Book the Perfect Sri Lanka Itinerary
With our first hand experience of both travelling around Sri Lanka and organising dozens of holidays for customers over many years, we'll not only save you hours of planning but also give you a perfect itinerary that will provide wonderful memories at a great price.
There are a few options you can choose from including simple beach breaks, a quick tour before your beach stay, or a longer more in depth itinerary where you get to see the best that Sri Lanka has to offer.
The tours can be done either as part of a small group or completely tailor made for you, and in this case you'll usually have your own private car and driver.
And for something very special, why not visit the Maldives after your Sri Lanka tour and enjoy picture perfect beaches. They are just 90 minutes away by plane.
Make an enquiry today and start the ball rolling by letting us know your initial plans and thoughts.
For expert advice in booking your holiday, please contact Tom:
Call 01462 677 111
Email holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Sigiriya Rock is one of the iconic sites in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's an optional climb to get to the top but the views are amazing and you'll get to see the remains of the Royal Palace dating back to around 480 AD.
Along the way you'll also see the frescoes that were painted over 1500 years ago, various cave temples, and a pair of enormous lion’s paws. Back at the bottom there are landscaped Royal Gardens which are said to be among the oldest in the world.
The best times to visit are early morning and late afternoon when it is a bit cooler and the light is fantastic.
Tip: There is a fantastic view of Sigiriya from Pidurangala, around 3km away, and best at sunrise / early morning.
Recommended Hotels
1. Aliya Resort & Spa (4*)
2. Cinnamon Lodge Habarana (5*)
3. Jetwing Vila Uyana (5*)
Dambulla Caves
Dambulla Cave Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising of 5 caves housing Buddhist statues and paintings, and dates back to 100 years BC. In the largest cave is a gigantic 150 ft long reclining Buddha, and you'll notice the smell of incense in the air as people place offerings to the Buddhas.
The best time to visit is either first thing in the morning or late afternoon, when you might have the added bonus of a great sunset. Please note that there are a few hundred steps to climb, and although they are fairly easy it's not suitable for those with walking difficulties.
Recommended Hotels
Please see the section above for Sigiriya Rock Fortress as this is in the same area
Wildlife, especially elephants!
The most well known area for wildlife is down on the sout coast at Yala National Park, although it can get busy at times. It's one of the best places in the world to see leopards, but there are also elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, spotted deer, jackals and a huge array of birdlife.
For elephant viewing, consider Udawalawe National Park which is less crowded. There is a transit home just outside the park where orphaned elephants are cared for until they can be released back into the wild. In the main park several hundred elephants roam free, and safaris are available to book at your hotel. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times.
If you're travelling around August time then you may see huge herds of elephants up in Minneriya (in the Sigiriya / Dambulla region), or in one of the adjoining parks. They gather here at this time due to the low water levels in the area, however you can still visit at any time of year.
And another option is at Gal Oya in the East - this is far less well known, but the star attraction here is the chance to see swimming elephants. Overall, it may be more hit and miss than in other parks but is the least touristy of them all.
Recommended Hotels
1. Waraka (4*) - Udawalawe
2. Jetwing Yala (4.5*) - Yala
3. Jetwing Jungle Lodge Yala (4*) - Yala
4. Wild Coast Tented Lodge (5*+) - Yala
Kandy
Kandy is a lovely lakeside town and great for wandering around but also home to a couple of the major attractions.
The Temple of the Tooth is said to house a tooth relic of the Buddha, and each day is moved in its gold casket for Buddhists to worship. You can visit, with the best times being at dawn, midday or in the evening when the ceremonies take place.
The Royal Botanical Gardens are situated just outside the city and are known for the superb collection of orchids and spices.
From Kandy, you can take the blue tourist train to Nuwara Eliya or Ella - it's an incredibly scenic journey and takes around 6-7 hours. This works well even if you have a private car and driver because he will follow behind with your luggage and meet you at the other end!
