Sri Lanka Sightseeing Holiday

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Highlights & Route

A week is enough to see the island’s best if the route is drawn well. This six-night yatra makes a clockwise loop from Colombo: the Shiva temples of Chilaw, the cave temples and rock fortress of the cultural triangle, Trincomalee on the east coast, Kandy and its Tooth Relic, the tea gardens and Sita sites of the hill country, then down to the south-west beaches at Bentota before a last morning in Colombo. It covers both the Ramayana shrines Indian pilgrims look for and the sights everyone wants to photograph.

Hindu heritage runs through the whole route. Munneswaram and Manavari near Chilaw are tied to Rama’s prayers after the war; Koneswaram at Trincomalee is one of the island’s five ancient Shiva temples, perched on a cliff above the sea; the Ramboda Hanuman temple and the Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya recall Hanuman’s search and Sita’s captivity. Alongside them are Buddhist monuments of the first rank: the Dambulla caves with their painted ceilings, Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa, and Kelaniya, where the temple grounds include a shrine to Vibhishana.

Travel is in a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, hotels are registered tourist-class properties with vegetarian dinners arranged, and no driving day is longer than about five hours. Indian passport holders enter on a free 30-day ETA applied for online. It is a comfortable first yatra to Sri Lanka for families, including elderly parents, and works well in the December-to-March dry season.

Route

Colombo airport → Chilaw → Dambulla → Sigiriya → Trincomalee (day visit) → Kandy → Ramboda → Nuwara Eliya → hill train → Madu river → Bentota → Colombo → airport

Good to know before you book

Indian passport holders get a free 30-day tourist ETA under the scheme in force since 25 May 2026; apply online at eta.gov.lk before departure. Six months’ passport validity is needed.
International flights to Colombo are not included; there are direct flights from most Indian metros and from Kochi, Madurai and Tiruchirappalli.
Site entry tickets (Sigiriya, Dambulla, Temple of the Tooth and others) are paid locally and are not in the price.
The hill-country train sector depends on seat availability and is replaced by road if tickets cannot be secured.
Nuwara Eliya is cool, around 10-20 degrees C, while the coast and Sigiriya are hot and humid; pack for both.
Cover shoulders and knees at all temples; shoes come off and photography is restricted inside shrine rooms.

Yatra Highlights

Ramayana shrines at Munneswaram, Manavari, Koneswaram, Ramboda and Seetha Amman
Sigiriya rock, Dambulla caves and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Hill-country train, Madu river mangrove boat ride and an evening on Bentota beach

Day 1 :

Arrive Colombo, Chilaw temples

Our driver meets you at Bandaranaike International Airport, your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time, and drives north along the coast for about two hours to Chilaw. Visit Munneswaram, one of the Pancha Ishwaram temples of the island, where Rama is believed to have worshipped Shiva after defeating Ravana, and Manavari, home of the Ramalingam, said to be the first lingam installed by Rama. The Sri Muthumariamman temple in Matale road and the Madampe Murugan kovil are short stops if time allows. Check in at a beachfront hotel.

Overnight: Chilaw

Day 2 :

Dambulla and Sigiriya

Drive inland about three hours to the Dambulla cave temples, five rock-cut shrines holding more than 150 Buddha statues and ceiling paintings, reached by a 15-minute climb on steps. Continue to Sigiriya. In the late afternoon climb the 5th-century rock fortress, roughly 1,200 steps past the frescoes and mirror wall to the summit ruins 200 m above the plain, or view it from the Pidurangala rock or the water gardens below. Evening village walk and a boat ride on the Sigiriya tank.

Overnight: Sigiriya

Day 3 :

Trincomalee day visit

An early start for the two-and-a-half hour drive to Trincomalee. Koneswaram stands on Swami Rock inside the Dutch-built Fort Frederick, with the sea far below and the Lovers' Leap cliff beside it; the temple is one of the island's oldest Shiva shrines and was rebuilt in the 20th century after its destruction by the Portuguese. Visit the Sri Bhadrakali Amman temple in town, lunch by the harbour and relax for an hour on Uppuveli beach before returning to Sigiriya.

