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Green mountain ridges stretching into the haze near Ella

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Day-by-day journeys across the island

6 routes, from a five-day taster to a full fortnight. Open any plan to see exactly where you sleep and what you do each day — then tell us what you'd like changed. Every one of these is a draft, not a rule.

Choose your length

How many days do you have?

As a rough guide: a week covers the cultural triangle, hill country and one beach. Ten days adds wildlife and time to slow down. Two weeks lets you stop rushing entirely.

The Long Weekend Loop 5 Days / 4 Nights

5 Days / 4 Nights

The Long Weekend Loop

For travellers with a short window or a stopover on a longer Asia trip. You still get the rock fortress, the Temple of the Tooth and a hill-country sunrise — just without the long southern drive.

Best for first-timers Sigiriya Kandy Nuwara Eliya Ella
Day 1Arrival
  • Airport pick-up & garlanded welcome
  • Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • Spice garden stop at Matale
  • Evening drive to Sigiriya
Night inSigiriya
Day 2Cultural triangle
  • Sigiriya Rock Fortress at first light
  • Dambulla Golden Cave Temple
  • Village tour with traditional lunch
  • Drive to Kandy via Nalanda Gedige
Night inKandy
Day 3Kandy & the hills
  • Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
  • Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya
  • Kandyan cultural dance show
  • Ramboda Falls & tea factory en route
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 4Tea country to Ella
  • Scenic train ride, Nanu Oya to Ella
  • Nine Arch Bridge
  • Little Adam's Peak at golden hour
Night inElla
Day 5Departure
  • Ravana Falls
  • Lunch stop en route to the west coast
  • Drop-off at Bandaranaike International Airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off
  • Bottled water every day

Not included

  • Entrance tickets to sites
  • Train ticket (we book and pre-pay, then bill at cost)
  • Personal expenses and tips
Classic Ceylon 6 Days / 5 Nights

6 Days / 5 Nights

Classic Ceylon

The island's greatest hits, arranged so you're never more than three hours in the van. Rock fortress, sacred city, tea terraces, the famous train, then two nights with your feet in the sand at Mirissa.

Best seller Sigiriya Kandy Nuwara Eliya Ella Mirissa
Day 1Arrival
  • Airport pick-up & welcome
  • Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage visit
  • Proceed to Sigiriya
Night inSigiriya
Day 2Rock & relic
  • Sigiriya Rock hiking
  • Dambulla cave & golden temples
  • Temple of the Tooth (UNESCO World Heritage)
  • Kandy cultural dance
Night inKandy
Day 3Into the highlands
  • Ambuluwawa Tower
  • Ramboda Falls
  • Tea factory & plantation walk
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 4The famous train
  • Gregory Lake & Park
  • Train ride to Ella
  • Nine Arch Bridge
Night inElla
Day 5Down to the coast
  • Little Adam's Peak
  • Ravana Waterfalls
  • Relax at Mirissa Beach
Night inMirissa
Day 6Departure
  • Galle Fort visit
  • Turtle hatchery visit
  • Heading to the airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • Reserved hill-country train seats
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off

Not included

  • Entrance tickets to sites
  • Optional activities (rafting, zip line)
  • Personal expenses and tips
Hills, Wildlife & Waves 7 Days / 6 Nights

7 Days / 6 Nights

Hills, Wildlife & Waves

The full spread in seven days: white-water rafting in Kitulgala, the sacred city, tea plantations, a dawn safari at Yala, and whales off Mirissa before Colombo.

Includes Yala safari Kandy Nuwara Eliya Ella Tissamaharama Mirissa Colombo
Day 1Arrival
  • Pick-up from the airport
  • Pinnawala elephants
  • White-water rafting in Kitulgala
Night inKandy
Day 2Sacred city
  • Temple of the Tooth (World Heritage Site)
  • Ambuluwawa Tower
  • Tea factory and plantation
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 3Hill country
  • Train ride to Ella
  • Little Adam's Peak hiking
  • Nine Arch Bridge
Night inElla
Day 4Safari country
  • Ravana Falls
  • Buduruwagala Temple
  • Yala National Park safari
Night inTissamaharama
Day 5South coast
  • Coconut Tree Hill, Mirissa
  • Relax at Mirissa Beach
  • Turtle farm visit
Night inMirissa
Day 6Ocean & ramparts
  • Whale and dolphin watching
  • Galle Fort visit
  • Madu River safari / jet-ski ride
  • Proceed to Colombo
Night inColombo
Day 7Departure
  • Colombo city tour & shopping
  • Heading to Negombo for the airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • 6 nights' hotel with breakfast
  • Reserved hill-country train seats
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off

