Wild Wonders and Hidden Temples from Galle (2 Days)

About this experience

This two-day tour leaves Galle and heads into the southern interior, combining two historic Buddhist temples with two of Sri Lanka's wildlife reserves and a visit to a natural hot spring. It travels a loop through Weherahena and Wewurukannala, on to Bundala and Yala National Parks, and back via Madunagala and Matara before returning to Galle.

Travellers get a mix of cultural and natural sights: temples with large Buddha statues and painted murals, a jeep safari in a Ramsar-listed wetland known for migratory birds, a second safari in search of leopards and elephants, a dip in mineral-rich hot springs, and a stop at a family-run snake farm. It suits those short on time who still want a sample of the south's temples and wildlife in a single short trip.

The tour runs with a private air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking chauffeur guide throughout, starting and ending at your hotel in Galle. Accommodation, meals and entrance fees to the sites are arranged separately.

Your service advisor

Malsiri Consultant

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

Email WhatsApp

What’s included

Included

Transport in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
Service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide throughout the tour.
Safari Jeep for the 3-hour sfari in Bundala National Park.
Safari Jeep for the 3-hour sfari in Yala National Park.

Not included

Accomadation for the overnight stay.
Food and beverages.
Entrance fees for the visiting sites. (Bundala National Park, Yala National Park, and Temples))
Any expenses of personal nature.
Gratuties.

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 Yala

Day 1 — Galle → Weherahena → Wewrukannala → Bundala → Yala

Your chauffeur guide collects you from your hotel in Galle and drives you south, stopping at two notable temples before a game drive through Bundala National Park on the way to Yala.

Weherahena Poorwarama Raja Maha Viharaya

Located about 6 kilometres off Matara town, this is known as the first tunnel temple in the world. It holds a 130-ft Buddha image built in the style of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa eras, along with a pagoda, a sacred bo-tree and a Samadhi Buddha statue. Its walls carry murals depicting the Jataka tales of Ummagga Jathaka and Umandawa.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Wewurukannala Raja Maha Viharaya

Set 1.5 kilometres from Dikwella towards Beliatta, this temple's main feature is a 160-ft seated Buddha statue, the largest in Sri Lanka, dating from the late 18th century. A separate section known as the Tunnel of Hell shows life-sized figures of devils, demons and sinners undergoing torment, while the temple walls depict scenes from the Buddha's life in comic-strip form.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Bundala National Park

A jeep safari through Sri Lanka's first declared Ramsar wetland site, known for its flocks of greater flamingos and many other migratory waterbirds that winter here. The park covers seven terrestrial and six wetland habitat types.

Colby Otero from Brooklyn, USA · CC BY 2.0

2 Galle

Day 2 — Yala → Madunagala → Matara → Galle

An early safari in Yala is followed by a stop at the Madunagala hot springs and a visit to a snake farm in Matara, before the drive back to Galle.

Yala National Park

A jeep safari through Sri Lanka's second-largest national park, on the southeastern coast, with the chance to see leopards, wild water buffalo, sloth bears and elephant herds, along with many other species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Ranmith Welikala · CC BY-SA 4.0

Madunagala Hot Springs

These stone tank basins hold water believed to have curative properties for skin and eye conditions, and monks from the nearby temple have bathed here for generations. Hot water is collected in a basin and mixed with cool water before bathing. The temple stands on a jungle-covered rock outcrop that is also home to wild elephants, deer, various birds and the rare sloth bear.

AI-generated image · not an actual photograph

Matara Snake Farm

Run for three generations by the Bandara family, this farm gives visitors the chance to learn about Sri Lanka's snakes and, for the willing, a first-hand encounter with some of them.

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
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for people with heart conditions
Comfortable clothes and hats recommended.
We pick up you from your hotel in Galle

Cancellation policy

More than 24 hours notice: full refund
Less than 24 hours notice: no refund

To cancel, reply to your booking confirmation email or message us on WhatsApp.

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 2 days, with no other travellers joining.

Where does the tour start and end?

Day 1 starts at Galle and day 2 ends at Galle. 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 1 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.