With its white-sanded beaches, mystical cave temples and beautiful nature, Sri Lanka has a lot to offer. This tropical island is home to amazing landmarks like Sigiriya’s Lion Rock, Ella’s Nine Arch Bridge and Dambulla’s cave temples. This 10-day itinerary for Sri Lanka will bring you to the country’s most iconic places.
Being one of the cheapest Asian countries, Sri Lanka is an excellent destination for budget travellers. It’s a country that history buffs, culture lovers and nature or beach lovers will adore.
Sri Lanka was the first country I visited when I started travelling full-time and I travelled around here for 2,5 months. This itinerary includes all of the highlights of my trip that can be seen in 10 days.
But without further ado, here’s the ultimate travel itinerary to make the most out of your 10 days in beautiful Sri Lanka!
10-Day Sri Lanka Itinerary for First Timers
This itinerary is a little packed so that it can include the highlights of Sri Lanka in just 10 days. If you have more time, then you could stay in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella or somewhere else for a little longer. It all depends on your personal preferences.
If you would like to take it a bit slower, you could consider skipping your least favourite destination and spending more time somewhere else. We all have a different style of travelling, after all!
Day 1: Colombo
Most of the Sri Lankan itineraries don’t include the island’s capital, Colombo, and many people decide to skip it. However, there are quite some nice things to see in this underrated city.
With its rich history, interesting museums and colonial buildings, Colombo is a perfect introduction to Sri Lanka. You will most likely land at Colombo’s airport when you enter the country, and this is the perfect opportunity to spend a day in this bustling city!
All in all, if you’re asking me, Colombo is worth visiting for a day.
🛕 Highlights of Colombo:
- Seema Malakaya: This Buddhist temple is one of my favourite places in Colombo! It was constructed in the late 19th century and it’s beautifully located by Beira Lake. Besides serving as a temple, it’s also a learning centre.
- Gangaramaya Vihara Temple: Built around a sacred Bodhiya tree, this is one of the most important temples in Colombo. It houses a large amount of Buddha statues and dates back to the late 19th century.
- National Museum: This is Sri Lanka’s largest museum and you will find many artefacts here. During a visit to this museum, you will learn a lot about Sri Lanka’s interesting history, from ancient times until its colonisation.
- Red Mosque (Jami Ul-Alfar Masjid): With its red and white colours and unique design, this unique mosque looks like it’s made of candy. It was completed in 1909, which makes it one of the oldest mosques in Colombo. The mosque is located in the Pettah area, which is worth exploring too!
- Galle Face Green: If you want to catch a glimpse of local life in Colombo, then Galle Face Green is the place to be. Its oceanfront promenade is the place where the locals head to relax or play with their children.
- Colonial buildings: You will find plenty of beautiful colonial buildings in Colombo’s fort area. These buildings date back to the Dutch and British eras. Some examples are Cargills Department Store, St Peter’s Church and the Old Galle Buck Lighthouse.
Day 2 – 3: Sigiriya
Next, it’s time to head to Sigiriya, this town is part of the famous cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. It takes about 5 hours to get here from Colombo by train or 3,5 hours by private taxi.
Sigiriya is nestled in between lush green jungles and it’s home to the world-famous Lion Rock. This is one of the most famous landmarks in Asia.
For this itinerary, I would recommend stopping by the Dambulla Cave Temple on day 2 and then heading to Pidurangala Rock for sunrise on day 3.
After watching the sunrise at Pidurangala, you can head to the beautiful ancient city of Polonnaruwa. This is a 57 km (35.7 mi) drive from Sigiriya. You can either reach Polonnaruwa by local bus from Dambulla or by private car.
🛕 Highlights of Sigiriya:
- Pidurangala Rock: Watching the sunset over Lion Rock at Pidurangala Rock is definitely the best thing to do in Sigiriya! It’s a 30 to 40-minute hike up to reach the viewpoint and it’s one of these bucket list experiences in Sri Lanka.
- Lion Rock: Although Lion Rock can be visited, the entry ticket is quite expensive for foreigners ($30) and you will have a more beautiful view from Pidurangala Rock. I didn’t visit Lion Rock myself, so I wouldn’t know, but the opinions vary. Some people say it’s not worth the high entry fee while others say it’s a must-visit attraction in Sigiriya.
- Dambulla Cave Temple: These astonishing temples are a 20 km (12 mi) tuk-tuk ride from Sigiriya and it’s an additional short hike up a stairway to reach them. You will find five Buddhist cave shrines here, each of them containing beautiful statues. These temples date back to the 2nd century BCE.
