Our 2-week Sri Lanka itinerary

Our flight departure date is getting closer and we've put together our itinerary for what we're planning to do for the 2 weeks that we're there - well, 2 and a half now, it was originally going to be 2 weeks but because of cheaper flight deals we changed the dates slightly! The only difference this made to our below plan was adding a couple of extra 'beach days' and splitting some activities across 2 days instead of trying to squash them into 1, so we haven't actually added anything extra.

Negombo (1 night)

Flight due to land 00:10am

Pick up from airport back to Airbnb for the night

Breakfast then bus to Colombo - explore Negombo more on the way back

Colombo (2 night)

Day 1

Check into hostel then find somewhere for lunch

Places to visit: Fort, Old Dutch Hospital, Pettah (markets), Independence Memorial Hall, Gangaramaya Temple, Beira Lake, Galle Face Green to watch the sunset.

Day 2

Train from Colombo to Galle (scenic route). Just over 2 hour journey which departs every 2 hours or so from Colombo Maradana and Colombo Fort.

Galle (2 nights)

Day 1

Explore Galle Galle Fort sunset

Day 2

Beach day in Hikkaduwa - half an hour bus ride Travel to Mirissa - 16 minute ‘Express train’ or 55 minute ‘Local Train’?

Mirissa (3 nights)

Day 1

Beach chill day

Day 2

Whale watching - Raja and the whales?

Day 3

Travel to Tissa in afternoon/evening - 3 hr 15 by bus, leaving regular (several an hour) scenic coastal A2 road. May need to change buses at Matara.

Tissamaharama (2 nights)

Day 1

Yala National Park in the morning (05:30 pick up, normally back by 11:00) Rent a bike? Tissa Wewa, Tissa Dagoba

Day 2

Travel to Ella - 3 buses daily, 2 to 2 ½ hour journey.

Ella (2 nights)

Day 1

Little Adam’s Peak (45 minute each way) - sunset after arriving? Or sunrise?

Day 2

Rawana Falls Travel to Dalhousie in the afternoon. Train from Ella to Hatton then tuktuk to Dalhousie.

Dalhousie (2 nights)

Day 1

Wake up at 2am and climb Adam’s Peak to watch the sunrise at 5am Back for breakfast around 8am and nap Relax for the day and rest

Day 2

Travel to Kandy - Tuktuk to Hutton then train to Kandy

Kandy (3 nights)

Day 1

Day trip to Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock) - bus station for 07:30 Dambulla cave temples

Day 2

Tooth temple

Day 3

Train to Colombo Bus to Negombo

Negombo (2 nights)

Day 1

Negombo Beach

Day 2

Negombo Beach Head back to airport, 00:15 flight departs

We're only booking accomodation and activities ~3 days in advance to allow for flexibility and recommendations so, as usual, much of the above may change..

#SriLanka #Routeplanning #Budget #Planning