Sri Lanka Hills and South Coast

The tea train, then ten days that slow down

4.7(3 reviews)
10N/11D
Sri Lanka

Best seller
Package
Honeymoons
Family holidays

What this trip is

Kandy, the hill country and the south coast, with the Ella train booked in reserved class.

Two regions in ten nights rather than four

Reserved seats on the Kandy to Ella train

Trip highlights

The train through the tea estates
Sigiriya at opening
Whales off Mirissa in season

Itinerary

This is the shape of the trip. Every day of it can be changed before you accept.

The whole trip in order, one day at a time.

Day 1Arrive ColomboTransfer inland to avoid the coast road in the evening.
Transfer inland to avoid the coast road in the evening.
- Transfer
  Airport pickup
  1 hr 15 min
  Met on arrival and driven straight to the hotel.
- Stay
  Galle Fort Courtyard House
  10 nights
  Six rooms in a Dutch-era house inside Galle Fort, with a courtyard pool and the rampart walk at the end of the street.
Day 2Cultural triangleSigiriya at opening, Dambulla after lunch.
Sigiriya at opening, Dambulla after lunch.
- Activity
  The train through the tea estates
- ActivityOptional extra
  Yala Dawn Leopard Safari
  A private jeep at first light into Yala National Park, with a tracker who knows where the leopards were seen the day before.
Day 3To KandyThe temple in the late afternoon when the drumming starts.
The temple in the late afternoon when the drumming starts.
- Activity
  Sigiriya at opening
Day 4KandyBotanical gardens in the morning, the lake in the evening.
Botanical gardens in the morning, the lake in the evening.
- Activity
  Whales off Mirissa in season
Day 5The Ella trainSix hours through the tea estates in reserved second class.
Six hours through the tea estates in reserved second class.
- Activity
  The train through the tea estates
Day 6EllaLittle Adam's Peak before breakfast and the Nine Arch Bridge after.
Little Adam's Peak before breakfast and the Nine Arch Bridge after.
- Activity
  Sigiriya at opening
Day 7To the south coastDown out of the hills to the sea.
Down out of the hills to the sea.
- Activity
  Whales off Mirissa in season
Day 8MirissaWhales in season, otherwise the beach.
Whales in season, otherwise the beach.
- Activity
  The train through the tea estates
Day 9GalleThe fort in the late afternoon when the walls cool down.
The fort in the late afternoon when the walls cool down.
- Activity
  Sigiriya at opening
Day 10Free dayNothing booked.
Nothing booked.
- Activity
  Whales off Mirissa in season
1 hr 15 min to get here
Day 11Fly homeThe coast road back to Colombo for the evening flight.
The coast road back to Colombo for the evening flight.
- Transfer
  Airport drop-off
  1 hr 15 min
  Driven back in time for the flight.

What is and is not included

In the price

10 nights accommodation
Daily breakfast
Private car and driver
Reserved train tickets

Not in the price

Flights
Entry fees
Lunches and dinners

If your plans change

This trip has a cancellation policy. Your designer sends the exact terms with your quotation, before you pay anything.

Before you book

Know before you go

Sigiriya is 1,200 steps with no shade. It is climbed before eight or not at all.

What travellers said

Reviews from people who booked this trip through Tripizm.

4.7

3 reviews

5 star2
4 star1
3 star0
2 star0
1 star0

Vikram Singh
21 Sept 2026
5 out of 5
Exactly what was promised
Every transfer turned up early and the guide knew the history properly rather than reading a script. Nothing about the week felt rushed.
Angad Grewal
12 Sept 2026
5 out of 5
Worth the flight
We had gear and a safety briefing before anything started, which mattered more than I expected. The team stayed reachable the whole trip.
Usha Khanna
3 Sept 2026
4 out of 5
Calm and uncomplicated
No crowds and no pressure to rush through anything. Simple travel at our own pace, which is what we had asked for.

Questions people ask

Is ten nights necessary?

For the hills and the coast, yes. Seven means dropping one of them.

Menu

Sri Lanka Hills and South Coast