The Ultimate Sri Lanka 10-Day Itinerary

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I have recently returned from my second 10+ day trip to Sri Lanka, one of my favourite countries. This was the second time I have followed a different Sri Lanka itinerary for 10 days, and so I thought it was time to write about it! Hopefully this itinerary will help you plan your trip to Sri Lanka, and make it just perfect.

Note that this itinerary covers the absolute best of Sri Lanka in 10 days, but it is also quite busy. So, if you want to visit Sri Lanka and make sure that you see all the top sights and most important places in the country in that time, this is the itinerary for you. If you want to have a more relaxed trip, I recommend changing it up a little, and perhaps skipping some of the days to make it more suitable. One thing I did to make sure I arrived fully rested for my trip was to bid for a business class upgrade (which got accepted, yayy!).

As mentioned, I have travelled Sri Lanka on two different itineraries now, and have incorporated my favourite parts into this one for you. Another thing that is so great about it, is that during my most recent trip to Sri Lanka I was live blogging! So, where applicable, I can link to a blog post that I wrote during the trip. That way, you will get the exact feel of my impressions and thoughts of the hotel, activities and schedule for the day. I personally think this is a great addition to the itinerary!

// Trip in collaboration with Destination Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Itinerary: 10 Days

As mentioned, this is a busy itinerary, so keep that in mind when going through it. However, if you are up for some early mornings and busy days – you’ll love it. If that is the case, I am sure you will get back home after your 10 days in Sri Lanka feeling like you have ticked everything you wanted to off your list!

Let’s start with the basics: this itinerary is optimised for renting a car and driver, or booking private transfers in between destinations. I recommend this, as it lets you be extra flexible (which is necessary if you are going to see everything there is on this itinerary). Of course, the public transportation system in Sri Lanka is perfectly fine (especially the trains). However, as you want to see as much as possible on this trip, and not waste too much time being dependent on train schedules and delays, I have created this itinerary with private transfers in mind.

Further down in this post, I have covered everything you need to know about booking a transfer or driver for your trip.

Day 1: Colombo

As you arrive today, it isn’t the busiest. Depending on your time of arrival to Sri Lanka, you might have all day ahead of you, or just the evening. Regardless of what time you fly in, make sure to book your airport transfer to Colombo in advance here. The drive from the airport to Colombo takes around 45 minutes.

If you arrive in the morning, you might want to get settled into your hotel and relax a little before the itinerary starts. Regardless, I have included several great Colombo activities below, so you can create your own itinerary for the day. If you have time to do all of these; great! If not, pick the ones that seem most interesting to you.

National Museum of Colombo

The large, beautiful building housing the museum is worth seeing on its own. The Colombo National Museum dates back to the late 1800s (1877 to be exact), and is the perfect place to learn about Sri Lankan history and culture. The museum houses several important artefacts, from the throne of the last King of Kandy, to old urinals of heavy stone from a monastery (that made us giggle).

Colombo Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour

These are a staple of every city, and Colombo is no different. I personally love going on a hop-on hop-off tour when visiting a city for the first time, as it gives a great overview of the city, including the main things you “must” know. So, book your ticket and get on one of those read buses, to learn more about Colombo, its history and the sights you’ll see along the way.

The Red Mosque

The Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, also known as the Red Mosque, is a beautiful Mosque in Colombo (and one of the oldest). It was completed in 1909, and is one of the must-see sights in Colombo. Find it in the Pettah district of Colombo, not too far from the Pettah Market (another fun place to visit in Colombo).

The Pettah Market

The Pettah Market is an open market, and definitely worth a visit. Experiencing this busy place will give you a great introduction to Colombo and its locals as they go about their day. The fresh food stalls will have you wanting to try some local delicacies, and you might also find some authentic hand-crafted souvenirs to bring home.

Gangaramaya Temple

The Gangaramaya Temple is a Buddhist temple in the center of Colombo, and a popular place to visit for tourists. It is also an important place of worship for Buddhists, and there is also a museum of Buddhist artefacts there. You will see Buddha statues from all over the world, and both times I visited I loved seeing how some of them differ from each other!

