Sri Lanka Hill Country and South Coast
Overview
- Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
- Departures: Private, any date
- Group size: Private, from 2 travellers
- Accommodation: Comfortable 3–4★ hotels and boutique stays
- Country: Sri Lanka
A compact week in Sri Lanka: temples and gardens in Kandy, the train through tea country to Ella, two nights on the south coast near Galle and a final evening in Colombo.
This eight-day trip is a short introduction to two sides of Sri Lanka: the green, cool hill country and the warm south coast. It suits travellers with a week to spare, perhaps as a first visit or as part of a longer trip in the region.
You go straight from the airport to Kandy for two nights, visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the botanical gardens. Then comes the highlight for many people: the train ride through tea country to Ella, with two nights for walks, viewpoints and a tea factory. From there you drive down to the coast for two nights near Galle, and finish with an afternoon and night in Colombo before you fly home.
Starting in Kandy and ending in Colombo saves you a night in the city at the beginning and makes the most of the final day on the way to the airport.
The pace is moderate. There are only two nights in each place, and two travel days of about four hours by road, so this is a trip for travellers happy to keep moving. The train is slow and often crowded, and seats depend on availability. If you can add a few days, we suggest more time on the beach or adding Sigiriya before Kandy.
December to March brings the most settled weather in the hills and on the south coast. Rain is more likely on this side of the island from about May to September.
Day-by-day itinerary
After landing, meet your driver and head straight inland to Kandy, about three to four hours by road, so you start in the cooler hills rather than the city. Stop for a roadside lunch of hoppers or rice and curry on the way. Check in, rest, and take an easy evening walk along the shore of Kandy Lake.
Overnight: Kandy
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in the morning, when it is calmer, with your guide explaining the shrine’s importance to Sri Lankan Buddhists. Cover your shoulders and knees, and leave your shoes at the entrance. In the afternoon, wander the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya among royal palms, spice trees and flowering borders.
Overnight: Kandy · Meals: Breakfast
Today you ride one of the best-loved rail journeys on the island. The train climbs slowly through tea estates, eucalyptus forest and small hill stations, with waterfalls glimpsed between tunnels, and takes most of the day. Reserved seats depend on availability. Your driver goes ahead with the bags and meets you in Ella, a small, relaxed town.
Overnight: Ella · Meals: Breakfast
Start with the gentle hike to Little Adam’s Peak for morning views down Ella Gap. Then follow the trail through tea bushes to the Nine Arches Bridge, built in stone during the colonial era, to watch a train curve across it. After lunch, tour a tea factory and taste the different grades of leaf grown on the slopes around you.
Overnight: Ella · Meals: Breakfast
Drive south out of the hills, pausing at Ravana Falls, and descend to the warm lowlands and the coast, about four to five hours in total. You might pass stilt fishermen at work in the shallows near Koggala. Check into your hotel near Galle and spend what is left of the afternoon on the beach.
Overnight: Galle · Meals: Breakfast
Explore Galle Fort with your guide in the morning: the ramparts, the lighthouse, the old Dutch church and lanes of colonial houses now filled with cafés and small shops. The fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a lived-in town. Spend the afternoon by the sea, or go back inside the walls to watch the sunset.
Overnight: Galle · Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a final swim, then drive up the coast to Colombo, about two to two and a half hours by expressway. In the afternoon, see a different side of the island: the market lanes of Pettah, the eclectic Gangaramaya Temple and the colonial buildings of the Fort district. End the day watching the sun set over the sea at Galle Face Green.
Overnight: Colombo · Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, your driver takes you to the international airport north of the city, about an hour away depending on traffic. With an evening flight, you could fit in a morning at the National Museum or some last shopping for tea and spices before you leave.
Overnight: — · Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
- Accommodation for 7 nights with breakfast
- Private airport and hotel transfers
- Private car and driver throughout
- Local English-speaking guides in Kandy, Galle Fort and Colombo
- Reserved seats on the Kandy–Ella train, subject to availability
- Entrance fees to sights in the itinerary
- 24/7 support during your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Meals not listed
- Tips
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities such as surfing lessons or whale watching
Good to know
Sample itinerary: we adapt the route, hotels and dates to you and confirm everything in your written quote. Best December–March.
A private car and driver are with you from arrival. The airport to Kandy takes about three to four hours by road, Ella to Galle about four to five hours, and Galle to Colombo about two to two and a half hours by expressway. Kandy to Ella is by train, with reserved seats subject to availability; your driver takes your luggage and meets you at Ella station.
Frequently asked questions
Eight days is enough for the hill country and the south coast at a moderate pace. To add the ancient cities and Sigiriya, plan on about twelve days or more.
Reserved seats on the Kandy–Ella line are in demand, so we book them as soon as your dates are confirmed. If none are available, your driver takes you by road, and we can arrange a shorter section on the train.
The walks around Ella are easy to moderate, with some uneven paths and steps. Little Adam’s Peak takes most people under an hour each way at a gentle pace.
From about May to September the south-west monsoon brings rain to the south coast and parts of the hills. The trip still works, with showers and green landscapes, but we may suggest finishing on the east coast instead.
