Sigiriya & Dambulla
Heritance Kandalama
Built into a cliff above the tank by Geoffrey Bawa, and slowly being taken back by the jungle.
Partner rate on request
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10 nights · Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Yala and the south coast
Sri Lanka in 10 days: the whole island
Ten nights, five bases, and no day spent backtracking. The Cultural Triangle first, then Kandy, the hill country, two safari mornings in the south, and the beach to finish.
What this trip includes
10 nights in hand-picked hotelsfrom US$45 a night
Full board, every nightIncluded
Every drive between your hotelsOn us
Deposit or card details onlineNone
Get my quote for this route
Real prices for your dates, usually within the hour.
Map: the Sri Lankan Essential route with drive times marked
Where you sleep
Sights along the way
Day by day
A pace that leaves room to sit still. Every day can be changed, and anything you add goes on the same quote.
1day
Sigiriya region
2day
Sigiriya region
Sleep at Heritance KandalamaDambulla Caves Temple (UNESCO)
3day
Kandy region
4day
Kandy region
5day
Hill country
Sleep at 98 Acres Resort & Spa[Drive time], includedTea factory and plantation visitHill country train journey
6day
Hill country
7day
The southern parks
Sleep at Cinnamon Wild Yala[Drive time], includedUdawalawe National Park safariElephant Transit Home
8day
The southern parks
9day
South coast
10day
South coast
Sleep at Weligama Bay ResortA day at leisure
Where you'll stay
One hotel at each stop, two nights each, so you are not packing every morning. Swap any of them and the quote updates.
Kandy Star rating [to confirm]
Earl's Regency
A big hotel in the hills just outside Kandy, with the town close enough for the temple but far enough to be quiet.
Partner rate on request
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Ella & the hills Star rating [to confirm]
98 Acres Resort & Spa
Chalets built on a working tea estate, looking straight across at Little Adam's Peak.
Partner rate on request
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Yala & Udawalawe Star rating [to confirm]
Cinnamon Wild Yala
Cabins in the scrub at the edge of Yala, where the wildlife wanders through the property.
Partner rate on request
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Weligama & Mirissa Star rating [to confirm]
Weligama Bay Resort
On the long shallow bay at Weligama, the gentlest stretch of the south coast.
Partner rate on request
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What's included, and what isn't
No surprises when you land. If something isn't on the left, it's either on the right or it's an add-on we'll quote separately.
Included
- Ten nights in our partner hotels, at our partner rates
- Full board throughout: breakfast, lunch and dinner at your hotel
- A private driver for every drive between your hotels
- One planner on WhatsApp, from your first message to the airport
- Changes to the route before you travel
Not included
- Flights
- Entrance fees at temples, parks and national parks — ask us what is covered on your route
- Meals away from your hotel
- Anything you add to the trip that is not listed above
Where this route stops
Honest guides to every area on this trip: what each one is good for, and what it is not.
Sigiriya & Dambulla
History, early risers, wildlife, and a quiet couple of nights.
Kandy
Temples, gardens, and breaking the drive between the Cultural Triangle and the hills.
Ella & the hills
Walking, tea country views, and the train in from Kandy or Nanu Oya.
Yala & Udawalawe
Wildlife, families with older children, and early mornings.
Weligama & Mirissa
Families, first-time surfers, whale watching, and two flat nights at the end of a trip.
Add these along the way
Private experiences run by our own team, added to the same quote as your hotels.
Sunrise at Sigiriya rock
- Duration
- Half day
- When
- All year
- Run by
- Genuine Sri Lankans
Pidurangala at sunrise
- Duration
- 3 hours
- When
- All year
- Run by
- Genuine Sri Lankans
Photo needed: the painted ceilings inside the Dambulla cave temple
Dambulla cave temple
- Duration
- 2 hours
- When
- All year
- Run by
- Genuine Sri Lankans
Elephant safari, Minneriya
- Duration
- Half day
- When
- Best July to October
- Run by
- Genuine Sri Lankans
Questions people ask about this route
If yours isn't here, ask it on WhatsApp. It's the same people either way.
Can we change the route?
Yes. Add a night, swap a hotel, or finish somewhere else on the coast. The quote updates and the drives between your hotels stay included.
Is ten nights enough for the whole island?
For this loop, yes. Two nights at each of five bases means you unpack once per stop and keep one full day free everywhere.
What does full board mean here?
Breakfast, lunch and dinner at your hotel are included on every night of this route. Meals you eat out on the road are not.
Do we pay anything online?
No. You agree the plan with us on WhatsApp and we confirm how and when to pay once you are happy with it.
Every drive on this route is covered by our own driver. How a private driver works in Sri Lanka.
Other routes
Same driver, same planner, a different shape of trip.
Suggested route 10 nights
Hills and the south coast
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Haputale and the south coast
For people who would rather go high and then go flat than tick off ancient cities. Four nights in the hills, four on the coast.
Price based on
- 10 nights in partner hotels, 2 adults
- Hotels from US$45 a night
- Full board, and every drive between hotels included
Suggested route 10 nights
Ancient cities and Kandy
Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Kandy
For people who want the ancient cities rather than the beaches. Anuradhapura and Mihintale first, then the rock and the cave temple.
Price based on
- 10 nights in partner hotels, 2 adults
- Hotels from US$45 a night
- Full board, and every drive between hotels included
Want this route? Tell us your dates.
We'll match hotels to your budget and send one quote for the whole trip. Change any stop, add nights, or swap a hotel you've already got your eye on.
WhatsApp us
Send your dates and who's travelling. We'll reply with a plan and real prices.
Start a chatUsually within the hour, 7am to 10pm
Email us
Prefer email? Tell us what you have in mind and we'll write back with a full plan.
travel@genuinesrilankans.comReplied to the same day
Book a video call
Plan it face to face with a planner, and see the hotels and routes on screen together.
Choose a timeNext-day slots usually available
The planning team at Genuine Sri Lankans, answering from Sri Lanka