Ideal for those who enjoy the outdoors and are energetic travelers, this 10-day trip runs from national parks to tea farms along sunny coastlines. You will traverse sandy beaches, rainforests, and, with luck, encounter some of the most unique species in the country while trekking, swimming, and driving.
Highlights
Explore the picturesque, walled harbor city of Galle.
This is a visit to the most popular and picturesque beach in Sri Lanka.
Stroll around the Sri Lankan tea fields.
Cycle through the rugged mountains.
Learn how to cook traditional Sri Lankan meals.
Witness an actual Buddhist praying ceremony.
Brief Itinerary
Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive & transfer to Galle | Galle |
| Day 2 | Galle & Unawatuna Beach | Galle |
| Day 3 | Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve | Deniyaya |
| Day 4 | Yala National Park | Kataragama |
| Day 5 | Exploring Ella – the town on a hillside | Ella |
| Day 6 | Hiking in the tea country | Ella |
| Day 7 | Cycling through the highlands | Nuwara Eliya |
| Day 8 | The Worlds End Lookout | Nuwara Eliya |
| Day 9 | The bustling town of Kandy | Kandy |
| Day 10 | Cooking classes and temple visits | Â |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive & transfer to Galle
Leave Colombo International Airport and head for the seaside resort of Galle. Arriving, investigate your boutique guesthouse in the middle of the historic walled fort town, with its colonial architecture and abundance of palm trees. This location is rich in family legacy, personal tales, and historical events. Excellent cuisine is available; likewise, peace and quiet abound. This is the ideal location for a leisurely afternoon of recovery from a flight.
Day 2: Galle & Unawatuna Beach
Start your day with a morning walk led by a local to hear the stories of the families who have lived here for generations, get to know some of the vibrant local characters, and wander down the city ramparts. Then get in a van and head to Unawatuna Beach, a vibrant, sandy, palm-lined length that draws visitors from all over. Before swimming, stop for a pizza with a view of one of the most beautiful beaches in the nation. Keep an eye out for sea turtles; they occasionally show up here.
Day 3: Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve
Starting the day with a beautiful 2.5-hour trip from the coast up into the heartland to Sinharaja, one of Sri Lanka’s few national parks, where you may stroll and enjoy the landscape free from the noise and congestion of motor traffic. A World Heritage Site and recognized UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Sinharaja has an amazing wealth of amphibians, reptiles, and birds. As you meander through the rich jungle environment for three hours, stopping for a substantial packed lunch along the way, keep an eye out for Jungle Fowl and Blue Magpie. Birds are often the most social.
Day 4: Yala National Park
Spend a quiet morning lounging at your remote jungle eco-lodge, taking short hikes into the forest, and having breakfast in the open-plan café with views over the grounds. Late morning calls for getting on the van for a three-hour journey to Kataragama, a town revered by Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Vedda pilgrims just adjacent to Yala National Park. Check into your hotel, then travel out again for a 2.5-hour Jeep safari across a quiet area of the park. Your chances of spotting elephants here are great; if fortune favors you, you might also get a sight of the more elusive big creature in the area: the gorgeous leopard.
Day 5: Ella
You drive two hours this morning to Ella, a charming hilltop town with rising appeal. You will cross two additional areas of national park territory on the route; hence, be alert for elephants and other animals. Spend some time meandering around town to take in the special atmosphere, as well as to get breathtaking views of the valleys below.
After lunch, enjoy a three-hour walk on a bigger pilgrimage trail, Little Adam’s Peak. Along the route, expect expansive mountain vistas and quaint town settings (remember your camera). When you return to the village, clean up and head to one of the local classic restaurants for dinner. Popular Sri Lankan cuisine consists of young jackfruit curry, dhal curry, and fish curry with mixed rice.
Day 6: Hiking in tea country
Get up in Ella and enjoy the gorgeous mountain views over a leisurely breakfast. Then set off today’s mountain walk across tea farms and little towns. Pro tip: Ask about cricket, as it’s a national preoccupation here. Along the route, you’ll strike up conversations with locals who don’t often meet foreigners and are always eager to engage in conversation. A basic curry and rice meal awaits you in a small village midway through your magnificent mountain promenade, followed by a lovely walk back to Ella.
Day 7: Cycle through the highlands
From Ella, board a late morning train with your packed lunch and have a slow two-hour journey across picturesque countryside. Disembark in Ambewela, a small village at the base of Horton Plains Park in what is sometimes referred to as “little New Zealand.” A small fleet of bicycles is waiting. Explore the rolling terrain and abundant flora of Sri Lanka’s elevated hills, where communities have remained unchanged for centuries. You will arrive in Nuwara Eliya late afternoon and check into your lovely heritage hotel.
Day 8: Nuwara Eliya
On day eight, rise before the morning and travel to Horton Plains, where a foggy sunrise climb will lead to the expansive view known as World’s End. This is a well-liked hike; hence, even at this early hour, come ready to share the path with other nature lovers. You will be at the lookout point observing all of this develop beneath your feet by the time the mist clears and clouds roll in over the valley for the day. Proceeding on the trail, which circles back to the car, you’ll pass the well-known Baker’s Falls along a path lined with rhododendron. Look for Langur monkeys and deer as you travel.
Lunchtime will see you back in town with the remainder of the day free for exploration. Popular past times here are boating, fishing, golf, and birding. Tea drinkers may therefore appreciate a visit to a nearby tea estate or garden, since the area is among the most sought-after sites for tea manufacturing in the country.
Day 9: Kandy
The day begins with a picturesque train journey from Nanu Oya to Kandy among lively residents. Particularly if the day is rainy and little waterfalls run from the cliff, the views out the window are amazing. Once you reach the valley next to Kandy, get off and head towards the car to save time entering the crowded city.
After looking at your accommodation, go on an orientation walk to become acquainted with Kandy’s streets. You own the remainder of the afternoon. Popular attractions are Kandy Lake, the war graves, Kandy Viewpoint, and the Cylon Tea Museum. Many specialty stores, cuisine excursions, spice gardens, and off-the-beaten-track city corners are also worth visiting.
Day 10: Cooking classes & The Temple of the Tooth
At the brink of Kandy Lake, the most holy site in Sri Lanka is the Temple of the Tooth. Said to have a tooth relic from the Buddha, it draws a consistent stream of white-clad followers each morning before dawn, arriving to engage in an offering and prayer rite. Start your day here with a really authentic Kandy experience; the second session in the evening is quieter and less touristy than the morning one.
After breakfast, return to the hotel and perhaps take a short walk to work. Discover Sri Lanka’s traditional herbs and spices, as well as their uses in food and medicine. Then savor the lunch you helped create. The return to Colombo Airport takes roughly 3.5 hours following lunch.
