7-Day Sri Lanka Tour: Sigiriya, Kandy & Galle Fort with Hotels

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/24

Duration7d

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · DE +3

PickupAt your hotel

Twenty-eight attractions across ten districts, from ancient rock fortresses to leopard-filled national parks.

This seven-day guided tour of Sri Lanka takes you through Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Yala and Galle, visiting 28 attractions across 10 districts. You stay in 3- to 5-star hotels on half-board basis, travel by private transport with an English-speaking guide, and visit the Sacred Tooth Relic Temple, hike to Little Adam's Peak, ride the highland train to the Nine Arch Bridge, and safari for leopards in Yala National Park. Lunch is included daily; Yala park entry and safari jeep costs are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Arrival and Pidurangala Rock visit

Airport or hotel pickup
Visit Pidurangala Rock at sunset
Overnight at Fresco Water Villa

Day 2 — Sigiriya and village experience

Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Experience Hiriwadunna village activities
Visit Dambulla Royal Cave Temple
Explore Dambulla vegetable and fruit market
Overnight at Fresco Water Villa

Day 3 — Kandy cultural and religious sites

Visit Nalanda Gedige archaeological site
Visit Sri Muthumariamman Hindu Temple
Watch Kandy Lake Club Cultural Dance Show
Visit Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Overnight at Thilanka hotel Kandy

Day 4 — Kandy gardens and nature hike

Visit Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens
Hike to Ambuluwawa Tower
Tour Bluefield Tea Factory
Visit Ramboda Waterfall
Overnight at Ramboda Falls Hotel

Day 5 — Ella and Nuwara Eliya sightseeing

Visit Lake Gregory park area
Visit Seetha Amman Kovil temple
See Nine Arch Bridge
Hike Little Adam's Peak
Overnight at The View Ella Hotel

Day 6 — Train ride and Yala safari

Enjoy scenic train trip to Ella
Visit Ravana Falls
Go on Yala National Park safari
Overnight at Chaarya Resort & Spa

Day 7 — Galle and southern coast tour

Visit Coconut Tree Hill in Mirissa
Swim and surf at Weligama Beach
Explore Galle Fort and lighthouse
Take Bentota River boat ride

The Experience

Sigiriya starts on day one. After pickup from your hotel or airport, you'll hike Pidurangala Rock at sunset—a neighboring peak that gives you views of the famous fortress across the valley without the crowds. The rock itself was a Buddhist monastery from the third century BC, and the climb takes you through that history before you stand looking out at Sigiriya's 200-meter rise from the forest floor. Day two puts you inside the fortress itself: a UNESCO site built in the fifth century as a fortified palace and garden city, engineered with hydraulic systems that still puzzle archaeologists. You'll also spend time in Hiriwadunna village learning to cook traditional Sri Lankan food, then ride an oxen cart and catamaran before sitting down to a buffet lunch cooked the way locals make it. The Dambulla Royal Cave Temple closes the day—five sanctuaries carved into limestone and in continuous use for nearly two thousand years.

Kandy arrives on day three. You'll see the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, one of Buddhism's holiest shrines, surrounded by a moat and white elephant carvings. The same day brings a cultural dance show at Kandy Lake Club, where you watch performances unique to different regions of the island—the elephant's walk, the peacock's colors, the cobra's movements—all passed down through generations. Day four takes you to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, where 4,000 plant species spread across 60 hectares include an orchid collection and a palm avenue. You'll hike Ambuluwawa tower for 360-degree views of surrounding mountains, then visit Bluefield Tea Factory to see how tea is dried and pressed, taste different varieties, and drink a cup while the highlands roll past outside.

Ella and the train journey come on day five. You'll ride one of the world's most scenic train routes from Hali-ela to Ella, passing tea plantations, dense forests, waterfalls and tunnels—the operator reserves your seat at no extra cost. From Ella, a 30- to 45-minute hike takes you up Little Adam's Peak for panoramic views with clouds rolling through. Day six is Yala National Park: a safari jeep ride through a sanctuary that holds the world's highest density of leopards, plus elephants, sloth bears, sambars, peacocks and crocodiles. The park entrance fee and jeep cost are not included in the tour price. The final day moves south to Galle. You'll climb Coconut Tree Hill in Mirissa for sunset views over the Indian Ocean, swim at Weligama Beach, walk the ramparts of Galle Fort (built by the Portuguese in 1588 and extended by the Dutch), and finish with a one-hour boat ride through the Bentota River mangroves, where you might see crocodiles, water monitors and exotic birds.

What’s included

Private transportation throughout the seven days.
half-board accommodation (breakfast and dinner) at 3- to 5-star hotels.
daily lunch.
entrance fees to Pidurangala Rock, Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Royal Cave Temple, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and Galle Fort.
guided tours and activities including the Hiriwadunna village experience with traditional cooking class and buffet lunch, Kandy Lake Club cultural dance show, Bluefield Tea Factory tour with tea tasting, train seat reservation from Hali-ela to Ella, and Bentota River boat safari.
hotel pickup on day one.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Ceylon Paradise Travels

Is this one for you?Most seven-day Sri Lanka tours move you through the same landmarks but leave you arranging transport between them and choosing where to eat. This one handles the driving, books your train seat, and puts lunch on the table every day, so you spend your time actually standing in front of the fortress, the temple, the tea factory and the leopards instead of negotiating with drivers or hunting for a decent meal.