Kandy Esala Perahera — dates, start times and the route
The Esala Perahera is the procession of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy: caparisoned elephants, Kandyan dancers and drummers, over successive nights ending on the Nikini Poya full moon. The dates move every year and are announced by the Temple, so they cannot be worked out from a formula.
Transcribed from the Sri Dalada Maligawa’s announcement. Verify against the Temple’s own site before booking non-refundable travel.
Published nights and their routes
Each night walks a different route. These are imported from the organiser’s own published map, street by street — not summarised from memory.
Going to watch: what actually matters
The roads shut hours before anything moves. The scheduled start time is not your arrival time. Pick a spot on a night’s page and it will work out when you need to leave and how you get out afterwards.
- •It is a religious procession, not a parade — dress modestly, shoulders and knees covered. White is the convention near the Temple.
- •Shoes and hats come off inside the Temple precinct.
- •No flash photography. The elephants are close, and flash distresses them.
- •You will be on the road for hours — take a mat or cushion, water, and a light layer.
- •Toilets on the route are scarce. Go before you take your spot.
- •Stay seated once it starts so the people behind can see, and never cross the road between elephants.
- •Keep bags in front of you in the crush, and agree a meeting point if you are in a group.
- •Poya and festival days are dry days — bars and shops do not serve alcohol.
Common questions
When is the Kandy Esala Perahera?
The festival runs for roughly two weeks each year, ending on the Nikini Poya full moon, so the dates move annually and cannot be computed from a fixed rule. OneCeylon transcribes them from the Sri Dalada Maligawa's own announcement each year rather than estimating. The published nights for the current season are listed on this page; when a season has not yet been announced, nothing is shown rather than a guess.
What time does the Perahera start?
Each night has its own scheduled start time, set by the Temple and usually between about 6:40pm and 7:00pm for the Randoli nights. The Day Perahera on the final day sets off in the early afternoon instead. The exact scheduled time for every published night is listed below — but the start time is not when you should arrive.
What time should I arrive to see the Perahera?
Hours before it starts. Roads on the route close well ahead of the procession, seated spots on the kerb go early, and once the route is closed you cannot cross it. Each night's page on OneCeylon gives a leave-by time for the spot you pick, worked out from that night's route and scheduled start rather than from a general rule.
Is the Kandy Perahera free to watch?
Watching from the public roadside is free. Paid seating in private balconies and stands along the route is sold separately by the buildings that own them, and prices vary by night — the final Randoli nights cost the most.
What should I wear to the Perahera?
It is a religious procession, not a parade. Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered; white is the convention near the Temple. Shoes and hats come off inside the Temple precinct, and there is no flash photography — the elephants are close and flash distresses them.