Sri Lanka Itinerary in 10 days: Visit the highlights for a family holiday

This classic Sri Lanka Itinerary covers the highlights of the country. It gives you a mix of top attractions, UNESCO heritage sites like Sigiriya, cultural sites at Polonnaruwa, food, wildlife safaris, the colonial town of Galle and beach time. This Sri Lanka itinerary for 10 days is suited for family travel. We stuck to the developed areas during the 10 days spent in Sri Lanka in south and west. We did not venture in the north or east side, ravaged by 40 years of war.

This 10 day trip can be easily extended to a Sri Lanka itinerary for 2 weeks. There are extended itinerary suggestions given below based on your interest in cultural immersion, wildlife, more time on the beaches or countryside.

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Sri Lanka Itinerary Overview

Colombo (1 night) – Sigiriya (3 nights) – Yala National Park (2 nights) – Tangalle (2 nights) – Galle (2 nights) – Colombo (1 night)

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Itinerary extension for 2 weeks in Sri Lanka

Cultural Immersion for 2 weeks:

If you want to immerse yourself in cultural sites in Sri Lanka, then adding 2 nights at Anuradhapura and Sigiriya would make sense. You can explore the ancient city of Anuradhapura and spend another day to explore Polonnaruwa sites. A day each can be added to explore Nuwara Eliya and Colombo.

Colombo – Anuradhapura (1 night) – Sigiriya (4 nights) – Nuwara Eliya (1 night) – Yala National Park (2 nights) – Tangalle (2 nights) – Galle (2 nights) – Colombo (2 nights)

Wildlife safaris in Sri Lanka for a 14-day itinerary:

For the wildlife enthusiast, there are many national parks in Sri Lanka. We visited Kaudulla and Yala national park as part of our 10 day Sri Lanka itinerary. But if you are planning 2 weeks in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu national park, Minneriya national park, Horton Plains and a whale watching trip from Mirissa can be added to the above itinerary. You would need a night in Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya and Mirissa to make this happen.

Colombo – Anuradhapura (1 night) – Sigiriya (4 nights) – Nuwara Eliya (1 night) – Yala National Park (2 nights) – Tangalle (2 nights) – Mirissa (1 night) – Galle (2 nights) – Colombo (1 night)

Beach time in Sri Lanka on a 2 week itinerary:

If you are a beach lover, then do spend 2 days at Unawatuna and Mirissa with their beautiful sandy beaches. Also visit Trincomalee on the east coast.

Colombo – Sigiriya (3 nights) – Trincomalee (2 nights) – Yala National Park (2 nights) – Tangalle (2 nights) – Mirissa (2 nights) – Galle (2 nights) – Colombo (1 night)

Exploring the countryside in central province, Sri Lanka:

We drove through Nuwara Eliya on our Sri Lanka itinerary in 10 days. If you are a countryside and tea lover, then adding 3 days to relax here and a day in Ella would be perfect for Sri Lanka itinerary for 2 weeks. You can explore Horton Plains during your stay at Nuwara Eliya.

Colombo – Sigiriya (3 nights) – Nuwara Eliya (3 nights) – Ella (1 night) – Yala National Park (2 nights) – Tangalle (2 nights) – Galle (2 nights) – Colombo (1 night)

First impressions of Sri Lanka

We had left exploring any of India’s neighbouring countries until after our daughter was born. I guess the desire to go to far-off exotic destinations as Namibia, Peru, Brazil, New Zealand, Argentina was alluring without a child. Sri Lanka was our first trip to explore South Asia beyond the Indian mainland.

The cities in Sri Lanka, especially on the western and southern side, are well connected by road. The south-west coast is also well connected by trains, but not many inland places like Yala national park or Tangalle that we were visiting. I was surprised at no domestic flight network in the country.

We decided on a road trip for the 10 days in Sri Lanka, but not self-driven. It is not-too-expensive to hire a car and driver to take you around in this compact country. Although self-drive is feasible as well. As with most of our family trips, a combination of cultural immersion, getting close to nature via wildlife safaris, downtime on a beach, exploring a colonial town worked best for us.

This beautiful, clean country pleasantly surprised me in many ways. Although India is also a tea-growing country, it was in Sri Lanka, that I tasted many different teas and started a lifelong love affair with oolong.