Overnight: Sigiriya

Day 4 :

Sigiriya to Kandy

Drive about three hours south to Kandy with a stop at a spice garden near Matale, where a short walk shows cinnamon, clove, pepper and vanilla plants and a brief Ayurvedic head massage is offered. In Kandy visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic beside the lake, timed for one of the daily pujas when the relic chamber is opened, then the Bahirawakanda Buddha on the hill above the city. The evening is for the Kandyan dance performance with drumming and fire-walking.

Overnight: Kandy

Day 5 :

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda

Visit a gem museum in Kandy, then climb into the tea country, stopping at a working factory to see the leaf being rolled and dried. At Ramboda the Sri Bhakta Hanuman temple of the Chinmaya Mission overlooks the valley Hanuman is said to have scoured for Sita. Continue to Nuwara Eliya (about 1,870 m) and drive a few kilometres on to Seetha Eliya for darshan at the Seetha Amman temple, where tradition places the Ashok Vatika of Sita's captivity and hollows in the rock beside the stream are revered as Hanuman's footprints. Evening walk by Gregory Lake or in Victoria Park.

Overnight: Nuwara Eliya

Day 6 :

Hill train, Madu river and Bentota

Board the morning train at Nanu Oya for a stretch of the famous hill line through tea gardens, tunnels and misty ridges (second class seats, subject to availability; the vehicle meets you at the end of the sector). Then drive down to the south-west coast, about four hours. At Balapitiya take a boat up the Madu river through mangrove tunnels, past cinnamon islands and a small island temple, and stop at the Kande Vihara temple with its tall seated Buddha. Reach Bentota in time for sunset on the beach.

Overnight: Bentota

Day 7 :

Colombo and departure

Drive to Colombo, about one and a half hours on the expressway. Visit Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, with its murals and the shrine to Vibhishana, then the Gangaramaya temple and the lakeside Seema Malaka pavilion. Time for lunch and shopping on your own, then transfer to Bandaranaike airport, your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), for your flight.

Overnight: Not applicable (departure day)

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
1	Chilaw	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
2	Sigiriya	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
3	Sigiriya	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
4	Kandy	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
5	Nuwara Eliya	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
6	Bentota	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka?

Indian passport holders can get a free 30-day tourist ETA under the scheme that came into force on 25 May 2026. The ETA must still be applied for online at eta.gov.lk before travel. We check the latest position when you book, as rules can change.

What is the difference between this and the Ramayana circuit yatras?

This seven-day visit covers the main Ramayana sites in the west, east and hills but ends with the beach at Bentota instead of Kataragama and Ella. If the Ravana falls, Divurumpola and Kataragama matter to you, choose the eight- or eleven-day Ramayana tours instead.

Is vegetarian food available?

Yes. Hotel breakfasts and dinners are arranged as vegetarian if requested when booking, and Sri Lankan cuisine has many vegetable curries, dal and rice dishes. South Indian restaurants are common in Colombo and Kandy.

When should we travel?

December to March is dry for the west coast, cultural triangle and hills. April is hot. The south-west monsoon from May to September brings rain to Bentota and Colombo but is the best time for Trincomalee. October-November can be wet across the island.

Is the train ride guaranteed?

No. Sri Lanka Railways releases seats in advance and they sell out fast. We book as early as possible; if seats are unavailable, the sector is done by road through the same scenery and the ticket cost is refunded.

How much time is spent driving?

Between two and five hours on most days, broken by stops. The longest day is the hill-country-to-coast transfer on Day 6, which includes the train. Roads are good and the vehicle is air-conditioned.

Can elderly parents manage this yatra?

Yes. Apart from the optional climbs at Sigiriya and Dambulla, the programme is gentle, hotels are comfortable and the driver-guide adjusts the pace. Tell us about any mobility needs when you enquire.

Does this Sri Lanka package include the Seetha Amman temple?

Yes. On Day 5, after the Sri Bhakta Hanuman temple at Ramboda, we continue past Nuwara Eliya to Seetha Eliya for darshan at the Seetha Amman temple. Tradition places Sita’s Ashok Vatika here, and hollows in the rock by the stream are revered as Hanuman’s footprints. Puja or archana fees and offerings are paid at the temple. Nuwara Eliya is cool, around 10 to 20 degrees C, so carry a light jacket for that evening.

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Sri Lanka Sightseeing Holiday

Get the plan and price for your dates

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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