Itinerary
- Day 1
Colombo
Meet at your hotel by 3 PM local time (airport transfer isn't included, so plan for about 45 minutes travel from the airport, which sits 32 km away). Spend the evening walking through Colombo's busy streets to see how modern buildings sit alongside colonial architecture. The Colombo Fort area is worth checking out, and if you're interested in culture, there's the Lionel Wendt Theater or Nawaragahala national theatre to explore.
Optional Activities
- Evening visit to Colombo city
- Visit Colombo Fort
- Visit Lionel Wendt Theater
- Visit Nawaragahala national theatre
Landmarks/POIs Colombo Fort Lionel Wendt Theater Colombo Harbour - Day 2
Sigiriya
After breakfast, head to Sigiriya to see an ancient rock fortress built by King Kasyapa in the 4th century AD. Walk through the Lion Gate and mid-level terraces where you'll find frescoes on the mirror wall. The upper palace ruins sit on top of the rock, and you can also explore the lower palace remains. Water cisterns carved into the rock show how clever the engineering was, and moats and walls still surround the entire site.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Sigiriya ancient castle and palace site
Landmarks/POIs Sigiriya - Day 3
Polonnaruwa - Medirigiriya
After breakfast, visit Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka's second most ancient kingdom, which King Vijayabahu I established as the capital in 1070 CE after defeating the Chola invaders. In the afternoon, head to Medirigiriya, a historic site with pre-Christian origins. There's an ancient hospital complex worth exploring, featuring two squares with stone pillars and a well-preserved medicine boat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Polonnaruwa ancient kingdom ruins
- Visit Medirigiriya site and ancient hospital complex
Landmarks/POIs Polonnaruwa Medirigiriya - Day 4
Anuradhapura - Mihintale
After breakfast, visit Anuradhapura, one of Sri Lanka's ancient capitals and a UNESCO World Heritage Site founded in the 4th century BC. Walk through well-preserved ruins from the Great Sri Lankan Civilization, including stupas, monastic buildings, and royal ponds. Then travel 12 km east to Mihintale, the sacred mountain where Buddhism first came to Sri Lanka, believed to be where the Indian Emperor Ashoka's son Mahinda arrived in the 3rd century BC.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Anuradhapura ancient kingdom ruins
- Visit Mihintale sacred mountain and Buddhist site
Optional Activities
- Visit Isurumouniya at Anuradhapura (additional USD 4 per person)
- Visit Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura (additional USD 4 per person)
Landmarks/POIs Anuradhapura Mihintale - Day 5
Dambulla - Matale - Kandy
After breakfast, travel to Kandy via Dambulla and Matale. First stop is the Golden Temple of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site with five caves carved under a vast rock featuring intricate religious ceiling paintings. Visit a spice garden and batik factory in Matale to learn about Sri Lankan cuisine and traditional Ayurveda. By evening you'll arrive in Kandy, the cultural capital in the hills, and visit the Temple of the Tooth, the most sacred Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka. Finish the day watching a Kandyan Dance performance.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple)
- Visit spice garden in Matale
- Visit batik factory in Matale
- Visit Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
- Kandyan Dance show
Landmarks/POIs Dambulla Cave Temple Temple of the Tooth Kandy Lake - Day 6
Peradeniya - Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast, visit the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, one of Asia's finest botanical gardens set on a slope of the Mahaweli River. Walk through 147 acres with orchid collections, spices, medicinal plants, and palms, including the famous Avenue of Palms. You'll see the historic Cannonball Tree planted by King George V and Queen Mary in 1901. In the evening, travel to Nuwara Eliya, the 'Paradise of Nature' and heart of tea country at 1,980 meters elevation, stopping at a tea plantation along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya
- Visit tea plantation en-route to Nuwara Eliya
Landmarks/POIs Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya Gregory's Lake 
- Day 7
Ella - Buduruwagala - Udawalawe National Park
After breakfast, head to Ella, a small mountain village with views stretching across Sri Lanka's south coast. Check out scenic spots like Ella Gap, Ravana Ella Falls, Little Adam's Peak, and Bambaragala Peak, with opportunities for walks. Travel to Buduruwagala to see seven Buddha figures carved into rock, with a massive 51-foot Buddha statue in the center. In the evening, visit Udawalawe National Park for a half-day jeep safari to spot Asian elephants in their natural habitat.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Ella and scenic viewpoints
- Visit Buduruwagala rock carvings
- Half-day jeep safari at Udawalawe National Park
Landmarks/POIs Ella Gap Ravana Ella Falls Little Adam's Peak Buduruwagala Udawalawe National Park 
- Day 8
Galle - Negombo
After breakfast, travel north to Negombo via Galle. Stop in Galle, capital of the southern province, to explore the magnificent Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with 300-year-old colonial architecture and historical buildings. Visit the Dutch Reformed Church with records dating back to 1678. Continue to Negombo, the major beach resort on the west coast near the airport, known for wide sandy beaches and safe sea. Explore the Old Dutch Fort built in 1672 and the ornate Portuguese-era Roman Catholic churches that earned Negombo the nickname 'Little Rome'.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Galle Dutch Fort
- Visit Dutch Reformed Church in Galle
- Explore Negombo Old Dutch Fort
- Explore Negombo Roman Catholic churches
Landmarks/POIs Galle Fort Unawatuna Beach Negombo Lagoon - Day 9
Negombo - Departure
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Rooms are available until noon. From there, you can arrange your own transfer to the airport or consider extending your stay in Sri Lanka.
- Meals
- Breakfast
