7-day Sri Lanka tour: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Yala

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, tea plantations, leopard safari and coastal forts in one week

A 7-day customizable tour of Sri Lanka with private transportation, English-speaking guide and hotel pickup, covering Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Kandy's sacred temple, Nuwara Eliya's hill stations, Ella's tea country and train ride, Yala National Park's leopards, and Galle Fort. You choose which stops matter most and can extend the itinerary by adding days. The operator charges by the day so you pay only for what you book.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Transfer to Dambulla and Safari

• Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress
• Explore cave temple painting gallery
• Evening safari at Kaudulla National Park

Day 2: Visit Kandy Sacred City

• Visit Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Tour Kandy Lake and Museum
• Shop at Kandy market and visit gem museums
• Enjoy traditional dance performance

Day 3: Transfer to Nuwara Eliya

• View Ramboda Falls
• Visit tea plantation and factory
• Explore Victoria Park and museum
• Visit Gregory Lake
• Visit Seetha Amman Temple

Day 4: Visit Ella and Scenic Train Ride

• Visit Rawana Waterfalls and Rawana Cave
• Admire Rawana Waterfall beauty
• Hike tea plantations and watch sunset
• Visit Nine Arch Bridge

Day 5: Transfer to Thissamaharamaya

• Enjoy Madu River safari and visit temple
• Visit Yala National Park for wildlife safari

Day 6: Transfer to Bentota and Explore

• Enjoy water sports in Bentota
• Enjoy Madu River safari and visit temple
• Visit historic Galle Fort

Day 7: Colombo City Tour and Departure

• Visit Gangaramaya Temple
• Tour Colombo city and landmarks

The experience

The route moves through Sri Lanka's main attractions over seven days, starting from your hotel and traveling by private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking guide. Sigiriya Rock Fortress opens the tour: a 5th-century fortress where you climb to see ancient hydraulic systems, frescoes and urban planning carved into the rock. From there, the itinerary branches through Buddhist sites (the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, cave temples with 1st-century paintings), nature reserves (Kaudulla National Park for elephant spotting, sometimes over 150 at once, a safari jeep runs roughly 3.5 hours), and the hill station of Nuwara Eliya, where you visit tea plantations and factories to watch Ceylon tea being picked and processed.

The middle days take you through Ella, a town in the tea country where you can hike through plantations to a 360-degree viewpoint, visit Rawana Waterfall and the Nine Arch Bridge (built in the British colonial period to move tea and coffee to Colombo). A scenic train ride connects some of these stops. Yala National Park, the second-largest in Sri Lanka, is where the leopard density is highest in the world. The safari also turns up spotted deer, sambar deer, sloth bears, crocodiles and water buffalo. The final stretch covers Madu River's mangrove forests (with prawn hunting and cinnamon-peeling demonstrations), Galle Fort (Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial architecture from 1600 onward), and Colombo's temples and city landmarks before departure.

Because the tour is charged by the day, you can customize it: extend beyond seven days, skip stops that don't appeal to you, or linger longer in places you want to explore. The operator builds the itinerary around your preferences. Fuel, parking and the vehicle itself are included. Entrance tickets to sites, safari jeep fees and meals are separate.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver.
• English-speaking guide.
• hotel pickup.
• fuel and parking fees throughout the seven days.
• stops at Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, tea plantations and factories in Nuwara Eliya, Ella's tea country and train ride, Madu River's mangrove forests, Yala National Park and Galle Fort.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 50 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Travel with Jerry

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Colombo or another city and want one private vehicle and guide for the entire week across all seven regions: no switching between operators or transport methods.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Sigiriya Rock Fortress and why is it on this tour?

Sigiriya is a 5th-century fortress built atop a massive rock in central Sri Lanka. Climbing to the summit reveals ancient frescoes, hydraulic systems and evidence of sophisticated urban planning and architecture from the ancient kingdom. It's the opening stop of the tour and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the country.

Will I see elephants and leopards on this tour?

Kaudulla National Park, visited on day one, is known for elephant herds. You may see over 150 at once during the evening safari jeep ride, which lasts roughly 3.5 hours. Yala National Park, visited later in the week, has the highest leopard density in the world and also hosts spotted deer, sambar deer, sloth bears and water buffalo. Both safaris require separate jeep tickets.

What happens on the Ella portion of the tour?

Ella is a town in the tea-growing highlands where the itinerary includes a hike through tea plantations to a viewpoint with 360-degree views, a visit to Rawana Waterfall and cave, and a ride across the Nine Arch Bridge, a colonial-era structure originally built to transport tea and coffee. A scenic train ride connects some of these stops.

Can I customize which places we visit?

Yes. The tour is charged by the day, so you can extend it beyond seven days, skip attractions that don't interest you, or spend more time in places you want to explore. The operator builds the itinerary around your preferences before you depart.

What is included in the price and what costs extra?

The tour includes private air-conditioned transport, fuel, parking fees, an English-speaking guide and hotel pickup. Entrance tickets to temples and sites, safari jeep fees for Kaudulla and Yala, meals and gratuities are not included and are paid separately.