How many nights do I need?

We suggest 8–14 nights. Our Sri Lanka packages can be extended or shortened to suit you.

Can I combine Sri Lanka with another destination?

Yes. Many travellers pair it with a neighbouring destination — use the trip builder or mention it in your inquiry.

Sigiriya Rock rising above green forest under an overcast sky, framed by leaves, Sri Lanka

Asia · 21 holiday packages

Sri Lanka

Q: Do I need a visa?

Requirements depend on your nationality. Please check official government guidance; we can point you to the right resources.

Ancient rock fortresses, tea hills and wild coasts

Explore packages Customise your trip

Why go to Sri Lanka

A compact island of ancient cities, misty tea country, leopards in Yala and palm-fringed southern beaches.

Most travellers begin in Colombo. Our specialists typically suggest 8–14 nights to see the highlights without rushing — longer if you’d like to combine regions or add beach time.

Best time: Dec–Apr (west & south)
Suggested length: 8–14 nights
Packages from: $332 pp
Main gateway: Colombo
Time zone: UTC+5:30
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)

Sri Lanka at a glance

Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Capital: Colombo
Region: Southern Asia, Asia
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Languages: Sinhala, Tamil
Dialling code: +94
ISO codes: LK · LKA · 144
Local time: —Asia/Colombo

Country details are maintained by our travel specialists. Live weather is provided by an external service and updates automatically.

Live weather

Colombo

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Best time to visit

Recommended: Dec–Apr (west & south)Possible, with trade-offs

Key attractions & experiences

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

A granite column rising about 180 m above the forest, crowned with the ruins of King Kassapa's 5th-century palace and reached through the paws of a giant brick lion.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy

Kandy's royal temple houses the relic of the Buddha's tooth, revered across the Buddhist world, beside the lake at the heart of the last Sinhalese capital.

Blue train crossing the stone Nine Arches Bridge amid forest in Ella, Sri Lanka

Ella & the hill country

A small, cool hill village about 1,040 m up, where tea slopes, short summit hikes and the stone Nine Arch Bridge sit within easy walking distance of town.

Yala National Park

A large protected area of scrub, forest, grassland and lagoons on the south-east coast, renowned for one of the world's highest leopard densities and for elephants.

Destination guide

Explore 22 places in Sri Lanka

Landmarks, sacred sites, islands, parks and food streets — each with its story, the best time to go and what’s nearby.

22 places in Sri Lanka

Heritage

Sigiriya, Matale District, Central Province

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

A granite column rising about 180 m above the forest, crowned with the ruins of King Kassapa's 5th-century palace and reached through the paws of a giant brick lion.

Explore

Religious site

Kandy, Central Province

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy

Kandy's royal temple houses the relic of the Buddha's tooth, revered across the Buddhist world, beside the lake at the heart of the last Sinhalese capital.

Explore

Nature

Ella, Badulla District, Uva Province

Ella & the hill country

A small, cool hill village about 1,040 m up, where tea slopes, short summit hikes and the stone Nine Arch Bridge sit within easy walking distance of town.

Explore

National park

Southern and Uva Provinces, south-east Sri Lanka

Yala National Park

A large protected area of scrub, forest, grassland and lagoons on the south-east coast, renowned for one of the world's highest leopard densities and for elephants.

Explore

Forest-covered Pidurangala Rock seen from the top of Sigiriya, under a bright sky with white clouds

Viewpoint

Sigiriya, Matale District, Central Province

Pidurangala Rock

A short, scrambly climb past a brick reclining Buddha to a bare rock summit about 1 km north of Sigiriya, with a face-on view of Lion Rock at sunrise or sunset.

Explore

Row of golden seated Buddha statues beneath a painted rock ceiling in a dim cave at Dambulla

Religious site

Dambulla, Matale District, Central Province

Dambulla Cave Temple

A cave monastery of five shrines high on a rock above Dambulla, with about 2,100 square metres of Buddhist murals and well over 150 statues.

