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7 days · 6 nights · private
A week that gets you the whole island
Cultural Triangle, Kandy, the hill country train, Ella, a Yala safari and the southern coast — in that order, because that is the order that works. One car, one driver-guide, no coaches, no groups of strangers.
One price agreed before you book. Nothing is charged on this website.
Day by day
This is the route we would put a friend on. It is also entirely movable — more beach, less climbing, an extra night in the hills, whatever you want.
Day
1
Arrival, and north to Sigiriya
You land, we meet you, and you are out of Colombo before the traffic finds you. The drive north crosses into the Cultural Triangle, with a stop at Dambulla if the timing is right. Check in, eat, sleep off the flight.
Day
2
Sigiriya Rock, then a village afternoon
Up early for the rock — frescoes, the mirror wall, the lion’s paws, and the summit before the heat. The afternoon slows right down: a village, a ride through the paddy fields and lunch cooked over a wood fire.
Day
3
Dambulla, spices, and into Kandy
The cave temples in the morning, five caves of Buddha statues and painted ceilings. Then a spice garden, which is more interesting than it sounds once you have seen cinnamon come off the branch. Kandy by evening, and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Day
4
Tea country, and the train to Ella
Into the hills, where the temperature drops and everything turns green. A working tea factory, so you see how Ceylon tea is actually made. Then the train to Ella — the one people come to Sri Lanka for, doors open, legs out.
Day
5
Ella
The Nine Arches Bridge, and Little Adam’s Peak if you fancy the climb. Waterfalls, cafes, cool air. This is the day with the least in it, deliberately.
Day
6
Down to Yala
Out of the hills and south to the park for an afternoon game drive. Leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, and birds everywhere. Sightings are never promised, but Yala gives you a real chance.
Day
7
The southern coast, and home
Along the coast through Weligama and Mirissa, with time at the ocean and a walk around Galle Fort inside its Dutch ramparts. Then back to Colombo or straight to the airport.
Length
7 days, 6 nights
Start and end
Colombo, or the airport
Transport
Private air-conditioned car with driver-guide
Hotels
Not included
Meals
Not included
Effort
Easy to moderate. Sigiriya is the only real climb
Best months
December to April for the west and south
Temples
Shoulders and knees covered
Included
- +Airport pickup and drop-off
- +Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver-guide for the whole week
- +Guided visits to Sigiriya, Dambulla and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
- +Tea plantation and factory visit
- +Bottled water throughout
- +All government taxes and service charges
Not included
- –Entrance fees at sites and attractions, paid directly and priced by nationality
- –Yala park entry and the safari jeep
- –Hotels and all meals
- –Travel insurance
- –Personal spending and tips
- –Optional activities not in the itinerary
Who it suits
First-timers, mainly. A week is enough to see culture, hills, wildlife and coast without spending the whole trip in the car — but only if the route is built in the right order, which is what this is.
Couples, families and small groups all do this one. The pace suits children: the village day, the train and the safari tend to be the parts they talk about afterwards. If you have longer, the 10-day explorer adds the north and the east.
Ask for a date
Tell us roughly when you are coming, how many of you there are. We come back with a full itinerary and one price covering everything we have listed, so you can see the whole cost before you commit to anything.
Or WhatsApp +94 77 086 0671.
Questions
What does it cost?
The vehicle and driver-guide are $350 for the whole trip in a Kei car, and that steps up with the vehicle: $420 in a sedan, $490 in an SUV, $560 in a van, $630 in a bus. On top of that it is $10 per person per day, which is $70 each over seven days. So one person in a Kei car is $420, two sharing a Kei car is $490 or $245 each, and four in a sedan is $700 or $175 each. The final price moves with group size and anything you change, so ask and we will price your actual trip rather than a headline.
Can I change the itinerary?
Yes, all of it. Extra nights in Ella, skip the climb, more time on the coast, a different starting point. Nothing here is fixed except the order that makes geographic sense.
Does it work with children?
Well. The pace is unhurried, and the village day, the train and the safari are usually the parts children remember. Tell us their ages and we will adjust the driving days.
When should I come?
December to April suits this route, which runs west and south. May to September is better on the east coast, and we can rebuild the week that way.
Are entrance fees included?
No. Site entry at places like Sigiriya and Dambulla is paid directly and priced by nationality, so we tell you the current rates rather than bury an estimate in the total.