Tour package
Sri Lanka 14 Day Itinerary: The Complete Island
North, east, hills and south combined
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A 14 day Sri Lanka itinerary covers the entire classic route plus the parts most trips miss: Negombo, Wilpattu or Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Ella, a full safari, and a genuinely unhurried south coast through Tangalle, Mirissa, Weligama and Galle. Roughly 1,300-1,500 km, with time to add either the east coast or the Knuckles range.
Is this the right Sri Lanka itinerary for you?
Two weeks is where Sri Lanka stops being a highlights reel and becomes a proper journey. You get ancient cities, cloud forest, tea estates, two national parks and three coastlines, without a single rushed day.
Best for: Long-haul travellers from the UK, Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand, for whom two weeks justifies the flight.
What is included
- Fuel for the entire tour
- All expressway tolls and parking fees
- English-speaking chauffeur-guide throughout
- Driver’s own meals and accommodation
- Air-conditioned, fully insured vehicle
- Meet-and-greet at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)
- WhatsApp support from our office for the whole trip
- All applicable taxes - no extra charges at the end
Not included: your own accommodation and meals, site entrance fees, safari jeep hire, and tips. See the full attraction price list to budget entrance fees accurately.
Day-by-day itinerary
This is a proven route, not a fixed script. Every day can be reordered, extended or dropped - tell your driver in the morning and the plan adjusts. Drive times below are realistic road durations, not map estimates.
Day 1: Arrive at CMB, overnight Negombo
| Transfer | Airport to Negombo, 20-30 min |
| Morning | Land at CMB, meet-and-greet, short transfer. |
| Afternoon | Beach, fish market, seafood. Recover. |
| Overnight | Negombo |
Day 2: Negombo to Wilpattu
| Transfer | Negombo to Wilpattu, 3-3.5 hrs |
| Morning | Drive north. Wilpattu is Sri Lanka's largest national park and far quieter than Yala. |
| Afternoon | Afternoon safari - leopards, sloth bears, and the villus (natural lakes) the park is named for. |
| Overnight | Wilpattu / Anuradhapura |
Day 3: Anuradhapura sacred city
| Transfer | Wilpattu to Anuradhapura, 1-1.5 hrs |
| Morning | Sri Maha Bodhi, Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya, Abhayagiri. Hire a tuk-tuk inside the complex. |
| Afternoon | Isurumuniya rock temple and the Twin Ponds in the late afternoon light. |
| Overnight | Anuradhapura |
Day 4: Mihintale, then Sigiriya
| Transfer | Anuradhapura to Sigiriya, 1.5-2 hrs |
| Morning | Mihintale - 1,840 steps to where Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka in 247 BC. |
| Afternoon | Drive to Sigiriya. Pidurangala rock at sunset. |
| Overnight | Sigiriya |
Day 5: Sigiriya rock and Polonnaruwa
| Transfer | Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa and back, 1.5 hrs each way |
| Morning | Sigiriya at 7am opening. Three hours. |
| Afternoon | Polonnaruwa by bicycle in the afternoon. Gal Vihara, the Quadrangle, the Royal Palace. |
| Overnight | Sigiriya / Habarana |
Day 6: Dambulla, then Kandy
| Transfer | Sigiriya to Kandy, 2.5-3 hrs |
| Morning | Dambulla Cave Temple - five caves, painted ceilings, 153 Buddhas. |
| Afternoon | Matale spice garden, then Kandy. Evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth. |
| Overnight | Kandy |
Day 7: Kandy
| Transfer | No transfer |
| Morning | Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya - the orchid house and the giant Java fig. |
| Afternoon | Kandy lake walk, the market, and a Kandyan dance and fire-walking show at 5pm. |
| Overnight | Kandy |
Day 8: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya by train
| Transfer | Kandy to Nanu Oya by train, 4 hrs |
| Morning | Take the hill-country train from Kandy. Reserved second class, right-hand side. Your driver takes the luggage by road. |
| Afternoon | Driver meets you at Nanu Oya. Tea factory tour, then Nuwara Eliya. |
| Overnight | Nuwara Eliya |
Day 9: Horton Plains, then Ella
| Transfer | Nuwara Eliya to Ella, 2-2.5 hrs plus the hike |
| Morning | 5:30am departure for Horton Plains. World's End, Baker's Falls, the 9 km loop. |
| Afternoon | Descend to Ella via Haputale. Lipton's Seat if the timing works. |
| Overnight | Ella |
Day 10: Ella
| Transfer | No transfer |
| Morning | Little Adam's Peak at sunrise. 45 minutes up, the best easy view in the hill country. |