The Seema Malaka Chapter House

This beautiful structure on the Beira Lake is a must visit for photo enthusiasts. It is not a temple or a place of worship, but used by Buddhists for meditation and relaxing. I can definitely see why, as it was incredibly relaxing to walk around the wooden building looking over the water.

Rooftop drinks

This is not so much a must-see or attraction in Colombo, but something I still have to recommend: head to the rooftop bar at the Kingsbury hotel at night for some great drinks overlooking the ocean and city of Colombo! After a long day of exploring and sightseeing, you deserve it.

Where to stay in Colombo

I have three hotel recommendations for Colombo, and recommend them all wholeheartedly. Two are located quite centrally, and close to each other, and the third is a little further away (yet also a great hotel). Find all my Sri Lanka hotel recommendations here.

The Kingsbury

On my most recent trip to Sri Lanka, I stayed at the Kingsbury at the start of my itinerary. It is a beautiful hotel, decorated quite luxuriously (think marble, mirrors, flowers and gold details). After my 17 hours of travel to get to Sri Lanka from Norway, I slept for a good 10 hours in the comfortable bed, and enjoyed spending a couple of hours in the pool (as well as the rooftop drinks in the evening mentioned above).

Read more about the Kingsbury and book your stay here

Galle Face Hotel

The Galle Face Hotel is one of the Heritage hotels in Colombo, and is true colonial hotel in all its sense. The hotel has been operated as such since 1864, when the British started coming to Sri Lanka (then; Ceylon) for their holidays. The hotel boasts of some famous former guests, such as Gandhi, Richard Nixon and several royals from all over the world. The car of Prince Philip is also displayed there (he purchased it when he was stationed in Colombo with the Navy).

Read more about Galle Face Hotel and book your stay here

Mount Lavinia Hotel

This is the hotel that is located a little further from the city center than the others. However, it is such a serene and relaxing place, and one of Colombo’s Heritage Hotels! I loved staying here, not just for the pool overlooking the ocean or the fact that the building used to be a Governor’s residence (constructed in 1806!), but also for the comfortable beds, large rooms and great service.

Read more about Mount Lavinia & book your stay here

Day 2: Kalpitiya

You can enjoy your morning, and the first half of your day in Colombo. So keep checking off the sights listed above from your list! Then, make the drive from Colombo to Kalpitiya. The drive is around 4 hours, along the west coast of Sri Lanka.

I have actually listed Kalpitiya as one of my recommended uncommon places to visit in Sri Lanka, as not that many tourists travel here (but they should!). The area of Kalpitiya is what makes the Puttalam Lagoon, and it has been an important area for shipping in Sri Lanka for a long time.

For your afternoon in Kalpitiya, I recommend visiting the Kalpitiya Fort. This old fortress is also named the Dutch Fort, and it has quite an interesting history. As mentioned, the Puttalam Lagoon and area has been important for local trade for years, and the fort is a big reason why. It protects the lagoon (and rivers starting there) from anyone coming in from the ocean. The fort was under Portuguese rule for a while, before the Dutch came and took over (and giving it its nickname).

Please note that this is a military site still, and visitors must bring their passport to enter.

Where to stay in Kalpitiya: Blue Whale Resort

The Blue Whale Resort is located right on the beach in Kalpitiya, which is perfect for the early-morning activity planned for the next day. Here, you can relax in the large pool on the property, or go for a stroll on the sand dunes right outside the hotel (and look across the ocean to see if you can spot India!).

Fun fact: Blue Whale can also arrange for kite surfing lessons! Kite surfing is a very popular activity in Kalpitiya, so if you have the time (and you’re feeling sporty), who not give it a shot?

Read more & Book your stay here!

Day 3: Dolphin Safari + Drive to Habarana

It’s time to get up early! Head out to the beach (just walk out of the hotel) to get in a boat for some dolphin watching! We went dolphin watching in Kalpitiya, and it was such a fun experience. Hundreds of dolphins (yes, hundreds!) were swimming and playing around the boat. Dolphins are my absolute favourite animal, and so starting my day this way made me incredibly happy.

We even got extremely lucky, as we saw a Bryde’s Whale on our trip! All of a sudden, the captain of our little boat got a message on the radio, and started driving in a completely different direction from the dolphins. We quickly realised that someone else had seen a whale and radioed him, and it felt like such a thrilling race to see if we would be able to spot it when it came back up for air.

