10-Day Sri Lanka Complete Tour

1. 1

   Day 1: Arrival at BIA → Pinnawala → Sigiriya

   Welcome to Sri Lanka! Airport pickup from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to see gentle giants bathing and roaming. Experience authentic village life with a bullock cart ride, catamaran ride, and traditional village lunch. Optional visit to Dambulla Cave Temple. Check-in to your hotel in Sigiriya for overnight stay.

2. 2

   Day 2: Sigiriya → Kandy

   Early morning climb to the iconic Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Optional sunrise view from Pidurangala Rock. Visit a Spice Garden in Matale to learn about Sri Lankan spices. Explore a Batik Factory, Wood Carving Center, and Gem Museum. Visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Enjoy Kandy Lake View and city tour. Overnight stay in Kandy.

3. 3

   Day 3: Kandy → Nuwara Eliya

   Journey to the beautiful hill station of Nuwara Eliya. Stop at Ramboda Waterfalls for stunning views. Visit a Tea Factory & Plantation to learn about Ceylon Tea production. Explore Gregory Lake and Victoria Park (optional). Take a city tour of Nuwara Eliya, known as 'Little England'. Visit a Strawberry Farm or Ambewela Farm. Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

4. 4

   Day 4: Nuwara Eliya → Ella (Train Ride)

   Experience one of the world's most scenic train rides from Nanu Oya to Ella. Marvel at breathtaking views of tea plantations, mountains, and valleys. Arrive in Ella and visit the iconic Nine Arch Bridge, a stunning railway bridge. Enjoy views from Ella Gap Viewpoint. Embark on a hike to Little Adam's Peak for panoramic mountain views. Overnight stay in Ella.

5. 5

   Day 5: Ella → Yala or Udawalawa

   Visit Rawana Waterfall, one of Sri Lanka's most beautiful waterfalls. Explore Ella rock viewpoints for stunning vistas. Journey to Yala or Udawalawa National Park. Enjoy an afternoon wildlife safari to spot elephants, leopards, and diverse birdlife. Experience the thrill of wildlife watching in their natural habitat. Overnight stay near Yala or Udawalawa.

6. 6

   Day 6: Yala/Udawalawa → Mirissa

   Drive along the beautiful southern coastal route to Mirissa. Arrive at the stunning Mirissa Beach, one of Sri Lanka's most beautiful beaches. Visit Secret Beach for a more secluded experience. Climb Coconut Tree Hill for breathtaking coastal views. Enjoy evening relaxation on the beach and watch the sunset. Overnight stay in Mirissa.

7. 7

   Day 7: Mirissa (Whale Watching / Rest Day)

   Optional early morning whale watching tour to spot blue whales and dolphins in the Indian Ocean (seasonal). Enjoy snorkeling or beach swimming in the crystal-clear waters. Relax on the beautiful Mirissa Beach. Experience a stunning sunset over the ocean. This is your day to unwind and enjoy the coastal paradise. Overnight stay in Mirissa.

8. 8

   Day 8: Mirissa → Galle (Stay in Galle)

   Journey to Galle with stops at Unawatuna Beach and Jungle Beach. Optional visit to the Japanese Peace Pagoda. Arrive in Galle and explore the UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort. Visit the Galle Lighthouse, walk along the ramparts and Flag Rock, explore the Old Dutch Hospital, browse Pedlar Street with its local cafés and shops. Enjoy a beautiful sunset at Galle Fort. Overnight stay in Galle.

9. 9

   Day 9: Galle → Colombo or Airport

   Drive to Colombo or direct transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). If stopping in Colombo, explore Galle Face Green, view the Lotus Tower, visit Pettah Market for local shopping, and see Independence Square. Experience the vibrant capital city of Sri Lanka. Overnight stay in Colombo (if not going directly to airport).

10. 10

    Day 10: Colombo → Airport Drop

    Smooth check-out from your hotel. Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for your departure. Fly back home safely with unforgettable memories of your 10-day Sri Lanka adventure with CEILON TRAVELS.

The journey

Nanu Oya to Ella takes roughly two and a half to three hours through tea estates and cloud forest. Departures published for this stretch include around 9:10 am, 12:40 pm, 2:50 pm and 3:50 pm, with observation class on some of them.

Reserved seats sell out

Reserved and observation-class seats on this line are among the most sought-after in Sri Lanka. Travellers commonly book around three weeks ahead, and the observation car goes first. Unreserved travel is possible but means standing in the doorway for three hours, which some people treat as the whole point.

What we do about it

We will tell you the moment your dates are fixed whether reserved seats are still available, and arrange them where they are. Your vehicle and driver meet you at the far end, so your luggage never goes on the train with you.

The big three

Sigiriya is the most expensive single ticket on the island at around US$35 for a non-SAARC adult. The Temple of the Tooth is about LKR 3,000, and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya about LKR 3,540.

The rest of the cultural stops

Dambulla cave temple is around LKR 1,500, and Pinnawala around US$17–20. Each is modest alone; together with the above they are the reason a culture-heavy route costs more per day than a beach one.

Wildlife and the sea

Safari jeep hire and national park entry at Yala or Udawalawe, and whale-watching tickets at Mirissa, are all separate again and seasonal in the case of the whales.

Why we do not bundle them

Published fees are revised without much notice, and several are quoted in dollars but collected in rupees. Quoting you a fixed all-in figure months ahead would mean either padding it or revising it later, so we leave them out and tell you what they are.

Every figure here is set by the site, not by us. Confirm them close to travel — the Temple of the Tooth revised its foreign rate in July 2026.

North first, while you are fresh

The Cultural Triangle takes the longest transfers and the earliest starts, so it goes at the front when jet lag has you awake at 5 am anyway.

The hill country in the middle

Kandy, then tea country, then the train to Ella. This is where the route stops being about driving and starts being about looking out of the window.

The coast last

Mirissa and Galle at the end means the trip tapers off rather than finishing with a transfer, and it puts you within a manageable drive of the airport on the final morning.

• Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress
• Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
• Kandy Temple of the Tooth
• Nuwara Eliya Tea Plantations
• Scenic Train Ride to Ella
• Yala National Park Safari
• Mirissa Whale Watching
• Galle Dutch Fort
• Colombo City Tour

• UNESCO World Heritage Centre
• Sri Lanka Railways — Operator of the hill-country line
• Sri Lanka Railways seat reservation — Where reserved seats are booked
• Sigiriya — The most expensive ticket on the route
• Temple of the Tooth — Kandy's pilgrimage site
• Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority — The national tourism authority
• Sri Lanka driving times and distances — Our own measurements behind the pacing

Driving times and the route map are estimates built from OpenStreetMap road data. Feeding times and entry fees are published by third parties and change, so confirm them on the day.