Tour Overview
The hill country is Sri Lanka at its most beautiful – green hills of tea, waterfalls, cool air and colonial bungalows. This tour follows the tea trail from Kandy to Ella with gentle hikes, a factory visit, the most scenic train ride on the island and sunrise at Lipton’s Seat.
Where you spend the nights
| Area / base | Nights |
|---|---|
| Kandy | 1 |
| Nuwara Eliya | 2 |
| Ella | 2 |
| Total nights | 5 |
Trip at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration | 6 days / 5 nights |
| Tour type | Hill Country |
| Group size | Private tour: 1–15 guests |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Best season | January – April; July – September |
| Approx. road distance | ~640 km |
| Guide languages | English, German and Hindi (others on request) |
| Departure dates | Any date – private tour, all year |
Highlights
- Temple of the Tooth, Kandy
- Tea factory tour & tasting
- Horton Plains & World's End
- Train from Nanu Oya to Ella
- Sunrise at Lipton's Seat
- Little Adam's Peak & Nine Arch Bridge
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.
Start dates. This tour is private and runs on any date you choose within its season, subject to availability. It operates in January, February, March, April, July, August, September – outside those months the conditions make it either impossible or much less rewarding, and we will say so and suggest an alternative rather than take the booking. 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]
After a warm welcome at the airport, drive into the hills to Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka. On the way you can stop at a pineapple or cashew stall in Kadawatha. Check in and relax, then take an evening walk around Kandy Lake as the city lights come on.
Meals: Dinner · Overnight: Kandy · Travel: 3.5 hrs (115 km) · Distance: ~115 km
Climb into the tea country on one of the most scenic roads on the island. Stop at Ramboda Falls, then visit a working tea factory to watch leaf being withered, rolled and dried – and taste fresh Ceylon tea at its source. Arrive in Nuwara Eliya, known as 'Little England' for its colonial bungalows, rose gardens, post office and golf course. Take an evening walk around Gregory Lake.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Nuwara Eliya · Travel: 3 hrs (80 km) · Distance: ~80 km
Early start (5:30 am) for Horton Plains, a high cloud-forest plateau and UNESCO site. Walk the 9 km loop trail (about 3 hours) to World's End, where the cliff drops 870 m, and to the pretty Baker's Falls. Look out for sambar deer, endemic birds and the purple-faced langur. Afternoon free in Nuwara Eliya to visit a strawberry farm or the Hakgala Botanical Garden.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Nuwara Eliya · Travel: 1 hr each way · Distance: ~70 km
Take the most famous section of the hill-country railway from Nanu Oya to Ella (about 3 hours). Lean out of the doorway (carefully!) for views of tea-covered hills, waterfalls and villages. Your driver meets you in Ella. In the afternoon, walk to the Nine Arch Bridge and try to time it with a passing train.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Ella · Travel: Train 3 hrs · Distance: ~65 km
Enjoy a sunrise hike up Little Adam's Peak (about 45 minutes each way, easy) for stunning views over Ella Gap. Then walk along the railway line to the Nine Arch Bridge, built in 1921 entirely without steel. After lunch, see Ravana Falls and visit a small family tea garden. Optional: zip-line at Flying Ravana or climb Ella Rock with a local guide.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Ella · Travel: Local · Distance: ~20 km
Morning at leisure in Ella, then a scenic drive back to the airport via the new expressway (about 5.5 hours).
Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: — · Travel: 5.5 hrs · Distance: ~290 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
- Reserved train tickets where listed (subject to availability)
- 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
Temperatures in Nuwara Eliya can drop to 10°C at night, so bring a warm layer, a light rain jacket and good walking shoes.
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.]