And we did! So I ended up seeing my first ever whale in Sri Lanka (and on another trip I saw another, but more on that later in the itinerary).

You can read more about the dolphin watching here.

After your exciting morning in Kalpitiya, and perhaps after some kite surfing or relaxing by the pool, it is time to drive to the next location. Head to Habarana, about 3,5 hours from Kalpitiya, and check into your next hotel (where you will stay for 2 nights).

Day 3 Option: visit the ancient city of Anuradhapura

On the way to Habarana, you can opt to stop in Anuradhapura and spend some time. This is the former capital of Sri Lanka, and the ruins and temples around the city are UNESCO World Heritage Listed. In Anuradhapura you will find remains of monasteries and temples dating back to 300 b.c., which is when Buddhism came to Sri Lanka.

You could easily spend a full day being guided around Anuradhapura, as there is a lot of history and items of cultural significance to unpack here. However, if you only have a couple of hours (depending on the time you leave Kalpitiya), these are the highlights of Anuradhapura:

• The Ruwanweli Maha Seya Stupa
• The Sri Maha Bodhi tree: the tree that grew from the sapling that was brought from the original Boddhi tree to Sri Lanka
• The Twin Ponds
• The Elephant Pond: the world’s largest man-made lake (made without machinery)
• Some of the irrigation systems from the ruins: it’s incredibly impressive to see how they were able to move and utilise water as early as 300 b.c.!

Where to stay in Habarana: Cinnamon Lodge

Cinnamon Lodge is located near the entrance of your next activity (a safari in Hurulu Eco Park!), and it was quite convenient to not have to drive far before or after our safari. The property is quite large, and the rooms are located in buildings separate to the reception and restaurant. So, the place feels more like a village than a traditional hotel, which was quite nice. There are monkeys roaming around the area as well, so if you enjoy being close to nature, this is the place for you.

I also have to note that the large pool was absolutely perfect after a long day on a safari in the Sri Lankan sun!

Read more & book your stay at Cinnamon Lodge here

Here are some other options in the area – the main thing here is to stay near the entrance to the safari park.

Booking.com

Day 4: Elephant Safari

It’s time for a very exciting day! You are heading to Hurulu Eco Park for an elephant safari!

This was amongst my top three experiences on my latest trip to Sri Lanka, and loved every second of it. On an earlier trip I went on a safari in Wilpattu National Park (which I also loved), and ended up seeing one elephant after a full day of driving. So, before heading out to Hurulu, I was crossing my fingers, hoping we would see an elephant. And we sure did! 30-40 elephants, to be exact. It was quite insane.

Hurulu Eco Park is a part of the larger Hurulu Forest Reserve, and an important habitat for the elephants of Sri Lanka. There are several other endangered species living in the area, such as the Sri Lanka leopard (sadly the odds of seeing one are slim to none), the Sri Lanka junglefowl (the national bird of Sri Lanka!) and the Indian star tortoise. On our safari, we saw mainly elephants, but also some water buffalo and eagles!

Most of the elephant safaris are half day (around 3 hours), as opposed to the safaris in other national parks. In Wilpattu, for example, we did a full-day drive, and stayed out from 6 in the morning until the park closed in the late afternoon. However, the 3 hours (in either the morning or afternoon) is enough for Hurulu, as there were so many elephants to see. Of course, you are never guaranteed to see animals on a safari, but I’d say your chances in Hurulu are pretty good.

Book your morning or afternoon safari in Hurulu National Park here!

You will spend your second night in Habarana, before another early start on day 5!

Day 5: Hike Sigiriya Rock + Drive to Matale

On day 5, you’ll be starting early in order to cross something exciting off your Sri Lankan bucket list. Sigiriya Rock, also known as Lion Rock or Lion’s Rock, is one of the top sights in Sri Lanka. This ancient fortress dates back to the 5th century AD, and displays some pretty impressive engineering and craftsmanship. To get to the top, you have to climb around 1200 steps, which will be totally worth it once you see the view!

Sigiriya is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and during my last trip to Sri Lanka I was told it had been nominated as an 8th Wonder of the World. Sigiriya is a must for visiting Sri Lanka, and should definitely be on your list.