- Polonnaruwa: The ancient city of Polonnaruwa is 57 km (35 mi) from Sigiriya. You can reach it by taking the local bus or a private taxi. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after Anuradhapura was destroyed in 993. This is a must-see for history buffs – there are plenty of beautiful ruins to see here.
Day 4: Kandy
Depending on your mode of transport, it takes 2 to 3 hours to get from Sigiriya to Kandy – around 2 hours by private car or about 3 hours by local bus. Head here in the early morning so that you have enough time to explore the city.
After arriving in Kandy, I would head to the botanical gardens, visit the Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue next and finish the day at Kandy Lake and the Temple of the Tooth. The best time to visit the latter is between 5 pm and 7 pm when monks perform rituals here.
🛕 Highlights of Kandy:
- Temple of the Tooth: This is the absolute highlight in Kandy. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth is one of the most important Buddhist temples in the world. It’s said to house the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha and monks perform rituals here every day.
- Peradeniya Botanical Garden: There’s also a gorgeous botanical garden in Kandy. This garden dates back to the 14th century and you will find around 4,000 different plant species here.
- Kandy Lake: Kandy Lake is a nice place for a short stroll. It’s located close to the Temple of the Tooth, so these are ideal to combine.
- Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha statue: This giant Buddha statue towers over Kandy and it can be seen from many places in the city. It’s a 2 km (1.2 mi) hike or tuk-tuk ride up steep streets if you want to see it up close.
Tip: If you have more time to spare in Kandy or if this seems like a place you’d enjoy, consider heading to the unique Ambuluwawa Tower. It takes about 1,5 hours to get here from Kandy and it’s spectacular!
Day 5: Nuwara Eliya (train ride from Ella to Kandy)
Today, it’s time to take part 1 of one of the most beautiful train rides in the world – the ride from Kandy to Ella. This is an absolute must on any Sri Lanka itinerary.
As the train ride from Kandy to Ella is quite a long journey of 7 to 8 hours, Nuwara Eliya is the perfect place to stop in between. On top of that, splitting the journey in two will give you a greater chance of finding a seat by the window.
Beautiful tea plantations surround the town of Nuwara Eliya and it’s less touristy than Ella. Besides its beautiful green tea plantations, Nuwara Eliya is also famous for its waterfalls and British colonial buildings.
It will take around 3,5 hours to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya so make sure to leave early so that you have the rest of the day left to visit the place.
🛕 Highlights of Nuwara Eliya:
- Waterfalls: There are plenty of beautiful waterfalls to visit in Nuwara Eliya. I visited Ramboda Falls and Bomburu Falls, and loved both of them! If you’re short on time, you could head to Lover’s Leap Waterfall instead. These falls are just a short drive from the town of Nuwara Eliya. Do make sure to ask if there’s water flowing first because sometimes it’s dry.
- Post office: Nuwara Eliya’s post office is located in the centre of the town. It was constructed by the British in 1894 and, like many buildings in Nuwara Eliya, it looks super British.
- Tea plantations: There are lots of tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya and most of them offer free tours and free tea tasting! I visited Damro Tea but there are many others, so you could even visit a few.
Day 6 & 7: Ella
After visiting Nuwara Eliya, it’s time to hop on the train to Ella. This is another beautiful train ride that takes about 3 to 4 hours.
There are plenty of things to do in Ella and this is one of my favourite destinations in Sri Lanka! This small town is surrounded by nature and offers plenty of great hiking opportunities. You will find lush green jungle hills, beautiful tea plantations and amazing waterfalls here.
Once you’ve arrived in Ella and rested a bit, you could head to the Nine Arch Bridge, which is a short hike from the centre.
On day 7, I would recommend doing the Little Adam’s Peak hike for sunrise, it’s truly magnificent!
After that, you can either marvel around the stunning tea plantations at Lipton’s Seat, head to the beautiful Diyaluma Falls or hike up Ella Rock. It all depends on your interests.
🛕 Highlights of Ella:
- Nine Arch Bridge: This photogenic colonial bridge was built by the British in 1921 and its name comes from the bridge’s nine arches. It’s located 2,5 km (1.9 mi) from the main street. You can either walk from here or take a tuk-tuk to the starting point of the path. From here, it’s a 10-minute walk to reach the bridge. This is one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic landmarks.