Not included

  • Yala jeep & park entry (approx. $45 pp)
  • Whale-watching boat ticket
  • Rafting fee at Kitulgala
  • Lunches, dinners and tips
The Grand Island Loop 10 Days / 9 Nights

10 Days / 9 Nights

The Grand Island Loop

Ten days is where Sri Lanka opens up. Two nights in each hub means village lunches, Lipton's Seat at sunrise, Diyaluma Falls, and enough beach time to actually unwind before you fly.

Best value per day Sigiriya Kandy Ella Tissamaharama Mirissa Unawatuna
Day 1Arrival
  • Pick-up from the airport
  • Village tour with traditional lunch
  • Pidurangala Rock at sunset
Night inSigiriya
Day 2Ancient kingdoms
  • Sigiriya Rock hiking
  • Dambulla cave & golden temples
  • Nalanda Gedige Temple
Night inSigiriya
Day 3Kandy
  • Kandy Lake and view point
  • Peradeniya Botanical Garden
  • Kandyan cultural dance
  • Temple of the Tooth evening puja
Night inKandy
Day 4Tea country
  • Ambuluwawa Tower
  • Ramboda Falls
  • Tea factory and plantation
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 5The train day
  • Train ride to Ella
  • Little Adam's Peak hiking
  • Nine Arch Bridge
Night inElla
Day 6Ella at leisure
  • Diyaluma Falls
  • Zip line in Ella
  • Lipton's Seat
Night inElla
Day 7Towards the dry zone
  • Ravana Waterfalls
  • Buduruwagala Temple
  • Sunset at Tissa Lake
Night inTissamaharama
Day 8Safari & sea
  • Yala National Park safari
  • Coconut Tree Hill, Mirissa
  • Relax at Mirissa Beach
Night inMirissa
Day 9Whales & Galle
  • Whale and dolphin watching
  • Galle Fort visit
  • Madu River safari
Night inUnawatuna
Day 10Departure
  • Turtle farm visit
  • Heading to Negombo for the airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • Reserved hill-country train seats
  • Village tour with home-cooked lunch
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off

Not included

  • Yala jeep & park entry
  • Whale-watching and Madu River boats
  • Zip line and other optional activities
  • Lunches, dinners and tips
Ancient Kingdoms & Coast 12 Days / 11 Nights

12 Days / 11 Nights

Ancient Kingdoms & Coast

Starts where the island's story does — Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa — before winding through the highlands to the southern beaches. The route for guests who read the guidebook properly.

Two UNESCO ancient cities Anuradhapura Polonnaruwa Sigiriya Kandy Ella Mirissa
Day 1Arrival
  • Pick-up from the airport
  • Proceed to Anuradhapura Ancient City
Night inAnuradhapura
Day 2Ruined capitals
  • Polonnaruwa Ancient City
  • Minneriya National Park safari
Night inSigiriya
Day 3Lion Rock
  • Sigiriya Rock hiking
  • Village tour with traditional lunch
  • Pidurangala Rock
Night inSigiriya
Day 4Cave temples to Kandy
  • Dambulla cave & golden temples
  • Nalanda Gedige Temple
  • Temple of the Tooth
Night inKandy
Day 5Kandy at leisure
  • Kandy Lake and view point
  • Peradeniya Botanical Garden
  • Kandyan cultural dance
Night inKandy
Day 6Highlands
  • Ambuluwawa Tower
  • Ramboda Falls
  • Tea factory and plantation
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 7The train day
  • Train ride to Ella
  • Little Adam's Peak hiking
  • Nine Arch Bridge
Night inElla
Day 8Waterfalls
  • Diyaluma Falls
  • Zip line in Ella
  • Lipton's Seat
Night inElla
Day 9South to Tissa
  • Ravana Waterfalls
  • Buduruwagala Temple
  • Sunset at Tissa Lake
Night inTissamaharama
Day 10Leopard country
  • Yala National Park safari
  • Coconut Tree Hill, Mirissa
  • Relax at Mirissa Beach
Night inMirissa
Day 11Whales & Galle
  • Whale and dolphin watching
  • Galle Fort visit
  • Madu River safari
Night inUnawatuna
Day 12Departure
  • Turtle farm visit
  • Heading to Negombo for the airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • Reserved hill-country train seats
  • Village tour with home-cooked lunch
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off