Explore

Stone staircase with guardian stone and moonstone leading up to the ruined Vatadage and seated Buddha at Polonnaruwa

Heritage

Polonnaruwa, North Central Province

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

The second capital of ancient Sri Lanka, where 12th-century palaces, image houses and the colossal rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara spread beside the Parakrama Samudra reservoir.

Explore

White dome and spire of a great stupa rising above trees and palms under a clear blue sky at Anuradhapura

Religious site

Anuradhapura, North Central Province

Sacred City of Anuradhapura

For well over a thousand years Sri Lanka's royal capital, now a living pilgrimage city of huge stupas, ancient monasteries and the revered Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi tree.

Explore

Wild Asian elephants feeding on green grass at the edge of the forest in Minneriya

National park

Minneriya, Polonnaruwa District, North Central Province

Minneriya National Park

A national park around the 3rd-century Minneriya tank, famous for the dry-season Gathering, when large numbers of wild Asian elephants graze the grasslands at the water's edge.

Explore

All things to do in Sri Lanka →

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Waves rolling onto Bentota's beach with swimmers in the sea and a hotel-lined shore in the distance

BeachCulture

Sri Lanka · 3 nights3★ Hotel

Bentota Beach, Galle & Colombo — 3-Star Hotels

Two nights on Bentota beach
Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage town
Madu River boat ride & turtle hatchery

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$332 pp

BeachCulture

Sri Lanka · 3 nights4★ Hotel

Bentota Beach, Galle & Colombo — 4-Star Hotels

Two nights on Bentota beach
Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage town
Madu River boat ride & turtle hatchery

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$384 pp

BeachCulture

Sri Lanka · 3 nights5★ Hotel

Bentota Beach, Galle & Colombo — 5-Star Hotels

Two nights on Bentota beach
Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage town
Madu River boat ride & turtle hatchery

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$430 pp

CultureBeach

Sri Lanka · 3 nights3★ Hotel

Kandy, Bentota & Colombo — 3-Star Hotels

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Galle Fort & Madu River boat ride

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$384 pp

CultureBeach

Sri Lanka · 3 nights4★ Hotel

Kandy, Bentota & Colombo — 4-Star Hotels

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Galle Fort & Madu River boat ride

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$418 pp

CultureBeach

Sri Lanka · 3 nights5★ Hotel

Kandy, Bentota & Colombo — 5-Star Hotels

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Galle Fort & Madu River boat ride

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$476 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights3★ Hotel

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya & Bentota — 3-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country & Ramboda Falls
Seetha Amman Temple & Hakgala Gardens

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$493 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights4★ Hotel

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya & Bentota — 4-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country & Ramboda Falls
Seetha Amman Temple & Hakgala Gardens

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$550 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights5★ Hotel

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya & Bentota — 5-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country & Ramboda Falls
Seetha Amman Temple & Hakgala Gardens

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$637 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights3★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy & Colombo — 3-Star Hotels

Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Elephant safari in Minneriya
Temple of the Tooth & Kandy Lake

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$435 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights4★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy & Colombo — 4-Star Hotels

Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Elephant safari in Minneriya
Temple of the Tooth & Kandy Lake

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$499 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 4 nights5★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy & Colombo — 5-Star Hotels

Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Elephant safari in Minneriya
Temple of the Tooth & Kandy Lake

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$614 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 5 nights3★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy, Tea Country & Bentota — 3-Star Hotels

Sigiriya Rock & Dambulla Cave Temple
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country around Nuwara Eliya

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$493 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 5 nights4★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy, Tea Country & Bentota — 4-Star Hotels

Sigiriya Rock & Dambulla Cave Temple
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country around Nuwara Eliya

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$596 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 5 nights5★ Hotel

