Exploring Paradise (15 Days)

About this experience

This 15-day tour covers the full sweep of Sri Lanka: the west coast at Negombo, the Cultural Triangle around Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura, the hill country around Kandy and Hatton, Yala National Park in the southeast, and the south coast beaches at Ahangama. It moves from ancient cities and rock fortresses to tea country and wildlife parks before ending on the coast, giving a traveller a sense of the island's history, nature and beaches in one trip.

Along the way there is time for ruined monasteries and temple complexes, a village experience near Sigiriya with an oxen cart ride and a lake safari, two national park safaris in search of elephants and leopards, a walk through Kandy's botanical gardens and the Temple of the Tooth, a day at Horton Plains, and a stretch of beach days at Ahangama with a visit to Galle Fort and the stilt fishermen nearby.

The pace is unhurried, with repeat nights in several places so that longer excursions and rest days can be built around a single base, and the final days are left free for the beach before departure.

Your service advisor

Chathum Executive

Have questions about this service or want it arranged around your dates? Reach Chathum directly — replies usually within a few hours during Sri Lanka business hours.

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What’s included

Included

Transport in a Private Vehicle, inclusive of, cost of fuel, parking & highway tolls.
Service of an English-Speaking Chauffer Guide throughout the tour.
All prevailing taxes and service charges (Except for Credit Card Charges).

Not included

Hotel Accommodation.
International / Domestic Airfare.
Any expenses of personal nature.
Entrance fees to the respective sites.

Tour route

Day-by-day waypoints across Sri Lanka. Each marker is where you spend the night; lines trace the daily drive.

Day-by-day itinerary

Download itinerary (PDF)

1 Negombo

Day 1 — Airport → Negombo (days 1–2)

Two days on the west coast at Negombo, a beach town with a long fishing tradition.

Negombo Beach

Spend time on the sandy beaches of Negombo, watching the centuries-old fish industry that still operates along the shore.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Water sports

Try water sports along the coast for an adrenaline rush.

Diving and shipwreck

Dive among the corals and underwater life, including a 50-year-old shipwreck just off the coast that is now home to many species of fish.

3 Sigiriya

Day 3 — Negombo → Dambulla → Sigiriya

Travel inland to the Cultural Triangle, stopping at the cave temples of Dambulla en route to Sigiriya.

Golden Temple of Dambulla

Enter the historic cave temples dating back to the 1st century BC, viewing ancient murals depicting the life of Lord Gautama Buddha and hundreds of Buddha and deity figurines across the five main caves, including the Cave of the Divine King, the Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery.

Lankapic · CC BY 2.5

Golden Buddha Statue

See the giant golden Buddha statue a short distance outside the cave complex.

4 Sigiriya

Day 4 — Sigiriya → Polonnaruwa → Sigiriya

A full day combining the Sigiriya rock fortress, a village experience at Hiriwaduna, and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Climb the 5th century rock fortress built for King Kasyapa, entering through the lion's-paw staircase and viewing the famous unfading murals, the terraced gardens, the still-working cisterns and the tunnels leading to the palace ruins.

Wrobell · CC BY-SA 3.0

Hiriwaduna Village

Visit this village to experience traditional rural life with an oxen cart ride, a catamaran safari on a calm lake, a walk through paddy fields, and a traditional cooking demonstration followed by a home-cooked lunch served on lotus leaves.

Polonnaruwa Ancient City

Walk through the ruins of Sri Lanka's second major capital, which flourished between the 10th and 13th centuries, taking in the Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue of King Parakramabahu.

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

5 Sigiriya

Day 5 — Sigiriya → Anuradhapura → Minneriya → Sigiriya

Visit the ancient city of Anuradhapura before an afternoon safari in Minneriya National Park.

Anuradhapura Ancient City

Walk through the ruins of this city, Sri Lanka's capital for over a millennium until the 10th century, seeing the Jetavanarama stupa, once one of the tallest buildings of the ancient world, the Sri Maha Bodhi and the ruins of the Abhayagiri Monastery.

Thisaru Tharuka · CC BY-SA 4.0

Minneriya National Park Safari

Take a three-hour safari through Minneriya National Park, known for the Great Elephant Gathering of up to 150 elephants in the dry season between May and October, alongside other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Stuart Pinkney · CC BY 2.0

6 Kandy

Day 6 — Sigiriya → Kandy

Travel to Kandy via a spice garden near Matale, finishing the day with a cultural dance performance.

