Sri Lanka
Two-Week Itinerary
Sri Lanka is a country full of surprises, culture and wonderful people. A country once ravaged by internal conflicts is rapidly cementing its rightful place as one of the best destinations for tourism. This is our ultimate two week Sri Lanka Itinerary.
Monday 17th April 2017, the day after we got married, we were on our way to spend our honeymoon in Sri Lanka. Wanting more of an adventure we had chosen the Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Nelly the Elly maybe wasn’t ready for how intense this honeymoon would be, after all we had just shy of two weeks. The downside of being married to a teacher is you have to be back in time for school term!
This is our recommended 2 week Sri Lanka itinerary, which is a perfect amount of time to explore this wonderful country. For the best places to eat please see our FOOD GUIDE for Sri Lanka. Need inspiration on where to stay see our post on the best hotels in Sri Lanka, including a list of the hotels we stayed at.
Ultimate two weeks Sri Lanka itinerary
Day 1 to 2 – A full day, 1 night
COLOMBO
Now we are slightly cheating here because on Day 1 we actually headed straight to Sigiriya as we only had 9 days, but that does make for a long day of travel considering you just landed. So take this opportunity to have a stop in Colombo. This is reminiscence of our style, get stuck in from day 1 and relax at the end.
Colombo is unlike any other city you will visit in Sri Lanka, being the capital, it is far more intense. My tip is to throw yourself into the city and go with the flow. Be prepared for some stares from the locals but they do mean well.
Jump on a tuk-tuk and see the highlights of Sri Lanka. We chose a tuk tuk tour run by tuk tuk safari Sri Lanka. Our driver was incredibly friendly looking after us and making sure we were comfortable at all times.
This was only my second time in a tuk tuk, having first sat in one over 10 years ago in Pakistan. It did take some good old fashioned courage to get in again, after the first experience which looking back at it I am convinced the driver was trying to kill us!
Day 2 to 4 – 2 days, 2 nights
SIGIRIYA
It was at this point we fell in love with Sri Lanka. Our hotel Jetwig Vil Uyana was the perfect place from which to explore Sigiriya. We have never before or since stayed in a hotel quite like it and so at one with nature. Arrive late on day 2 so you can make the most of your time in Colombo.
Sigiriya, or lion rock, gets its name from a gigantic rock (200m+ high) in the middle of a jungle. Once the capital of Sri Lanka, the King’s palace sat on top of the rock.
Sigiriya was developed into a city and fortress by King Kashyapa in 477C. King Kashyapa was defeated in battle by his stepbrother not long after, when his army abandoned him. Folklore is that the battle elephant of Kashyapa changed course due to a strategic advantage, but the army misinterpreted this as the Kings order to retreat and abandoned him entirely. Being too proud to surrender he unsheathed his dagger from his waistband and cut his throat….and now we have the lion rock! This is what I love about travel, there is so much out there for us to learn and experience.
The next day after breakfast make sure to visit the Dambulla cave temples. I promise the monkeys here are well behaved and harmless. And no not all monkeys are harmless, I have been chased before by a pack after trying to offer them a banana…Mustn’t like the stereotype! After this began our drive to Kandy.
Day 4 to 6, 2 nights
KANDY
Famous for the temple of the sacred tooth relic, that houses the tooth of the Buddha himself. We visited the temple in the afternoon as the sun was setting. The drums were beating and the atmosphere was great.
If you have more time in Kandy you can also visit the Royal Botanical Garden, which is a nice park to stroll around in. The Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage is located not that far from Kandy (a 1.5hour drive one way).
Day 6 to 7, 1 night
NUWARA ELIYA
After visiting the Paradeniya gardens in the morning, we set off to the train station. Yes we were going to take the local train to Nuwara Eliya, and yes I was pumped. I recommend arriving at the station early to ensure you do not miss your train. Pass on first class, this is not the time for it. Luxury awaits elsewhere. We even made a friend on the train sharing starbursts in return for local sweets.
The afternoon we spent visiting the tea factory and walking around the tea plantations. As you walk around you see how hard people work, the old ladies carry baskets of tea leaves on their head with an incredible amount of balance and strength.
