- 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
- 16:30
A wide stretch of sand north of the town; good for an evening walk after a long flight.
Ready-made itinerary · 10 days
Ten days from Sigiriya to the south coast
The classic route in ten days. The Cultural Triangle, the tea country around Nuwara Eliya and Ella, a leopard safari in Yala, and two nights on the beach at Mirissa.
Ready-made itinerary
The trip, day by day
2 adults · Balanced · Mid-range
- 1Negombo1n
- 2Sigiriya2n
- 3Kandy1n
- 4Nuwara Eliya1n
- 5Ella1n
- 6Tissamaharama1n
- 7Mirissa2n
per personLKR 165k–315k
Your route
7 stops · 766 km · about 19 hr driving
- 1NegomboWest coast1 night
- 2SigiriyaCultural Triangle2 nights
- 3KandyHill country1 night
- 4Nuwara EliyaHill country1 night
- 5EllaHill country1 night
- 6TissamaharamaDeep south1 night
- 7MirissaSouth coast2 nights
Lines join overnight stops in order. They are not road paths.
- 08:30Drive to Sigiriya3 hr 45 minup to 4 hr 30 min in traffic · 147 km
- 08:30
- 07:30
The palace-fortress on the rock, with water gardens, frescoes, the Mirror Wall and the lion staircase. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 14:30
Five painted caves under one rock overhang, with Buddha statues and ceiling murals spanning many centuries. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- 07:30
- 08:30Drive to Kandy2 hr 30 minup to 3 hr in traffic · 89 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
Tea country. Consider the train from Kandy for part of the way.
- 08:30Drive to Nuwara Eliya2 hr 30 minup to 3 hr 15 min in traffic · 72 km
- 11:30
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.
- 08:30
- 08:30Drive to Ella2 hrup to 2 hr 30 min in traffic · 57 km
- 11:00
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
- 08:30Drive to Tissamaharama2 hr 30 minup to 3 hr in traffic · 90 km
- 14:30
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.
- 08:30
- 08:30Drive to Mirissa2 hr 30 minup to 3 hr in traffic · 121 km
- 16:30
A walk along the 17th-century ramparts and bastions, from the clock tower past the lighthouse to Flag Rock.
- 08:30
- 14:30
The main bay, lined with cafes, with Parrot Rock reachable on foot at low tide in calm weather.
- All day
A free day with nothing booked. Rest, swim, or wander at your own pace.
- 14:30
- Departure
Mirissa 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 airport3 hr 15 minup to 4 hr in traffic · 183 km
Budget estimate
Mid-range · 2 adults · January
LKR 165,000 – 315,000per person · whole trip LKR 331k–629k 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 9 is left free so the trip does not become a rush.
Good to know
- Yala usually closes for several weeks around September. If you travel then, the planner swaps in Bundala.
- This route suits January to April, when the south coast is calm. From May to September, see the summer east-coast option in the trip builder.