It is also the country where I saw the most spectacular sunsets lighting up the sky – be it at the sleepy village of Tangalle or driving down to Yala national park or walking the ramparts at the old Dutch Fort of Galle.

The one thing that I was underwhelmed by was the food in Sri Lanka, but that’s just me. I prefer the Kerala coastal food to the Sri Lankan version. There is a variety of local cuisine for you to try. Rice and curry are a staple for locals. Seafood is fresh and abundantly available.

Travelling across this land, I noted the similarities with my home country, except for the shorter distances and a cleaner country. Sri Lankans have similar abilities like South Asians to overcome challenges, natural disasters, war and move on with their lives.

10 day Itinerary for Sri Lanka

Day 0: Colombo

Flights from Delhi were such that we had to stay a night at Colombo before moving on. We reached quite late in the evening and decided to spend the night at the Taj Gateway hotel near the Colombo airport. So our 10 days in Sri Lanka really started from the next morning.

Day 1: Cultural Triangle begins at Sigiriya

The Cultural Triangle lies in the mid-center of the country and was the highlight of our 10 days in Sri Lanka. It is a dry flat land and has remains of ancient ruined cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa that remind one of the golden times of Sinhalese civilization.

We traveled the distance of approximately 166 km from Colombo to Sigiriya, the next morning, by road. Sigiriya or Lion Rock – declared a World Heritage Site in 1982 – is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most memorable attraction. This rock citadel sits atop a huge rock outcrop and was the shortest-lived of all medieval capitals of Sri Lanka.

There are about 1200 steps made to reach the top. You can attempt to climb the near-vertical walls and treat yourself to stunning vistas of the forests around it. There are some frescoes painted in a cave, to be enjoyed en route. You would also come upon a pair of gigantic lion’s paws carved in the rock. You can consider a 2-3-hour walking trip at Sigirya which will provide an insight into the art, tradition, and history of Sri Lanka.

Our stay to explore the cultural triangle for the next 3 days was at Jetwings Vil Uyana, a luxury eco-resort. The stay here was wonderful. It balanced the sightseeing days with lazy evenings spent sipping cocktails, having lovely food and being close to nature.

Day 2 & 3: Visit cultural sites at Polonnaruwa and Dambulla

We decided to give Anuradhapura a miss. The sheer size of what was once medieval Asia’s great metropolis and the distance from Sigiriya made it a long day-trip with the 3-year-old child. If you are culturally inclined, then spending a day or 2 more in this area and covering Anuradhapura would make for a great Sri Lanka itinerary for 2 weeks.

The next day were spent exploring Polonnaruwa – the island’s second capital after  Anuradhapura. This is a compact and absorbing site. There are royal palaces, ancient ruins and Buddha statues to be discovered. You can take a guided cycling tour of this ancient city.

We combined this with a visit to the cave temples of Dambulla. The 5 caves within the Dambulla Temple hold a vast number of Buddhas in different positions. Do remember to be properly covered while entering a Buddhist temple or other religious sites, so carry something that covers your upper arms and legs. 

We also did a short safari at the Kaudulla national park on Day 3 – highly recommended to see the herds of elephants. Taking a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka is not to be missed, the country has over 20 national parks.

Here are some safari options from Sigiriya:

 

Day 4 of Sri Lanka Itinerary: Long drive via Nuwara Eliya to Yala

Day 5 turned out to be the longest time on the road of our Sri Lanka 10 day itinerary. All parenting skills to keep the 3-year-old engaged and happy were used in the 10-hour car ride. By the time we checked into our hotel at Yala national park, the adults and the kid were all tired and cranky!

We cut through the length of the country by travelling from Sigiriya first to Kandy. It takes much more time to navigate through hilly areas in Sri Lanka than what google maps shows. This hill station reminded me of several others in north India, over-developed and crowded. We then drove to the hilly environs of Nuwara Eliya. We did not stay the night here but the sight of rolling mist amongst the green hills is etched in my mind forever. An enjoyable afternoon was spent trying various teas at a tea factory.

