8-day Private Sri Lanka Tour: Yala Safari, Hotels & Chauffeur
Eight days, one private vehicle, the whole island without the planning.
An 8-day private tour of Sri Lanka with a licensed English-speaking chauffeur, stays in 4- and 5-star hotels, and all entrance fees included. You travel by private air-conditioned transport, join a jeep safari in Yala National Park, visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, explore Galle Fort, release baby turtles at Kosgoda, and end with a Colombo city walk. Hotel pickups and drop-offs mean no separate transport bookings.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and transfer to Marawila
- Airport pickup and assistance
- Transfer to Club Palm Bay, Marawila
- Dinner and overnight stay
Day 2: Travel to Sigiriya and village visit
- Breakfast at Club Palm Bay
- Travel to Sigiriya
- Visit Lion’s Rock and Rock Fortress
- Visit village and cart ride
- Boat ride to vegetable field
- Dinner and overnight stay at Habarana
Day 3: Kandy cultural experiences
- Traditional Sri Lankan lunch at spice garden
- Visit Temple of the Tooth Relic
- Watch Sri Lankan cultural show
- Dinner and overnight stay at Kandy
Day 4: Travel to Nuwara Eliya and sightseeing
- Transfer from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
- Visit Ramboda Waterfall
- Visit tea plantation and factory
- Dinner and overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya
Day 5: Train ride and waterfall visit
- Train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella
- Visit Nine Arch Bridge
- Visit Ravana Ella Waterfall
- Dinner and overnight stay at Yala
Day 6: Safari and transfer to Beruwala
- Breakfast at Chaarya Resort
- Jeep safari at Yala National Park
- Transfer to Galle and visit Galle Fort
- Transfer to Beruwala
- Dinner and overnight stay at Beruwala
Day 7: Conservation visit and Colombo city tour
- Breakfast at The Palms, Beruwala
- Visit Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project
- Transfer to Colombo
- Colombo city tour
- Visit Old Parliament
- Visit Gangaramaya Temple
- Dinner and overnight stay at Colombo
Day 8: Departure from Colombo
- Breakfast at Fairway Colombo
- Transfer to Bandaranayke International Airport
What’s included
- Entrance fees to Yala National Park jeep safari, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Galle Fort, and Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project.
- seven nights in hand-selected 4- and 5-star hotels with dinner and breakfast each day.
- private air-conditioned transport with an English-speaking chauffeur for the entire eight days.
- hotel pickups and drop-offs.
- one mineral water bottle per person on arrival.
- complimentary SIM card for the group on request.
- GST.
Times
- Every day 04:00 05:00 06:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00
Before you book
Operated by Simplifly Sri Lanka (pvt) Ltd
Prices and times updated 2 days ago
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The experience
Eight days means you move through Sri Lanka without rushing. The itinerary strings together the landmarks most travelers want (Sigiriya's rock fortress, the temple in Kandy, the coastal fort at Galle), but the pace lets you stop when something catches your eye. A scenic train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella breaks up the driving, and the Yala jeep safari happens early enough that you're back in time for dinner. Your chauffeur speaks English and stays with you the whole way, which means no language barrier and no hunting for taxis between hotels.
The hotels are hand-selected 4- and 5-star properties on a half-board basis, so breakfast and dinner are sorted. Lunch is on you, which gives you flexibility to eat where you want. Entrance fees to every site are already paid: Sigiriya, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Galle Fort, the Kosgoda turtle project, and the Yala safari jeep. A mineral water bottle arrives with you, and if you ask, you get a complimentary SIM card for the group. The only things not covered are personal expenses like tips, laundry, and lunch.
The route hits five regions in eight days: you start at the coast near Colombo, climb inland to Sigiriya and the hill country around Kandy and Nuwara Eliya, drop down to the south coast at Yala and Galle, and finish back in Colombo. A village cart ride and walk through rice fields near Habarana, a spice garden lunch where you learn how Sri Lankan cooking works, and a cultural show in Kandy add texture beyond the main sites. The turtle release at Kosgoda is seasonal, so check the timing when you book.
Is this one for you?This tour is built for travelers who want to see the whole island without driving themselves or managing separate transport between towns. The private chauffeur and pre-booked hotels mean no logistics to arrange once you land. The fixed itinerary covers the main sites, but flexible stops let you linger or photograph without holding up a group schedule.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.
What's included in the Yala National Park jeep safari?
The Yala jeep safari is a private 4x4 with your chauffeur, and the entrance fee is included. It runs early in the morning from your hotel in Yala, so you're out when wildlife is most active. The timing depends on the season and what animals are moving through the park that day.
How much driving happens each day?
Days vary widely. The longest drive is the 3-hour transfer from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya. Other days involve shorter hops between towns, and one full day is the scenic train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella instead of driving. Your chauffeur handles all the driving. You're a passenger the whole time.
Can I choose which hotels I stay in?
The hotels are hand-selected 4- and 5-star properties, and the itinerary names them: Club Palm Bay in Marawila, Sungreen Resort and Spa in Habarana, Oak Ray Regency in Kandy, Araliya Red in Nuwara Eliya, Chaarya Resort and Spa in Yala, The Palms in Beruwala, and Fairway Colombo. You stay in a deluxe room at each one, with dinner and breakfast included.
What happens at the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project?
You visit the project to learn about different turtle species and conservation work, see hatchlings and rehabilitated turtles, and release baby turtles into the ocean if the season allows it. It's part of Day 7 on the way from Beruwala to Colombo.
Is the chauffeur the same person for all eight days?
Yes, you travel with a private licensed English-speaking chauffeur for the entire tour. Hotel pickups and drop-offs are included, so you don't arrange separate transport between sites.
What's the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and how long do you spend there?
The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is one of Buddhism's most important pilgrimage sites, and you visit it in the evening of Day 3. A cultural show follows the same evening, so you get both the temple and a performance of traditional Sri Lankan dance and music.
8-day Private Sri Lanka Tour: Yala Safari, Hotels & Chauffeur
8d · EN
from US$ 1,040 per person
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