Tour Story · Buddhist Heritage

A Theravada Pilgrimage Through Sri Lanka with Korean Monks and Devotees

7 days · 6 nights11 travellers from KoreaOctober 2026Guided by Chanaka Rathnayake

한국의 스님들과 불자들이 함께한 7일간의 스리랑카 상좌부 불교 성지 순례

For Korean Buddhists, whose own tradition follows the Mahayana path, Sri Lanka offers something rare: a chance to walk through more than two thousand years of living Theravada practice — the oldest surviving school of Buddhism — in the places where it took root.

In October 2026 I guided a group of eleven Buddhist monks and devotees from Korea on a seven-day pilgrimage across the island. We travelled from the ancient royal capitals of the Cultural Triangle to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, and at every site I shared the history, the stories and the temple customs that bring these places to life.

Duration7 days · 6 nights

Group11 monks & devotees from Korea

FocusTheravada history, temple customs, blessings

StylePrivate, fully guided pilgrimage

Route: Negombo → Anuradhapura → Mihintale → Polonnaruwa → Sigiriya → Dambulla → Nalanda Gedige → Aluvihara → Kandy → Kelaniya → Colombo

Korean monks and devotees dressed in white outside the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy — Dressed in white for the visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy

The Journey, Day by Day

DAY1
Arrival in Negombo
A gentle start after the flight from Korea, with an evening by the lagoon to rest before the pilgrimage began.
DAY2
Anuradhapura, the First Sacred City
We drove north into the Cultural Triangle to Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first royal capital and home of the Sri Maha Bodhi — a sacred fig grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment.
DAY3
Mihintale & Polonnaruwa
Morning at Mihintale, the hill where Arahat Mahinda introduced Buddhism to King Devanampiya Tissa in the 3rd century BCE — the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. In the evening we explored Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital, and paid respects at the circular Vatadage relic house.
DAY4
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
An early climb of Sigiriya, the 5th-century rock fortress, followed by a quiet afternoon of rest and an optional Ayurvedic treatment.
DAY5
Dambulla, Nalanda Gedige & Aluvihara
On the road to Kandy we visited the painted cave temples of Dambulla, the ancient stone image house of Nalanda Gedige, and Aluvihara — the rock temple where monks first wrote down the Pali Canon in the 1st century BCE. The evening ended with drums and dance at a Kandyan cultural show.
DAY6
The Temple of the Tooth & Kelaniya
A morning at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the heart of Buddhist Sri Lanka, before driving to Colombo for an evening at the Kelaniya Raja Maha Viharaya, a temple tradition links to the Buddha's visits to the island.
DAY7
Colombo & Departure
Free time to explore Colombo before the transfer to the airport and the flight home.

Chanaka Rathnayake guiding monks through the museum corridor of the Temple of the Tooth

Chanaka Rathnayake receiving a pirith thread blessing from a Sri Lankan monk

Inside the Temple of the Tooth, and a pirith thread blessing shared with the group

More Than Sightseeing

A pilgrimage needs a different kind of guiding than a sightseeing tour. Along with the history of each site, I explained the temple customs that matter to visiting monks and devotees — dressing in white, removing shoes and hats, how offerings are made — and arranged moments of blessing and reflection with local monks.

Some of the most meaningful conversations happened away from the crowds: under the trees of an ancient monastery, or walking between ruins, talking about how Theravada and Mahayana traditions grew from the same roots.

Chanaka Rathnayake explaining Buddhist history to Korean pilgrims beneath an old tree — Sharing the story of a sacred site with the group

Monk and pilgrims descending the steps below Sigiriya Rock — Sigiriya

Korean pilgrims walking between sacred sites — Walking the sacred sites

Monk and guide paying respects at a shrine — At the shrine

Pilgrims at the Polonnaruwa Vatadage — Polonnaruwa Vatadage

The group outside the Temple of the Tooth — Temple of the Tooth

Planning Your Own Buddhist Pilgrimage

Every pilgrimage I guide is built around the group — a temple community, a meditation group, or a family travelling together. The route can be shorter or longer, include meditation time or Poya (full moon) day observances, and be paced for older travellers.

Good to know: visitors to temples should wear white or modest clothing covering shoulders and knees, and remove shoes and hats before entering. I brief every group on these customs before the first temple visit.

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