Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) is an island nation south of India in the Indian Ocean. Its diverse landscapes range from rainforest and arid plains to highlands and sandy beaches. It’s famed for its ancient Buddhist ruins, including the 5th-century citadel Sigiriya, with its palace and frescoes. The city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s ancient capital, has many ruins dating back more than 2,000 years
DAY 1: ARRIVE COLOMBO – DAMBULLA / HABARANA
Arrive Colombo and SIC Transfer to the Hotel. Check in at the Hotel. Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight stay at the Hotel.
DAY 2: COLOMBO – KANDY
Breakfast at hotel. Check-out from the hotel & proceed to Chilaw to visit Munneswaram & Manavari temples.
Munneswaram – Lord Rama after his victorious battle left for Ayodhya in 1 of King Ravana’s Vimanas. He felt he was being followed by “Brahmahasthi Dosham” as he had killed King Ravana who was a Brahmin. He stopped the vimana at this juncture because he felt that this place the “Brahmahasthi Dosham” was not following him. He ascended from the Vimanas and asked God Shiva for a remedy. God Shiva blessed Lord Rama and advised him to installed 4 lingams at Manavari, Thirukoneshwaram, Thirukedishwaram and Rameshwaram in India and pray, as the only remedy to get rid of the “Brahmahasthi Dosham”.
Manavari – This is the 1st place where Lord Rama installed the Shiva Lingam and prayed after the end of the war with King Ravana. This Lingam is called 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.
Proceed to Kandy. Visit Pinnawela elephant orphanage on the way.
Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage – set amongst the verdant hills of Kegalle is a unique orphanage, where the tiny tots weigh 60 kg or more. This is the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, the world’s first and only elephant orphanage established to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Other occupants are elephants displaced from their natural environs by development projects or those found wounded. Visitors could see the baby elephants being fed milk from gigantic feeding bottles or bathed in the river which flows nearby – an unforgettable sight! Established in 1975, by the Wildlife Department and National Zoological gardens which subsequently led to a breeding programme through which more than twenty five elephants have been born since 1984.
Check-in to the hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel, Kandy.
DAY 3: TEMPLE OF TOOTH RELIC, ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN & CULTURAL SHOW
Breakfast at hotel. Full day Kandy city tour with visits to Temple of tooth relic, Royal botanical garden & Cultural show.
Kandy – a lovely exotic city, the Hill Capital and last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which retains an aura of grandeur, time has not affected. Encircled by hills, with a tranquil lake in its centre, it is the site of the renowned temple that enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha and the Royal Botanical gardens – home to one of the world’s best collections of Orchids. A cultural sanctuary where many legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive, Kandy and its satellite villages are the centre of the islands handicraft industry (items of wood, brass & silver) exquisite silver or gold jewellery and precious gems of many varieties including the world’s best blue and star sapphires. The highlight of the city’s calendar is the Esala Perahera, when a replica of the casket enclosing the Tooth is taken in procession for ten glittering nights in July/August by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and approximately 100 Elephants.
Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Kandy.
DAY 4: NUWARA ELIYA TOUR
Breakfast at hotel. Proceed to Nuwara Eliya. Visit Tea plantation, Tea factory and Mani Kattuther on the way.
Mani Kattuther – It is believed that after meeting Seetha Devi, Lord Hanuman rested on this hill top on his way back to Lord Rama with the happy news. An open temple with statues of Lord Rama, Seetha Devi, Laxman and Lord Hanuman stands at this location which is visited frequently by the locals.
Afternoon Nuwara Eliya city tour with visits to Gregory Lake, Gayathri peedam, Seetha amman temple.
Nuwara Eliya – Sri Lanka’s premier hill resort with a fine bracing mountain climate, Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country, producing some of the world’s best tea. The mountain slopes and valleys are a carpet of velvety green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. Red or green roofed plantation bungalows, English country style homes and hotels with lovely flower gardens, a fine 18 hole golf course and a racecourse gives Nuwara Eliya a decidedly British character.
Gayathri Peedam – It is believed to be the place from where King Ravana’s son Meghanath propitiated Lord Shiva with penance and poojas and in turn was granted with super natural powers. This is the 1st temple built for Gayathri Amman in Sri Lanka and the Shiva Lingam in this temple was brought from the holy river Narmada.
Seetha Amman temple – There is a stream by the side of the temple. It is believed that Seetha Devi bathed in this stream. It is interesting to note that foot prints akin to Lord Hanuman’s are found on the rocks along this river and some are of small size and some are of large size, which indicated the immense power of Lord Hanuman transforming himself into any size. Now there is a Temple dedicated to Lord Rama, Setha Devi, Laxman and Lord Hanuman.
Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Nuwara Eliya.
DAY 5: COLOMBO
Breakfast at hotel. Return to Colombo. Afternoon Colombo city tour with visits to Kelaniya temple and Anjaneyar temple.
Colombo – the trade and commercial capital has long been the traditional gateway to the Orient. Sri Lanka’s largest city, it is located on the west coast and draws together all the cultures, religions and influences of foreign lands into a pot-pourri of sounds, smells and a kaleidoscope of colour. The original traders and settlers – the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and the British have left in their wake churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings of their languages which have been absorbed into the speech of the Sri Lankan. Today, Colombo is a fascinating city – a happy blend of east & west, past & present, with a charm of its own. A less known but amazingly true fact is that Colombo has a superb range of high quality restaurants serving food from all over the world and some of the best shopping opportunities in Asia. The main seaport of Sri Lanka is in Colombo & adjoining it, is Pettah, a local bazaar & trading area.
Other places of interest are the beautiful Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, mosques, the historic Wolfendhal church, (1749) residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent, the Colombo Museum, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the New Parliament in Sri Jayewardenepura, the Folk Art Centre, Art Galleries, Parks, Independence Square, the Ceramic Corporation famous for its well-known brand “Noritake” and ODEL the renowned shopping centre, and MC.
Kelaniya – It is believed that Kelaniya is the place from where King Vibeeshana ruled after being crowned by Laxman. As Lord Rama was in exile for 14 years, could not take part in any coronation ceremony deputed his younget brother prince Luxman to crown Vibeeshana. Today in this very place a Buddhist shrine and a temple for king Vibeeshana exists. There are murals enshrined outside the Buddhist temple depicting the crowning of King Vibeeshana. Today temples for King Vibeeshana are found throughout Lanka and he is still considered as 1 of the 4 guarding deities of Sri Lanka. A painting of King Vibeeshana adorns the walls of new parliament. It is a fact that there is no temple for King Ravana where as many exists for King Vibeeshana. This goes on to prove that is stand towards Dharma and justice made him a god in Sri Lanka.
Panchamuga Anjaneyar Temple – A temple dedicated to Anjaner in Sri Lanka. The only temple in the world to have a chariot for Anjaneyar.
Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at hotel, Colombo.
DAY 6: DEPARTURE
Breakfast at hotel. Departure transfer to Airport from Colombo for your onward flight.
INCLUSIONS:
02 Nights Accommodation with Breakfast in Colombo
02 Nights Accommodation with Breakfast in Nuwara Eliya
02 Nights Accommodation with Breakfast in Kandy
Half day city tours of Colombo, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy.
A visit to Ramayana sites mentioned above, Tea Estates, Tea Factories, Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Temple of the Tooth Relic, Royal Botanical Gardens and Cultural Show. ( Entrance Fee is not included and it should be purchased directly by the guests)
An air conditioned car with an English speaking Chauffeur guide Tour + Kelaniya Temple and Anjaneyar Temple
