Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Tea trains, ancient cities and leopard country
Why go
Sri Lanka fits a remarkable amount into a compact loop. From the Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya, Dambulla, ancient Polonnaruwa) you climb into the hills to Kandy and the tea country around Ella — with a ride on the famously scenic blue train — then drop to the south coast for whales at Mirissa, a leopard safari at Yala or Wilpattu, and a few days on the beach at Tangalle or Weligama. Roads are slow but short; the driving is part of it.
Trip highlights
- Climb Sigiriya at first light
- The blue train, Kandy to Ella
- Leopard safari at Yala or Wilpattu
- Whale watching off Mirissa
Ways to travel Sri Lanka
Classic island loop
Cultural Triangle, tea country and the south coast over ten days with a car and chauffeur-guide.
Hills and beach
Skip the long drives — Kandy, Ella and a south-coast beach, linked by the scenic train.
Safari focus
Two national parks — Wilpattu and Yala — with an expert tracker and tented camps.
Sri Lanka itineraries to start from
Ready-made routes you can tweak — change hotels, add nights, combine with another destination.
Let's build your Sri Lanka trip
Send us a rough idea — a destination, a month, a budget — and we'll come back with a plan you can actually picture yourself on.