Ready-made itinerary · 14 days
Two unhurried weeks with two nights in most places. Heritage, hill country, wildlife, beaches and a final stay inside the walls of Galle Fort.
2 adults · Balanced · Mid-range
8 stops · 777 km · about 20 hr driving
Lines join overnight stops in order. They are not road paths.
Land at Bandaranaike International Airport, pick up your SIM card and meet your driver.
A long sea-front lawn and promenade, busy with families, kite flyers and street-food stalls from late afternoon.
The palace-fortress on the rock, with water gardens, frescoes, the Mirror Wall and the lion staircase. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Five painted caves under one rock overhang, with Buddha statues and ceiling murals spanning many centuries. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
An hour of traditional Kandyan drumming and dance, usually staged in the early evening at halls near the lake.
A flat 3.4 km loop around the lake in the centre of town, best early in the morning or before the evening service.
Sri Lanka's largest botanic garden, on a bend of the Mahaweli river, known for its avenues of royal palms, orchid house and giant Javan fig tree.
The shrine of the Buddha's tooth relic, with drumming during the daily services and several museums included in the ticket.
Night in Nuwara Eliya
Tea factory visit and an early start for Horton Plains.
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.
The stone railway viaduct at Demodara, in a valley of tea and forest. Check the timetable if you want to see a train cross.
An easy, well-trodden walk of about 45 minutes each way through a tea estate to a grassy summit with views across Ella Gap.
A free day with nothing booked. Rest, swim, or wander at your own pace.
A half-day jeep safari (about 06:00 to 10:00, or 14:30 to 18:00) from the Palatupana gate, looking for leopards, elephants, sloth bears and birds across scrub, lagoons and rocky outcrops.
A curved bay with calm water in season, sheltered by a reef and lined with cafes.
A morning boat trip of four to six hours to look for blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins. Sightings are likely in season but never guaranteed.
A large standing figure carved into a rock at the western edge of Weligama, traditionally said to be a king cured of a skin disease, now thought to be a Bodhisattva.
The main bay, lined with cafes, with Parrot Rock reachable on foot at low tide in calm weather.
Finds from shipwrecks in Galle harbour, from anchors and cannon to trade ceramics, displayed in a long 17th-century Dutch warehouse near the Old Gate.
Night in Galle
The grid of streets inside the walls, with the Dutch Reformed Church (Groote Kerk), old warehouses and small museums.
Snorkel in the shallow, reef-protected lagoon of Hikkaduwa National Park, where green turtles often feed close to shore.
A walk along the 17th-century ramparts and bastions, from the clock tower past the lighthouse to Flag Rock.
Flight home from CMB
Check out and drive to the airport. Aim to arrive three hours before your flight.
Mid-range · 2 adults · January
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.