12 Days in Sri Lanka – Itinerary by a Sri Lankan Travel Blogger

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After being a travel blogger for 6 years and writing over 260 blog posts about 50+ countries, I finally get to write the ultimate post about my motherland! This is a post I have been hoping to write for a long time. I was born and raised in Sri Lanka and lived there for all of my childhood and a few years as an adult. During this time, I had the privilege of extensively traveling all over the country. However, I recently visited after being away for 8+ years! During this time, I really wanted to visit some favorite parts of the country, those that held fond childhood memories but also ones that really showcased the essence of Sri Lanka. As a travel blogger and ardent traveler, I put myself in the shoes of a visitor to make sure you experience the best of what Sri Lanka has to offer, maybe it be culture, history, nature, wildlife or adventure. This post covers how to spend 12 days in Sri Lanka with options to reduce or increase the number of days!

Note – This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, I get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Quick Facts About Sri Lanka

• Population of 22 million
• 25,000 square miles in size
  • Max length – 268 mi, max width- 139 mi
• Was previously known as Ceylon, Serendib, Taprobane
• 87% speak Sinhala followed by Tamil
  • English is a link language and is spoken in big cities and tourist areas
• 2500 years of documented history
  • 2300 years of monarchy
  • Colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch and British for 440+ years
• 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

There really is no ‘best time’ to visit Sri Lanka as such. We don’t have temperate seasons. However, Sri Lanka does have a monsoon season. Most if not all of the places on this 12 days in Sri Lanka itinerary will be best visited from October to March. However, 1. it doesn’t mean you can’t visit these places during the other months (just need to be prepared for the rain) 2. if you are visiting during the other months, consider visiting more of the other part of the country where there is no rain.

Tips for Visiting Sri Lanka

I wrote a post with 20 tips for visiting Sri Lanka that I highly encourage you to read before planning your trip to Sri Lanka.

You can read the full post HERE!

Are 12 Days in Sri Lanka Enough Time?

Objectively, I think it is a decent amount of time to explore the country. It will give you enough time to explore a little bit of history, culture, nature and adventure. If you have more or less than 12 days in Sri Lanka, then see the sections below on how you can adjust this itinerary.

Notes About this Itinerary

• You can start this itinerary is either direction but I think finishing on the beach is probably a nice way of ending your 12 days in Sri Lanka.
• I am keeping this post highlevel but I do have detailed posts on almost all of the days for Sri Lanka. Make sure you read these for additional information.
• This 12 days in Sri Lanka itinerary is a mix of everything! You can do all of it or some of it! Please feel free to pick and choose activities to your linking!

Getting Around Sri Lanka

Trains and Buses

Getting around in Sri Lanka can be complicated or pretty simple, depending on how you see it. Sri Lanka is well connected via a train system to most of the big cities and has a good bus system that connects the rest of the country. The one callout about trains and buses though is that they take time. While there are buses that connect the country, they may not always be direct buses, and therefore you may need to take a couple of them to connect. Unless you take buses run by private companies, public buses very often don’t work on a time table.

Taxis and Tuk-Tuks

Taxis and tuk-tuks are a convenient way to get around. Tuks of course are not as fast but they are an affordable options. One tip is to use Uber or the local PickMe app as much as you possibly can. You are guaranteed the best rate with these apps. If you hail tuks from the road, it’s best to ask a local for the going rate so that you don’t get scammed. It’s ok to negotiate heavily. I found even metered tuks were much more expensive than tuks I hailed via Uber or PickMe.

One exception to this is if you are traveling at night by yourself. Then call Kangaroo cabs. Kangaroo cabs are a local taxi company. They are a little expensive but widely recognized as the safest option for traveling at night by yourself. I used them when I went out at night and came home late.

Another callout is that if you are thinking of using tuks for this 12 days in Sri Lanka itinerary, it’s best to find a tuk the night before and negotiate a rate ahead of time. Trying to look for a tuk to take you for example, from Ella to Mirissa the day of maybe difficult and will probably cause delays.

Motorcycles and Bicycles

I saw many foreign visitor driving scooters in coastal areas. I think these are fine for short distances but I don’t think they are advisable for this 12 days in Sri Lanka itinerary. Especially driving up and down the mountains.

