Ramayana Trail of Sri lanka
6 Nights / 7 Days
Highlights :
Sri Lanka - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya – Yala - Kandy - Bentota / Hikkaduwa / Beruwala - Colombo
Sri Lanka is an island country in South Asia near south-east India. Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest so a trio from India is very amazing experience with family and friends, our 7 Days tour Itinerary for Sri Lanka make you very familiar with the natural beauty of this country. Here you enjoy the diversity and multicultural values of this country, as Sri Lanka is home of various religions, ethnic groups, and languages. it is home of large groups of Sri Lankan and Indian Tamils, Moors, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs and the aboriginal Vedda. Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, date back to the Fourth Buddhist council in 29 BC.
Package Includes:
Accommodation
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Sightseeing
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Meal
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Transfer
ITINERARY
DAY 1
Arrival in Sri Lanka – Kandy.
Upon arrival at the Colombo Bandaranayake International Airport, you will be warmly received by a representative. Your holiday of pure leisure has just begun. You will then be escorted to your vehicle and transferred to Kandy the starting point of an idyllic vacation.
Travel to Kandy – a World Heritage city. Traditions and culture remain undisturbed by European influence in the colonial era. The Royal Palace, now known as the “The Temple of the Tooth Relic’’ (of Lord Buddha), situated right beside the Kandy lake gives a magical beauty to the city. Kandy is also home to one of the largest botanical gardens in South East Asia. The Gardens dates back to the 14th century and boasts over 4000 species of plants and many trees with significant histories. Visitors from the UK will be particularly interested in the Cannonball Tree planted by King George V. The tree is bent with its fruits, which resemble cannonballs hence the name.
Things to do:
- Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
- Enroute also consider a visit to a spice garden in Mawanella.
- Kandy – join devotees at the Temple of the Tooth Relic
- Witness a cultural show after the visit to the Temple
DAY 2
Kandy – Mahiyangala – Kandy
After breakfast visit some of the main Ramayana sights close to Kandy
Dunuwala & Laggala
Dunuwala (the site where Ravana died) and Laggala (where Ravana prayed to Lord Shankara). The cartels behind the Dunuvila Lake are called Laggala. Laggala is derived from the Sinhala term Ilakka Gala, which when translated into English gives us the meaning “Target Rock”. Laggala served as a sentry point to the King Ravana’s army and it was from this rock the first Glimpse of Lord Rama’s army was sighted. This hill is geographically the highest part of the northern region and on a clear day Thiru Koneshwaran and Talai Mannar can been seen. King Ravana is believed to have meditated on this rock and prayed at Thiru Koneshwaran to Lord Shiva. It is here that King Ravana was killed by Lord Rama’s Brahmaastharam. The top of Laggala is flat and believed to have been hit by the Brahmaastharam.
Yahangla
Here King Ravana’s body was displayed after his death to allow his countrymen to offer their last respect.
Sita Kotuwa
Sita was kept at Queen Mandodari‘s Palace and later moved first to Sita Kotuwa (translated “Sita’s Fort”) and finally to Ashoka Vatika. The ruins found here are the remnants of later civilizations.
Overnight stay at a Hotel in Kandy
DAY 3
Kandy – Nuwara Eliya
Travel to Nuwara Eliya, the emerald city of Sri Lanka, also known as ‘’little England’’ for its cool climate and colonial style architecture. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) above sea level which enables the plantations to produce the finest tea in the world.
Things to do:
- Visit a Tea Plantation – and be amazed at how the mountains have been tamed into carpets of tea
- Enjoy a scenic city tour of Nuwara Eliya
Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple
In the hills of Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sita, the Chinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka built the Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple which is visited by thousands of devotees every year.