Recommended Hotels
1. Cinnamon Citadel Kandy (4*)
2. Earl's Regency Kandy (5*)
3. Elephant Stables Kandy (deluxe)
Tea Plantations
There's a couple of towns that are both great for being in the hill country - Nuwara Eliya and Ella.
Nuwara Eliya is a beautiful hilltop town at 6,000 feet above sea level. It's cooler than other parts of the island such as Kandy and the coast, but the scenery is spectacular. Hotels often have tea picking experiences either on-site or nearby.
Here there's a much more colonial atmosphere than in most other parts of Sri Lanka. English country clubs, rose gardens and even the place names will make you feel quite at home.
A different option is to travel further on to Ella, which is also set in wonderful scenery. Walks are plentiful, including the trail that leads to Little Adam’s Peak, and you could also take the one hour train ride to Haputale, get off and do the Lipton's Seat walk.
Recommended Hotels
1. Hide Ella (4*) - Ella Gap
2. 98 Acres (4*) - Ella Gap
3. Tea Factory Hotel (4.5*) - Nuwara Eliya
4. Ceylon Tea Trails (luxury bungalows) - closer to Nuwara Eliya
The Beach
Most of Sri Lanka's beach popular beach hotels are situated on the south-west coastline, and the choice ranges from simple 3 star to 5 star luxury.
There's now also a good selection of hotels on Sri Lanka's east coast, although bear in mind you'd need an internal flight back to Colombo, or a very long drive.
On the east coast areas like Trincomalee have excellent beaches and calm seas but you also need to think about the weather. It's best between April and September, so in these months the extra hassle of getting back to Colombo might be worth it.
Recommended Hotels - South West Coast
1.. The Blue Water (4*) - Wadduwa
2. Taj Bentota (5*) - Bentota
3. The Fortress (5*) - Galle
4. KK Beach (5*) - Galle
5. Anantara Peace Haven (5*) - Tangalle
Recommended Hotels - East Coast
1. Maalu Maalu (4*) - Passikudah
2.. Karpaha Sands (4*) - Passikudah
3.. Uga Bay (5*) - Passikudah
4. Uga Jungle Beach (5*) - Trincomalee
Maldives
After your stay in Sri Lanka, it's just a short flight to the paradise islands of the Maldives. You will find tiny islands of pure white sandy beaches, amazing snorkelling and clear turquoise water.
You can visit local deserted islands, or just spend your days sunbathing - it is a constant 30C all year round. Most islands have a spa and diving school.
As you'd expect there's a huge choice of islands, and it can be difficult to know where to start, but again we will be able to suggest a very good choice depending on your budget and type of accommodation and meal plan that suits you.
Recommended resorts
1. Adaaran Select Hudhuran Fushi (4*)
2. Kuramathi Maldives (4*)
3. Komandoo (4*)
4. Coco Budu Hithi (5*)
5. Velassaru (5*)
We can offer a much bugger selection than this - please contact us if you would like to discuss your requirements in more detail.
Option 1 - Simple Beach Holiday
Many customers have fallen in love with Sri Lanka and are just looking for a relaxing time on the beach. Prices are low especially out of high season, so you can get a great value for money holiday.
Although the major sites are mostly too far inland to do on a day trip, there will be local excursions if you still want to get out and about.
Some customers combine a week or so in Sri Lanka with a week in the Maldives. This way you get a good couple of weeks away at a lower cost than 2 weeks in the Maldives.
We have a big selection of hotels and would be delighted to recommend two or three that would fit your budget.
Guide Prices: As a very rough guide, a 10 night holiday to Sri Lanka costs from around £1400 per person including flights, transfers and 10 nights bed & breakfast in a medium standard hotel.
For expert advice in booking your holiday, please contact Tom:
Call 01462 677 111
Email holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk
Option 2 - Inland Stay + Sri Lanka Beach / Maldives
One thing to be aware of when planning a trip to Sri Lanka is that although distances might not look that far on a map, everywhere takes longer to get to than you might think. So if you're staying in one of the beach resorts, it's not that easy to reach Sigiriya or Kandy for example.
