Colombo, Kandy, Ella, Yala & Mirissa – Sri Lanka in 9 Days

After breakfast you leave the city for the hills. Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka, sits around a lake in a bowl of green hills. Check in, rest, and in the golden hour walk around Kandy Lake, with the white roofs of the Temple of the Tooth on the far shore.

At a glance: Time needed: ~1 hr sightseeing · Travel: ~3.5–4 hrs driving · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast, check-out and drive to Kandy.

• Afternoon: Check in and rest.

• Evening (5:00–6:00 PM): Walk around Kandy Lake, about 1 hr.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Colombo → Kandy ~3.5–4 hrs (about 115 km) by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• The full lake loop is about 3.5 km. You can walk part of it and take a tuk-tuk back.

• Kandy town is easy to explore on foot in the evening.

Overnight: Kandy

The morning drive takes you to Ambuluwawa, a hilltop complex with a white tower that spirals up into the sky. The climb is narrow and steep at the top but the 360-degree view over the central hills is worth it. Back in Kandy for lunch and a rest, and in the evening, an optional visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for the puja.

At a glance: Time needed: ~3 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~2.5 hrs driving (return) · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning (8:30–11:30 AM): Ambuluwawa Tower, allow 1.5–2 hrs.

• Noon: Return to Kandy. Lunch and rest (own cost).

• Evening (around 6:30 PM): Optional: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for the evening puja, allow 1–1.5 hrs.

• Night: Back at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Kandy → Ambuluwawa ~1–1.5 hrs each way (about 25 km) by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• The upper part of the Ambuluwawa tower is a narrow open staircase. Skip it if you are uneasy with heights.

• Temple of the Tooth: shoulders and knees covered, shoes left outside.

Overnight: Kandy

One of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. You drive up to Nanu Oya station near Nuwara Eliya and board the train to Ella. For the next three to four hours the line curls through tea estates, tunnels and waterfalls, with pickers waving from the slopes. Your driver meets you at Ella with the luggage.

At a glance: Time needed: ~3–4 hrs on the train · Travel: ~2 hrs driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast, check-out and drive to Nanu Oya Railway Station.

• Noon: Train from Nanu Oya to Ella, about 3–4 hrs.

• Evening: Check in at Ella. Walk the main street in the evening.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Kandy → Nanu Oya ~2 hrs (about 60 km) by private car.

• Nanu Oya → Ella by train. Your car carries the bags and meets you at Ella station.

Tips & what to carry

• Train seats sell out weeks ahead in season. We book reserved seats as soon as your dates are confirmed.

• Sit on the right-hand side (facing Ella) for the best valley views.

• Keep a light jacket, snacks and water with you. Your big bags travel in the car.

Overnight: Ella

Ella is a small town with big views. The morning starts at the Nine Arch Bridge, a colonial-era stone viaduct in the jungle, best when a train is crossing. Later you visit Ravana Falls, which drops in tiers from a cliff into rock pools, about 6 km from town.

At a glance: Time needed: ~3–4 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~1 hr local driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning (8:00–10:00 AM): Nine Arch Bridge, allow 1.5–2 hrs including the walk down.

• Optional: Little Adam's Peak, an easy 45-min hike each way with wide views.

• Noon: Ravana Falls, about 45 min.

• Afternoon: Free in Ella. Cafés and the main street.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Short drives by private car. The bridge needs a 15–20 min walk down a jungle path.

Tips & what to carry

• Ask your driver for the day's train timings so you are at the bridge when one crosses.

• The paths to the bridge get slippery after rain. Wear shoes with grip.

• Monkeys at Ravana Falls snatch bags of food. Keep snacks zipped away.

Overnight: Ella

You come down from the hills to the dry, open country around Yala, Sri Lanka's best-known wildlife park and the place most travellers come to see a leopard. After check-in you head out in an open jeep for the afternoon safari, when animals come out to the waterholes.

At a glance: Time needed: ~3 hrs safari · Travel: ~3.5–4 hrs driving · Pace: Moderate

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast, check-out and drive to Yala.

• Noon: Check in and lunch (own cost).

• Afternoon (around 2:30–5:30 PM): Jeep safari in Yala National Park, about 3 hrs.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Ella → Yala ~3.5–4 hrs (about 120 km) by private car. Safari in an open-top jeep.

Tips & what to carry

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

• The tracks are dusty. Carry a scarf or mask, sunglasses and a cap.

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

Overnight: Yala

A drive along the south coast brings you to Mirissa, a laid-back beach town of palms and surf. After check-in and lunch, head to Coconut Tree Hill, a headland covered in tall palms above a turquoise sea, which is at its best in the late afternoon light.

At a glance: Time needed: ~2 hrs sightseeing · Travel: ~3–4 hrs driving · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast, check-out and drive to Mirissa.

• Noon: Check in and lunch (own cost).

• Evening (4:30–6:30 PM): Coconut Tree Hill for sunset, about 1 hr, then the beach.

• Night: Dinner at the hotel.

Travel for the day

• Yala → Mirissa ~3–4 hrs by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Coconut Tree Hill gets crowded at sunset. Go by 4:30 PM for photos without the crowd.

• Mirissa's main beach has strong currents in some months. Swim only where the flags allow.

Overnight: Mirissa

The boats leave Mirissa harbour at first light in search of blue whales and spinner dolphins, which pass close to this coast in season. After the trip, you head to Galle for the afternoon to walk the ramparts and cobbled lanes of the 17th-century Dutch fort, with lunch in one of its cafés.

At a glance: Time needed: ~6–7 hrs activities · Travel: ~3 hrs driving (return) · Pace: Full

Schedule

• Morning (around 6:30–10:30 AM): Whale watching tour, about 3–4 hrs at sea.

• Noon: Drive to Galle. Lunch in the fort (own cost).

• Afternoon: Galle Fort walk: ramparts, lighthouse and old streets, about 2 hrs.

• Night: Return to Mirissa for dinner.

Travel for the day

• Mirissa → Galle ~1.5 hrs each way (about 45 km) by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Whale season on this coast is roughly November to April. Outside it, the trip may not run.

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

• Galle's ramparts have little shade, so carry a cap and water.

Overnight: Mirissa

A relaxed breakfast and a late-morning checkout before the drive back up the coast to Colombo. Depending on your flight time, there is a window for shopping at the city's malls and souvenir stores before the airport.

At a glance: Time needed: ~1–2 hrs shopping, if time allows · Travel: ~3.5–4 hrs driving · Pace: Easy

Schedule

• Morning: Breakfast and check-out by late morning.

• Noon: Drive to Colombo.

• Afternoon: Shopping time, depending on your flight.

• Evening: Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your flight home.

Travel for the day

• Mirissa → Colombo ~3.5–4 hrs (about 150 km), then Colombo → Airport ~1 hr by private car.

Tips & what to carry

• Reach the airport at least 3 hrs before an international flight.

• Odel in Colombo is a good single stop for fixed-price tea, spices and souvenirs.