Kandy, Yala, Mirissa & Bentota – Sri Lanka in 7 Days

The morning is spent in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, with its giant palm avenues and orchid house, and on a walk around Kandy Lake. After lunch you drive north to Dambulla, a UNESCO-listed cave temple where five caves carved into a rock hold more than 150 Buddha statues and painted ceilings.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~4 hrs driving (return) · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (8:30–10:30 AM): Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden, allow 1.5–2 hrs.

• Late morning: Walk around Kandy Lake, about 45 min.

• Noon: Lunch on the way (own cost).

• Afternoon (2:30–4:30 PM): Dambulla Cave Temples, allow 1.5–2 hrs.

• Night: Return to Kandy for dinner.

Travel for the day

• Kandy → Dambulla ~2 hrs each way by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• The Dambulla climb is a few hundred steps in the open. Go with water, a cap and comfortable footwear.

• Shoulders and knees must be covered inside the caves.

• Optional: Sigiriya Rock Fortress is 30 min beyond Dambulla. It needs 2.5–3 extra hours and a separate ticket, so ask us if you want it added.

Overnight: Kandy

The longest drive of the trip, but also the prettiest. You climb through the tea estates to Nuwara Eliya, the colonial-era hill town known as Little England, with waterfalls and misty views along the road, then descend all the way to the dry scrub country around Yala. Check in and rest, because tomorrow starts before dawn.

At a glance: Time needed: ~1.5 hrs stops · Travel: ~5–6 hrs driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast, check-out and drive into the hills.

• Noon: Nuwara Eliya: tea estate stop and a short walk in town, about 1.5 hrs. Lunch (own cost).

• Evening: Arrive near Yala and check in.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel. Early night.

Travel for the day

• Kandy → Nuwara Eliya ~2.5 hrs, Nuwara Eliya → Yala ~3.5 hrs by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Hill roads are winding. Carry motion-sickness tablets if you need them.

• Nuwara Eliya is cool even at midday, so keep a light jacket handy.

Overnight: Yala

Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, and the early morning is when you are most likely to see one, along with elephants, crocodiles, peacocks and buffalo at the waterholes. After the safari, breakfast and a drive along the south coast to Mirissa, where the afternoon is for the beach.

At a glance: Time needed: ~3–4 hrs safari · Travel: ~3 hrs driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 5:30–9:30 AM): Jeep safari in Yala National Park, about 3–4 hrs.

• Late morning: Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.

• Noon: Drive to Mirissa.

• Evening: Check in, beach time and a sunset walk along Mirissa Beach.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Hotel → Yala park gate by safari jeep. Yala → Mirissa ~3 hrs by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Wear neutral colours (khaki, green, beige), not white or red, and keep voices low in the jeep.

• The tracks are dusty. A scarf or mask and sunglasses help.

• Yala's main block usually closes for a few weeks between September and October. We will confirm for your dates.

Overnight: Mirissa

The boats leave Mirissa harbour at first light to look for blue whales, sperm whales and spinner dolphins, which pass close to this coast in season. Back on land, a late breakfast and some rest, then Coconut Tree Hill, the palm-covered headland in every Sri Lanka photo, and the small, quiet Secret Beach.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6–7 hrs activities · Travel: Short local drives · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:00–11:00 AM): Whale watching tour, about 4–5 hrs at sea.

• Noon: Breakfast or brunch and rest at the hotel.

• Afternoon (3:30–5:00 PM): Coconut Tree Hill, about 45 min, then Secret Beach, about 1 hr.

• Evening: Sunset by the beach.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Hotel → Mirissa harbour ~10 min. Coconut Tree Hill and Secret Beach are 10–15 min away by car or tuk-tuk.

Tips & what to carry

• Whale season on this coast is roughly November to April. Outside it, sea conditions can cancel the trip.

• Take a seasickness tablet 30 min before boarding and eat something light.

• Coconut Tree Hill is best in the late afternoon light and gets crowded around sunset.

Overnight: Mirissa

An easy coastal day. You stop at Galle Fort, a 17th-century Dutch fort that is still a lived-in town, walk the ramparts to the lighthouse and wander the lanes of cafés and boutiques. Then it is on to Bentota for an afternoon on the beach.

At a glance: Time needed: ~2 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~2.5 hrs driving · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast and check-out.

• Late morning: Galle Fort walk: ramparts, lighthouse and the old streets, about 2 hrs. Lunch in the fort (own cost).

• Afternoon: Drive to Bentota and check in. Beach or pool at leisure.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Mirissa → Galle ~1 hr, Galle → Bentota ~1.5 hrs by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• The fort walls have little shade at midday. Carry a cap, sunglasses and water.

• Galle Fort has the best café lunches on the south coast. Book nothing, just walk in.

Overnight: Bentota

A full last day on the way to the airport. The morning boat safari on the Madu River goes through mangroves and small islands, and the Kosgoda hatchery shows you sea turtle conservation up close. Then you drive up to Colombo for a city tour of Galle Face Green, the Gangaramaya Temple and Independence Square, with time for last-minute shopping before the airport.

At a glance: Time needed: ~5 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3 hrs driving · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (8:30–11:00 AM): Madu River boat safari, about 1.5 hrs, and Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, about 45 min.

• Noon: Drive to Colombo. Lunch on the way (own cost).

• Afternoon: Colombo city tour: Galle Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple and Independence Square, about 2.5 hrs, plus shopping time.

• Evening: Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport.

Travel for the day

• Bentota → Colombo ~1.5–2 hrs, Colombo → Airport ~1 hr by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• This day suits a late evening or night flight. With an earlier flight, we shorten the city tour.

• Keep your passport and an outfit for the flight in your hand luggage, as you check out in the morning.