Check in to the hotel and relax before being on your way to Chilaw to visit two of the important Kovils; Munneswaram and Manavari.

It is believed that lord Rama worshiped god Shiva at the Munneswaram Kovil seeking refuge from Brahmahasti Dosham which is said to have occurred after killing king Ravana. As instructed by god Shiva he implanted Shiva Lingam at several temples of which Manawari is the one he worshiped first.

Highlight – Starting the day early, we head towards Sigiriya. We visit the UNESCO world heritage site of Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is one of the best tourist sites in the country. The marvelous history of the monument, its water garden and the boulder garden never fails to impress the visitors.

Visit the Cobra head cave which is inside the palace garden, which is of importance to the Ramayana trail. It is believed as one of the many places Ravana had kept Seetha Devi captive in Sri Lanka

Today we leave for Trincomalee, to cover two more important places to our quest.

Arriving at the hotel we relax and refresh before visiting the Koneswaram Temple which is of utmost importance for the Hindu population living in both Sri Lanka and India. The temple is visited by devotees of all religions due to the belief that this sacred temple has the power to make your wishes come true.

According to the legend, Agastya Rishi was the prime builder of this Thiru Koneswaram temple, taking the instructions of Lord Shiva, who was impressed by King Ravana’s devotion.It also believed that this was the place where Lord Rama installed the second lingam.

On your way to the hotel visit the Kanniya Hot Water springs. The site consists of 7 wells constructed on natural hot springs which have different temperatures compared to one another. This place is believed to be where King Ravana carried out the last rites for his mother.

We will be on our way to Kandy, the cultural hub of Sri Lanka, another important UNESCO world heritage site.

Enroute we visit the Seetha Kotuwa today. Kotuwa meaning fort in Sinhala, the remains of this place gives the visitor an idea of how beautiful it might have been during the time of king Ravana. This is said to be the 1st place Seetha Devi was held captive by the king. This fort is well hidden in the forest encircled by waterfalls, streams and caves. Although it is away from the main route to Kandy it is definitely worth the visit.

It will be late in the evening when we reach the hotel today. Rest well as we have a long day in the hill country tomorrow.

Before departing from Kandy we visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic which is a significant place of worship for Buddhists. The temple houses a Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha which is displayed to the public twice a day during the morning and evening ceremony. During the era of kings it was the duty of the King to protect the Tooth Relic. In fact the place which housed the Relic was named as the capital of rule.

We withdraw from Kandy for our next location of Nuwara Eliya. On our way to the hill country we take a short break in Ramboda to visit Sri Bhaktha Hanuman temple devoted to god Hanuman who joined the quest in fighting Ravana in search of Seetha Devi.

We also enjoy a quick photo break at Ramboda falls to appreciate the beauty of the hill country of Sri Lanka.

We have a short break in the hill country to explore the area leisurely after 5 days of continuous traveling.

The majority of the population being Hindu, there are many important Kovils in Nuwara Eliya which are of significance to the Ramayana Trail as well. We visit Seetha Amman temple, which commemorates the Ashok Vathika where Seetha Devi was held captive. It is said that she bathed in the stream flowing beside the temple and the two marks carved in the rock are footprints of Hanuman. This makes exploring this place much more exciting.

Highlight – In the afternoon we visit Hakgala Botanical gardens which is believed to be the Ashok Vatika as described by the historians.

After lunch we visit Divurumpola temple where Seeth Devi performed Agni Pariksha. Divurumpola is the Sinhalese term for ‘Place of Oath’.

Ella is a heaven for the believers of Rama – Ravana legend. This small city at the outskirts of the hill country hides many places significant for our trail. The most important one being the Ravana cave which is quite a challenge to visit. There are images from within the cave which shows a charming blue water pond with crystal clear water. It is believed that this cave is another place where Seetha Devi was held captive and she bathed in the pond while hidden there. We can only go up to the mouth of the cave as going to the pond requires extra gear and guidance of an expert caver.

We view Ravana Ella which falls next to the cave. This place is a dangerous place to bathe in as many people have died in recent history. Therefore we view and capture pictures from a distance.

Highlight – While we are in this beautiful place we can visit the Mini Adam’s peak to have an amazing view of the hills surrounding it. This place is paradise for photographers.

We enjoy dinner at a small, vibrant restaurant in the city today. Ella has a quite different vibe compared to the rest of the places in Sri Lanka. We explore the city more before returning to the hotel to spend the last night in the hill country.

After breakfast we will be on our way to the Southern beach location of Galle. This was identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions.

The ride from the hills to the beach will be a long one. We check into the hotel in the afternoon and relax before visiting the fortified old city of Galle. The dashing boutiques, cafes and buildings with colonial architecture, lined up inside the city walls create a magnificently beautiful maze that one would love to be lost in. Stroll in the narrow laneways leisurely or hop into a tuk tuk to take the best out of this visit. The lighthouse, old post office, Dutch Reform church, maritime museum, All Saints Anglican Church will create a vintage vibe before us while petit restaurants will add more flavor to your evening.

Seated on the fortified walls facing the southern sea, watch your last evening in Paradise Island fading together with the setting sun.

We explore another must visit site while in Galle. Rumassala forest reserve is believed to be one of the places Hanuman dropped the pieces of Sanjeevani mountain which he carried to cure Lakshman who was wounded in the fierce battle against Ravana. Scientists have found some herbs in Rumassala which can only be found in the Himalayas, which supports the facts of the great Ramayana story. We visit the temple which has a statue of Hanuman, still being paid homage by local Hindus.

We enjoy the evening at the jungle beach leisurely while having a refreshing bath in the blue water. The exhaustion of a long journey ends here, soon after you dip in the water. The white sand, blue water and the greenery from the Rumassala forest will create heaven before you.

Today, we bid farewell to beauty-packed Ceylon. On your way to the airport, stop in Colombo for last minute shopping to take home some tangible memories from Sri Lanka, the land of king Ravana.