Wedded Wonderland

Luxury holidays in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka travel packages

Climb Sigiriya at first light, before the heat and the crowds arrive. Your private driver and guide stay with you all the way round, and we book every hotel.

Speak to a travel expertSee every trip
Reserve for A$200

It comes off your final price, and is refunded in full if you don't go ahead.

Ride the hill country train through the tea

Sit by an open window on the train through Sri Lanka's hill country and the tea estates roll past, bright green and cut into the slopes, with pickers working the rows. Stay in a restored planter's bungalow near Nuwara Eliya or Hatton and the evenings are cool enough for a fire. Kandy, with its Temple of the Tooth, sits at the edge of the hills and makes a natural stop on the way up.

To the north, the Cultural Triangle holds the rock fortress of Sigiriya and the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, best explored early before the heat. Yala National Park is known for its leopards, and the south coast ends the journey at Galle's Dutch fort and beaches lined with palms. A private driver and guide make the island easy to circle in two weeks.

Browse our Sri Lanka routes

Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, Ella, Yala and Galle

10 days · 9 nights

Colombo → Habarana → Kandy → Ella → Tissamaharama → Galle → Bentota → Colombo

A private loop of the island with your own driver-guide. Head north to the cave temples of Dambulla and the ruined royal city of Polonnaruwa, climb Sigiriya and see Kandy, then take two nights in the hills at Ella. Safaris in Yala and an afternoon in Galle Fort lead to two free days on the beach near Bentota.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Sigiriya, Ella, Yala and Galle

Sri Lanka

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala and Bentota

7 days · 6 nights

Colombo → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Tissamaharama → Bentota → Colombo

Go straight from the airport into the hills for two nights in Kandy, with the botanical gardens at Peradeniya and the Temple of the Tooth. Then climb through the tea estates to Nuwara Eliya, drop south for a safari in Yala, walk Galle Fort on the way to a beach night, and finish with a tour of Colombo.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala and Bentota

Sri Lanka

Kandy, the tea hills and Koggala

8 days · 7 nights

Colombo → Habarana → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Tissamaharama → Koggala → Colombo

A full private circuit of Sri Lanka in eight days with your own chauffeur-guide. After a Colombo city tour, head north to the cave temples of Dambulla, Sigiriya and the ruins of Polonnaruwa, then through the spice gardens of Matale to Kandy and the tea country. A safari in Yala and a coastal drive past the stilt fishermen to Galle Fort finish at a beach hotel.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kandy, the tea hills and Koggala

Sri Lanka

Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Kandy and Bentota

11 days · 10 nights

Negombo → Habarana → Trincomalee → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Bentota → Colombo

Begin in the Cultural Triangle with the cave temples of Dambulla, the climb up Sigiriya and an evening elephant safari at Minneriya. Two nights on the east coast at Trincomalee come next, then Kandy, the tea hills of Nuwara Eliya and a rafting stop at Kitulgala on the way to two quiet nights at Bentota before Colombo.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Kandy and Bentota

Sri Lanka

Kandy, Yala and the south coast

9 days · 8 nights

Negombo → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Yala → Ahungalla → Colombo

Start slowly with two nights by the sea at Negombo, then base yourselves for three nights in the hills near Kandy, with the Temple of the Tooth, Peradeniya gardens, Sigiriya and an elephant safari at Kaudulla all within reach. Tea country, a night in a tented camp near Yala and a tour of Galle lead to a last night on the beach at Ahungalla.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kandy, Yala and the south coast

Sri Lanka

Wilpattu, Gal Oya and Yala on safari

11 days · 10 nights

Negombo → Wilpattu → Anuradhapura → Habarana → Gal Oya → Tissamaharama → Colombo

A private journey built around Sri Lanka's national parks. Begin with a night in a camp at Wilpattu, cycle through ancient Anuradhapura, and spend two nights near Minneriya and Kaudulla for the elephant herds. Two nights at Gal Oya bring boat safaris to Bird Island, then two near Yala for its leopards, before a last day through Galle to Colombo.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Wilpattu, Gal Oya and Yala on safari

Sri Lanka

Kandy, Horton Plains and Ella

7 days · 6 nights

Colombo → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Colombo

Begin in Kandy, the old royal capital, then take the train up into the tea country around Nuwara Eliya. A morning walk on Horton Plains and a tea factory visit lead on to Ella, before a last night in Colombo.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kandy, Horton Plains and Ella

Sri Lanka

Dambulla, Kandy and Unawatuna

6 days · 5 nights

Colombo → Dambulla → Kandy → Unawatuna → Colombo

A compact loop from Colombo with your own driver-guide: north to Dambulla, into the hills at Kandy, then down to the south-west coast at Unawatuna before a last night in the capital. The sights along the way are suggestions you choose between, so the days stay light.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Dambulla, Kandy and Unawatuna

Sri Lanka

Kandy, Yala and Hikkaduwa

10 days · 9 nights

Negombo → Habarana → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Yala → Hikkaduwa → Colombo

Ten days that take in most of the island: the coast at Negombo, Sigiriya and Kandy in the cultural heart, two cool nights in the tea country and a jeep safari in Yala. The trip ends with two nights at Hikkaduwa, with stilt fishermen, Galle fort and a river boat ride close by.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Kandy, Yala and Hikkaduwa

Sri Lanka

Colombo street food to Galle Fort

10 days · 9 nights

Colombo → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Tissamaharama → Galle → Colombo

Two nights in Colombo, with a cookery class and an evening of street food, set the tone. From there you head into the hills for Kandy, a craft village and the tea country, then down to Yala for a jeep safari and on to Galle's old fort before the airport.

