Tour Overview
Sri Lanka’s railways were built by the British to carry tea, and they remain the best way to see the island. This itinerary puts the train at its heart: the full Kandy–Ella journey, a sunrise at Lipton’s Seat, and a final coastal ride south to Galle.
Where you spend the nights
| Area / base | Nights |
|---|---|
| Colombo | 1 |
| Kandy | 1 |
| Ella | 3 |
| Galle | 1 |
| Galle / Unawatuna | 1 |
| Total nights | 7 |
Trip at a glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Duration | 8 days / 7 nights |
| Tour type | Hill Country |
| Group size | Private tour: 1–15 guests |
| Difficulty | Easy – Moderate |
| Best season | All year |
| Approx. road distance | ~755 km |
| Guide languages | English, German and Hindi (others on request) |
| Departure dates | Any date – private tour, all year |
Highlights
- Full Kandy–Ella train journey
- Temple of the Tooth
- Lipton's Seat & Dambatenne factory
- Nine Arch Bridge
- Galle Fort
- Colombo city tour
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]
Meet your chauffeur-guide at the airport and transfer to your Colombo hotel. Depending on your arrival time, take a sunset stroll along Galle Face Green, where locals fly kites and street vendors cook isso wade (spicy prawn fritters) by the sea. Dinner tonight is at your hotel or at one of Colombo's excellent Sri Lankan restaurants.
Meals: Dinner · Overnight: Colombo · Travel: 45 min (35 km) · Distance: ~35 km
Drive inland to Kandy (3.5 hours), stopping at a cashew village. Visit the Royal Botanic Gardens in the afternoon and the Temple of the Tooth for the evening puja.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Kandy · Travel: 3.5 hrs · Distance: ~120 km
Board one of the world's most beautiful train journeys (reserved seats arranged by us; subject to availability). For about 6–7 hours the train winds past tea estates, waterfalls, tunnels and misty villages, climbing to the island's highest station at Pattipola. Your driver takes the luggage by road and meets you at Ella station. Evening at leisure in this relaxed hill town.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Ella · Travel: Train 6–7 hrs · Distance: ~175 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
Rise early for sunrise at Lipton's Seat, where Sir Thomas Lipton once surveyed his estates. Walk down through the tea terraces, visit the historic Dambatenne Tea Factory (1890) and return to Ella for a relaxed afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Ella · Travel: 1.5 hrs · Distance: ~30 km
Drive down from the hills via Wellawaya and along the south coast, stopping at Weligama and the stilt fishermen of Koggala.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Galle · Travel: 4.5 hrs · Distance: ~200 km
Explore Galle Fort (UNESCO), a 17th-century Dutch fortified town still full of life. Walk the ramparts to the lighthouse, visit the Dutch Reformed Church and the old warehouses, and browse boutiques, galleries and cafés in the cobbled lanes. Afternoon at Unawatuna or Jungle Beach, and sunset from the ramparts.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner · Overnight: Galle / Unawatuna · Travel: Local · Distance: ~25 km
Enjoy a final morning by the sea before the transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport via the Southern Expressway (allow 3 hours).
Meals: Breakfast · Overnight: — · Travel: 3 hrs to airport · Distance: ~150 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
We book reserved seats as soon as sales open (usually 30 days ahead). If sold out, we arrange a guide-accompanied second-class ride or a road transfer with viewpoint stops.
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.]