Alternatively, if you’d rather go a little more off the beaten path, you can hike Pidurangala Rock. This rock is less busy (and the entrance fee is cheaper), and offers a similar view as Sigiriya. In addition, you will get to enjoy the view OF Sigiriya Rock.

On the way to or from Sigiriya, I recommend stopping at the Dambulla Cave Temples, which is not too far from the hike. This is the best-preserved complex of cave temples in Sri Lanka, and quite an impressive sight!

After hiking Sigiriya Rock, you’ll want to relax and unwind with a long shower and a comfortable bed. Head to Matale, near the entrance to the Riverston Cloud Forests and the Knuckles Mountain Range (another UNESCO World Heritage Site!). I’ve stayed at the Grand Mountain Hotel, and trust me, that shower was a godsend after our hike.

Day 6: Riverston

We are up to the point where my travel diary (part 1) was published, so if you want to read my “live” impressions and opinions after the first 5 days of our trip, you can do so here! Please note that the 10 day itinerary I have outlined in this post is not the exact same as we followed on that trip. This is because I have amended this itinerary to be the best for seeing Sri Lanka in just 10 days (by mixing itineraries from the trips I have been on).

Regardless, on day 6, you are off to the cloud forests! Around 30 km from your hotel in Matale you will find the area called Riverston, where there are several exciting things to do (and see). We trekked into the cloud forest and learned all about this fascinating biome and the creatures that live there. Our guide, Aravinda, took us through the forest, and to a local village for lunch. It was the most relaxing thing ever to sit and enjoy a fresh coconut whilst looking over the rice paddies.

After your day of exploring Riverston, you can either head back to your hotel in Matale (two nights in the same hotel sure is nice, right?), or book a hotel in Kandy for the night (where your next day’s activities take place). In Kandy, I recommend staying at either Mahaweli Reach or Amaya Hills – both great hotels mentioned in my list of the best places to stay in Sri Lanka! Alternatively, you can have a look at the many hotels to choose from below:

Booking.com

Day 7: Kandy and Nuwara Eliya

On day 7 of your 10 days in Sri Lanka, you’ll be heading further up into the mountains to one of my favourite destinations in Sri Lanka; Nuwara Eliya. Stop in Kandy for a day on the way, if you aren’t already staying there.

In Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This temple complex is one of the most important Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka. One of Buddha’s teeth is kept here, and some of the buildings of the temple used to be a part of the royal palaces of Sri Lanka. The temple itself is listed as a World Heritage Site.

From Kandy, the drive to Nuwara Eliya takes around 3 hours. If you started your day in Matale, the total drive time is around 3,5 hours. Please note, that I am giving estimates here, as traffic can affect the drive time.

Nuwara Eliya is one of my favourite places in Sri Lanka, mainly because it comes across as so strange (culture-wise). In short, this town is where the British would go in the summers to escape the Sri Lankan heat by the coast and down in the lower parts of the country. So, after its founding in 1864, Nuwara Eliya was continuously expanded by the British as they kept going there.

Nuwara Eliya is, as a result, known as “Little England”, and you can see traces of British influence all over the town. It is quite interesting, and you’ll notice names and buildings all looking very English.

The city is located at a height of 1868 meters above sea level, so the climate is much cooler there than in the rest of Sri Lanka. This makes for a nice break in your itinerary, especially after hiking Sigiriya and trekking through the Knuckles Forest Reserve.

What’s there to do in Nuwara Eliya?

As mentioned, Nuwara Eliya is one of my favourite places in Sri Lanka. I’m going to be really honest here and say it’s because this is where I have always been able to relax the most during my trips. Not to say that this is the only relaxing place in Sri Lanka, but it’s got more to do with the fact that this is where I haven’t had a packed itinerary. Of course, there are some great things to do in Nuwara Eliya, but the ones I recommend here are at a slightly slower pace than the activities so far. And after a busy week (and more to come) of exploring Sri Lanka, you deserve it.

• Visit the Post Office, the most British-looking building in town
• Go on a stroll in Victoria Park, named after Queen Victoria, of course
• Walk around or take a boat ride on Gregory Lake (you can even have lunch onboard one of the boats)

Regardless of what you want to do in Nuwara Eliya during your stay there, you are in for a relaxing visit.

