6 Nights / 07 Days Ramayana Trail In Sri Lanka

Airport / Pinnawela / Kandy

• On arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will meet our representatives from Travel Lanka Connection and transfer directly to Kandy via the Pinnawala elephant orphanage.

• The Pinnawala elephant orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy in the hills of central Sri Lanka. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka wildlife department on a 25-acre coconut property near the Maha Oya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned elephants found in the jungle.

• Check in at the hotel
• In the evening you’ll be visiting temple of the tooth relic and watching a cultural performance by traditional Kandyan dancers and drummers.
• Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the sacred tooth relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, sri lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and It is a world heritage site mainly due to the temple.
• Traditional dancing show
• The dance was done during the king’s times as an entertaining show for the kings. However, its popularity reduced when the British took over, but now it’s revived and taken on for the stage. The Kandyan music & the dresses all are a beauty to watch.
• On completion transfer back to the hotel.
• Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Hotel Topaz or Similar

Kandy / Seetha Kotuwa / Kandy

• After breakfast leave from hotel to visit Seetha Kotuwa.
• 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.
• Legend: this is the place where the city of Lankapura once stood. The city had a beautiful palace for queen mandothari surrounded by waterfalls, streams, and varieties of flora and fauna. Seetha Devi was kept in this palace until she was moved to Ashoka Vatika. Seetha Kotuwa means Seetha's Fort and got its name because of Seetha Devi’s stay here.
• On completion transfer back to the hotel.
• Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Hotel Topaz or Similar

Kandy / Nuwara Eliya

• After breakfast travel to Nuwara Eliya. En route visit the hanuman temple and Ramboda waterfall. Then see a tea plantation and a tea factory.
• Nuwara eliya, Drive through the little town of Nuwara Eliya observing the well-maintained buildings of colonial architecture. Visit the busy market where the tea plantation workers rush in and out with their day’s provisions. Visit the Lake Gregory built for generating power during the British colonial age but is now a feature that adds beauty to the city.

• 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.
• Check in at the hotel.
• Evening leisure at the hotel.
• Dinner and overnight stay in nuwara eliya.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Araliya Red Hotel or Similar

Nuwara Eliya / Ella / Nuwara Eliya

• 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.
• Legend: a temple for Lord Rama, Seetha Devi, Luxshmana and Hanuman built on the sides of the stream where Seetha Devi bathed.

• 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.
• Legend: this is the place where seetha devi underwent “agni pariksha” (test). It is a popular place of worship among locals in this area. Divurumpola means place of oath in sinhala. The legal system permits and accepts the swearing done at this temple while settling disputes between parties.

• 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 Eavana 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.

• 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 honor 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.
• On completion transfer back to the hotel.
• Dinner and overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Araliya Red Hotel or Similar

Nuwara Eliya / Negombo

• After breakfast proceeds to Negombo.
• Check-in at the hotel
• Evening leisure at the hotel
• Dinner and overnight stay in Negombo.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Amagi Aria Hotel or Similar

Negombo / Chilaw / Negombo

• After breakfast visit muneshwaram temple and manavari temple.
• 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.
• Legend: lord rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya in one of king ravana’s vimanas. He felt he was being followed by bramahathi dosham as he killed king ravana who was a brahmin. He stopped the vimana at this juncture because he felt at this place the “bramahathi dosham” was not following him. He discended from the vimana and asked god shiva for a remedy. God shiva blessed lord Rama and advised him to install and pray four lingams in manavari, thirukoneshwaram, thiruketheeswaram and rameshwaram in india, as the only remedy to get rid of the dosham.
• 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.
• Legend: Manavari is the first lingam installed and prayed by lord Rama and till date this lingam is called as ramalinga shivan. Rameshwaram is the only other lingam in the world named after lord Rama.
• On completion transfer back to the hotel
• Dinner and overnight stay in Negombo.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Amagi Aria Hotel or Similar

Negombo / Airport

• As all good things must end after breakfast, Your chauffeur guide will take you to the international airport in time for your return flight.
• You need to be at the airport 3hrs prior to the departure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at.

• Hotel: Departure