This 18 day tour pairs Sri Lanka’s classic cultural triangle and hill country circuit with a relaxed stretch on the east coast, travelling throughout with your own private driver.
The route runs from Negombo down to the beach at Bentota and a safari at Yala National Park, up through the hill country at Ella, Nuwara Eliya and Kandy, on to Sigiriya and Dambulla in the cultural triangle, then east to the beaches at Pasikuda and Trincomalee before looping back through Anuradhapura. It suits travellers who want the best of both coasts and the cultural triangle on one Sri Lanka trip, without rushing.
[Negombo is a major city in Sri Lanka closer to the airport, situated on the west coast, in the Western Province, 38 km (24 mi) from Colombo. Even though the airport is called as Colombo airport it is really not in the middle of Colombo, it is 35 km away from Colombo city. But Negombo is 12 km and 30 minutes’ drive from the airport. Negombo is a popular tourist attraction with many of world class hotels and the perfect place to stay and relax after arriving to Sri Lanka. ]
[Bentota is a coastal town in Sri Lanka, located in the Galle District of the Southern Province. It is approximately 65 kilometers (40 mi) south of Colombo and 56 kilometers (35 mi) north of Galle. Bentota is situated on the southern band of the Bentota River mouth. Bentota is a tourist attraction, with a handful of world-class hotels. It is a destination for watersports. Bentota also delivers an ancient art of healing called Ayurveda.]
[Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. It is situated in the southeast region of the country. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals and aquatic birds. Including Sri Lankan elephant, 44 species of mammals are resident in Yala National Park, and it has one of the highest leopard densities in the world]
[Ella is approximately 200 kilometers (120 mi) east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 meters (3,415 ft.) above the sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka.]
[Nuwaraeliya is a city, in the hill country of the Central Province. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft.) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwaraeliya is the coolest area in Sri Lanka having the annual temperature of 16 °C (61 °F). In the winter months, there can be frost at night, but it warms up rapidly during the day because of the high sun angle.]
[Horton Plains National Park is in the central highlands of Sri Lanka that was designated in 1988. It is located at an elevation of 2,100-2,300 m (6,900-7,500 ft.) It is a grassland and also a cloud forest. It is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. It is also a popular tourist destination and is situated 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) from Ohiya. The World’s End, Baker’s Waterfall are being the key attraction.]
[Kandy is a major city in Sri Lanka, located in the Central Province. It is the second largest city in the country after Colombo. It was the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. Kandy is the home of the Temple of Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988]
[Minneriya National Park is in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The park is situated 182 kilometers (113 mi) from Colombo. Large numbers of Sri Lankan elephants are attracted to grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season. The Minneriya tank contributes to sustain a large herd of elephants gathered here is numbering around 50–200.]
[Sigiriyarock is nearly 200 meters (660 ft.) high. According to the Sri Lankan History, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king’s death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning.]
[Pasikuda is Located on Sri Lanka’s beautiful eastern coast, Pasikuda is a peaceful beach destination famous for its crystal-clear turquoise waters, soft golden sands and remarkably shallow coastline. The calm, warm sea makes Pasikuda an ideal destination for swimming, relaxing and enjoying a tropical beach holiday. One of Pasikudas’ most distinctive features is its shallow bay, where visitors can walk into the sea for a considerable distance while remaining in relatively shallow water. This unique coastline, together with the area’s peaceful atmosphere and beautiful tropical surroundings, has made Pasikuda one of Sri Lanka’s most attractive beach destination. Pasikuda is perfect for travelers, looking to escape busy city life and enjoy a relaxing coastal experience surrounded by nature, sunshine and the beauty of the Indian Ocean.]
[Trincomalee is the major port city of Eastern Province, Sri Lanka Located on the east coast of the island. Trincomalee has some of the most picturesque and scenic beaches found in Sri Lanka. The area is famous for bathing and swimming, owing to the relative shallowness of the sea, allowing one to walk out over a hundred meters into the sea without the water reaching the chest. Trincomalee which is a natural deep-water harbor has attractive seafarers, trader and pilgrims from Europe, Middle East, Africa, Chine, East Asia and Australasia since ancient times]
[Anuradhapura is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. The city lies 205 kilometers (127 mi) north of the current capital of Colombo. Anuradhapura is the best representation of the beginnings of pre-modern urbanization in Sri Lanka. It was the longest-servings Sinhalese capital of Sri Lanka from the 5th century BCE (437 BCE) until the 11th century CE (1017 CE) flourishing for around 1,500 years.]
This itinerary includes Kandy, Trincomalee, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Anuradhapura, Pasikuda, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Habarana, Negombo, Minneriya National Park, Yala National Park, Thissamaharama and Horton Plains National Park. Not sure when to go? Our guide to the best time to visit Sri Lanka covers each region and month. Similar tours: 14 day east coast tour, 14 day Sri Lanka itinerary and all-island discovery tour. Also, travelling as a couple? See our Sri Lanka honeymoon packages. You can change the route to suit you, so send us your dates.
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