Price on enquirySee the journey: Colombo street food to Galle Fort

Walk, cook and explore in Sri Lanka

Hosts show you the gardens of Geoffrey Bawa and the turtle beaches of the south.

  • The gardens of Geoffrey Bawa

    Wander Lunuganga, the lakeside country garden the architect Geoffrey Bawa shaped over 50 years, full of views, follies and quiet corners.

  • Walk the Pekoe Trail

    Walk a stage of the Pekoe Trail, a long route on old paths through the tea country, with wide views across the Central Highlands.

  • Cook a Sri Lankan curry

    Join a home cook in her Colombo kitchen to learn Sri Lankan curries and sambols that are easy to make back home.

  • A family cooking class

    Children make coconut pancakes or cinnamon biscuits, while older ones and adults try a full Sri Lankan meal in the hill country.

  • Turtles on Rekawa Beach

    Watch turtles come ashore to nest or hatchlings head for the sea on Rekawa Beach, with a local project that protects them.

Balance the hills, ruins and coast

Most first trips give each region three or four nights.

  • Colombo and Negombo

    The capital's colonial quarter, markets and seafront, with the fishing town of Negombo close to the airport for a first or last night.

  • The Cultural Triangle

    Sigiriya, the cave temples of Dambulla and the sacred city of Anuradhapura, explored from a base near Habarana.

  • Kandy

    The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic beside the lake, with the royal botanical gardens at Peradeniya on the edge of town.

  • Nuwara Eliya and Ella

    Cool tea country of misty estates and waterfalls, linked by a scenic railway that winds through the hills.

  • Yala and Tissamaharama

    Sri Lanka's best known national park, with leopards, elephants and sloth bears on game drives from Tissamaharama.

  • Galle and Bentota

    The south west coast: Galle's Dutch fort and old ramparts, then long beaches and river lagoons around Bentota.

Match the coast to the monsoon

The south and west coasts are driest from December to April, and the east coast takes over mid year.

  • JanuaryBest

    Dry on the south and west coasts and in the Cultural Triangle, cool in the hills.

  • FebruaryBest

    The finest month for the south coast, Galle, Kandy and the tea country.

  • MarchBest

    Dry and warm across the south, west and hill country, a good month for Yala.

  • AprilGood

    Hot and mostly dry before the monsoon, with New Year festivities mid month.

  • MayMixed

    The south west monsoon reaches Colombo, Galle and Bentota, while the east turns dry.

  • JuneMixed

    Wet in the south and west, but Trincomalee and the east coast are calm and sunny.

  • JulyMixed

    The east coast is at its best, with Kandy's Esala Perahera in July or August.

  • AugustMixed

    Dry in the east and the ancient cities, with showers in the south west.

  • SeptemberMixed

    Showers ease in the south west, and the east stays mostly dry.

  • OctoberMixed

    Inter monsoon rain across much of the island, with lush green hills.

  • NovemberMixed

    The north east monsoon begins in the east, and the west starts to dry out.

  • DecemberBest

    Dry season returns to the south, west and hills, while the east coast turns wet.

Fly into Colombo, the island's gateway

Colombo has non-stop flights from London and the Gulf, and many routes connect through Singapore or Kuala Lumpur.

  • Sydney (one stop): about 15 h
  • Melbourne (one stop): about 14 h
  • Brisbane (one stop): about 15 h
  • Perth (one stop): about 10 h
  • Los Angeles (one stop): about 23 h
  • London (non-stop): about 11 h
  • Dubai (non-stop): about 4.5 h

Finish in the Maldives

Male is a short flight from Colombo, so a few days over the water make an easy ending.

  • Maldives

    Overwater villas, house reefs and seaplanes over the atolls.

  • India

    The Taj Mahal, Rajasthan's palaces and Kerala's backwaters.

Sort the Sri Lanka details early

How do I get a Sri Lanka ETA?
You apply online and need an approved Electronic Travel Authorisation before you fly, as ETAs are no longer issued on arrival at Colombo. For Australian passport holders, for example, it is currently free for tourism and covers stays of up to 30 days. Check your own government's travel advice before you book, as rules change. Your travel expert confirms the rules for your passport when you book.
When does Yala National Park close?
Yala's leopards are seen year round, but the main block of the park usually closes for part of the dry season, around September and October. Your travel expert checks the closure dates for your trip.
How long does a loop around Sri Lanka take?
Twelve to 14 days covers the Cultural Triangle, the hill country, a safari and the south coast at a steady pace. Ten days works if you skip the east and keep the driving short.
Is the Kandy to Ella train worth it?
Yes. It climbs through tea estates and cloud forest over about seven hours, and reserved seats sell out early, so your travel expert books them and your driver meets you at the other end.
Is the south coast good for a honeymoon?
Yes. Galle Fort's boutique hotels and the beach villas near Tangalle suit a honeymoon finish after the hills. Tell us the occasion and your travel expert adds a sunset on the ramparts or a private dinner on the sand.
How should we dress at the Temple of the Tooth?
Wear light clothing that covers shoulders and knees, and remove shoes and hats before entering. Never pose with your back to a Buddha statue for photos, as it is considered disrespectful.
Can we add the Maldives after Sri Lanka?
Yes. Male is about an hour and a half by air from Colombo, which makes a few nights on a Maldivian island an easy finish.

Tell us about your trip to Sri Lanka

Tell us when you want to go, for how long and who is travelling. Your travel expert replies in writing with a trip shaped around you.

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