Kandy Esala Perehera: Everything You Need to Know (Last Randoli)
Esala Perehera is Sri Lanka's longest and most glorified religious and cultural parade. Among the Buddhists, it's a significant event that takes place for 9 consecutive days, 5 of which is the elaborated Randoli Perehera and the Final Randoli, during which, locals camp on the pavements even during rain, just to catch a glimpse of the Buddha's Tooth Relic, and the grand parade of traditional performers and elephants.
This time, we went to see the Last Randoli Perhera in Kandy, and here's our full itinerary for 2 Days.
What is Esala Perehera?
Esala Perehera is one of Sri Lanka's most important religious and cultural festivals, held annually in Kandy during July or August. The procession honours the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha and features traditionally decorated elephants, Kandyan dancers, drummers, fire performers, and the colourful processions of Kandy's 4 guardian devalas (Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama, and Pattini)
As a child growing up in Colombo, I've only seen the Esala Perehera on TV. We never had the urge to go and see it live, as it was an exhausting task back then. There was no booking system. You had to show up a day ahead, claim your spot on the pavement, spread plastic papers on the ground (they sell these by the way), and sit for hours. It rains in August, so the ground gets muddy.
Surprisingly, this still exists today. But so do seats that can be purchased.
History of Kandy Esala Perehera
The history of the Esala Perahera stretches back centuries, with its earliest traditions linking ancient rituals performed to seek blessings for rain and a good harvest. After the Sacred Tooth Relic arrived in Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD, the procession gained greater Buddhist significance, eventually evolving into the grand celebration we see today under the patronage of the Kandyan kings.
How many Pereheras for Esala Perehera?
9 total perhera processions take place consecutively. 4 Kumbal Perehera, 4 Randoli Perehera, and the Last Randoli Perehera - the grand parade for which people camp up from 5 a.m. Without planning in advance, there's absolutely no way you could see it.
How to Book Tickets for Esala Perehera?
You can book tickets to the Perehera at least about 2 months in Advance. Visit the official site: https://kandy.mc.gov.lk/perahara or the Kandy Municipal Council site: https://kandy.mc.gov.lk/ for more details. The ticket also includes a snack box from Queen's Hotel.
The seating begin at the Queen's Hotel corridor. Our tickets were in the C block - Top Row and it cost us LKR 17,000 per person ($51).
Honestly, the view wasn't the greatest. We recommend going a little further - maybe F or G block. That's where the dancers get into rhythm. We missed the Fire dancing because the performers were still preparing with their torches.
If you're buying through the official municipal council site (which is the only method we recommend), you'll receive a ticket like above with a QR code. Don't share it with anyone. Once you're checked in and admitted, the ticket has no value. You'll also receive a snack pack from Queen's Hotel Catering before the perehera starts.
Why Should You Not Book Tickets From Third-Party Vendors?
Unless you're buying tickets from shops in the street through somebody you know, third-party tickets are a grey market. Agents keep huge margins, and there are many scammers. When we were at the premises, we had a tourist couple come up looking for their seats, and all they had was a picture of plastic chairs that said 'reserved'. Amidst 100,000 people surrounding the entire Kandy City for one of the country's most glorified cultural event, the last thing you can find are 2 random empty plastic chairs.
When to Book Esala Perehera Tickets
If you want the best spot consider about 6 months. However, we got 2 tickets in the C Block upper left side 1 month prior to the event, and about 75% of seatings were already booked by then. Do not buy tickets a day before or at the premises. Yes, you can find a comfortable spot, but you'll literally be paying double the actual price, which is not worth it.
If you're buying at the premises (Most likely at Queen's Hotel's own reception), you'll be paying close to LKR 35,000 ($105) per person for regular back row tickets. To put it to understanding, the usual price for first row tickets sells at LKR 24,000 per person ($84).
What will you see in the Kandy Esala Perehera?
Elephants, elephants and more elephants. The Perehera consists of 80 elephants, and you can see most of these elephants in the Dalada Maligawa premises even during daytime throughout the Randoli stretch.
Apart from Elephants, you'll also see Fire Dancers, Whip-crackers, Jugglers, Flag Bearers, Traditional Kandyan Dancers and Drummers, and cultural village dancers like Kawadi and many more.
How Long is the Kandy Esala Perehera?
It's a 5-hour-long possession that starts at 7 p.m. and goes on till 12 a.m. You're advised to arrive at your seats by 4 p.m. to avoid getting held back by security checkpoints. We were at KCC at 2.30 p.m, the usual distance from KCC to Queen's Hotel is a 5-minute walk. However, the security checkpoints and the queues took us 40 minutes.
If your concern is clean washrooms, you can use Queen's Hotel washrooms if you book tickets through the municipal council website. Bottom line is, get there early.
Getting to Kandy
If you're based in Colombo/suburbs, you can comfortably go to Kandy via the Panadura-Kandy NCG bus (Route 17). You can visit https://ncgexpress.lk/panadura-to-kandy/ to view the stops to find the closest pick-up and drop-off location. The tickets need to be booked through Magiya.
You can select your pick-up point and drop-off point. The bus ends the journey near the Kandy Bogambara Bus Stand. The bus also begins its journey from the Bogambara bus stand in Kandy. You'll have to walk inside and look for the 'Panadura-Kandy' and NCG Super Luxury bus boards. Make sure to come on time. The bus is quite punctual. (The conductor will call you an hour before your pickup time anyway)
The bus leaves Panadura in the morning. Multiple buses leave from 4 a.m. untill 9.50 a.m. We recommend taking the early morning bus as the roads aren't awake yet, so you can get to Kandy faster. The same goes vice versa.