- Little Adam’s Peak: Hiking up to Little Adam’s Peak for sunrise was one of my favourite things to do in Sri Lanka! It’s an easy, 1-hour hike from Ella’s main street and the view from the top is spectacular!
- Ella Rock: This hike is a little more challenging than the hike to Little Adam’s Peak. It will take you over train tracks and through beautiful sceneries. Although I loved both of these hikes, I would suggest going to Little Adam’s Peak if you can’t do both.
- Diyaluma Falls: Head to Diyaluma Falls if you’re a waterfall lover. These are Sri Lanka’s second-highest falls and you can cool off in its natural pools. It’s a 1-hour ride plus a short hike to get to Diyaluma Falls.
- Lipton’s Seat: If you can’t get enough of tea plantations then Lipton’s Seat is a must-visit. Located 30 km (18 mi) from Ella, this is the scenic viewpoint in the middle of tea plantations where Mister Lipton himself used to sit to look at his property.
Eco tip: It might be tempting, but please don’t fly your drone at the Nine Arch Bridge as it upsets the bees. Bee attacks happen here daily and drones cause them.
Day 8 – 9: Mirissa
I have visited quite some beaches in Sri Lanka and Mirissa was my favourite one – even though I’m not the biggest beach lover.
If you’re travelling by local bus, you will have to take the bus from Ella to Matara (4 hours) first and take another bus to Mirissa from here. The journey takes about 4,5 hours in total.
Mirissa is the perfect place to relax a bit after having completed 7 days of this 10-day itinerary for Sri Lanka. You will find white-sanded beaches with palm trees here.
There are some nice places to visit and fun things to do in Mirissa. One of this town’s highlights is Coconut Tree Hill, which went viral on Instagram a couple of years ago. But Mirissa is also a nice place to go snorkelling and swim in the sea.
🛕 Highlights of Mirissa
- Coconut Tree Hill: This is one of the most Instagrammable places in Sri Lanka! This beautiful mound is full of palm trees and you can see the sea in the background. Do make sure to go early if you want to avoid hordes of crowds. I visited around 7:30 (in late February) and, unfortunately, it was already pretty packed.
- Mirissa beach: Relaxing in one of the beach bars, swimming and snorkelling in the sea are some of the best things to do at this beautiful beach.
- Parrot Rock viewpoint: This small island can easily be accessed from Mirissa Beach and from here, you will have the most beautiful view over the beach.
- Secret Beach: Secret Beach is a small, hidden beach where not too many people head to. It’s a 30-minute walk to get here from Mirissa Beach and when I visited it in the morning, it was empty!
Day 10: Galle
It takes a little over an hour to get from Mirissa to Galle by train. This charming, fortified city was built by the Portuguese and later conquered by the Dutch. In the olden days, it was used as a trading port for spices and other goods.
The best things to do in Galle are to wander around its charming streets, drink juice at one of its lovely cafes and admire the beautiful colonial architecture.
Galle is quite small (that rhymes) and it doesn’t take too long to cover the centre, so it’s okay to take it slow, shop for some nice Sri Lankan souvenirs and relax on this last day!
🛕 Highlights of Galle
- Lighthouse: This is Galle’s most famous sight and it’s super photogenic! The city’s original lighthouse was built by the British in 1848 but it was destroyed by a fire a little less than a century later. In 1939, the lighthouse that’s standing today was built 100 m (328 ft) further than its predecessor.
- Ramparts: Walking on Galle’s old ramparts is another must-do in this city (they’re a great place to watch the sunset too). These were originally built by the Portuguese and later expanded to the seaside by the Dutch.
- Colonial buildings: Strolling around Galle Fort in search of its colonial architecture was my favourite thing to do in this town. Some of the buildings you cannot miss are the Old Gate, the Groote Kerk (Big Church in Old Dutch) and the Old Saints Church.
Map and Schedule for the 10-Day Sri Lanka Itinerary
Day 1: Colombo
Day 2 – 3: Sigiriya
Day 4: Kandy
Day 5: Nuwara Eliya
Day 6 & 7: Ella
Day 8 – 9: Mirissa
Day 10: Galle
Alternative: Yala or Udawalawe National Park
If going on a safari is on your bucket list, then you could skip Nuwara Eliya and head to Yala or Udawalawe National Park instead. Then your itinerary would look like this:
- Day 1: Colombo
- Day 2 – 3: Sigiriya
- Day 4: Kandy
- Day 5 & 6: Ella
- Day 7 & 8: Yala or Udawalawe National Park
- Day 9: Mirissa
- Day 10: Galle
Why aren’t these on this 10-day itinerary for Sri Lanka?