In hindsight, spending a night at a tea-estate at Nuwara Eliya and breaking the journey might have worked better. Adding 3 nights to stay and experience Nuwara Eliya and Ella would be a great way to spend 2 weeks in Sri Lanka. You might also want to take the slow train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, making for a quintessential Sri Lankan experience.

Day 5 of Sri Lanka 10-day Itinerary:

Our hotel, Cinnamon Wild (also called Chayya Wild) inside the national park was the perfect base to explore Yala. It is close to the national park with its own pond of crocs!

Yala is the most famous national park in Sri Lanka. We have enjoyed several wildlife safaris in India and were keen to explore Yala. The park is vast and borders Indian Ocean on one side.

Here you can see animals like wild elephants, deer, crocodiles, wild pigs, monkeys, and lots of birds. If you are lucky, you can even see the shy leopard.

We did 2 safaris at Yala national park, an afternoon one and an early morning experience. The leopard density here is the highest in the world, but remember, these are elusive animals. Alas, no leopards spotted but the jungle is beautiful and has other wildlife in abundance. You can book a jeep safari to Yala national park.

Day 6 – 7 of Sri Lanka Itinerary: Tangalle

We covered the distance of about 107 km between Yala and Tangalle easily, driving through some scenic areas. Tourism has not developed as much in Tangalle as the southwest coast.

If you are looking for a vacation on unspoilt beaches and are not on a budget, Tangalle doesn’t disappoint. It is wild and untouched and not crowded at all.

We spent 2 relaxed days lazying around at Amanwella – a luxury resort in Tangalle. Sipping sundowners, watching spectacular sunsets each evening, enjoying fresh seafood caught by the locals at their rustic beach restaurant and spending time together as a family. I could go back in a jiffy!

If you want a more happening beach location with budget options, you can replace Tangalle with Mirissa or Unawatuna. But this is a conservative Buddhist country meant for a laid back trip. Do not expect a rave party like in Thailand to happen on any of the beaches here.  

Day 8 – 9 of Sri Lanka Itinerary: Galle

The drive to Galle, following the coastline for much of the way, is even more scenic.

This Unesco World Heritage Site founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century is a must-do on any itinerary to Sri Lanka.

Walking the ramparts of the old Fort and exploring the car-free streets of this old trading port, with all its stylish cafes, boutiques, restaurants cannot be missed. Check out my travel guide to Galle.

We stayed within the Fort walls, and I recommend you do the same. It is like doing time travel. Ambling around the atmospheric old streets is a delightful way to spend a day. You come across Dutch-period villas and buildings with original red-tiled roofs.

Our base here was the charming Galle Fort Hotel, an ornate Dutch mansion converted into an upscale boutique hotel. Galle is close to Mirissa, from where you can take a whale watching cruise.

Day 10 in Sri Lanka: Colombo

Colombo is the sprawling capital of Sri Lanka. It has a long history as a port on ancient east-west trade routes. Colombo has become a worthy destination in its own right and makes an excellent start or finish to your Sri Lankan adventures. It is quite easy to add a couple of nights at Colombo for sightseeing and shopping for a nice Sri Lanka itinerary for 2 weeks.

Honestly, we were vacationed out by the time we reached Colombo. I did want to visit something associated with Geoffrey Bawa – the father of Sri Lankan architecture. The trim colonial bungalow that houses Gallery Cafe used to be the office of Bawa. We spent a great evening at this cafe, and I recommend a meal here for sure. I have heard good things about the imposing Colombo National Museum, dedicated to Sri Lankan history. A Colombo City Tour to cover top attractions may make the best of your time here.

To sum up, Sri Lanka is a compact beautiful country and makes for a varied interesting family holiday. If you follow this Sri Lanka Itinerary, you can experience ancient sites, national parks like Yala and Kaudulla, sandy beaches all over the country, tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, and colonial fortresses like Galle – all in just 10 to 11 days.

Planning a trip to Sri Lanka?

Do check this post on Beautiful places to visit in Sri Lanka

Make sure you spend time visiting the sites at the Cultural Triangle in Sri Lanka

And do a wildlife safari at one of the National Parks in Sri Lanka

[This post was originally published in 2017 and updated with fresh content later]

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If you’ve been to Sri Lanka, what was the highlight of your trip?

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