Euphoria Spice and Herbal Garden

Visit this garden near Matale, the spice capital of Sri Lanka, to learn about Sri Lankan spices, herbs and the uses of Ayurveda on a guided spice tour.

Kandyan Cultural Show

Watch an hour-long show of traditional Kandyan dancing and music, including fire dancers, sword dancers and drummers.

Arian Zwegers · CC BY 2.0

7 Kandy

Day 7 — Kandy

A day in Kandy taking in its botanical gardens and its most important Buddhist temple.

Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya

Walk through the gardens, established in the early 19th century and home to over 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices and medicinal plants, along with notable trees such as the cannonball tree and a suspension bridge.

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

Temple of the Tooth Relic

Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in the 16th century to house Lord Buddha's sacred tooth, with its painted halls, carved pillars and golden statues.

A.Savin · FAL

8 Hatton

Day 8 — Kandy → Hatton

Travel from Kandy to Hatton, with the rest of the day free to relax after checking in.

9 Hatton

Day 9 — Hatton → Horton Plains → Hatton

A day trip to Horton Plains National Park in the hill country.

Horton Plains National Park

Visit the montane grasslands and cloud forests of Horton Plains in Ohiya, taking in the views from World's End and the spray from Baker's Falls, along with endemic wildlife and sites of archaeological interest.

Faslan at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

10 Yala

Day 10 — Hatton → Yala

Travel to the southeast for a safari in Yala National Park.

Yala National Park Safari

Take a three-hour safari through Yala, the island's second-largest national park, with a chance to see Sri Lankan leopards, wild water buffalo, Sri Lankan sloth bears and large herds of elephants, among other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Ranmith Welikala · CC BY-SA 4.0

11 Ahangama

Day 11 — Yala → Ahangama (days 11–12)

Travel to the south coast for two days on the beach at Ahangama.

Ahangama Beach

Spend time on one of Sri Lanka's beaches, with soft sand and sea breeze, watching the sunset and, at night, turtles coming ashore to nest.

Water sports

Try water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing along the coast.

13 Ahangama

Day 13 — Ahangama

A day trip to Galle to see its fort and nearby stilt fishermen.

Galle Fort

Explore Galle, once a Portuguese and Dutch headquarters, walking the cobblestoned streets of one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia and visiting its museums and lighthouse.

Rovin Shanila · CC BY-SA 4.0

Stilt Fishermen

Hear from local fishermen about the tradition of stilt fishing and watch the craft performed, with good opportunities for photographs at sunset.

Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0

14 Ahangama

Day 14 — Ahangama

A further day to relax on the beach at Ahangama.

Ahangama Beach

Continue to enjoy the beach, sea breeze and sunset, with the chance to watch turtles nesting and try water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing.

15 Airport

Day 15 — Ahangama → Airport

Check out after breakfast and transfer to the airport for departure.

Please note

Public transportation nearby
Infant seats available

Not wheelchair accessible
Not stroller accessible
Not suitable for pets
Infants must not sit on laps
Not recommended for people with back problems
Entrance Tickets are not included in the price.

Frequently asked questions

Is this a private tour?

Yes. The tour is private to your group: your own air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking chauffeur guide for all 15 days, with no other travellers joining.

Where does the tour start and end?

Day 1 starts at Colombo airport (CMB) and day 15 ends at Colombo airport (CMB). Every stop in between is reached by road in the same vehicle, so there is no other transport to arrange.

Are hotels included?

The base price covers the vehicle and chauffeur guide. In the booking box you can add hotels for all 14 nights at Budget (3★), Standard (4★) or Luxury (5★ and boutique) level, on half board. Hotels we hold contracts with for your dates are named in the price; for any other night our team books a hotel of the same class after you pay.

What vehicle will we travel in?

It depends on your group: a car for 1–2 guests, a van for 3–5, a large van for 6–8 and a bus for 9–15. Choose the number of guests in the booking box and the price updates to match.

Are entrance fees included?

Not in the base price. Set Tickets to Included in the booking box to add the entrance fees and safari jeeps for the sights on this itinerary; the booking box lists exactly which ones are covered.

Can we have a national guide?

Yes. A chauffeur guide is always included, and you can add a government-licensed national guide who travels with you for the whole tour. Choose it under Guide in the booking box; the vehicle is sized for the extra seat.

Can we change the itinerary or the dates?

Yes. Every tour is private, so it can start on any date you choose. To change stops, add nights or combine it with another tour, write to us in the booking notes or plan your own trip at lakpura.com/plan-your-trip.