Sri Lanka Ramayana Tour

About this route

Eight days following the places the Ramayana puts in Lanka. The route runs from the west coast to Chilaw, up to Kandy and the tea country, down through Ella to Kataragama, then along the south coast to Galle and back to Colombo.

It is a pilgrimage route that also happens to cross the best scenery on the island, so it works whether you come for the story or for the country it passes through. Your driver-guide knows which shrines expect what, and the pujas are timed rather than missed.

The trip is private throughout, with your own vehicle and driver-guide for all eight days.

Why this route works

• The main Ramayana sites in one line, rather than as detours from a general tour.
• Munneswaram at Chilaw is one of the five ancient Shiva kovils on the coast, the Pancha Ishwarams, and is over a thousand years old.
• Seetha Amman at Seetha Eliya is the only Hindu temple in the country dedicated to Sita, and Hakgala, identified with the Ashoka Vatika, is next to it.
• Kataragama is shared by Buddhists, Hindus and the Vedda people, which makes the evening puja there unlike anywhere else.

Who it suits

• Travellers making the Ramayana trail, on their own or as a family.
• Anyone interested in how Hindu and Buddhist practice sit side by side here.
• First visits, because the route still takes in Kandy, the hill country, Ella and Galle.

Who it does not suit

• If you want wildlife, this route has none. Yala is close to Kataragama and we can add it.
• If temple days in succession are not your thing, say so and we will thin them out.

Included activities

• Negombo town tour
• Munneswaram temple at Chilaw
• Sri Bhakta Hanuman temple at Ramboda
• Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya
• Ravana falls and the caves above them
• Kataragama temple complex
• Galle Fort and Rumassala
• Seenigama temple
• Panchamuga Anjaneyar temple in Colombo

Best time to go

The west and south coasts are at their best from roughly November to April, and the hill country works all year. Kataragama fills up for the Esala festival around July and August, which is the most striking time to be there and the hardest for rooms, so tell us early if you want those dates.

How booking works

Send your dates through the enquiry form on this page, or message us on WhatsApp. You get back a day by day plan with the hotels named and a price for your group. Nothing is held or charged while you think about it.

To confirm, we ask for a deposit of 50 percent of the total, with the balance due at least five days before you arrive. Bookings made within ten days of arrival are paid in full at the time of booking. Card payments are handled by PayHere, and a booking is confirmed only once we send you written confirmation.

Prices shown here are per person in US dollars, based on the level 1 hotels. A higher hotel level, extra nights or changes to the route all change the price, so ask us for a quote on your own dates. Cancellation terms are set out in our refund policy.