Grand Tour of Sri Lanka — 8 days

A rock fortress, tea plantations and a safari in Yala. Day-by-day itinerary: Arrival in Colombo → Sigiriya; Sigiriya & Dambulla; Sigiriya → Kandy; Kandy → Nuwara Eliya.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival in Colombo → Sigiriya

10:00 — Arrival in Colombo (Bandaranaike)
12:00 — Private car with driver → Sigiriya (4h) — Colombo → Sigiriya
16:30 — Hotel check-in — Sigiriya
19:30 — Sri Lankan curry dinner — Sigiriya

Day 2 — Sigiriya & Dambulla

06:30 — Climbing Lion Rock (Sigiriya) — Sigiriya
09:00 — Breakfast — Sigiriya
Drive to Dambulla — Sigiriya → Dambulla
11:00 — Dambulla Golden Temple — Dambulla
13:00 — Lunch — Dambulla
Drive to Pidurangala — Dambulla → Pidurangala
16:00 — Pidurangala village — Pidurangala
Drive back to Sigiriya — Pidurangala → Sigiriya
19:30 — Dinner — Sigiriya

Day 3 — Sigiriya → Kandy

09:00 — Drive → Kandy (3h) — Sigiriya → Kandy
12:30 — Hotel check-in — Kandy
14:30 — Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic — Kandy
13:00 — Lunch — Kandy
Drive to Peradeniya — Kandy → Peradeniya
16:30 — Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens — Peradeniya
Drive back to Kandy — Peradeniya → Kandy
19:30 — Dinner and Kandyan dance show — Kandy

Day 4 — Kandy → Nuwara Eliya

09:00 — Train Kandy → Nuwara Eliya (3h) — Kandy → Nanu Oya
13:00 — Hotel check-in — Nuwara Eliya
14:30 — Tea plantation & factory — Nuwara Eliya
13:30 — Lunch — Nuwara Eliya
17:00 — Stroll around Lake Gregory — Nuwara Eliya
19:30 — Dinner — Nuwara Eliya

Day 5 — Nuwara Eliya → Ella

09:00 — Train Nuwara Eliya → Ella (2h30) — Nanu Oya → Ella
12:30 — Hotel check-in — Ella
14:30 — Nine Arches Bridge — Ella
13:30 — Lunch — Ella
16:30 — Little Adam's Peak hike — Ella
19:30 — Dinner — Ella

Day 6 — Ella → Yala

09:00 — Drive → Yala National Park (4h) — Ella → Yala
13:30 — Hotel check-in — Près du parc de Yala
Set off on a jeep safari — Près du parc de Yala → Parc national de Yala
15:00 — Afternoon jeep safari — Parc national de Yala
Back to the lodge — Parc national de Yala → Yala
19:30 — Dinner — Yala

Day 7 — Yala safari & the south coast

05:30 — Early-morning jeep safari — Parc national de Yala
Back to the lodge — Parc national de Yala → Yala
09:30 — Breakfast — Yala
11:00 — Drive → Mirissa (2h30) — Yala → Mirissa
14:00 — Hotel check-in — Mirissa
17:30 — Mirissa beach & sunset — Mirissa
19:30 — Grilled fish dinner — Mirissa

Day 8 — Mirissa → Colombo & departure

07:00 — Blue whale watching (in season, Nov-April) — Mirissa
11:00 — Drive → Colombo (2h30) — Mirissa → Colombo
13:30 — Lunch on the way — Route
16:00 — Airport transfer — Colombo → Aéroport
19:00 — Return flight