Therefore, if you want to see some of the main sites it's best to base yourself inland for a few days. And if you had to pick one place I'd suggest the Habarana / Kandalama area which is ideal for visiting Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Dambulla Caves and Minneriya National Park.
So a typical itinerary might be Habarana (4 nights) → Beach (7 nights).
Transfers would be included throughout, and there would be the option of a car and driver to take you around.
Hotels: we have a large selection of accommodation options and would be delighted to recommend two or three in each place to suit your budget.
For expert advice in booking your holiday, please contact Tom:
Call 01462 677 111
Email holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk
Option 3 - Multi Centre Itinerary + Sri Lanka Beach / Maldives
While the previous option is great for seeing a few of the sites, if you really want to explore the best of Sri Lanka then you'll need at least a week travelling around different areas. The Habarana / Kandalama area would still be a great place to start, but then head down to the Tea Plantations via a stop in Kandy, and perhaps visit one of the wildlife parks in the south before travelling round through Galle before arriving at your chosen beach hotel.
For example: Habarana (3 nights) → Kandy (1 night) → Nuwara Eliya / Ella (2 nights) → Udawalawe / Yala (2 nights) → Beach (6 nights). Again transfers would be included throughout but with more travelling on this type of trip it is best done with a private car and driver.
Hotels: In each place we have a selection of accommodation options, sometimes small boutique properties in unique locations, others are comfortable 4 star hotels and some are more luxurious. We'd be delighted to recommend a selection to fit your budget.
Guide Prices: As a very rough guide, a 2 week holiday to Sri Lanka costs from around £3000 per person including flights, transfers and a selection of medium class hotels, plus daily breakfast. This will rise to over £4000 in peak season and summer, and especially if extra meals and better hotels ate included. If you include the Maldives then the overall price is likely to be significantly higher.
For expert advice in booking your holiday, please contact Tom:
Call 01462 677 111
Email holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk
Option 4 - Guided Tour
We offer a wide range of escorted tours in Sri Lanka, from adventure style trips with fairly basic accommodation to luxury guided tours with 5* hotels and lodges.
There are pros and cons between a group tour and a tailor made one with your own private car and driver, so which should you choose?
Group Tours - pros
- Often a cheaper way of seeing Sri Lanka than a private tour.
- Everything is done and organised for you, so takes away all the stress of getting around.
- You'll tend to see more overall, although often there is free time included.
- Chance to mix with others who have similar travel interests.
- Some of the included experiences are a little tricky to arrange yourself, especially if not pre-arranged.
Tailor made trips - pros
- Can choose exactly where you visit and for how long.
- Hand picked accommodation in excellent locations.
- Greater flexibility in how long you spend at any particular attraction.
- You can usually be more flexible about where and when you eat.
- You can get around at a more relaxing pace.
There's been a recent trend of smaller group sizes in the last few years so one thing to consider is how many others will you be travelling with. It's a very different experience going with a group of 6 to a group of 48 for example.
While the bulk of the itinerary may be fairly fixed, it may be possible to book an extension either before or after your trip. For example we can often arrange for you to arrive in Colombo a couple of days earlier than the tour starts, giving you the chance to have a few days by the beach before the tour starts. And the flights can be arranged to your requirements - so you might choose Sri Lankan Airways for a direct flight, or perhaps Emirates for a regional airport departure and possible stopover in Dubai on the way back.
Guide Prices: As a very rough guide, a typical 2 week small group tour of Sri Lanka costs from around £3000 per person including flights, transfers, various meals and most excursions.
For expert advice in booking your holiday, please contact Tom:
Call 01462 677 111
Email holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk
When to go? 🔆
Here's a quick guide to all the months of the year. Generally speaking, the first few months of the year have the best weather, although summer months are also good. It will be warm throughout the year except in the hill country where it will be several degrees cooler. In May prices come down from their post Christmas peak.
