Tour Overview
Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and five of them are on this tour. Travel through 2,500 years of history: the sacred city of Anuradhapura, Mihintale where Buddhism arrived, the palace in the sky at Sigiriya, the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, the Dambulla caves and the royal city of Kandy.
Your guide is chosen for a strong knowledge of history, and there is a village day to show you how people live in the dry zone today.
Where you spend the nights
| Area / base | Nights |
|---|---|
| Sigiriya / Habarana | 4 |
| Kandy | 1 |
| Total nights | 5 |
Trip at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 days / 5 nights |
| Tour type | Cultural & Heritage |
| Group size | Private tour: 1–15 guests |
| Difficulty | Easy – Moderate |
| Best season | All year (best Feb–Sep) |
| Approx. road distance | ~720 km |
| Guide languages | English, German and Hindi (others on request) |
| Departure dates | Any date – private tour, all year |
Highlights
- 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Sri Maha Bodhi – the oldest living human-planted tree with a recorded planting date
- Mihintale, cradle of Sri Lankan Buddhism
- Sigiriya frescoes & mirror wall
- Gal Vihara rock sculptures, Polonnaruwa
- Village life experience with home-cooked lunch
Itinerary
Every tour is 100% flexible and customizable. This itinerary is a starting point – we can change the order of the days, add or remove nights, swap activities or extend the tour to match your exact dates, pace and interests.
Hotels and accommodation are not included in the standard tour price. You are free to book your own stays, or let us organise a complete accommodation package for you in your preferred hotel tier (guesthouse, 3★, 4★, 5★ or boutique/villa). We work with hotels across the island and can quote your whole trip as one package.
Please contact us before you place a booking so that we can finalise your customised itinerary and your accommodation plan, confirm availability for your dates and send you a final price.
Family, senior and accessibility friendly. We can arrange an elder-friendly set-up (slower pace, shorter drives, ground-floor rooms, lift-access hotels, wheelchair-friendly vehicles and skip-the-climb alternatives such as the Sigiriya museum and gardens or the Pidurangala base viewpoint) and a child-friendly set-up (child and booster seats, family or connecting rooms, hotels with pools, shorter driving days and kid-friendly meals).
Guides and languages. Our chauffeur-guides work in English, German and Hindi, and we can arrange French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese speaking guides on request.
Meals. The meals shown in the itinerary are what we include when we arrange your accommodation on half board. If you book your own hotels, your meals follow your own hotel booking – tell us which you prefer.
Any start date. All tours are private and run on any date you choose, all year round, subject to availability. Tell us your arrival and departure dates and we will build the itinerary around your flights.
Contact us before booking: [info@lankaitinerary.com] · WhatsApp [+94 XX XXX XXXX]
Your chauffeur-guide welcomes you at the airport and you head straight inland to the heart of the Cultural Triangle. The drive passes coconut estates, paddy fields and roadside fruit stalls – stop for a fresh king coconut on the way. Check in to your hotel near Sigiriya, surrounded by forest and lakes, and spend the evening by the pool while the rock fortress glows on the horizon.
Meals: Dinner · Overnight: Sigiriya / Habarana · Travel: 4 hrs (160 km) · Distance: ~160 km
Spend the day in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first capital and a UNESCO site founded in the 4th century BC. See the Sri Maha Bodhi – a sacred fig tree grown from a cutting of the Bodhi tree in India and the oldest living human-planted tree with a recorded planting date – and the huge white Ruwanwelisaya and Jetavanaramaya stupas. In the afternoon climb the 1,840 steps of Mihintale, where Buddhism was introduced to the island in 247 BC.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Sigiriya / Habarana · Travel: 1.5 hrs each way · Distance: ~170 km
Start early (7:00 am) to climb Sigiriya before the heat and the crowds. The 5th-century citadel of King Kashyapa rises 200 m above the jungle: walk through the symmetrical water gardens, see the famous cloud-maiden frescoes and the mirror wall, pass between the giant lion paws and reach the palace ruins on the summit for a 360° view. After lunch, visit the Dambulla Cave Temple (UNESCO), five caves filled with over 150 Buddha statues and painted ceilings. Return to your hotel for a relaxed evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Sigiriya / Habarana · Travel: 40 min each way · Distance: ~45 km
Explore Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka's medieval capital (UNESCO), by bicycle or by car. Highlights include the Royal Palace, the Quadrangle with its Vatadage, the Parakrama Samudra reservoir and the Gal Vihara – four Buddha figures carved from one granite rock. In the afternoon, join a jeep safari for wild elephants. Your guide takes whichever park is right for the month: Minneriya in August and September, when the falling tank level exposes fresh grass and hundreds of elephants gather in what is known as 'The Gathering'; Kaudulla from October to December and again from May to July, when Minneriya floods and the herd moves northeast; and Hurulu Eco Park from January to April, where elephants are resident all year.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Sigiriya / Habarana · Travel: 1 hr to Polonnaruwa · Distance: ~135 km
Drive south to Kandy through Matale. Stop at a spice garden to see cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and pepper growing and learn how they are used in Ayurveda and Sri Lankan cooking. Continue to Kandy, check in and in the evening watch a traditional Kandyan dance and fire-walking show. Then visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (UNESCO) for the evening puja, when drummers and pilgrims bring flowers to the golden shrine.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Kandy · Travel: 2.5 hrs (95 km) · Distance: ~95 km
After breakfast, drive back to the airport (about 3.5 hours), with a stop at a cashew village in Kajugama if time allows.
Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: — · Travel: 3.5 hrs · Distance: ~115 km
Includes / Excludes
Price Includes
- Airport pick-up and drop-off
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with licensed English-speaking chauffeur-guide (SLTDA)
- Meals as listed in the itinerary (daily breakfast and dinner as standard)
- Entrance fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
- Jeep safaris as listed, including park entrance fees
- Local SIM card with data for the lead traveller
- Bottled water in the vehicle daily
- All government taxes and service charges
- 24/7 support while you travel
Price Excludes
- Accommodation (not included in the standard price – we can book any hotel tier for you; see 'Accommodation options')
- International flights
- Sri Lanka ETA (visa) – free for 40 nationalities since 25 May 2026; fee applies to others
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Lunches and drinks unless listed
- Camera/video permits at some sites
- Tips for guide, driver and safari trackers (suggested USD 10–15/day for your chauffeur-guide)
- Optional activities (e.g. hot-air balloon, zip-line, extra safaris)
- Personal expenses (laundry, phone, shopping)
- Early check-in / late check-out
Frequently Asked Questions
Shoulders and knees must be covered and shoes and hats removed. White or light clothing is appreciated. Bring socks – stone floors get very hot.
Yes. The tour is private for your group with your own vehicle and chauffeur-guide – you won't share with strangers.
Of course. You can add or remove days, change hotels, upgrade to boutique or luxury properties or swap activities. We'll send a revised quote within 24 hours.
The price is per person based on two adults sharing a room in the hotel category shown. Prices vary by season, hotel choice and group size – request a quote for your exact dates.
Send an enquiry or click Book Now. We confirm availability, then you secure the tour with a deposit; the balance is paid before arrival. [Insert your real deposit and payment terms.]