North Central Province · Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya
A 5th-century rock fortress rising about 200 m above the jungle, and the most iconic single sight in Sri Lanka.
7 days · 6 nights
7-Day Sri Lanka Highlights
The classic first-timer route in one week: ancient cities, Kandy, tea country, Ella and a wildlife park, driven end to end by your own chauffeur.
- Duration
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Route
- Colombo Airport → Sigiriya → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Yala → departure
- Vehicle
- SUV
Highlights
What this tour covers
- Climb Sigiriya and explore Dambulla
- Kandy's Temple of the Tooth at offering time
- Tea country drive to Nuwara Eliya and Ella
- Dawn game drive in Yala National Park
- Same vehicle and chauffeur for the whole week
Key experiences
- Sigiriya and Dambulla
- Kandy's sacred temple
- Tea estate tasting in the hills
- Ella's bridge and valley walks
- Yala wildlife at dawn
Day by day
7 days · 6 nights itinerary
A planned route with realistic driving times. Days can be reordered, extended or shortened when we build your version.
Day 1
CMB · Dambulla · Sigiriya
Colombo Airport to Sigiriya
Arrival, name board at the terminal and the drive inland to the Cultural Triangle. The Dambulla cave temples sit on the route and make a good first stop. Settle in near Sigiriya for the night.
Approx. 3.5–4.5 hrs of driving plus the Dambulla stop.
Overnight: Sigiriya area
Day 2
Sigiriya climb · Polonnaruwa or Minneriya
Sigiriya and the Cultural Triangle
Climb the rock early. The afternoon is yours: the ruined city of Polonnaruwa by bicycle, or an evening safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla where the elephants gather in the dry months.
Local driving; distance depends on the afternoon choice.
Overnight: Sigiriya area
Day 3
Sigiriya · spice country · Kandy
Sigiriya to Kandy
South through the spice belt to Kandy, arriving in time for the temple at offering time and a walk around the lake. Evening dance performance optional.
Approx. 2.5–3 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Kandy
Day 4
Peradeniya · Ramboda · tea estates · Nuwara Eliya
Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Optional morning at the botanical gardens, then the climb into tea country. Waterfalls, a factory tasting and estate viewpoints take you to Nuwara Eliya by late afternoon.
Approx. 2–2.5 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
Day 5
Nuwara Eliya · Haputale · Ella
Nuwara Eliya to Ella
Across the estates and down into Ella, with coffee and viewpoint stops on the way. The afternoon is free for Little Adam's Peak and the Nine Arch Bridge.
Approx. 2–2.5 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Ella
Day 6
Ella · Ravana Falls · Tissamaharama
Ella to Yala
A slower morning in Ella, then the descent out of the hills past Ravana Falls into the dry zone. Arrive at your Yala-area stay by late afternoon and rest before an early night.
Approx. 2.5–3 hrs of driving plus stops.
Overnight: Yala / Tissamaharama
Day 7
Yala dawn drive · Colombo Airport or south coast
Yala safari and departure transfer
A game drive at first light, then breakfast and the road onward. Most guests continue to Colombo Airport; if you are staying on in Sri Lanka we drop you at your next hotel on the south coast instead.
Dawn safari, then approx. 5–6 hrs to the airport or 2.5–3 hrs to the south coast.
Overnight: Departure or coastal stay
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for all seven days
- Professional chauffeur for the whole tour
- Fuel, tolls and the driver's costs
- Airport pick-up and drop-off as agreed
- Planned route and daily timing before you travel
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Accommodation
- Meals
- Entrance tickets (Sigiriya, Dambulla, temples, gardens)
- Safari jeep hire and national park fees
- Train tickets
- Personal expenses and travel insurance
Optional experiences
- Evening safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla
- Kandyan dance show
- Train from Nanu Oya to Ella
- Extended Yala safari with a second drive
- Galle Fort stop on the final day
Travel notes
- Day 7 is long if you are flying out — tell us your flight time and we will plan backwards from it.
- Book Sigiriya for the morning; the rock is exposed and hot by midday.
- This itinerary works year-round, but the east-side parks are better in the drier months.
- Rooms in the hills are often unheated — pack a layer for Nuwara Eliya and Ella.
Vehicle
1–4 passengers
A higher, roomier vehicle suited to hill-country roads, longer driving days and travellers who prefer more space for passengers and bags.
All vehicles →Pricing
Quoted for your dates
The price depends on the vehicle, travellers, hotels and dates. We send a written quote for the whole trip — per vehicle, not per person — before you confirm anything.
Pricing questions →Places on this route
Where you will spend your time
Central Province · hill capital
Kandy
The last royal capital of Sri Lanka, set around a lake and home to the country's most sacred Buddhist temple.
Central Province · tea country
Nuwara Eliya
Sri Lanka's tea heartland at about 1,900 m — cool, green and often misty, with colonial-era architecture and endless estates.
Uva Province · hill country
Ella
A small hill-town of tea estates, waterfall walks and long valley views — the easiest place in Sri Lanka to slow down for a few days.
Southern Province · national park
Yala
Sri Lanka's most famous national park, known for leopards, elephants and a landscape of scrub, lagoons and rock outcrops.
FAQ
Questions about this tour
Is seven days enough for Sri Lanka?
It is enough for the highlights — culture, hills and one safari — but it involves moving every day. If you prefer fewer hotel changes, tell us and we will slow the route down instead of adding stops.
Do we need to book hotels ourselves?
You can. We will gladly recommend places that suit your budget and route, and we coordinate the daily driving around your bookings, but accommodation is paid directly to the property.
What happens if we miss our flight on day 7?
We plan the final transfer against your flight time with a sensible buffer. If something changes during the trip, we adjust the route with you — that is exactly what a private tour makes possible.
Interested in this tour?
Ask about the 7-Day Sri Lanka Highlights.
Send us your dates and group size and we will come back with availability, the day-by-day plan and a price.