500 years of precious stones, Asia's largest gem mining area, more than 80 kinds of gem in the world can be found in Sri Lanka, the world's largest sapphire, starlight ruby, star blue sapphire, cat's eye, Alexander stone are produced in Sri Lanka

Later Explore the city’s The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha: The palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of one of the most important religions of humanity, Buddhism. The Temple of Kandy is the

product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Lord Buddha and the testimony of a cult which continues to be practiced today. Wander around the lake and the streets of Kandy getting a feel for this wonderful city.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at Kandy

 

Day 05 :KANDY - NUWARA ELIYA

After the breakfast leave for Nuwara Eliya.

En Route Also visit Gadaladeniya, Lankathilaka & Embekke temples.(Included)

GADALADENIYA TEMPLE

The Gadaladeniya temple is one of the 3 Western Shrines in the surroundings of Kandy, dating from the Gampola period in the 14th century. Of those shrines Gadaladeniya is the one showing the closest relation to Indian architecture. Its outline of an Indian Shikhara-temple in a smaller size, and many details prove cultural influence from the South Indian Vijayanagara Empire. In Sri Lanka, Gadaladeniya is famous for its paintings, especially those at the wooden doors, for example the flower maiden. Though Gadaladeniya's main shrine is originally and until the present day a Buddhist sanctuary its extension are dedicated to Hindu gods.

The integration of Hindu elements into the Buddhist religion is a characteristic feature of the Gampola period and even influenced the Kandyan art which became a pride of the Sinhalese Buddhist culture

LANKATHILAKA TEMPLE

Lankatilaka is the most splended of the three remaining temples from the Gampola period of the island's history. A characteristic feature of the architectural design of this Buddhist temple is its concinnity, integrating 5 chapels for Hindu deities in an ambulatory around the main shrine under the same roof. The venerated gods are Vishnu in his Lankan appearance as Upulvan, Skanda as Kataragama, Saman protecting the sacred mountain Siri Pada and Pattini, the Sinhalese version of the Tamil Kannaki. The fifth God is Vibhishana, Ravana's younger brother, who supported Rama and after Ravana's death became his successor as king of Lanka.

EMBEKKE TEMPLE

Embekke is famous for the artful woodcarvings at the pillars of the music and dancing hall called Digge. The Embekke Devale is one of the three preserved temples of the 14th century, which is the period when the nearby town Gampola was the most important Sinhalese royal residence. In contrast to the other temples from the same period, Lankatilaka and Gadaladeniya, Embekke is mainly a sanctuary for a God and has a chapel for the Buddha only as an appendix. The temple is dedicated to Mahasen, a local form of Skanda-Murugan or the Sinhalese Katharagama. The regional God Devatha Bandara is worshipped in the Embekke temple premises, too.

After the completion Leave for Nuwara Eliya.

Visit the Ramboda Water Fall

The "Puna Ela" is one of the principal branches of the mighty Mahaweli River. The Water leap of the Puna Ela is referred to as the Ramboda waterfall. The Ramboda falls is a gigantic waterfall, which is divided into 03 parts.

Sri Bhaktha Hanuman Temple.

The Sri Lankan branch of the Chinmaya mission, committed to promoting the Ramayana philosophy as well as Ramayana Trail pilgrimages, has built a temple with Hanuman as a presiding deity in Ramboda at the Kandy to Nuwara Eliya mainroad. There is a new five metres tall granite statue of Rama's devote supporter. Hanuman is believed to have started his search for Sita in the Baroda hills. Hanuman traditionally was not as popular among Sri Lankan Tamil devotees as he indeed is in India, because he devastated parts of the island with his burning tail. But in recent times Hindu missionaries and local Tamil spiritual leaders began building shrines for worshipping Hanuman in Sri Lanka, too. The Tamil word for Ramboda, Rampadai, means "Rama's force", this is why Ramboda is believed to be the area where Rama collected his troops.

Also visit a Working Tea Factory and a Tea Estate.(Free of Cost)

Lunch at an outside Local restaurant during the tour.

After the completion proceed to Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya: The "city of lights," is the highest town in Sri Lanka and that means a break from the oppressive heat and humidity that surrounds the rest of the country. Situated at around 2000m above sea level and surrounded by lush tea plantations. Nuwara Eliya is the main hill resort of Sri Lanka and the heart of the tea industry. This city with an elevation of 6200 meters is the highest in Sri Lanka. Once a pleasure retreats of the European planters the town is still very much an English town with many English style Bungalows and buildings

Check in to your hotel at Nuwara Eliya.

