Divine Sri Lanka: Ramayana Circuit with Leisure

Highlights & Route

Sri Lanka holds the second half of the Ramayana. Across the island are places that local tradition links to Sita’s captivity, Hanuman’s search, the war with Ravana and Rama’s prayers afterwards, and many of them are living Hindu temples with daily puja. This eight-day circuit strings the main sites together in a loop from Colombo, while leaving room for the things that make the island a holiday as well as a pilgrimage: the rock fortress of Sigiriya, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, tea gardens, a hill-country train ride and the beaches of the south coast.

The route begins north of Colombo at Chilaw, where the Munneswaram temple is said to be where Rama prayed to Shiva after the war and the Manavari temple holds the first Shivalinga he installed, called the Ramalingam. From Sigiriya a day visit reaches Trincomalee and Koneswaram, the clifftop Shiva temple on Swami Rock. The hill country around Nuwara Eliya is the heart of the Sita story: the Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya, with the footprints attributed to Hanuman in the rock beside the stream, the Hanuman temple at Ramboda run by the Chinmaya Mission, and further south the Ravana Ella waterfall and caves near Ella. The loop closes at Kataragama, the shrine of Skanda-Murugan honoured by Hindus and Buddhists alike, and at Kelaniya in Colombo, whose temple has a shrine to Vibhishana.

Indian citizens now enter Sri Lanka on a free 30-day tourist ETA, applied for online before travel, which keeps costs and paperwork low. Distances are short and the roads are good, so no day involves more than four to five hours in the vehicle. The package is well suited to families with elderly members who want darshan without exertion, and to groups who want some rest built into a yatra.

Route

Colombo airport → Chilaw (Munneswaram, Manavari) → Dambulla → Sigiriya → Trincomalee (day visit) → Kandy → Ramboda → Nuwara Eliya → Seetha Eliya → Ella → Kataragama → south coast → Colombo → airport

Good to know before you book

Indian passport holders get a free 30-day tourist ETA under Sri Lanka’s scheme in force since 25 May 2026; apply online at the official portal (eta.gov.lk) before flying. Passports need six months’ validity.
Flights to Colombo are not included; Bandaranaike International Airport has direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kochi and other Indian cities.
Entry tickets at Sigiriya, Dambulla, the Temple of the Tooth and other heritage sites are payable in Sri Lankan rupees or by card and are not part of the package.
The Ella train ride is subject to seat availability and is sometimes replaced by road; the Ella-Kandy line is popular, so book early.
December to March is the dry season for the west and hills; May to August is better for Trincomalee and the east. Nuwara Eliya is cool (10-20 degrees C) and needs a light jacket.
Shoulders and knees must be covered at Buddhist and Hindu temples, and shoes and hats come off; carry a shawl and socks for hot stone floors.

Yatra Highlights

Ramayana temples at Munneswaram, Manavari, Koneswaram, Ramboda, Seetha Amman and Kataragama
Sigiriya rock, Dambulla caves and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy
Hill-country train through tea estates, Ravana Ella falls and a day on the southern coast

Day 1 :

Colombo airport to Chilaw

Our driver meets you at Bandaranaike International Airport, your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time, for the two-hour drive north along the coast to Chilaw. Visit Munneswaram, one of the island's five ancient Ishwaram temples, where tradition says Rama prayed to Shiva to be rid of the sin of killing Ravana; the main shrine has evening puja around 5 pm. A few kilometres away is Manavari, where the Ramalingam, the first lingam Rama is believed to have consecrated, is the only one in the world named after him. Also stop at the Sri Muthumariamman temple and the Madampe Murugan kovil if time permits. Check in near the beach at Chilaw for the night.

Overnight: Chilaw

Day 2 :

Dambulla caves and Sigiriya

Drive inland about three hours to Dambulla, where five cave temples cut into a granite outcrop hold more than 150 Buddha images and ceiling paintings dating back over 2,000 years; the climb is about 15 minutes on steps. Continue to Sigiriya and, in the cooler late afternoon, climb the 5th-century rock fortress, about 1,200 steps past the mirror wall and the frescoes to the lion-paw terrace and the palace ruins on top, 200 m above the plain. Those who prefer can see the rock from the Pidurangala viewpoint or the gardens below. Evening village walk and a boat ride on the Sigiriya tank.

Overnight: Sigiriya

Day 3 :

Trincomalee day visit: Koneswaram

Leave early for the two-and-a-half hour drive east to Trincomalee. Koneswaram stands on Swami Rock inside Fort Frederick, high above the Indian Ocean; it is one of the Pancha Ishwarams, mentioned in Tamil Shaiva literature and associated in local tradition with Ravana's devotion to Shiva. Nearby is the cliff known as Lovers' Leap. Visit the Sri Bhadrakali Amman temple in the town, lunch by the sea, and spend an hour at Uppuveli beach before returning to Sigiriya by evening. Kanniya hot springs can be added on the way if the group wishes.