Self-Driving

I learned to drive in Sri Lanka and I absolutely did not want to drive in Sri Lanka this time. I’ve driven in all 6 continents and generally have no issues renting a car and driving on either side of the road. But, Sri Lanka is a bit of a lawless place when it comes to road rules.

If you must rent a car or tuk-tuk and drive, please be very careful! Especially of public buses!

Private Driver

I hired a private driver for my trip and I really enjoyed not having to drive during these 12 days in Sri Lanka! Our driver was with us throughout the journey and all we had to do was put our legs up and look outside the window! If you have the means, this is in my opinion, the best way to get around Sri Lanka. Our driver was able to chat up people and get us information we would have otherwise missed. I cannot recommend a private driver enough!

We hired a van with a driver from Prime Taxi and had a good experience overall! Ask for Shanil to be your driver if you decide to go with them.

Thoughts on Getting Around During Your 12 Days in Sri Lanka

This itinerary is the exact itinerary that I did in Sri Lanka and it’s put together with the assumption that you will have private transport available. If you are using buses and trains, then you may not be able to cover everything that I am suggesting below and will have to adjust accordingly.

Honestly, if you have the means, don’t take buses and trains as these are a huge time waster in my opinion! Remember that tuks will also slow you down a bit as they can’t travel as fast as other vehicles can.

Where to Stay in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a wide range of accommodation options from hostels to budget family run home-stays to 5 star luxury hotels. For the last almost 10+ years, I have used booking.com to reserve accommodation for at least 40+ countries that I have traveled to. Sri Lanka was no exception! I used booking.com to book all my accommodation and I will link exactly where I stayed at for each of the 12 days in Sri Lanka! I tried to stay at varied accommodation options from 5 star hotels to small boutique hotels.

One great advantage of using booking.com in general is that the more you use it, the more benefits you unlock with their loyalty program. Plus you can filter for cancelable options or any other amenity of facility that is important for you to have when you stay at a place.

What to Eat in Sri Lanka

I have never heard of anyone who has visited Sri Lanka say they didn’t like Sri Lankan food. I think this is because Sri Lankan food is truly unique and cannot be compared to any other food around the world (not even Indian food as we use very different spices). The depth of flavor and the complexity of the spice blends are sure to blow your mind! I wrote a detailed post about what to eat in Sri Lanka, where I went over not only all the famous dishes, but also the side dishes, relishes, sambols and even desserts. This post also covers what to mix and match with what. It’s really comprehensive and you should definitely read it before you go to Sri Lanka.

Check out this post HERE

12 Days in Sri Lanka

Day 1

Spend your first day in Sri Lanka in the capital city of Colombo. Sri Lanka actually has 2 capitals and Colombo is the economic capital and is the most populous city in the country.

One day is enough time to see the highlights of Colombo but it’s best to start your day early. Colombo is a good way to get your bearings in the country but don’t spend more than 1-1.5 days here. The best of Sri Lanka is actually outside of Colombo (and I’m saying this as someone who was born and raised in Colombo!)

What to Do in Colombo

• Visit Gangaramaya temple
• See the Floating temple
• Climb the Lotus Tower
• Wander through Pettah
• Step inside the Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque
• Stroll along Independence Square
• Catch the sunset at Galle Face Green

In the guide below, I have also listed some places where you can sample many different types of Sri Lankan food which I think would be a great way to start your culinary journey in Sri Lanka!

Click to see the full list of things to do and my detailed guide to Colombo!

Where to Stay in Colombo?

With one day in Colombo, you should aim to stay in central Colombo like in Bambalapitiya (Colombo 4) or Colpetty (Colombo 3). It’s easy to get to most places from these two areas and there are a ton of restaurant and accommodation options in these areas as well!

AirBnB Option: Sea View Apartments

I don’t ususally recommend AirBnB’s but this place is a gem! Located in Colombo 4, 2-bedroom/2-bathroom apartment is ideal for a family or 2 couples. The apartment is beautifully furnished and even has dedicated workspace for those looking to do a little work. The complex has a rooftop pool and a gym as well. It’s hosted by a lovely lady who is a “superhost” on Air BnB. The listing has 5 star reviews and according to AirBnB is “one of the most loved homes” on their site.

Hotel Option #1: Cinnamon Red

This budget hotel is located in Colombo 3 and has a fantastic rooftop with a pool and ocean views.