Where to stay in Nuwara Eliya

I only have one hotel to recommend here, and it is one of my favourite hotels in Sri Lanka. I’ve stayed at St. Andrew’s several times now, and every time I fall for the charm of the place. The hotel dates back to the origin days of Nuwara Eliya, and the original tiles on the floor of the hotel are 140 years old! Every time I walked across them I thought of how many interesting people have done so before me.

What I recommend you focus on whilst in Nuwara Eliya is relaxing, so find a nice spot in the St. Andrew’s garden (like I did), swap out the afternoon tea for a glass of wine (like I did), and read a book whilst enjoying your main character moment (like I did).

Dinner at St Andrew’s might just be the best one you have during your trip (I know I loved it), as the produce is sourced from their own vegetable and herb garden! In addition to the garden, they have a wetland reserve behind the hotel, and an in-house naturalist to give you a tour if you ask. There, they have 4 species of frogs that are endangered, and 4 that are critically endangered, in addition to several birds and frogs that are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Read more & book your stay at St. Andrew’s here!

Day 8: Mirissa

I hope you had some time to relax in Nuwara Eliya (and the gardens of St. Andrew’s) yesterday, because you are in for a long drive today. It’s time to head to the ocean, and drive the full 5-6 hours to Mirissa!

On the way, stop at a tea plantation for a tour of how Ceylon Tea is made. This can also be done on your drive to Nuwara Eliya the day before, so this is where you can control your itinerary a little bit yourself. Basically, these are the options:

• Stop at a tea plantation on day 7, before reaching Nuwara Eliya. This will give you a little less time in the town to relax, but will mean you can get to the beach quicker today.
• Stop at a tea plantation on day 8 (today), after leaving Nuwara Eliya. This will give you a little less time in Mirissa.

Regardless of which option you select, a stop at a tea plantation in Sri Lanka is a must. We stopped at the Damro Tea Plantation on our way to Nuwara Eliya, and I loved learning about how the tea is made there, and how 680 women pick up to 18 kg of tea every single day in the fields! How impressive is that?

I have also stopped at the Blue Fields tea plantation, which was also great. Regardless of where you stop to learn about the tea making process, you will get a similar experience.

Once you get to Mirissa, the long drive will be worth it. This beach location is popular amongst surfers and digital nomads, and it’s got a really cool, hipster-y vibe to it. You’ll love strolling on the beach and catching some rays of sun before your early start tomorrow!

In Mirissa, you can opt to lounge on the beach, try your hand at diving, or book some surf lessons! As mentioned, surfing is a popular activity here, and I loved seeing the surfers in action from our hotel. We stayed at Mandara Resort, which had direct beach access and great mojitos!

Day 9: Whale Watching

I hope you are ready for an early start, because it is time to go whale watching! There are lots of whale watching tours leaving Mirissa in the morning, as it is a great location to hopefully see some whales. The season for this is November to April, and whilst you aren’t guaranteed to see a blue whale (or bryde’s whale, like I saw in Kalpitiya), you are almost bound to see dolphins!

We started out tour at 7am, and not long after we had left the bay, several pods of dolphins came to play around the boat. It was incredible, as dolphins are my absolute favourite animal! Of course, what everyone was hoping for was to see a whale. After about 45-60 minutes of sailing around the deep sea, we changed direction and headed towards a spot where one of the other boats had seen one!

Tip: if you are prone to seasickness, make sure you take a tablet before you go. The waves weren’t too bad during our whale watching trip, but I wouldn’t risk it if you tend to get nauseous at sea. Nothing can ruin a good boat day like seasickness. These wristbands work great too!

In the end, we did see a blue whale, several times even! We followed it for a while, as they come up for air every 10-15 minutes or so, and it was just as cool each time. Once everyone was satisfied (and had gotten their photos), we sailed to a quiet bay to drop anchor, swim and have a fresh seafood lunch prepared onboard.

The whale watching tour was such a great time, and I highly recommend it. The tour itself is a full day tour, and by the time you are back to your hotel, it will be around 15:00.

