- Land
Land at Bandaranaike International Airport, pick up your SIM card and meet your driver.
- Drive to Negombo15 minup to 30 min in traffic · 7 km
- 15:15
A large Catholic church known for the painted ceiling inside, at the centre of the town.
Ready-made itinerary · 8 days
Eight days of tea country and waterfalls
Kandy, the tea estates around Nuwara Eliya and Haputale, and the waterfalls on the road up to Ella.
Ready-made itinerary
The trip, day by day
2 adults · Balanced · Mid-range
- 1Negombo1n
- 2Kandy1n
- 3Nuwara Eliya2n
- 4Haputale1n
- 5Ella2n
per personLKR 112k–218k
Your route
5 stops · 499 km · about 14 hr driving
- 1NegomboWest coast1 night
- 2KandyHill country1 night
- 3Nuwara EliyaHill country2 nights
- 4HaputaleHill country1 night
- 5EllaHill country2 nights
Lines join overnight stops in order. They are not road paths.
- 08:30Drive to Kandy3 hrup to 3 hr 30 min in traffic · 115 km
- 18:00
The shrine of the Buddha's tooth relic, with drumming during the daily services and several museums included in the ticket.
- 08:30
- Travel day
Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Night in Nuwara Eliya
A tea estate visit, Devon and St Clair's Falls on the Talawakele road, and Lover's Leap.
- 08:30Drive to Nuwara Eliya2 hr 30 minup to 3 hr 15 min in traffic · 72 km
- 11:40
A waterfall about 30 metres high near the Pedro Tea Estate, around 5 km from the town centre.
- 08:30
- 07:30
A waterfall called the Veil of the Valley, 6 km west of Talawakele on the A7 road, named after a coffee planter whose estate lay nearby.
- 10:00
One of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka, called the "Little Niagara of Sri Lanka", seen from the Talawakele road below the tea estates.
- 11:40
A working tea factory a few minutes from town, with a short tour of the processing floor and tea tasting with views over the estate.
- 07:30
- Travel day
Nuwara Eliya to Haputale
Night in Haputale
Dambatenne tea factory and Lipton's Seat at sunrise.
- 08:30Drive to Haputale1 hr 30 minup to 2 hr in traffic · 46 km
- 10:55
A working tea factory built by Thomas Lipton in 1890, with short tours of the withering lofts, rolling and sorting floors.
- 08:30
- Travel day
Haputale to Ella
Night in Ella
Ravana Falls, the Nine Arch Bridge and a walk up Little Adam's Peak.
- 08:30Drive to Ella45 minup to 1 hr in traffic · 22 km
- 09:45
The stone railway viaduct at Demodara, in a valley of tea and forest. Check the timetable if you want to see a train cross.
- 08:30
- 09:00
An easy, well-trodden walk of about 45 minutes each way through a tea estate to a grassy summit with views across Ella Gap.
- All day
A free day with nothing booked. Rest, swim, or wander at your own pace.
- 09:00
- Departure
Ella to the airport
Flight home from CMB
Check out and drive to the airport. Aim to arrive three hours before your flight.
- Drive to the airport5 hr 45 minup to 7 hr 15 min in traffic · 236 km
Budget estimate
Mid-range · 2 adults · January
LKR 112,000 – 218,000per person · whole trip LKR 224k–436k for two
Estimated ranges, not quotes. Based on published 2026 prices, reviewed 22 Oct 2026. Excludes flights and visas. Tickets are counted where a price is known.
Why this route
- Day 7 is left free so the trip does not become a rush.
Quick answers
- How many days does this Sri Lanka itinerary take?
- Eight days of tea country and waterfalls is a 8-day route through Negombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale, Ella.
- When is the best time to follow this route?
- It works best from Jan to Apr. See the month-by-month chart for each stop.
Good to know
- Mornings are clear and afternoons often cloudy in the hills. Do the viewpoints at sunrise.
- The drive back to the airport from Ella is long. Allow a full day, or add a night on the coast.
- Bring a warm layer. Nuwara Eliya and Haputale are cool at night.