Day 7 to 11, 4 nights
TANGALLE / YALA NATIONAL SAFARI PARK
Oh yeah we are finally going to get to relax! But not just yet. First, we have a packed day of sightseeing. First stop is to visit the Ella Gap, on our drive to Tangalle. If you have extra time this would be a great place to explore further and even go for a hike. Peak district eat your heart out!
Before heading to the 2pm Yala safari we had lunch at a local café, with the most amazing views. I am a sucker for nature, I could sit for hours taking it all on especially when we go for a Hike. Elly on the other hand is more of the ‘yeah seen it, looks nice, now get up and move. To be fair at that point I’ve probably already been sat there for over an hour.
Sadly, we didn’t manage to see a leopard, but our driver was great and it was a good experience nonetheless. Highly recommended, do not miss it. The safari had a great beach stop and we even saw an elephant shaped rock, where I had to stop Elly from making a run for it thinking it was long lost family!
Exhausted and wanting to relax we arrived at our home for the next three nights. Anantara Peace Haven resort. I’ll be honest we didn’t leave the resort much. There was so much to do at the resort that we didn’t need to. We spent 3 nights here, but I recommend that you add on at least 1 more.
Activities at the Resort
1) Cooking class.
This did require waking up way too early to head to the market to buy freshly caught fish which we would later cook. We got ourselves some prawns and crab.
2) Yoga
Elly found it funny that I had the balance of one legged penguin. The instructor took pity and came over to help, until even he realised I was somewhat of a lost cause. Still enjoyed it but hey why would I ever need to stand on one leg.
3) Private Dinner
Oh, I can be romantic on the exceedingly rare occasions. The staff were great in arranging this for us and making sure to check on the details with me ahead of the meal. They would wait at breakfast for Elly to go fill her plate, so as to keep it a surprise for her. It’s the small touches. Sadly, they couldn’t help with my photography skills here.
4) Massage & Relaxing at the Villa
THE best massage I have ever had…. or had had until last year. I felt so relaxed, it was at this point massages became my thing. About halfway into the massage I must’ve dozed off, as I was woken up by what sounded like a duck, very strange I thought. It took another 10 seconds to register that It was me who had quacked like a duck and woken myself up in the process. Elly was in hysterics, the masseuse was trying hard to remain professional.
Day 11 to 12, 1 night
COLOMBO
We said our goodbyes to Anantara, the goodbye was just as good as the welcome we had experienced. You feel like a guest at someone’s home rather than another number staying in a hotel.
Not long after it was time to say Goodbye and we left the country, with a burning desire to return once again!
If you have less than two weeks
- Cut out the stay in Colombo and head straight to Sigiriya. Visit the Dambulla caves in the afternoon and the next morning head to Sigiriya Rock.
- Reduce the stay in Sigiriya by 1 night, you will get time to relax later.
- Reduce the stay in Tangalle to 3 nights instead of 4.
- For me Yala National park and the train ride are a must. Try not to miss these unless you this is not your thing.
FAQ's
Q1) How did you travel around the country?
Sri Lanka whilst it seems small is quite spread out. Travel is not easy due to the conditions of some of the roads. As it was our honeymoon we didn’t want to be fully reliant on public transport and dragging our luggage around, so we used Genuine Sri Lankans for our travel arrangements. Our tour guide for our entire trip was absolutely fantastic and we learnt so much about the country from him.
The cost of this was £50 a day and for the amount of travel and the tour guide services you get, it is definitely worth it. They even helped book our train journey and took car of our luggage in between stops. This was key in making sure the trip didn’t feel too rushed.
Q2) What did you do for money?
We don’t like exchanging currency before we travel as you don’t get the best rates. We used a Halifax clarity credit card which has zero fees when used abroad (see my articles on credit cards for more details). Using the card we withdrew cash at ATM’s, from airports and main cities. This meant we got the best exchange rate and also ensured we didn’t feel too exposed carrying around excess cash.
Q3) When should I visit Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is an all-year holiday destination. The most popular time to visit Sri Lanka is between November and April when the weather is nice and sunny on the west and south coast.
September to April is the best time to do this itinerary with sunny and dry weather on the west and south coast, as well as the Hill Country.