January - one of the best months to travel, generally warm and sunny
February - one of the best months to travel, generally very warm and sunny
March - one of the best months to travel, generally very warm and sunny
April - one of the best months to travel, generally very warm and sunny, although a few more showers
May - generally very warm and sunny, although a few more showers, and prices are now lower for a couple of months
June - generally warm and sunny with few showers
July - generally warm and sunny with few showers
August - generally warm and sunny with few showers, best month for elephants in Minneriya
September - generally warm and sunny with few showers
October - generally warm and sunny with few more showers
November - generally warm and sunny with few more showers
December - generally warm and sunny with few showers
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How does it work with getting a quotation?
A. Please either call us or email with a few basic details such as when you'd like to travel, how long for, and any places you would really like to visit. If you have a budget in mind then it would be useful to know so that we can suggest accommodation accordingly. We'll send you a FREE no-obligation quotation by email, and from there you can tweak things as much as you like until you have the perfect trip.
Q. What type of transport will it be in Sri Lanka on a tailor made holiday?
A. For a couple or small family, you will travel around in a standard car. However if there are more of you, lets say 5, then a bigger vehicle is used. Cars are always big enough to accommodate all your luggage.
Q. Are entrance fees included on tailor made holidays in Sri Lanka?
A. Sometimes - entrance fees to the sites are not always included, although the transport to get there is. This is because you may not decide where to go until the day itself.
Q. Are entrance fees included on escorted tours in Sri Lanka?
A. Yes - this is because escorted tours follow a fixed itinerary.
Q. How long is the flight?
A. The direct Heathrow to Colombo service takes 10.5 hours.
Q. What airports can I travel from in the UK?
A. Sri Lankan Airlines fly direct to Colombo from Heathrow, and Emirates fly from several UK airports via Dubai.
Q. Is the holiday ATOL protected?
A. Yes. You are 100% financially protected, and will receive your yellow ATOL certificate by email shortly after the booking has been confirmed.
Q. Am I buying a package?
A. Yes - this means that you have 100% financial protection.
Q. What other countries can I combine a holiday to Sri Lanka with?
A. The most popular is the Maldives extension, but if you travel with Emirates then you can also include a stop in Dubai to make a triple centre holiday - Dubai, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
Q. When do I have to pay the balance?
A. usually around 10 weeks before departure.
Q. What is the currency used?
A. In Sri Lanka it is the Sri Lankan Rupee. Credit cards are widely accepted, especially to pay any hotel extras.
Q. Do I need a visa for Sri lanka?
A. You do now for Sri Lanka. It is US50 - it is fairly straightforward and we will send you the link after booking.
Q. Is alcohol freely available?
A. Yes except on one day every month in Sri Lanka called a Poya day. You can only get alcohol on that day via room service or the mini bar.
Q. I am confused about travelling distances in Sri Lanka. Some websites say that it takes 4.5 hours to get back from the airport from Galle, while you say just over 2 hours.
A. It used to be 4.5 hours but a new road has now been opened (at last!) which means MUCH quicker journeys down to the beach resorts of the South West.
Honeymoons and Anniversaries ♥️
Sri Lanka and the Maldives is a wonderful choice for a honeymoon or special wedding anniversary, and over the years we have helped many couples plan their dream trip.
The combination of being able to sit and watch world class wildlife, enjoy unique cultural experiences and stay amin stunning scenery makes this a once in a lifetime holiday.
Many hotels are especially suited to a romantic escape. For example you could spend a few nights in a Paddy Dwelling at Jetwing Vil Uyana, beautifully furnished on the inside with expansive views and your own private plunge pool on the decking area.
Or you could stay in a unique Cocoon Suite at Wild Coast Tented Lodge with your own private outdoor viewing deck which overlooks a watering hole attracting birds and wildlife.
Then finish your trip at the luxury Anantara Peace Haven, one of the finest hotels in Sri Lanka, with dreamy ocean views to view from your terrace or balcony.
There's so many ways to make your holiday extra special - and if your budget doesn't extend to being able to stay in luxury hotels everywhere, we'll suggest how you can get at least a few nights somewhere that will provide lasting memories for years to come!
Make an Enquiry
| Call | 01462 677111 |
| holidays@onyourtravels.co.uk |