Overnight: Sigiriya

Day 4 :

Sigiriya to Kandy

Drive south about three hours to Kandy, stopping at a spice garden near Matale to see cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and vanilla growing. In Kandy visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) beside the lake, timing the visit for one of the three daily pujas when the relic chamber is opened to view, then drive up to the Bahirawakanda hill for the large white Buddha and the view over the city. Evening cultural show of Kandyan drumming and dance ending with fire-walking.

Overnight: Kandy

Day 5 :

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda

Climb into the tea country, about three hours with stops. Visit a gem museum in Kandy and a working tea factory on the way to see how the leaf is rolled and fired. At Ramboda, the Sri Bhakta Hanuman temple of the Chinmaya Mission looks over the valley where Hanuman is said to have searched for Sita; its 16-foot granite Hanuman is the centrepiece and the temple feeds pilgrims on festival days. Arrive at Nuwara Eliya (about 1,870 m), the old British hill station, and walk by Gregory Lake or in Victoria Park in the cool evening.

Overnight: Nuwara Eliya

Day 6 :

Seetha Amman, Ella and Kataragama

Morning darshan at the Seetha Amman temple in Seetha Eliya, built where Sita is believed to have been held in the Ashok Vatika; in the rock beside the stream are large depressions revered as Hanuman's footprints. Then drive to Nanu Oya or a nearby station for the hill-country train towards Ella (subject to seats), one of the prettiest rail journeys anywhere, through tea gardens and tunnels; the vehicle meets you at the other end. Near Ella see the Ravana Ella waterfall, about 25 m high, and the Ravana cave above the road where Ravana is said to have hidden Sita. Continue south, about three hours, to Kataragama in time for the evening puja at the Murugan shrine, where Hindu and Buddhist devotees carry fruit offerings through the courtyard.

Overnight: Kataragama

Day 7 :

South coast to Colombo

Follow the southern coast westward, about five hours with stops. Pause at Mirissa's Coconut Tree Hill viewpoint, visit a sea-turtle hatchery at Koggala, take a boat on the Madu river through mangrove channels and islands, and stop for an hour on a beach at Bentota or Hikkaduwa. Reach Colombo by evening.

Overnight: Colombo

Day 8 :

Colombo temples and departure

Visit the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, whose murals tell the Buddha's visits to the island and whose grounds hold a shrine to Vibhishana, worshipped as a guardian of Sri Lanka. In the city see the Gangaramaya temple with its eclectic museum and the Seema Malaka pavilion on Beira Lake. Lunch and some shopping time on your own, then transfer to Bandaranaike airport, your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), for the flight home.

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	Kataragama	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
7	Colombo	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka?

Indian passport holders are eligible for a free 30-day tourist ETA under the scheme in force since 25 May 2026. You still need to complete the ETA application online at the official portal eta.gov.lk before you fly and carry the approval. Rules can change, so we re-confirm the position at the time of booking.

Which Ramayana sites are covered?

Munneswaram and Manavari near Chilaw, Koneswaram at Trincomalee, the Ramboda Hanuman temple, Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya with the Hanuman footprints, the Ravana Ella falls and cave near Ella, the Kataragama Murugan shrine, and the Vibhishana shrine at Kelaniya in Colombo. Divurumpola and Rumassala are in our longer 11-day Ramayana yatra.

Is the food vegetarian?

Breakfast and dinner are arranged as vegetarian at every hotel if you ask at booking; Sri Lankan rice and curry is largely vegetable-based and south Indian food is common. Lunches are on your own and the driver will suggest vegetarian restaurants on the route.

When is the best time to travel?

December to March is dry on the west coast and in the hills, which covers most of this route. Trincomalee is at its best from May to September. Kataragama’s Esala festival in July-August is spectacular but crowded. We run the yatra year-round except during heavy monsoon periods.

How much walking and climbing is there?

Most temples need only a short walk. Dambulla has about 15 minutes of steps, Sigiriya about an hour of climbing on 1,200 steps, and both can be skipped. The train ride and coastal day are restful.

Can we pay in Indian rupees?

No. Change money into Sri Lankan rupees at the airport or use cards, which work widely. US dollars are accepted at some hotels. Keep some small notes for temple offerings and lunches.

Can the itinerary be changed for our group?

Yes. Private groups can drop the beach day for more time in the hills, add Jaffna’s Nallur temple, or add Divurumpola and Rumassala. Price changes with the route.

Is the Ella hill-country train ride included in this Sri Lanka yatra?

Yes. Second-class tickets for the Nanu Oya to Ella stretch are included. Nanu Oya is the station for Nuwara Eliya, and this line runs through tea country on the way to the Ravana Ella falls and caves. Seats depend on availability, because the line is very popular. If tickets cannot be confirmed for your date, that stretch is done by road in our vehicle instead. Book early if the train ride matters to you, especially from December to March.

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Divine Sri Lanka: Ramayana Circuit with Leisure (this page)	8 days / 7 nights	Colombo	From ₹60,000
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Divine Sri Lanka: Ramayana Circuit with Leisure

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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