| Afternoon | Nine Arches Bridge for a train, then Ella Rock or the Ravana Falls and cave. |
| Overnight | Ella |
Day 11: Ella to Yala
| Transfer | Ella to Tissamaharama, 3-3.5 hrs |
| Morning | Descend through Wellawaya. Diyaluma Falls - the upper pools are a 45 minute hike and worth it. |
| Afternoon | Arrive Tissa in the afternoon. Rest before the dawn safari. |
| Overnight | Tissamaharama |
Day 12: Yala safari, then the coast
| Transfer | Tissa to Tangalle, 1.5-2 hrs |
| Morning | Dawn safari at Yala. Leave at 5:30am. Highest leopard density in Asia and the morning drive is by far the best. |
| Afternoon | Drive west to Tangalle. Quiet beaches, far less developed than Mirissa. |
| Overnight | Tangalle |
Day 13: South coast
| Transfer | Tangalle to Mirissa, 1 hr |
| Morning | Whale watching from Mirissa at dawn (November to April) - blue whales and sperm whales. |
| Afternoon | Coconut Tree Hill, Weligama surf lesson, or simply a beach day. |
| Overnight | Mirissa or Weligama |
Day 14: Galle, then departure
| Transfer | Mirissa to CMB, 3-3.5 hrs |
| Morning | Galle Fort - the ramparts, the lighthouse, the Dutch Reformed Church, the Maritime Museum. |
| Afternoon | Southern Expressway to CMB. Allow four hours door to door with buffer. |
| Overnight | Departure |
Want it longer or shorter?
Longer than two weeks? Add Trincomalee and the east coast (May to September), Jaffna and the north, or the Knuckles range for serious walking. Tell us your dates and we will build it.
How much does this tour cost?
Pricing depends on your dates, group size, vehicle and the standard of accommodation you want. The driver and vehicle portion runs USD 50-80 per day for a car and USD 70-110 for a van, all-inclusive of fuel, tolls, parking and the driver’s own costs. Hotels are quoted separately so you stay in control of that budget - from clean guesthouses to tea-estate bungalows and Galle Fort villas.
See the full breakdown in what a private driver actually costs in Sri Lanka, then message us for an exact quote.
When should you travel?
Sri Lanka has two monsoons hitting opposite coasts, so the right route depends on your month. This itinerary suits the December to March window best, when the west coast, south coast and hill country are driest. From May to September we reroute the coastal legs east to Trincomalee and Pasikuda. See all 12 months compared.
Good to know
14-Day Grand Tour - common questions
How many days do you need for this Sri Lanka itinerary?
A 14 day Sri Lanka itinerary covers the entire classic route plus the parts most trips miss: Negombo, Wilpattu or Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Ella, a full safari, and a genuinely unhurried south coast through Tangalle, Mirissa, Weligama and Galle. Roughly 1,300-1,500 km, with time to add either the east coast or the Knuckles range.
What is included in the 14-Day Grand Tour tour price?
Fuel, all expressway tolls and parking, an English-speaking chauffeur-guide, the driver's own meals and accommodation, an air-conditioned fully insured vehicle, airport meet-and-greet at CMB, WhatsApp support throughout, and all taxes. Your own hotels, meals, site entrance fees and tips are separate.
Can I change the itinerary?
Yes, completely. This is a proven route, not a fixed script. Add stops, skip places, extend a night where you like it - tell your driver in the morning and the day adjusts. We plan around your interests before you arrive and stay flexible once you are here.
How much does the 14-Day Grand Tour Sri Lanka tour cost?
The driver and vehicle portion runs USD 50-80 per day for a car and USD 70-110 for a van, all-inclusive of fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's own costs. Hotels are quoted separately so you control that budget. Message us with your dates and group size for an exact quote.
What is the total driving distance on this tour?
Approximately 1,300-1,500 km. Sri Lankan roads average around 40 km/h outside the two expressways, so drive times are longer than the distances suggest. This itinerary is built to keep most legs under three hours.
When is the best time to do this tour?
December to March suits this route best, when the west coast, south coast and hill country are driest. From May to September we reroute the coastal legs east to Trincomalee and Pasikuda, which are dry in those months. The Cultural Triangle works almost year-round.
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