Sri Lanka Discovery – 7-day private tour of Sri Lanka

Highlights

What you'll remember

• 01Climb Sigiriya or Pidurangala Rock at first light
• 02Dambulla's painted cave temples
• 03Evening elephant safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla
• 04The scenic train from Nanu Oya to Ella
• 05A morning leopard safari in Yala
• 06Coconut Tree Hill and the old lanes of Galle Fort

Day by day

The itinerary

1. Day 1 · Airport → Pinnawala → Dambulla → Sigiriya

   Your driver meets you at arrivals with your name on a sign. Head inland to watch the elephants at Pinnawala, then north to the golden cave temple of Dambulla, with its painted caves and Buddha statues, before arriving in Sigiriya.

   Approx. 5–6 hrs drive

   
2. Day 2 · Sigiriya or Pidurangala, Ayurveda and an elephant safari

   An early climb before the heat: Sigiriya Rock, or the quieter Pidurangala Rock next door, with a view straight across to Sigiriya. Unwind in the afternoon with a traditional Ayurvedic massage, then take a jeep out at dusk to Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park, wherever the elephants are.

   Full day, local drives

   
3. Day 3 · Sigiriya → Kandy

   Wind south through the hills to Kandy. In Kandy, walk around the lake, enjoy a traditional Kandyan dance show in the evening and then join the ceremony at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

   Approx. 2.5–3 hrs drive

   
4. Day 4 · Kandy → Nanu Oya by road, scenic train to Ella

   Up into tea country by road, past Ramboda Falls and a tea factory, to Nanu Oya. From there you ride the scenic train to Ella across the Nine Arches Bridge, while your driver goes ahead with the bags and meets you in Ella. Prefer the road? We can drive all the way instead, stopping in Nuwara Eliya, the old colonial town known as Little England, for a boat ride or horse riding at Gregory Lake, and at the Seetha Amman Temple. We choose the stops together, by your interests and the time available.

   Approx. 3 hrs drive · approx. 3 hrs by train (or about 5–6 hrs all by road)

   
5. Day 5 · Ella → Yala

   Morning at Nine Arches Bridge, then an easy hike up Little Adam's Peak or a walk through Ella village. On the way down from the hills, stop at Ravana Falls beside the road, then continue to the edge of Yala.

   Approx. 2–2.5 hrs drive

   
6. Day 6 · Yala morning safari → Mirissa

   Out at dawn in a private jeep looking for leopards, elephants and sloth bears. On the drive west, an optional stop at the Kalametiya lagoon for a bird-watching boat trip. In Mirissa, finish the day at Coconut Tree Hill, with its ocean views and some of the best photos of the trip.

   Safari 5 hrs · Approx. 3 hrs drive

   
7. Day 7 · Mirissa → Galle Fort → Airport

   Start with an early whale and dolphin watching trip from Mirissa (November to April), and browse a local market. Then a slow walk around Galle's Dutch fort, with its cafés, lanes and lighthouse, before the expressway back to the airport. Best with an evening flight.

   Approx. 3 hrs drive

   

What's in the price

The route

About 800 km by road