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Sri Lanka Holidays
Sri Lanka & The Kandy Esala Perahera Festival
Sri Lanka & The Kandy Esala Perahera Festival
12 Days / 11 Nights from
£2395/ $3114 per person
Overview & Map
Detailed itinerary
Prices
Hotels
Widely considered to be one of Asia’s most vibrant, colourful and lavish religious pageants; the Kandy Esala Perahera festival is marked with a magnificent display of caparisoned elephants, fire-eaters, drummers, and dancers. This private tour combines the opportunity to see this magical spectacle and experience the carnivalesque atmosphere that pervades throughout Kandy at this time. Celebrated annually over a period of ten days, the Kandy Esala Perahera festival is Sri Lanka’s oldest as well as its most important festival. The festival combines the Dalada Perahera, which marks the arrival of the Buddha’s sacred tooth relic in Sri Lanka; with the Esala Perahera, where Buddhist deities are beseeched to bless the farmers with a rich harvest. The Kandy Esala Perahera festival begins with the cutting of a ceremonial jack tree followed by a lively procession through the streets of Kandy. These processions become grander each night, with the festivities reaching a crescendo on the last night, when a replica of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is carried in a golden casket on the back of a massive ‘Tusker’ and accompanied by traditional dancers, torch bearers, fire jugglers, musicians and nearly a hundred elephants decorated in colourful silk costumes. The Kandy Esala Perahera festival concludes on the morning of the 10th day with the ‘water-cutting’ ceremony, where priests “cut” circles in the water with a sword and fill four clay bowls with water from within the circle. This water is then kept in the pitchers until the following year’s festival. Combined with the dazzling processions of the Kandy Esala Perahera on this tour are visits to ancient cities of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle; picturesque Minneriya National Park where wild elephant sightings are virtually guaranteed; and three nights by the shimmering blue waters of Pasikudah on Sri Lanka’s East Coast. (Kandy Esala Perahera is held annually in late July / mid-August).
Itinerary at a Glance
Day
Location/Route
Overnight
Sapphire Hotels
Diamond Hotels
Day
1
Arrive Colombo Airport. VIP meet and greet. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
1 night Negombo
Jetwing Beach
Jetwing Beach
Day
2
Drive to Sigiriya. Afternoon explore Hiriwaduna village and gain an insight into the lifestyle of the locals.
3 nights Sigiriya
Aliya Resort & Spa
Water Garden Sigiriya
Day
3
Morning visit to Sigiriya. Afternoon is at leisure.
Day
4
Morning visit to Polonnaruwa. Afternoon visit to Minneriya National Park.
Day
5
Drive to Pasikudah, famed for its Maldivian-style beaches along Sri Lanka's east coast.
3 nights Pasikudah
Sunrise by Jetwing
Uga Bay
Day
6
At leisure.
Day
7
At leisure.
Day
8
Drive to Kandy. Enroute visit a tea plantation. Later this evening watch the Kandy Esala Perahera procession.
3 nights Kandy
Clove Villa
The Kandy House
Day
9
Morning visit to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. This evening attend the Maha Randoli Perahera procession.
Day
10
Morning visit to the Temple of the Tooth. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day
11
Drive to Colombo. Afternoon explore Colombo’s historic Fort district on foot.
1 night Colombo
Galle Face Hotel
The Residence by Uga
Day
12
Farewell to Sri Lanka
Day
1
Location/Route :
Arrive Colombo Airport. VIP meet and greet. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Overnight :
1 night Negombo
Sapphire Hotel :
Jetwing Beach
Diamond Hotel :
Jetwing Beach
Day
2
Location/Route :
Drive to Sigiriya. Afternoon explore Hiriwaduna village and gain an insight into the lifestyle of the locals.
Overnight :
3 nights Sigiriya
Sapphire Hotel :
Aliya Resort & Spa
Diamond Hotel :
Water Garden Sigiriya
Day
3
Location/Route :
Morning visit to Sigiriya. Afternoon is at leisure.
Day
4
Location/Route :
Morning visit to Polonnaruwa. Afternoon visit to Minneriya National Park.
Day
5
Location/Route :
Drive to Pasikudah, famed for its Maldivian-style beaches along Sri Lanka's east coast.
Overnight :
3 nights Pasikudah
Sapphire Hotel :
Sunrise by Jetwing
Diamond Hotel :
Uga Bay
Day
6
Location/Route :
At leisure.
Day
7
Location/Route :
At leisure.
Day
8
Location/Route :
Drive to Kandy. Enroute visit a tea plantation. Later this evening watch the Kandy Esala Perahera procession.
Overnight :
3 nights Kandy
Sapphire Hotel :
Clove Villa
Diamond Hotel :
The Kandy House
Day
9
Location/Route :
Morning visit to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. This evening attend the Maha Randoli Perahera procession.
Day
10
Location/Route :
Morning visit to the Temple of the Tooth. The afternoon is at leisure.
Day
11
Location/Route :
Drive to Colombo. Afternoon explore Colombo’s historic Fort district on foot.
Overnight :
1 night Colombo
Sapphire Hotel :
Galle Face Hotel
Diamond Hotel :
The Residence by Uga
Day
12
Location/Route :
Farewell to Sri Lanka
Tour Highlights
Soak up the carnivalesque atmosphere and witness the extraordinary Kandy Perahera festival
Ascend Sigiriya rock fortress and admire the glorious panoramic views from the summit
Take a bicycle ride through the striking 11th century ruins of Polonnaruwa
Encounter herds of wild elephants up close inside Minneriya National Park
Relax by the white sandy beaches at Pasikudah and enjoy a swim in the calm, shallow waters
Pick tea leaves alongside estate workers and then visit a tea factory to learn first-hand art of mak
VIP meet and greet on arrival at Colombo airport.
Extend Your Stay
1 night: Spend an extra night at Pasikudah
2 nights: search for sloth bear and leopard at the picturesque Wilpattu National Park
Route Map - Sri Lanka & The Kandy Esala Perahera Festival
Return to Sri Lanka holidays
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