Bringing cheer to those who are planning a trip to Sri Lanka, the Indian Railway Catering Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has rolled out a week-long travel package from July 14 to the teardrop-shaped island. The tour will be a golden opportunity to walk through the trails of the ancient epic Ramayana and explore other tourist spots in Sri Lanka. The package will take the tourists from Colombo to the snow-capped Nuwara Eliya mountains. The flight from Kochi, which departs at 10.20 am, will reach Sri Lanka at 11.30 am on July 14. The tourists will first visit the Manavari Munneswaram Temple, which is on the way to Dambulla, where they will stay for the night. The second day kicks off with a tour of the Sigiriya Fort and the Dambulla Cave Temple. Later, the travellers can offer prayers at the Thiru Koneswaram Temple and the Sree Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple.
The visitors can explore Kandy on the third day. First, they will be taken to the Royal Botanical Gardens and Peradeniya. The itinerary includes a visit to the Kandy cultural exhibition and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The fourth day of the package starts by offering prayers at the Bahiravakanda Buddha Statue. The afternoon is packed with visits to the Ramboda Hanuman Temple and the tea factory in Nuwara Eliya. The fifth day is dotted with trips to Gayatri Peedam, Sita Amman Temple, Gregory Lake and the Divurumpola Temple. After visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the tourists will travel to the capital city of Colombo where they will visit the Panchamukha Anjaneya Temple and the Kelaniya Buddha Temple. As part of the Colombo city tour, the tourist will get an opportunity to see the Clock Tower Light House, Galle Face, Colombo Harbour, Beira Lake, Independence Square, National Museum and Nelum Pokuna Theatre and Town Hall. The next day the tourists will board the flight to Kochi.
During the seven-day tour, the travellers can visit all the tourist spots and the spiritual and pilgrimage centers associated with the ancient Indian epic Ramayana. The package includes round-trip air tickets, food, three-star accommodation, AC vehicles, entry tickets, visa expenses, an English-speaking tour guide, travel insurance and tax. The package starts from Rs 66,400 and for more details contact IRCTC at 8287932082.