Sri Lanka looks small on the map, but roads are winding and travel is slower than you expect. A rough rule: plan for about 40 km per hour on average, and avoid more than one long travel day in a row.
These itineraries start and end at Bandaranaike International Airport near Negombo. Each one can be adjusted to the season; see our best time to visit guide.
7 days: Culture and hills
A first taste of the island, focused on history and green hills. Best from January to September.
- Day 1: Arrive, night in Negombo.
- Day 2: Drive to Sigiriya (about 4 hours). Afternoon elephant safari.
- Day 3: Climb Sigiriya early, Dambulla cave temple in the afternoon.
- Day 4: Drive to Kandy via a spice garden. Evening at the Temple of the Tooth.
- Day 5: Kandy to Ella by train (about 7 hours).
- Day 6: Little Adam’s Peak and the Nine Arch Bridge.
- Day 7: Long drive back to the airport (5 to 6 hours), or add a night near Colombo.
Honest note: the last day is long. If your flight is early, end in Kandy instead of Ella.
10 days: Culture, hills and beach
The classic first trip. Best from December to April, when the south coast is in season.
- Day 1: Arrive, Negombo.
- Days 2 and 3: Sigiriya and Dambulla, with a safari and Polonnaruwa or Pidurangala.
- Day 4: Drive to Kandy.
- Day 5: Train from Kandy to Ella.
- Day 6: Ella hikes.
- Day 7: Drive to Yala (about 2.5 hours) for an afternoon safari.
- Days 8 and 9: Drive to Mirissa (about 2.5 hours). Beach days and whale watching.
- Day 10: Galle Fort on the way back to the airport (about 3 hours from Galle).
See this as a day-by-day plan in our 10 days culture, hills and beach tour.
14 days: The full loop, slower
Two weeks lets you add a second hill country stop and more beach time without rushing.
- Day 1: Arrive, Negombo.
- Days 2 to 4: Sigiriya base. Lion Rock, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa by bike, elephant safari.
- Days 5 and 6: Kandy. Temple, gardens, a cooking class.
- Day 7: Drive to Nuwara Eliya through tea estates.
- Day 8: Horton Plains early, then the train from Nanu Oya to Ella.
- Days 9 and 10: Ella.
- Day 11: Yala safari.
- Days 12 and 13: South coast beaches: Mirissa, Tangalle or Unawatuna.
- Day 14: Galle Fort and back to the airport.
Summer version (May to September)
In summer, swap the south coast for the east. After the Cultural Triangle, head to Trincomalee or Pasikudah, or finish the hill country in Ella and drive to Arugam Bay.
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