Hotel Option #2: Cinnamon Grand

This hotel is a little more upscale but is also located in a fantastic location, close to a lot of the places on this list. It also has several on-site restaurants and an international buffet that stretches for miles. Their sister hotel Cinnamon Lakeside is located next to a lake and is also in a central location!

Tours in Colombo

If you prefer to see Colombo via a local tour, then check out the options below!

Day 2 – 4

On day 2, leave Colombo early in the morning (earlier the better) and head to Sri Lanka’s Culture Triangle. Base yourself at or near Sigiriya for the next 3 nights and explore this area. There is a lot to do and below I will show you how to combine activities and split your time. Be sure to read my detailed guide on each of the places I’ve listed below. You can do these 3 days in any order and even mix up some of the activities if you like. Only callout is that you may want to visit some of the places where you are out in the sun (i.e., Sigiriya) first thing in the morning to beat the heat.

Day 2

Morning – Dambulla

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dambulla This cave temple is the largest in the country and is from the 3rd century BC. It hold beautiful murals and states of the Buddha.

Evening – Hike up Pidurangala Rock

The Pidurangala Rock hike is a moderately challenging but short hike that brings you to a top of a rock with commanding views of the area below. It’s also one of the best viewpoints to see the Sigiriya Rock. The best time to hike is either for sunrise or sunset!

Click to read my detailed post on how to hike Pidurangala Rock.

Prefer to go on a guided hike?

Day 3

Morning – Polonnaruwa

Sri Lanka’s 2nd oldest kingdom, Polonnaruwa is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is about a 1000 years old! You can see many ruins, both religious and secular in nature in Polonnaruwa. It’s my favorite archeological site in Sri Lanka! You need about half a day to explore Polonnaruwa There’s a lot to see but I’ve listed the most important and interesting ones in my detailed guide below!

Read about what to see in Polonnaruwa and important things to know about visiting this city!

Here are some guided tours if you prefer one

Afternoon – Elephant Safari

See elephants in their natural habitat at one of the nature parks located between Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. These elephants often roam in Minneriya, Kaudulla or Habarana Echo Park.

You can go on a guided safari that starts in the afternoon.

Day 4

Morning – Sigiriya

Go early morning to visit Sigiriya. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and might be Sri Lanka’s most famous one. The story of Sigiriya is 1500 years old! Summit to the top of the rock and check out the ancient frescos. Don’t forgot to read my post to learn about the histroy of Sigiriya. Trust me! It’s very interesting!

Read all about how to visit Sigiriya and its history!

Afternoon – Visit a Local Village

Visit a local village to learn more about how a majority of Sri Lankans live. You can have a very immersive experience learning about their day to day life. You will be taken around the village in local transportation and will get to cook and eat an authentic Sri Lanka meal.

Call Chandrasena +94779396835 to book.

Where to Stay in Sigiriya?

I actually stayed in Habarana instead of Sigiriya. Habarana is a little quieter and a little ore at mid-point for everything than Sigiriya is.

If you are looking for a place to stay in Habarana, I cannot recommend Habarana Lodge enough!

I stayed at Lodge during my 3 days in this area and I loved every bit of it. The property sits at the edge of the Habarana Lake and has a jungle type feel to it. This large property is so peaceful and serene. It’s the perfect getaway! Next to Habarana Lodge is Habarana Village, their sister property. While Lodge is a 5 star hotel, Village is 4 star but more or less has the same feel and also sits at the edge of Habarana Lake.

If you prefer to stay in Sigiriya, check out Sigiriya Village or Hotel Sigiriya.

Day 5

Spend day 5 of your 12 days in Sri Lanka in the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. After an early breakfast in Habarana or Sigiriya, head to the hills for Kandy. Kandy was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka before the British took over the country, thereby ending a 2300 year old monarchy. It’s also home to one of the most if not the most important temple in the entire country. This temple houses a tooth relic of the Buddha and this relic has been venerated and guarded since ancient times.

It will take you around 2.5 hours to get from the Habarana/Sigiriya area to Kandy.

Things to do in Kandy

• Visit the Temple of the Sacred Toooth Relic
• Walk around the Kandy lake
• Visit the royal botanical gardens
• Visit Embekke and Lankathilake temples
• Watch a Kandyan dance show

Click this link for my detailed guide to Kandy!

Where to Stay in Kandy?