We went to Kandy on the 4.45 a.m. bus, and arrived in Kandy at 7.50 a.m. On our journey back home, we took the 9.50 a.m. bus and came to Colombo at 3 p.m.
However, this bus doesn't pass through Pettah or Fort. If you're coming through that route, you may have to check the Colombo-Nuwara Eliya RAD Rajagiriya bus.
The Kandy direct train is soon to resume since the Ditwah catastrophe, and once that is up and running, the train journey will be an even less-exhausting experience.
Transport in Kandy and Surrounding Areas During Esala
This was our biggest worry, but it was just so hassle-free. PickMe is widely available in Kandy, and all the drivers we met were very friendly compared to those in Colombo. And Kandy town is small. If you pick a hotel within the town square, most of your journeys would be on foot.
But do keep in mind that traffic congestion is out of this world during Esala Perehera season. We recommend getting your walking shoes on because you will have to walk a lot.
What to Eat in Kandy
Almost every restaurant is open during day time on the Perehera days. The day before the Last Randoli, we were at the Kandy Pizza Hut, and they mentioned they close at 3 p.m.
On the Last Randoli Perehera day, we headed to KCC's food court. The whole premise was super organised. You need to get a guest card and punch in, and you only need to pay when leaving the food court. There are varieties of cuisines ranging from Indian, Italian, Sri Lankan, and more. We tried the burgers and subs, wasn't up to the standard for what we paid. But I did see the portion sizes of pastas were huge. Either way, if you're hungry, you can eat at KCC during Esala Perehera.
Where to Stay in Kandy during Esala Perehera?
Stay not too close, not too far from Kandy City. We were in Kandy for 2 nights, and hotel rates were sky-high, which is why we stayed in 2 different hotels. Our first hotel was Earl's Regent, and the overall experience was average.
To start with, we were under the impression that it's the same as Earl's Regency, where we once stayed 4 years back. But this is a different small-scale hotel where room service doesn't operate after 9 p.m. The food didn't taste good, and the selection was small considering what we paid for was peak-season price. One night Half-Board cost us LKR 38,000 ($115).
Our second stay was much closer to Kandy City. It was a small guest house called Amanda Hills. It only cost us LKR 15,000 ($45) BB for one night. Honestly, it was nothing fancy. No toiletteries and the room had a rustic vibe, but it was clean, well-maintained, and our host was very hospitable.
If you're travelling to Kandy for Esala Perehera, we recommend staying at guest houses over mainstream hotels because the price is really not worth it.
What to do in Kandy during Esala Perehera?
Kandy is a compact city, with most of the action happening right in the town square. If it's your first time visiting Kandy, you can cover the key experiences in just a day.
Visit the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
While the traffic can get quite stuffy, the famous Temple of the Tooth will be open to the public from 5.30 a.m. Make sure to wear modestly, covering your legs and arms. Wearing white will be a nice touch to blend in with locals, as it's leading up to a full moon Poya day. Within the same premise, you can see the Museum of Tusker Rajah and the Old Royal Palace.
You'll also be able to see elephants lounging in the palace gardens.
Spend time in the Peradeniya Botanical Garden
Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden - opened in 1821 - is Sri Lanka's largest and oldest botanical garden, located a 15-minute drive from Kandy town. It's literally picture-perfect for your photographs. But adding the traffic and crowd during the Esala Perehara season, it would take about 30 minutes. The best option is to walk in the direction, away from the town as much as possible, and hail a taxi. It'll save time and money.
Entrance tickets for foreigners are 11$ (LKR 3,500), and LKR 200 for locals.
Ehelepola Wax Museum
Located in the ancestral home of Ehelepola Nilame, the Ehelepola Wax Museum features wax sculptures of important historical figures in the Kandyan Kingdom and their stories. Kandy was a key city during the colonial times, surviving conquest for centuries, but ultimately falling into the hands of the English.
As a history buff, I was totally captivated. The sculptures look surprisingly human-like. Audio guides are available here, so remember to bring earphones. Entrance to the museum is 10$ (LKR 3000) for foreigners, and LKR 400 for locals.
Kandy Lake View Point
There are several viewpoints around the Kandy Lake, and you can practically explore the entire Kandy town by foot. The wax museum is about a 10-minute walk away from the lake viewpoint, and you can view the entire city with the Sri Dalada Maligawa in the backdrop.
Kandy City Centre
KCC is the only mall in Kandy, and it has everything you need in one place. It's no fancy mall like the ones you find in Colombo, but you've got all the banks, telecos, clothing stores, supermarket, and a well-organized food court catering various cuisines.
If it's your first time in Kandy, this itinerary is perfect for a combination Esala Perehera trip. If you've been to Kandy before, you can take a day to skip all the traffic in Kandy Town and head to the Udawatte Kele Sanctuary, Commonwealth War Cemetery, or go a little further to Pilimathalawa and visit the Ranawana Royal Temple.
But if you want to just chill out and dedicate your full time to the Esala Perehera experience, you can roam in and around the town and watch elephants randomly pass by the streets.
Conclusion
So there you go. Everything you need to know about the Kandy Esala Perehera Experience. While this is what we experienced in 2026, certain things could change next year, so always keep an eye out for ticket prices, transport routes etc. If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments.
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