Kandy Perahera Dates Announced

Posted on: 16 February 2010 by (11 Comments)
Kandy Perahera

Kandy Perahera

The 2010 dates for the legendary Kandy Perahera have finally been announced. This year the festivities will kick off on August 14th and finishes with the grand day procession on August 25th.

The Perahera is one of the highlights of the year in Kandy and draws visitors from around the globe to witness this unique cultural phenomenon. The annual Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism’s most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth is taken from the Temple of the Tooth and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and visitors can expect to see a lively cast of dancers, jugglers and fire-breathers milling amongst the crowds.

Traditional Drummers

Traditional Drummers

Gloriously decorated elephants are paraded through the streets with a cast of thousands of participants. If you book ahead you can reserve some of the few seats in the temporary viewing galleries which are put up in the streets and in some of the centrally located hotels. Tickets are scarce so reserve early if you want one! Similarly, hotels in Kandyget extremely busy too and early booking is advised. Some properties offer package deals for accommodation and procession tickets so contact us if you need advice on this.

Perahera Elephant

Perahera Elephant

The Kandy Perahera is a once in a lifetime experience so see if you can co-ordinate your travel dates and fit in a visit. This dazzling spectacle never disappoints. To include the Perahera in your holiday to Sri Lanka contact us for itinerary ideas and suggestions.

Tom Armstrong

Tom Armstrong is one of the founding members of Experience Travel, having first fallen in love with Sri Lanka in 1999. He was in the country at the time of the 2004 tsunami, which prompted him to found the Aid Sri Lanka Foundation. Tom also spent time living in Thailand, and has travelled extensively throughout Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. He is one of several investors in The Mudhouse, Anamaduwa.

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11 Responses

  1. John Morris says:
    March 14, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Please email a two week itinerary which includes one week tour of Sri Lanka including the grand parade at the Perahera and a week in a coastal hotel on the beach.

    Reply
  2. Diane Nygaard says:
    May 10, 2010 at 3:01 am

    I am interested in going to Kandy the last two nights of the festival, and in spending about 9 nights in Sri Lanka, seeing the World Heritage Sites.

    Can you help with the arrangements? DIane

    Reply
  3. Tania Graro says:
    June 11, 2010 at 8:14 am

    Dear Sam,

    I am living in SL and need to buy tickets for the kandy pererhara, for the 24th the last day. Could you please give me details as how i could do this.

    Rgds,

    Tania

    Reply
  4. Emma says:
    July 31, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    Hi- coming to Sri Lanka in the next day or so and want to see some of the festivites of the Kandy Perahera, however I need to fly out of Colombo on the 20th august, will I still beable to see something?

    Thanks
    Emma

    Reply
  5. 2011 Kandy Perahera Dates Announced Early! « Travel News from South East Asia says:
    October 14, 2010 at 9:34 am

    [...] the highlight’s of the year in Sri Lanka, drawing crowds from across the country and beyond. You can read a more detailed account of the Kandy Perahera in our earlier blog [...]

    Reply
  6. travel buenos aires says:
    March 11, 2011 at 4:37 am

    if you think travel to argentina visit me.

    Reply

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