Ru Boutique

I stayed at Ru Boutique Hotel in Kandy. I wanted to showcase different accommodation options in Sri Lanka during my visit and wanted to stay in a small boutique hotel. This hotel is located just above the lake and has great lake views. The rooms were spacious and the entire place was beautifully decorated showcasing a lot of traditional Kandyan furniture and artifacts. The staff were very friendly and welcoming!

See HERE.

Mahawali Reach Hotel

Another really great hotel option is the Mahawali Reach hotel. This hotel is a Kandy classic! Located next to the Mahawali River (the longest river in Sri Lanka), this hotel is a beautiful example of not just Kandyan architecture but also Kandyan hospitality. They have a large pool and regally decorated rooms. I have stayed at Mahawali Reach Hotel before and cannot recommend them enough. Also, try one of their local cocktails that they make using Sri Lankan flavors. So good!

See HERE!

Guided Tours in Kandy

Day 6

After an early breakfast in Kandy, head further up the hills to Nuwara Eliya. Located at 1868 meters, Nuwara Eliya is the highest city in the country. There are about 3 ways to get from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and all 3 of them are scenic. I recommend taking the A7 which is the longer route of the 3. This road takes you through tea estates, a number of waterfalls and a beautiful reservoir called Castlereigh. Stop at all the scenic locations and take as many pictures as you want to! Trust me, you will want to stop ever so often. At Thalawakale, stop at one of the tea houses opposite Devon Falls. A little down the road from Devon is St. Clairs falls. Both of these are very famous waterfalls in Sri Lanka.

It will probably be late lunch time by the time you get to Nuwara Eliya. My recmmendation is to have a late lunch or afternoon tea at the Grand Hotel. This old colonial style hotel is known for its beautiful flower gardens and warm, cozy interiors. So many famous people have stayed at this hotel, from Queen Elizabeth II to American presidents.

Once you are done eating, take a drive through the town of Nuwara Eliya, stopping at the botanical gardens and Lake Gregory.

Where to Stay in Nuwara Eliya?

I stayed at a hotel called Heritance Tea factory. It’s about 30 minutes from Nuwara Eliya in a town called Kandapola and is one of the most unique places I stayed at during my 12 days in Sri Lanka. This hotel actually used to be a tea factory that was later converted into a hotel. It’s extremely cozy and is surrounded by lush tea estates.

See HERE

Day 7 -8

On day 7, you have a bit of time to relax at the hotel in the morning. Heritance Tea Factory offers a tea plucking experience and a tour of a tea factory which was a lot of fun. The experience and tour takes about an hour and the lady doing it was absolutely wonderful! It was a great way to learn why Sri Lankan tea is amongst the best black tea in the world!

From Nuwara Eliya, catch a train to Ella. To do this, you have to go to the Nanu Oya station location about 30 minutes from the Tea Factory hotel. I recommend taking the Dunhinda Odyssey train which stops at all the main points of interest. The central highland of Sri Lanka is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and this train ride, considered to be one of the most scenic train rides in the world, takes you through the central highlands. It passes lush tea estates, cloud and rain forests, misty mountains and valleys and verdant vegetable farms.

Note – The Odyssey train needs to be booked a month in advance through the Department of Railways website.

Day 7

The train will arrive in Ella in the afternoon but you should still have a few hours to explore!

• Arrive at Ella via train
• Visit Ravana Falls
• Explore Ella town

Day 8

• Hike to mini Adam’s Peak
• Go zip lining or experience the Ella Swing
• Relax at Ravana Pool Club
• See the Nine Arches Bridge from top

I have a very detailed guide about Ella.

It includes how to get to Ella by train and how to spend 2 days in Ella. The post includes where to eat and other details as well!

Where to Stay in Ella

Booking.com has a lot of great options for your stay in Ella! I stayed at Ella OnRock and had a really good experience. The room was nice and spacious and had a view of a huge waterfall and the surrounding mountains. They also offer free breakfast with the stay which was great! The hotel is right in town making it a very convenient location, especially for all the famous restaurants in Ella.

See HERE!

Day 9 – 11

If you love to hike, wake up well before dawn to see the sunrise from Ella Rock. If you are hiking for sunrise, you will have to hike in the pitch darkness , so bring a flashlight or headlamp. I recommend starting from Kithal Ella station as opposed to the Ella station so that you cut out time walking on the railway tracks in the dark.

