10-Day Sri Lanka Tour: Sigiriya, Kandy, Yala & Beaches

Cross the island through ancient temples, wildlife reserves and tea plantations

A 10-day guided tour of Sri Lanka covering the island's major attractions: Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, tea estates around Nuwara Eliya, the Ella highlands, Yala National Park, and the southern beaches. You travel by vehicle and train, stay overnight in each region, and visit sites spanning Buddhist monasteries, colonial-era railway viaducts, waterfalls, and coastal reserves. Breakfast is included throughout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Airport to Sigiriya arrival

• Meet at airport and receive instructions
• Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress
• Experience village life with tuk tuk and oxen cart
• Enjoy catamaran ride and cooking lesson

Day 2: Wildlife and safari in Sigiriya

• Morning bird watching tour
• Lunch and safari at Minneriya Village

Day 3: Sigiriya to Trincomalee journey

• Explore Polonnaruwa ancient city
• Visit Koneswaram temple
• Snorkel at Pigeon Island National Park

Day 4: Beaches and war cemetery in Trincomalee

• Relax at Uppuveli, Nilaveli, and Kuchchaveli beaches
• Visit Trincomalee British War Cemetery

Day 5: Trincomalee to Kandy cultural tour

• Visit cave monastery with murals and statues
• Tour Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Attend Kandy cultural show

Day 6: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya sightseeing

• Visit Damro Labookellie Tea Centre
• Explore Ambuluwawa Tower
• See Ramboda Falls

Day 7: Nuwara Eliya to Ella hiking and sights

• Travel scenic Kandy-Ella train route
• Visit Nine Arches Bridge
• Hike popular trails around Ella

Day 8: Ella to Yala nature exploration

• Visit Diyaluma Falls
• Explore Yala National Park wildlife

Day 9: Yala to Mirissa coastal visit

• Tour Galle Fort and Portuguese architecture
• Watch sunset and relax by the sea

Day 10: Mirissa to airport departure

• Take Madu river safari with fish spa
• Visit Kosgoda Turtle Care program

The experience

The tour starts at the airport and moves north to Sigiriya, where you spend two days exploring the UNESCO-listed Rock Fortress and the surrounding villages. On the second day, a morning wildlife safari targets birds like peacocks and eagles, followed by lunch in Minneriya forest. From there you head east to Trincomalee, stopping at Polonnaruwa (the second capital of Sri Lanka) and the Koneswaram temple, then spending two days on the coast near Pigeon Island National Park and the 30-kilometre stretch of Uppuveli and Nilaveli beaches.

The route then turns inland toward Kandy, where you visit Dambulla cave monastery (the largest cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka with 2,100 square metres of Buddhist murals), and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in the royal palace complex. A cultural show runs each evening. From Kandy you climb into the central highlands, stopping at the Damro Labookellie Tea Centre (the oldest in Sri Lanka), Ambuluwawa Tower (a multi-religious shrine with temple, mosque, church and kovil), and Ramboda Falls before reaching Nuwara Eliya. The next leg takes you to Ella, known for its hiking trails and the famed Kandy-Ella train route. You can walk to the Nine Arches Bridge, a colonial-era railway viaduct.

The final stretch moves south through Yala National Park, where you'll see leopards, elephants, sloth bears and over 200 bird species, stopping at Diyaluma Falls (the second-highest waterfall in Sri Lanka at 220 metres) on the way. You finish at Mirissa on the southern coast, with time to watch the sunset, then return to the airport. A live guide in English, Hindi or Arabic accompanies the group throughout, and hotel pickup is included from the start.

What’s included

• Breakfast each morning.
• live guide in English, Hindi or Arabic.
• hotel pickup from the airport.
• overnight stays in Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala and Mirissa.
• village experiences including oxen cart rides, catamaran trips and cooking lessons with local families.
• entry to Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla cave monastery and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
• tea factory visit.
• wildlife safaris in Minneriya forest and Yala National Park.
• visits to waterfalls, colonial-era railway sites and coastal reserves.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic and Hindi

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Sri Lanka Tour with Sujeewa

Is this one for you?The 10-day span covers the full arc of the island (from the dry north through the highlands to the south), so you experience different climates, wildlife and cultural sites in one journey rather than piecing together separate trips. If you have fewer days, shorter versions of this route exist. If you want to linger longer in any region, a guide can adjust the pace within the itinerary.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Hindi and Arabic.

What is Sigiriya Rock Fortress and why does it take two days to explore?

Sigiriya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and former royal palace abandoned after the king's death, later used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. It's considered one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning and an eighth wonder of the world. The two days allow time to climb the fortress itself on day one, then experience the surrounding landscape on day two through a village tuk-tuk ride, oxen cart, catamaran on a reservoir, and a cooking lesson with a local family.

Does the tour include the train ride from Kandy to Ella?

The itinerary passes through Ella and mentions the Kandy-Ella train route as one of the world's most scenic train rides, but the structured details do not specify whether the train journey itself is included in this package or optional. Confirm with the operator before booking if the train ride is part of your tour dates.

What wildlife can you expect to see in Yala National Park?

Yala is home to 44 mammal species and 215 bird species, including the world's largest concentration of leopards, plus elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted deer, peacocks and crocodiles. A safari is included as part of the Yala portion of the tour.

How many nights do you spend in each region?

You stay one night in Sigiriya, then move to Trincomalee for two nights, Kandy for one night, Nuwara Eliya for one night, Ella for one night, Yala for one night, and Mirissa for one night before returning to the airport on day 10.