Sigiriya, Kandy, Tea Country & Bentota — 5-Star Hotels

Sigiriya Rock & Dambulla Cave Temple
Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Tea country around Nuwara Eliya

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$706 pp

NatureCulture

Sri Lanka · 6 nights3★ Hotel

Kandy, Tea Country, Yala Safari & Bentota — 3-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Nuwara Eliya tea country
Ella's Nine Arch Bridge & Ravana Falls

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$533 pp

NatureCulture

Sri Lanka · 6 nights4★ Hotel

Kandy, Tea Country, Yala Safari & Bentota — 4-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Nuwara Eliya tea country
Ella's Nine Arch Bridge & Ravana Falls

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$660 pp

NatureCulture

Sri Lanka · 6 nights5★ Hotel

Kandy, Tea Country, Yala Safari & Bentota — 5-Star Hotels

Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
Nuwara Eliya tea country
Ella's Nine Arch Bridge & Ravana Falls

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$832 pp

A speedboat leaves a white wake across the deep blue sea below the cliffs, seen from Koneswaram Kovil

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 6 nights3★ Hotel

Ramayana Trail: Trincomalee to Yala & Bentota — 3-Star Hotels

Munneswaram & Koneswaram temples
Seetha Amman Temple & Ashok Vatika
Ravana Falls, Ravana Cave & Divurumpola

Includes 3-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$648 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 6 nights4★ Hotel

Ramayana Trail: Trincomalee to Yala & Bentota — 4-Star Hotels

Munneswaram & Koneswaram temples
Seetha Amman Temple & Ashok Vatika
Ravana Falls, Ravana Cave & Divurumpola

Includes 4-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$711 pp

CultureNature

Sri Lanka · 6 nights5★ Hotel

Ramayana Trail: Trincomalee to Yala & Bentota — 5-Star Hotels

Munneswaram & Koneswaram temples
Seetha Amman Temple & Ashok Vatika
Ravana Falls, Ravana Cave & Divurumpola

Includes 5-star hotels · private car & chauffeur · breakfast & dinner · airport transfers

Indicative from

$913 pp

Want something different?Build a Sri Lanka trip around your own dates, pace and interests.Customise your trip

Sample itinerary

Bentota Beach, Galle & Colombo — 3-Star Hotels

4 days · 3★ hotel · indicative from $332 pp. Every day can be adjusted.

View full package

Day 1
Arrive & transfer to Bentota
Your chauffeur meets you at Bandaranaike International Airport (Colombo) with a welcome garland. Drive down the coast to Bentota (about 2½ hours), check in and relax on the beach.
Day 2
Galle Fort & Bentota
Explore Galle Fort, the UNESCO-listed walled town built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch and kept by the British — ramparts, lighthouse, colonial streets, cafés and boutiques. Back in Bentota: Bentota city tour with a boat ride on the Madu River through mangroves and islands, and a visit to the Kosgoda turtle hatchery, a conservation project protecting Sri Lanka's sea turtles. Water sports (jet ski, banana boat, tube ride) are optional.
Day 3
Bentota to Colombo
Drive to Colombo (about 2½ hours). Colombo city tour: Gangaramaya Temple, Independence Square, the Port City, Pettah bazaar and the Fort district, then a sunset walk on Galle Face Green. Time for shopping at ODEL, Majestic City or the Pettah markets.
Day 4
Departure
After breakfast, transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your flight home. (about 45 minutes)

Food, culture & things to do

Food

Rice and curry, hoppers, kottu roti

Culture

Buddhist temples and Kandyan dance

Shopping

Ceylon tea, gems and batik

Activities

Safaris, surfing, Ayurveda

Practical information

Language: Sinhala, Tamil, English
Currency: Sri Lankan rupee (LKR)
Time zone: UTC+5:30
Gateway: Colombo
Best for: Wildlife, History, Islands, Wellness

Entry requirements depend on your nationality. Please check official government guidance before you travel — your specialist can point you to the right resources.