Overnight stay at a Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
DAY 4
Nuwara Eliya – Bandarawela – Ella
Ella is a small mountain village near Bandarawela and boasts three locations linked to the Ramayana where local legend claims Ravana was hiding Sita. First there is the Ravana Ella Cave, located at the massive Ella Falls; a breathtaking 1080 feet high waterfall that cascades into several falls. The rocky undergoes of the waterfall is Khondalite, a kind of limestone which undergoes faster decay as hard gneiss or granite. This has resulted in many caves being formed near the falls. King Ravana is said to have lived in one of the caves above the waterfall. A nearby pool bored out of the rock by the gushing waters is where Sita is said to have bathed Ravana
Things to do:
- Experience the spectacular Ella Gap
- Enjoy the scenic beauty of Ella
Sita Amman Temple:
The Sita Amman Temple can be seen en route to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens. The prominent temple architecture will not fail to attract your attention. Ancient statues of Rama and Sita can be seen on one side of the temple. The temple today is a modern building with its paintings, statues and pillars decorated with sculptures; all depicting the tale of Rama and Sita.
Hakgala Botanical Gardens
The Hakgala Botanical Gardens was one of the pleasure gardens of King Ravana. This garden was expanded during the British period and has a wide variety of flowers including an excellent collection of orchids. This is the exotic pleasure garden where King Ravana kept the depressed Sita, insisting that she marries him. It was here where the heartwarming meeting took place between her and Hanuman, who brought her Rama’s ring with the news that Rama was looking for her. He offered to carry her back but she refused saying it would be an insult to Rama’s honour if she did so. Part of this majestic garden still exists. It is also said that Hanuman nearly destroyed it in order to prove to Ravana of the forces against him.
Divurumpola Temple
Still revered by thousands, this holy haven was the place where Sita performed her Agni Pariksha (proving her chastity) to her husband Rama. Continuing the practice for thousands of years, villagers still pledge their fidelity or take oaths there and even in certain courts, this agreement was binding. This place has been respected and worshipped by people down the ages
Overnight stay at a Hotel in Ella
DAY 5
Ella – Colombo
Today you will be transferred to Colombo – the official political and trade capital of Sri Lanka. All the famous shopping arcades are in and around the city, which allows one to have a tantalizing experience in Colombo as it has something to offer every visitor. As a hub of many ethnicities with people from all creeds working together, Colombo is indeed cosmopolitan.
Things to do:
- City tour of Colombo
- Shopping
Anjaneyar Temple
This is the first Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka and also the only Panchamuga (five faced) Anjaneyar Temple in Sri Lanka. It’s the only temple in the world to have a chariot for Ajanyear.
Overnight stay at a Hotel in Colombo
DAY 6
Colombo – Chilaw – Negombo
Negombo, the fourth largest city in the Island, is also known as ‘’ Little Rome’’ for its splendor and the numerous churches bestowed on the city. Historically, it was one of the main trade ports as its natural lagoon offered safe shelter to trading vessels from Arabia in centuries gone by.
Things to do:
The joy of “being” on the beach.
Watch the boats comes in
Explore the Negombo city
Visit the fish market
Munishwaram Temple
It is believed that Munishwaram predates the Ramayana and a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva was located here. Munishwaram means the first temple for Shiva (Munnu + Easwaran). A Shiva Lingam was already here when Lord Rama visited this place. Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya with Sita in one of King Ravana’s Vimanas. He felt he was being followed by a Bramhaasthi Dosham (a malevolent black shadow) as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin.
Manavari Temple
When the Vimana was passing over Munishwaram, he felt the Vimana vibrating, and realized the Brahmaasti Dosham was not following him at this particular point. He stopped the Vimana at this juncture and asked god Lord Shiva for advice. Lord Shiva blessed Lord Rama and advised installing and praying at four lingams located at Manavari, Thiru Koneshwaram, Thiru Ketheshwaram and Rameshwaram in India as the only remedy to get rid of the dosham. The first lingam was installed at Manavari about 5km from here, near the banks of the Deduru Oya. At the Manavari Temple Chilaw Manavari is the first lingam installed and prayed by Rama and till date this lingam is called as Ramalinga Shivan. Rameshwaram is the only other lingam in world named after Lord Rama.
Overnight stay at a Hotel in Negombo
DAY 7
Colombo – Departure.
Drive to Bandaranaike International Airport for departure.
Gallery
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Kandy, Sri Lanka
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Bentota Beach, Sri Lanka
