10-day Sri Lanka tour: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Galle Fort

Climb 1,200 steps to a 5th-century fortress, then ride a train through tea plantations and watch leopards in the wild

A 10-day guided tour of Sri Lanka with private transportation and a certified English-speaking driver, covering Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy, Yala National Park, and Galle Fort. Airport pickup is included. Entrance fees and meals are booked separately. The itinerary moves through central highlands, cultural sites, wildlife reserves and southern beaches over the course of the journey.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Sigiriya activities

• Meet driver at airport
• Drive to Sigiriya
• Habarana village tour with bullock cart and catamaran
• Climb Pidurangala Rock for views

Day 2: Sigiriya and Dambulla exploration

• Early climb Sigiriya Lion Rock
• Visit Sigiriya Museum
• Visit Dambulla Golden Rock Temple

Day 3: Kandy city and cultural sites

• Drive to Kandy
• Visit Peradeniya Botanic Gardens
• Visit Tooth Relic Temple
• Attend Kandy Lake Club Cultural Dance Show

Day 4: Nuwara Eliya nature and tea

• Drive to Nuwara Eliya
• Visit Hakgala Botanical Garden
• Visit Lovers Leap waterfall trail
• Tour tea factory with tasting

Day 5: Train ride and Ella sightseeing

• Drive to Ohiya train station
• Train ride to Ella
• Visit Ravana Falls
• Climb for scenic highland views

Day 6: Yala National Park safari

• Drive to Thissamaharame
• Half day Yala Safari Jeep tour

Day 7: Beach day in Mirissa

• Drive to Mirissa beach
• Relax on the beach
• Visit Coconut Tree Hill viewpoint

Day 8: Whale and turtle watching

• Whale and dolphin watching tour
• Visit Turtle Watch Rekawa conservation

Day 9: Galle Fort and beach

• Visit Galle Fort
• Relax at Unawatuna Beach

Day 10: Colombo and river tour

• Madu River mangrove and island tour
• Visit Colombo National Museum and landmarks

The experience

The driver meets you at the airport and takes you to Sigiriya, where the first days center on two major climbs. Pidurangala Rock offers a 360-degree viewpoint across the landscape, with Sigiriya Lion Rock itself visible from the summit: a vantage point that stands out early in the trip. The next morning, you climb Sigiriya itself: 1,200 steps up a 660-foot rock fortress built by King Kashyapa in the 5th century. Platforms break up the ascent, and a national guide (arranged if needed) explains the UNESCO World Heritage site and the Sigiriya Museum, which documents three decades of archaeological research on the rock.

From there, the route moves to Kandy through the central highlands. You visit Peradeniya Botanic Gardens (59 hectares with around 4,000 plant species, including orchid collections and palm avenues), then the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, where the left canine tooth of Gautama Buddha is enshrined and venerated by thousands of visitors daily. The Kandy Lake Club Cultural Dance Show, running continuously for 35 years, brings together Sri Lankan dance forms in one performance. Day four takes you to Nuwara Eliya, where you walk through Hakgala Botanical Garden at 1,745 meters elevation, visit Lovers Leap waterfall, and tour a locally owned tea factory with a tasting at the end.

Day five is the train journey from Nuwara Eliya to Ella: described as one of the most beautiful train rides in Sri Lanka. You board and pass through lush green tea plantations, mountains, viaducts, valleys and dense jungle while your driver follows with luggage and meets you at Ella station. From there, you visit Ravana Falls and climb to viewpoints suspended over white clouds in the highlands. Day six shifts to wildlife: a half-day Yala National Park jeep safari, where leopards are the draw but sloth bears, elephants, water buffaloes, eagles and wild boar also roam. The final days move to the coast: Mirissa beach, Coconut Tree Hill for views over the bay, whale and dolphin watching on the south coast, and a turtle conservation project at Rekawa where you witness natural nesting. Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1588 and fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onward, closes the tour before a final stop in Colombo visiting the National Museum, Gangaramaya Temple, Lotus Tower and Galle Face Green.

Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle with a certified driver runs the full 10 days. The driver's accommodation and food, passenger insurance, fuel and parking are all covered. Entrance fees to attractions and meals are separate bookings. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and specialized infant seats and pram-friendly routes are available.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned transportation throughout the 10 days.
• certified English-speaking tour driver.
• driver accommodation and food.
• passenger insurance.
• fuel and parking fees.
• airport pickup on arrival.
• national guides arranged at major sites (Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave Temple, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) if needed.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 00:30 and 07:00

Book up to4h before

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Salut Sri Lanka Tours

Is this one for you?The 10-day commitment allows the full arc from central highlands to wildlife reserves to southern beaches without rushing any region. Each area gets time to settle in. If you have fewer days, a shorter itinerary would cut either the wildlife safari or the beach stops. If you have more, the operator can extend with additional activities. The private driver means you move on your own schedule rather than waiting for group departures, which matters when climbing at dawn or catching the train at a set time.

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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 the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and why is climbing it part of this tour?

Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a 5th-century palace and fortress built by King Kashyapa, standing 660 feet straight up in central Sri Lanka near Dambulla. Climbing the 1,200 steps to the top is the centerpiece of days one and two. A national guide explains the site's UNESCO World Heritage status and the archaeological research displayed in the Sigiriya Museum. The ascent includes platforms for rest breaks, and the views from the summit are the highlight many travelers mention first.

Does this tour include meals and entrance fees?

Entrance fees to attractions and meals are not included in the tour price and are booked separately. The private transportation, certified driver, vehicle, driver accommodation and food, passenger insurance, fuel and parking are all covered.

What happens on the train ride from Nuwara Eliya to Ella?

The Nuwara Eliya to Ella train is one of the most scenic rail journeys in Sri Lanka, passing through lush green tea plantations, mountains, viaducts, valleys and dense jungle. Your driver follows with your luggage and meets you at Ella station, so you travel without managing bags yourself.

Will I see wildlife in Yala National Park?

Yala National Park is famed for leopards, and the half-day jeep safari on day six also offers chances to spot sloth bears, elephants, water buffaloes, eagles and wild boar. The timing and sightings depend on wildlife movement and season.

How does airport pickup work?

The certified driver meets you at the airport on arrival and drives you directly to Sigiriya to begin the tour. Pickup is included in the tour price.

Is this tour suitable for travelers with mobility concerns?

The tour is wheelchair accessible. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible. Specialized infant seats and pram-friendly routes are available. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, though climbing Sigiriya and Pidurangala Rock are optional activities within the itinerary.