Afternoon spend your time at the Gregory Lake.(Optional). Lake Gregory, sometimes also called Gregory Lake or Gregory Reservoir, is a reservoir in heart of the tea country hill city, Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Lake Gregory was constructed during the period of British Governor Sir William Gregory in 1873.

Rest of the day is at leisure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya

 

Day 06 :NUWARA ELIYA - ELLA – NUWARA ELIYA

Breakfast at the Hotel and today visit most important Ramayan Sights in Nuwara Eliya and Ella Area.

Gayatri Pitam, also spelled Gayaththri Peedam, inside Nuwara Eliya town is the first and most important temple built for Gayathri Amman in Sri Lanka, Gayatri being an aspect of Saraswati and the Universal Mother. The temple was founded by the Gayathri Siddhar Swami Murusegu. The Shiva Lingam for this Tamil temple was brought from the Holy River Narmada. Gayathri Pitam is said to be the place from where King Ravana's son Meghanath propitiated Lord Shiva with penance and worship and in turn was granted super natural powers by the mighty god.

Sita Amman Temple : The Sita Amman Temple, located halfway between the highland village Sita Eliya and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, has become the most venerated of all Ramayana Trail sites in Sri Lanka, because it is believed to be the place where Sita lived most of the time of her captivity on the island of Lanka. After she refused to stay in Ravana'smagnificent palace she was transferred to Ashok Vatika or Ashokavanam where she lived under Ashoka trees. It was here that Ravana's wife Mandodari visited her and that Hanuman met her for the first time, identifying himself with the finger ring of Rama. Sita is said to have bathed in the nearby stream. There are remarkable holes in the rocks at the river bank believed to be footprints of Lord Hanuman

Hukgala Botanocal Garden – Ashok Vatika Patnam (Included)

The 2nd hill country botanic gardens after Peradeniya Gardens, which was originally a plantation of Cinchona from which the anti-malarial drug quinine was found and later used for experiments in acclimatizing temperate-zone plants to life in the tropics, and were run by the same family for three generations, up to the 1940.

Hakgala Botanical Gardens is located 10 km away from the town of Nuwara Eliya. Your trip to Nuwara Eliya is not complete without a visit to the Hakgala Gardens mainly because the site is legendary. It was once the pleasure garden of Ravana of the Ramayana epic and according to many, it was one of the places where the beautiful Sitha was hidden by the demon King Ravana

Divurumpola - Divurumpola is said to be the location where Sita underwent the famous fire ordeal Agni Pariksha, in order to prove her chastity. From the flames arose the fire god Agni who was invoked by Sita. He lifted her from the flames unharmed and presented her to Lord Rama who explained this test was only necessary to prove the truth of her purity and innocence to everybody. Divurumpola is said to have been the location of this episode, because the Sinhalese name means a marketplace of oath. Today the temple is respected as a suitable place for oaths that can be helpful in settling disputes between parties.

Ravana Ella - The Ravana Ella Falls and the Rawana Ella Cave are located close to the Wellawaya mainroad in the famous valley called Ella gap, only about 6 kms away from the town of Ella well known for its splendid views to the Ella gap. The cascading waterfall measures about 25 metres.

It is believed that Sita bathed in a pool that accumulated the water falling from this waterfall. The nearby Rawana Ella cave is quite small, only 50 metres long. As in the case of Ishthripura Cave in Welimada, legend has it that it was used by King Rawana to hide princess Sita. It is believed to belong to a network of tunnels also connecting it to the Dova temple and to all the palaces and airports and dairy farms of King Ravana. Archaeological findings in the Rawana Cave include a human skull dating back to 20,000 BC.

Lunch at an outside Local restaurant during the tour- Not included

Ravana Cave – Ella - These tunnels prove beyond doubt the architectural brilliance of King Ravana. These tunnels served as a quick means of transport through the hills and also as a secret passage. These tunnels networked all the important cities, airport and dairy farms. A close look at these tunnels indicates that they are where a palace and a tunnel existed. Existing tunnels mouths are situated in Ishtripura at Welimada, Ravana cave at Bandarawela, Senapitiya at Halagala, Ramboda, Labookellie, Wariyapola, Matale and Sitakotuwa Hasalaka. In addition there are many more tunnels.

Dova Temple - The Dova ancient rock temple next to the Bandarawela - Badulla mainroad is one of the foremost rock temples in the Uva province.

