Highlights
- Sunrise climb of Sigiriya
- Dambulla cave temple
- Evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth
- Tea factory and Ramboda Hanuman temple
- Hill train from Nanu Oya to Ella
- Two nights at Bentota with a Galle fort trip
This is the circuit most people mean by Sri Lanka: the rock at Sigiriya, Kandy, the tea hills, the train, and a beach to finish. It runs as a loop from Colombo airport, so you never drive the same road twice. While the line between Kandy and Nanu Oya is under repair, the train section runs from Nanu Oya to Ella, which is the most scenic part of the route anyway.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Colombo airport to Sigiriya
Pickup at Bandaranaike airport and a drive north-east into the dry zone, with a lunch stop on the way. Check in near Sigiriya and rest; tomorrow starts early.
Day 2: Sigiriya and Dambulla
Climb Sigiriya at opening time, before the heat and the tour buses. The frescoes, the mirror wall, the lion’s paws and the palace ruins on top take two to three hours in all. Afternoon at the Dambulla cave temple, then a slow evening at the hotel.
Day 3: Sigiriya to Kandy
Drive south to Kandy, stopping at a spice garden in Matale. In the evening, the puja at the Temple of the Tooth, when drums play and the inner chamber is opened for a short while. Wear white or light clothes that cover shoulders and knees.
Day 4: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Morning at the Peradeniya botanical gardens, then up into the tea hills. Stop at the Sri Bhakta Hanuman temple at Ramboda and a tea factory for a tasting. Nuwara Eliya is cold after dark, so keep a jacket handy.
Day 5: Sita Amman temple, then the train to Ella
An early visit to Sita Amman temple at Seetha Eliya, ten minutes out of town. Then to Nanu Oya station for the hill train to Ella, through tea estates and tunnels, in reserved seats. Your driver takes the luggage by road and meets you at Ella.
Day 6: Ella to Bentota
Nine Arch Bridge in the morning, and Ravana Falls on the way out of town. Then a long drive south to the coast and along it to Bentota. This is the hardest road day of the trip, so we break it at the coast for lunch.
Day 7: Bentota, with a day trip to Galle
Take the morning on the beach or a river safari on the Bentota river. In the afternoon, drive down to Galle for the fort, the lighthouse and a sunset walk on the ramparts. Or skip Galle and spend the whole day at the pool, which is what most families want by day seven.
Day 8: Bentota to Colombo airport
Drive up the coast and on the expressway to the airport for your flight home. With an evening flight there’s time for a short Colombo city drive and shopping on the way.
What if the train isn’t running on your date?
Hill trains are cancelled now and then after landslides, and seats sell out in peak weeks. If that happens, your driver takes you from Nuwara Eliya to Ella by road, which is quicker anyway, and we stop at a viewpoint over the tea estates instead. If the full line from Kandy reopens before your trip, we can put you on the longer ride from Kandy and drive to Nuwara Eliya afterwards.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- Hotels for 7 nights (Sigiriya 2, Kandy 1, Nuwara Eliya 1, Ella 1, Bentota 2) with breakfast
- Private air-conditioned car with an English-speaking driver throughout
- Reserved seats on the Nanu Oya–Ella hill train, subject to availability
- Airport pickup and drop at Colombo
- Help with the free ETA application
Not included
- Flights from India to Colombo (quoted on request)
- Sigiriya, Dambulla, Temple of the Tooth and botanical garden tickets
- Lunches and dinners
- Optional river safari and activities
- Tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Sri Lanka Tour Packages from India.
