Classic Sri Lanka Round Tour – 10-day private tour of Sri Lanka

Highlights

What you'll remember

• 01Colombo temples and sunset on Galle Face
• 02Elephants at Pinnawala and the Temple of the Tooth
• 03Peradeniya Gardens and a tea tasting
• 04Lipton's Seat, Little Adam's Peak and Nine Arches Bridge
• 05Afternoon jeep safari in Yala
• 06Whale watching from Mirissa (November to April)

Day by day

The itinerary

1. Day 1 · Arrive → Colombo

   Met at the airport for the short drive into Colombo. If you land early, visit Independence Square, the National Museum, Gangaramaya Temple, the iconic Lotus Tower and the lively Pettah Market, then watch the sun set over Galle Face Green.

   Approx. 45 min drive

   
2. Day 2 · Colombo → Pinnawala → Kandy

   Watch the elephants bathe at Pinnawala on the way inland, then the Temple of the Tooth. A Kandyan dance show is an optional extra.

   Approx. 4 hrs drive

   
3. Day 3 · Kandy → Nuwara Eliya

   Start at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, then up into the highlands past waterfalls and tea estates, with a tea factory visit and tea tasting on the way.

   Approx. 3 hrs drive

   
4. Day 4 · Nuwara Eliya → Ella by train

   A morning in the hills: Gregory Lake, Victoria Park and the Seetha Amman Temple. For an early start, add a walk in Horton Plains National Park to World's End (optional, extra transport cost). Then ride the scenic train from Nanu Oya to Ella while your driver takes the bags.

   Train approx. 3 hrs

   
5. Day 5 · Ella and Lipton's Seat

   A drive to Lipton's Seat near Haputale for the famous view over the tea estates, then Little Adam's Peak, the Nine Arches Bridge and the views from the edge of the hills.

   Local drives

   
6. Day 6 · Ella → Yala

   Down to the dry south and out on an afternoon jeep safari looking for leopards, elephants and sloth bears.

   Approx. 2–2.5 hrs drive · Safari 3–4 hrs

   
7. Day 7 · Yala → Mirissa

   West along the coast, with a bird-watching boat safari at the Kalametiya lagoon on the way. Then a beach afternoon in Mirissa.

   Approx. 3 hrs drive

   
8. Day 8 · Mirissa whale watching

   Out on the water early in search of blue whales and spinner dolphins (best from November to April), then a lazy afternoon and the view from Coconut Tree Hill.

   Boat trip 4–5 hrs

   
9. Day 9 · Mirissa → Unawatuna

   Explore the ramparts, lanes and lighthouse of Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and swim at Jungle Beach, a small cove near Unawatuna.

   Approx. 1 hr drive

   
10. Day 10 · Unawatuna → Bentota → Airport

    A turtle hatchery and a river safari at Bentota, then the expressway to the airport for your flight.

    Approx. 3 hrs drive

    

What's in the price

The route

Your route at a glance