This hike will take you around 3-4 hours round trip.

See this detailed guide about everything you need to know about hiking to Ella Rock!

Once back at the hotel, have breakfast, shower and pack up and head towards the southern coast.

You have 2 options here:

Option 1 – 1 Day in Yala and 2 Days in Mirissa

Yala is one of the popular national parks in Sri Lanka for wildlife sights, especially leopards. If you decide to spend day 9 in Yala, you can get to Yala by lunch time and then set out for an evening game drive and early morning game drive the following morning.

There are a couple of ways to book a safari, you can get to Yala and then find a local tour operator, book a tour recommended below or ask your accommodation provider if they have tours.

Where to Stay in Yala

For your stay in Yala, I recommend the well rated and much raved about Yakaduru. These eco lodges blend perfectly with nature and the jungle. The rooms are eco friendly mud huts with thatched roofs. The service is always well rated and they are happy to arrange a range of activities like safaris and biking tours. Don’t believe me? Read the review on booking.com! They have a rating of 9.6/10!

See HERE!

Option 2 – 3 days in Mirissa

Check out my post below on how to spend 3 days in Mirissa. If you do option 1 instead of 2, then you probably will have to condense some of the things into 2 days or pick and choose what you want to do!

This post covers more about all the places and activities I have listed below.

I wrote it for 3 full days in Mirissa. However, if you are coming from Ella in the morning, then you can follow the suggestions below, where your 3 days are lunch on day 9 to lunch on day 12.

Day 9

Take it easy on day 9!

• Lunch in Ahangama
• Afternoon at Waligama beach
• Dinner at Doctor’s House

Day 10

• Morning in Mirissa with turtles
• Lunch at Zypher
• Afternoon beach hopping and Dondra
• Dinner at Smoke and Bitters

Day 11

• Morning exploring beaches in Mirissa
• Lunch in Mirissa
• Sunset at Coconut Hill
• Dinner at Zouk

Where to Stay in Mirissa?

We stayed at the beautiful Villa Atulya and had a wonderful time. This beachfront property has 2 beautifully decorated bungalows with 5 rooms each. Both villas have pools, big gardens and spacious indoor areas where you can just chill out. The villa is walking distance to where you can swim with turtles and Coconut Hills and is a short tuk-tuk ride away from popular restaurants and the other beaches. Villa Atulya is probably one of my favorite place I stayed at during my whole 12 days in Sri Lanka.

See HERE!

Day 12

On your last day of your 12 days in Sri Lanka, enjoy a slow morning at the hotel and then head towards Galle to visit the Fort. This UNESCO World Heritage Site was first fortified by the Portuguese in the 16th century and then the Dutch in the 17th.

Spend your afternoon at the fort, exploring its narrow streets, ramparts, clock tower, light house, old churches and even a museum or two. After lunch and an ice cream at Isle of Gelato, make your way back to Colombo or the airport for your flight out of the country after 12 blissful days in Sri Lanka!

Less than 12 Days in Sri Lanka?

Here are a few ways you can adjust the itinerary, if you have less than 12 days in Sri Lanka:

• Days 2-4 – Cut short your time in the Sigiriya area by combining the activities into 2 days instead of 3 (i..e, Morning- Dambulla, Afternoon – Sigiriya, Evening – Pidurangala). It wil be crammed and you may have to deal with the heat but it’s doable!
• Day 6 – Skip this day altogether and go to Ella straight from Kandy
• Days 10-12 – Reduce the number of days in Mirissa from 2 to 3

More than 12 Days in Sri Lanka?

If you have more than 12 days in Sri Lanka:

• Spend 2 nights in Kandy – Take things slow in Kandy
• Spend 2 nights in Nuwara Eliya – In addition to the night mentioned above, spend another night in the city. You can go hiking at Horton Plains or chase more waterfalls and other scenic hills and valleys.
• Extended time along the coast – stay at Hikkaduwa, Hiriketiya, Ahangama or Galle.
• Spend a night or two in the eastern coast in the town of Trincomalee before or after visiting the Sigiriya area

Staying Connected During Your 12 Days in Sri Lanka

Stay connected in Sri Lanka with an Airalo data sim. I used Airalo in Sri Lanka and it worked really well! Use this link for a 10% discount!

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