I did three safaris in Sri Lanka, a jeep safari at Yala National Park, another jeep safari at Kumana National Park and a boat safari at Gal Oya National Park. The last one was my favourite, but Gal Oya is quite remote and it would take too long to get there on this short itinerary.
Although I did enjoy the jeep safaris in Yala and Kumana National Park, I don’t think these are the highlights of a trip to Sri Lanka if you’re short on time. Safaris here are not like they are in Africa, and sometimes, you don’t spot an animal for hours.
Additionally, I think safaris in Yala are too crowded for the animals, with tens of jeeps rushing all around and surrounding the animals.
Don’t keep this from going on a safari if this is something you want to do, though, as this is my humble opinion. Seeing an elephant or a leopard (I didn’t see any in Yala, but some people I met did) in the wild is one of these amazing bucket list adventures, after all!
Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka
The best time to visit Sri Lanka is between December and April. This is when the weather is at its best in the centre and on the West and South coasts, which is perfect for this itinerary.
On the East Coast of Sri Lanka, the weather is at its best from May to October. I went to the East Coast in March and the weather was nice, though. However, this is not a good time to good surfing or snorkelling in the sea.
How to Get Around Sri Lanka
As Sri Lanka is quite small, it’s easy to get around the country and the distances aren’t too big. You will find the best ways to get around the island below:
- Tuk-tuk: The best way to cover short distances is by hiring a tuk-tuk. Do make sure to negotiate the price in advance though, as tuk-tuk drivers charge more for foreigners. You can also use the Pick Me app, it works just like Uber, and this way, you will get a fair price immediately.
- Rent a tuk-tuk: I didn’t do it myself (yet) but renting your own tuk-tuk is probably the coolest (and most flexible) way to get around Sri Lanka!
- Local bus: Local buses are cheap, efficient and easy to take. Together with the train, this was my preferred method of transportation in Sri Lanka.
- Train: You cannot go to Sri Lanka and not take the train (think of the famous ride from Kandy to Ella, for example). Although trains in Sri Lanka aren’t the most comfortable and they’re often cramped (you can book in advance and there are different classes, though), travelling by train is a great way to see more of the country’s stunning landscapes!
- Rent a scooter: This is the easiest and most flexible way to cover shorter distances in Sri Lanka. You will find places that rent scooters all over the country.
I never booked a ticket in advance when I took the train or the bus, but you can book the train in advance if it gives you some peace of mind (or if you want to make sure to have a seat).
Sri Lanka Itinerary FAQs
Are 10 days enough in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is a beautiful island with many amazing places to discover. 10 days is just enough to see its highlights, but your itinerary will be quite packed.
How much do 10 days in Sri Lanka cost?
It all depends on your travel style, but if you’re on a tight budget, it’s possible to travel around Sri Lanka for 10 days for $250 or less. It’s easy to find cheap accommodation and food and transportation aren’t too expensive either.
Itinerary for 10 Days in Sri Lanka: Final Thoughts
The places mentioned in this itinerary were the absolute highlights of my 6 weeks in Sri Lanka solo. With its nice mix of culture, nature and beaches, it will give you a good idea of what this island is all about.
All in all, Sri Lanka is a country I really loved exploring. It has an interesting culture, beautiful nature and incredibly welcoming locals. Even though I visited the country when all the protests were going on due to the economic crisis, the locals were still incredibly warm and friendly.
I hope you found this itinerary helpful and that it helped you decide what places to visit during your 10 days in Sri Lanka!
Sri Lanka Travel Planning Guide
🛫 Find the cheapest flights to Sri Lanka on Skyscanner.
🏨 Find the best accommodation via Booking or Hostelworld.
🛺 Download the Pick Me app to order a rickshaw or a taxi.
💰 Get travel insurance via VisitorsCoverage, one of the best-reviewed travel insurance companies.
📋 Don’t forget to check if you need a visa to visit Sri Lanka.
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2 comments
Thank you so much for your blog, I was planning my trip tp sri lanka. although this will be my 4th visit I have never visited kandy and Ella and a lot of the other places that you mentioned. So I guess you plan my trip for me Better than I could have planned it myself. Finishing with Mirissa for the perfect surfing spots! yaY
Hi Zeina, thank you for your sweet comment, I’m happy this post was helpful! 🙂 Kandy and Ella are amazing, have a wonderful trip!