Not included

  • Ancient city entry tickets (Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya)
  • Safari jeeps and park fees
  • Boat trips and optional activities
  • Lunches, dinners and tips
Sri Lanka, Slowly 14 Days / 13 Nights

14 Days / 13 Nights

Sri Lanka, Slowly

Two weeks with room to breathe: three nights in Ella, a full rest day on the sand at Unawatuna, and no day that starts before you want it to. Our favourite trip to run.

Rest days built in Sigiriya Polonnaruwa Kandy Ella Yala Unawatuna Bentota
Day 1Arrival
  • Pick-up from the airport
  • Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
  • Proceed to Sigiriya
Night inSigiriya
Day 2Ancient city
  • Polonnaruwa Ancient City
  • Sigiriya Rock or Pidurangala Rock
Night inSigiriya
Day 3Elephants & temples
  • Minneriya National Park safari
  • Nalanda Gedige Temple
  • Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Night inKandy
Day 4Kandy
  • Kandy Lake & view point
  • Bahirawakanda Temple
  • Kandyan cultural dance show
Night inKandy
Day 5Tea country
  • Ambuluwawa Tower
  • Ramboda Waterfalls
  • Tea factory & plantation
Night inNuwara Eliya
Day 6The train day
  • Train ride to Ella
  • Nine Arch Bridge
Night inElla
Day 7Ella hikes
  • Little Adam's Peak
  • Diyaluma Falls
Night inElla
Day 8High tea country
  • Lipton's Seat at sunrise
  • Ella Rock hiking
Night inElla
Day 9To the dry zone
  • Ravana Waterfalls
  • Buduruwagala Rock Temple
  • Tissa temple and lake
Night inTissamaharama
Day 10Leopard country
  • Yala National Park safari
  • Proceed to Mirissa
Night inMirissa
Day 11Whales & ramparts
  • Whale and dolphin watching
  • Galle Fort visit
  • Relax at Unawatuna Beach
Night inUnawatuna
Day 12Rest day
  • A full free day on Unawatuna Beach
  • Optional cookery class or snorkelling
Night inUnawatuna
Day 13Lagoons
  • Madu River safari
  • Turtle farm visit
Night inBentota
Day 14Departure
  • Leisurely breakfast and last swim
  • Proceed to the airport
Ends atAirport

What's included

  • Private A/C vehicle, fuel & all driver costs
  • English-speaking chauffeur-guide
  • Reserved hill-country train seats
  • Airport pick-up and drop-off
  • Flexible rest days — yours to plan

Not included

  • Site entrance tickets
  • Safari jeeps and park fees
  • Boat trips, cookery class, snorkelling
  • Lunches, dinners and tips

None of these quite right?

Then let's write a new one.

Roughly half our guests arrive with their own list — a wedding in Kandy, a diving week in Trincomalee, three generations travelling at three different speeds. Send us the constraints and we'll draft something around them.

  • Honeymoon & anniversary routes
  • Family trips with young children
  • Wildlife & birding photography tours
  • Ayurveda, yoga and wellness stays
  • Surf weeks on the east and south coasts
Design my own trip
Tea terraces stretching across the highlands

Simple process

From first message to arrivals hall

01

You tell us

Dates, how many of you, and the two or three things you'd hate to miss.

02

We draft it

A day-by-day plan with hotel options at three price levels, inside 24 hours.

03

We adjust

Change as much as you like. Most trips go through two or three drafts.

04

You arrive

A small deposit locks the dates. We're at arrivals with your name on a board.

Free, no obligation

Get a real itinerary in 24 hours

No call centre, no automated reply. One of our guides reads your message and writes back personally.