Dova is believed to have served as a refuge of the famous king Walagambha in the first century BC. At the rear of the Buddhist cave temples and image houses there is a small stupa inside a cave. This stupa marks the entrance, now locked, to a tunnel which is said to be 11 kms long and leading to the Ravana Ella cave and to be a part of an underground network of tunnels already built by Lanka's legendary king Ravana.

After the completion back to the Hotel at Nuwara Eliya.

Dinner & Overnight Stay at Nuwara Eliya

 

DAY 07?NUWARA ELIYA - COLOMBO

Breakfast at the hotel & leave for Colombo.

Devon Water Fall (Free of Cost)

Devon Falls, known as the 'Veil of the Valley', is a waterfall in Sri Lanka, situated 6 km west of Talawakele, Nuwara Eliya District on the A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby the falls.

St. Clair's Falls is one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is commonly known as the "Little Niagara of Sri Lanka". It is one of six waterfalls affected by the Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project.The falls are situated 3 kilometres west of the town of Talawakele. The falls are located along the Kotmale Oya, a tributary of the Mahaweli River, as it cascades over three rock outcrops into a large pool, running through a tea estate, from which the falls derive their name from.The waterfalls consist of two falls called "Maha Ella" (Sinhalese "The Greater Fall"), which is 80 metres (260 ft) high and 50 metres (160 ft) wide and "Kuda Ella", (Sinhalese "The Lesser Fall"), which is 50 metres (160 ft) high and located immediately downstream of the main fall. St Clair's falls are the 20th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka.

En Route do the White Water Rafting at Kitulgala (Optional)

Rafting, one of the up & coming adventure sports in Sri Lanka is an ideal sport for young & the old alike. Experience the thrills &spills of an exciting rafting adventure in Kithulgala with Boulder Rivers proving the ideal setting. The Kelani River offers good class rapids of 3 to 3.5 with a total stretch of 5 strong rapids.

After the completion leave for Colombo.

Lunch at an outside Local restaurant during the tour- Not included

Colombo (derived from Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "mango harbour", altered by the Portuguese to honor Christopher Columbus), is the cultural capital and largest city and commercial center of Sri Lanka. (The new administrative capital of Sri Lanka is Sri Jayawardenepura-Kotte.) Colombo was probably known to Roman, Arab, and Chinese traders more than 2,000 years ago. Muslims settled there in the 8th century and controlled much of the trade between Sinhalese kingdoms and the outside world.

The Portuguese arrived in the 16th century and built a fort to protect their spice trade. The Dutch captured the city in the 17th century. The British made the city the capital of their crown colony of Ceylon in 1802.

Check in to your hotel at Colombo.

Rest of the day is at leisure at Colombo and Enjoy the Night Life in Colombo.

Dinner & Overnight stay in Colombo

 

DAY 08?COLOMBO - DEPARTURE

After the Breakfast do the Colombo City Tour & the Shopping Tour.

Sightseeing highlights include the Colombo National and Dutch period museums, Old and New Parliament houses, the Dehiwala Zoo, Gangarama Buddhist Temple, Town Hall, and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. Apart from excellent shopping, Colombo offers visits to one of the world’s leading tea auctions, seasonal Buddhist and Hindu pageants, international cricket tournaments, plush casinos, enjoyable evening entertainment and excellent restaurants. State-of-the-Art communications and Cyber services are available in the hotels and other outlets (Entrance fee is Included for Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple)

Panchamuga Anjaneyar

Hanuman is often called Anjaneyar by Tamils, as his mother's name is Anjan. This Kovil is the first Anjaneyar temple in Sri Lanka and the only one on the island dedicated to Lord Hanuman in his Panchamuga form; meaning five faces. And it is said to be the only temple in the world to have a chariot for Anjaneyar. Its chariot festival is held annually at the end of December or in the beginning of January. It is one of the most popular processions in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. Visitors are advised to wash hands and feet before entering the temple and not to cross hands inside the temple.

Kelaniya-Vibhishan Temple.

Kelaniya is a Buddhist sanctuary because it was believed to have been visited by the Buddha himself. Within the temple premises there is a Hindu shrine, too. It is dedicated to Lord Vibhishana who was the younger brother of Ravana but during the legendary war on Lanka a supporter of Lord Rama, because he disapproved of Ravana's abduction of Sita. After Ravana's death Rama appointed Vibhishana as the new King of Lanka. Vibhishana is venerated by Sinhalese Buddhists as a God, they believe him to be one of the main protectors of the island, especially in its western territories.

Lunch at an outside Local restaurant during the tour-Not included

 

After the visit, leave for for airport for your deparutre flight