Sri Lanka · Tea Plantation Tours

5-Day Sri Lanka Highlands Tour from Colombo with Horton Plains

5 Days Round trip from Colombo Moderate pace

Land at Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport for the tour

Go to St. Claire's Falls in Nuwara Eliya

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Visit the famous landmarks of Colombo
02 Admire the beautiful Devon Falls and St. Clair's Falls
03 Explore Horton Plains National Park in Sri Lanka's Central Highlands
04 Marvel at the UNESCO-listed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy
05 Stop at a tea plantation and tea factory in the hill country

Explore Sri Lanka's World Heritage-listed Central Highlands on this 5-day tour from Colombo, with overnight stays in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy. Discover Colombo's famous landmarks, admire Devon Falls and St. Clair's Falls, and explore Horton Plains National Park. Visit a tea plantation and tea factory, and see the UNESCO-listed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy before returning to the airport.

Visit a tea plantation and tea factory, and see the UNESCO-listed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy before returning to the airport.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Moderate

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Yes

Cities Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Katunayake, Horton Plains National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival and Colombo City Landmarks

Pick up at Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport by your guide and transfer to your hotel in Colombo.
Visit Colombo's famous landmarks, including Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Beira Lake, Colombo Racecourse, the Planetarium, the University of Colombo, Mount Lavinia Beach, Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo Lotus Tower (under construction), as well as the National Museum.

Day 02

Scenic Drive to Nuwara Eliya

Drive to Nuwara Eliya (approx. 5 hours' drive).
En route, visit beautiful waterfalls such as Devon Falls and St. Clair's Falls.
Stop in Nuwara Eliya for a city tour.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 03

Horton Plains and Pedro Tea Factory

Drive to Horton Plains National Park and enjoy exploring this park.
Stop by the Pedro Tea Factory.

Return to the hotel, where you will spend the night.

Day 04

Kandy City Tour and Sacred Tooth Relic

Drive to Kandy (approx. 3 hours' drive).
Visit the famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Enjoy a city tour of Kandy, including a stroll along Upper Lake Drive, Market Square, gem lapidary, and more.

Overnight stay in Kandy.

Day 05

Return to Colombo and Departure

Drive from Kandy back to Colombo.
Go straight to Bandaranaike International Colombo Airport to catch your flight.

Where this trip takes you

Horton Plains National Park, Devon Falls, St. Clair's Falls, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Colombo 5 cities · 5 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

English-speaking Sri Lankan driver/guide
Bottled water
Free Wi-Fi during the whole tour
Transport in a private A/C vehicle (van and car)
Local insurance for the vehicle
Passenger insurance cover
Sri Lanka Tourism Board-registered licence

What's Not Included

Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Tips and gratuities
Personal expenses
National Park fees
Local taxes and all taxes

What to bring

Travel documents for your airport arrival and departure
Comfortable clothing suitable for Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, and Kandy
Comfortable walking shoes for sightseeing and exploring Horton Plains National Park

Know before you go

Nuwara Eliya Tour: Nuwara Eliya (City of Lights) is a resort city in the Central Mountain Range of Sri Lanka. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate - the coolest area in Sri Lanka. Devon Falls, known as the 'Veil of the Valley', is situated 6 km (3.7 mi) west of Talawakele, on the A7 highway. The falls are named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby. The waterfall is 97 m (318 ft) high and is the 19th highest in the country. The falls are formed by Kothmale Oya, a tributary of the Mahaweli River. The altitude of Devon Falls is 1,140 m (3,740 ft) above sea level. St. Clair's Falls is one of the widest waterfalls in Sri Lanka and is commonly known as the "Little Niagara of Sri Lanka". It is one of six waterfalls affected by the Upper Kotmale Hydropower Project. Surrounded by hills and tea plantations, the town of Nuwara Eliya is blessed with spring-like weather throughout the year. A favourite retreat of the British during colonial times, the town is dotted with English country-style houses and half-timbered bungalows.
Horton Plains National Park Tour: Start your day early at Horton Plains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and take a guided walk along the nature trails to a viewpoint known as World's End (approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes' drive). Visit a tea plantation and tea factory where some of the best tea in the world is produced. Today, more than 200,000 hectares in the highlands and other areas are under tea, and around 300 million kilograms are produced, with 25% of world tea exports coming from Sri Lanka as the world's largest tea exporter.
Kandy Tour: Kandy is a major city located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies amidst the hills of the Kandy Plateau, which crosses tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Logistics