Sri Lanka · Culture

10-Day Sri Lanka Culture and Safari Tour with Hill Country Train Ride

10 Days Round trip from Negombo Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore Kandy's cultural heart with visits to the Temple of the Tooth, botanical gardens, and traditional dance performances
02 Journey through Sri Lanka's tea country in Nuwara Eliya with plantation visits, waterfall stops, and tea tastings
03 Ride the iconic Nanu Oya to Ella train through misty hills, lush valleys, and scenic mountain landscapes
04 Experience wildlife safaris in Udawalawe and Yala National Parks, spotting elephants, leopards, sloth bears, and birdlife
05 Discover the southern coastline with visits to Galle Dutch Fort, Mirissa, Weligama, and Hikkaduwa beaches
06 Unwind in Bentota with golden beaches, a mangrove river safari, and a visit to a turtle hatchery

Experience Sri Lanka on a dynamic 10-day journey that blends cultural heritage, scenic highlands, wildlife encounters, and coastal relaxation. Travel from Negombo to Kandy, where sacred temples, botanical gardens, and vibrant cultural performances bring the island's traditions to life. Continue into the cool hill country of Nuwara Eliya for tea plantations, waterfalls, and colonial-era landscapes, then enjoy the scenic train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella. The adventure continues with wildlife experiences in Udawalawe and Yala National Parks, before ending with beach time and coastal visits in Bentota, Galle, Mirissa, Weligama, and Hikkaduwa.

Experience Sri Lanka on a dynamic 10-day journey that blends cultural heritage, scenic highlands, wildlife encounters, and coastal relaxation.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 10 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Premium

Transport Included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Bentota, Mirissa, Negombo, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Yala National Park, Hikkaduwa, Udawalawe National Park, Weligama

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Colombo and Transfer to Negombo

On arrival, you will be met by our English-speaking chauffeur guide at the airport and proceed to Negombo for an overnight stay.
Check into your hotel and get some rest after a long flight.

Overnight stay in Colombo.

Day 02

Drive to Kandy via Elephant Millennium

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Kandy for a 2-night stay.
En route, visit Elephant Millennium, where you can bathe an elephant in the river and take a walk with them.
Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

Day 03

Kandy City Tour and Temple of the Tooth

After breakfast at the hotel, explore the city of Kandy.
Visit the Royal Botanical Garden, Batik Factory, and Wood Carving Center.
In the late afternoon, visit the Temple of the Tooth, where a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined. Religious services (pooja), accompanied by traditional drumming, are held at the temple daily at dawn, midday, and in the evening.
Witness the cultural dance show in Kandy.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

Day 04

Scenic Hill Country Drive to Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a scenic drive to the tea hill country of Nuwara Eliya for an overnight stay.
En route, visit Ramboda Waterfalls, Hanuman Temple, a tea plantation, and a tea factory. Explore the tea estate and tea factory, where you will gain insight into the manufacturing process as well as an opportunity to taste different grades of hill country tea.
Visit Gregory Lake.

Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 05

Train Ride to Ella and Local Sightseeing

After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Ella for an overnight stay.
Catch a scenic train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella. Our driver will drop you off at the Nanu Oya train station and pick you up from the Ella train station.
Visit the Nine Arches Bridge, Rawana Waterfalls, and explore the town.

Overnight stay in Ella.

Day 06

Via Udawalawe to Yala

After breakfast at the hotel, proceed to Yala for a 2-night stay.
En route, visit the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, where you can witness 30-40 baby elephants being bottle-fed by hand. After that, you can take a safari jeep to Udawalawe National Park (optional).
Drive towards Yala for an overnight stay.

Day 07

Yala Jeep Safari Experience

In the morning, enjoy free time at leisure at the hotel.
In the afternoon, take another jeep safari to Yala National Park, where you can spot leopards, sloth bears, elephants, birds, and many more wild animals.

Overnight stay in Yala.

Day 08

Coastal Drive to Bentota via Southern Beaches

After breakfast at the hotel, drive to Bentota for the last two nights of your beach stay.
En route, visit Weligama Beach, Galle Dutch Fort, Mirissa Beach, and Hikkaduwa Beach.

Overnight stay in Bentota.

Day 09