Click here to learn more and book your whale watching trip (make sure to book early)!

I recommend heading to Bentota after the whale watching tour, as it is a little closer to the airport than Mirissa. It is also the location of one of my favourite luxury hotels in Sri Lanka, the Taj Bentota Resort & Spa, and I strongly recommend you spend your last night there!

Day 10: Bentota + Leaving day

It’s your last day in Sri Lanka, and hopefully you woke up at the Taj feeling relaxed and refreshed after a good night’s sleep. Depending on what time you leave, you have a few options for activities today! I have listed some favourites below, and then it’s up to you to pick one, or all, if you have the time. Of course, the Taj Bentota is so nice, you might just want to spend your last day relaxing by the pool and visiting the spa!

Bentota River or Madu River Cruise

Around Bentota there are mangrove forest and rivers stretching into Sri Lanka. Going on a river cruise through the mangroves and rivers around the area is one of the top activities in the area, and a must for visiting Bentota! The mangrove forests are an important part of the eco system along the rivers, and on one of the river cruises you will learn a lot about how the eco system works. You’ll also see some of the animals native to the area, such as water monitors, river jellyfish (I had never heard of them before) and several species of birds that are endemic to Sri Lanka.

Read more & Book your river cruise here!

Visit Galle for a day trip

Galle is located around an hour from Bentota, and is a city worth seeing. The Galle Lighthouse is a famous sight, and has helped for centuries. It is said to be the oldest lighthouse in Sri Lanka, and dates back to 1848 (the current lighthouse building on the site was lit in 1939). Galle Fort is another notable building, and one of the main reasons people visit Galle. It was built bu the Portuguese in the late 1500s, and later fortified by the Dutch. Through the colonial rules of Sri Lanka, it was an important part of the military strategy of the colonists. Galle Fort is listed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

If you want to do both the river tour and see Galle, it is possible to do a joined tour from Bentota. You can book this here!

Please note that it takes around 1,5 hours to get from Bentota to the airport, so make sure you plan for enough time.

This marks the end of your 10 days in Sri Lanka, and I hope you have had a great trip! Below I cover some information about booking transfers, and I have tried to answer any questions you might have in the FAQ. If you have any other questions, please leave a comment below!

Sri Lanka Itinerary Map

Below you will find a map of this 10-day Sri Lanka itinerary. As you can see, it covers quite a lot of the country. So you can trust that you will see all the important sights during your trip by following this itinerary (or just using it as information).

Getting Around: Booking private transfers in Sri Lanka

As mentioned, I recommend booking a private transfer from destination to destionation, or a private driver and car for your whole trip. It is completely possible to travel around Sri Lanka using trains only (and I highly recommend that for you one day), but for this 10-day itinerary, you’ll be better off with a private car. The main reason for this is that it is a busy itinerary, and you want to see as much as possible. Another reason is that you will not have to lug your luggage around, and you will have complete control of your schedule, without unnecessary delays.

First things first: book your airport transfer in advance. When you arrive at Bandaranaike Airport (the main international airport in Sri Lanka) you will find that there are lots of companies there willing to offer up their services to take you wherever you need. However, I found that having booked this in advance gave me a slightly more relaxing arrival, as I didn’t need to navigate through all the different companies and people shouting “transfer? driver?” at me as I came out of the arrivals hall.

You can book your airport transfer in advance here.

Now, for your actual driver in Sri Lanka. One option here is to book your own driver and van for the entirety of the trip. If there is a group of you, this might be a good option. It will give you a larger van (usually with A/C, but do check this at first), and it is great having a local to ask all the questions you know you have.

However, when booking a driver for the whole trip, there is the question of where they will stay. For our trip, the driver found his own accommodation. However, I do know that some drivers will ask you to find their accommodation or help in booking it. So that might end up being an added fee.

If you opt for a driver for your entire trip, don’t forget to tip! You should expect to tip your driver between 2000-3000 rupee per day of your trip (around $10-15 / €8-13).

Instead, you can simply opt for point-to-point transfers for each day of your trip. These can usually be booked at your hotel, and if you are happy with your driver, feel free to ask him or her directly if they’d be willing to pick you up for your next transfer.

10 Days in Sri Lanka: FAQ