Travel Itinerary for Sri Lanka: The Ultimate 2 Weeks

If you are planning a trip to Sri Lanka, follow this 2 week travel itinerary to make the most of your time and experience all the highlights of this amazing country.

Some might have a hard time locating Sri Lanka on a map, but make no mistake Sri Lanka is a gem in the Indian Ocean. In fact it’s nicknamed “the Pearl of the Indian Ocean” and is known for diverse wildlife, stunning beaches, beautiful countryside with rolling green hills and tea plantations, ancient temples and fortresses, safaris, epic train rides, and flavorful food. Sri Lanka is an adventure lover’s paradise. 

This little island checked all the boxes and I knew I could easily fill two weeks of travel without lack of things to do. In fact I wondered if two weeks would be enough time. When I visited in 2019, Sri Lanka was going through a resurgence of tourism and was labeled a top destination to travel to in 2019. It was an incredible time to visit. The locals were so welcoming and countless times I heard something along the lines of, “please tell your friends to come visit my country!”

Current Events

Not long after my visit, Sri Lanka was rocked with an unfortunate series of hotel and church bombings. In 2022 the country battled an economic crisis that prompted country wide protests and civil unrest. It seems the country’s issues are far from resolved, but Sri Lanka is on the mend in 2023. It’s hard to fathom such a drastic swing of events in the last few years, but I’m cheering for the people and for a full recovery. An important factor in economic recovery is tourism, it helps the people prosper!

Now that we’ve addressed current events, let’s get into itinerary planning. This travel guide will provide in depth information for 15 must visit places and adventurous activities in Sri Lanka. I recommend two weeks of travel to hit all the highlights, but if you have more or less time you can modify accordingly.

Bandaranaike International Airport is the main international airport and is also known as Colombo Airport. This is confusing because the airport is actually closer to the city of Negombo than Colombo. 

It might be worthwhile to spend a day or so checking out either city and getting accustomed to being in a new time zone. However, I wanted to get straight into nature and bypass spending time in the city. I arranged for private transportation from the airport into the heart of the country to the village of Sigiriya; this is where I recommend you start your trip around the country.

Travel Itinerary List for Sri Lanka

1. Sigiriya Rock

Sigiriya Rock gives off Machu Picchu vibes as it similarly was an abandoned citadel on top of an iconic rock. Also known as, “Lion Rock ”it served as an ancient rock fortress to protect the king from attackers with the advantage of having a 360 degree elevated view of all surroundings. After the king died, it became a Buddhist monastery and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is visibly and historically very impressive.

You can admire the moats and gardens on the ground and climb the stairs to the top of the rock for incredible views and to check out the ruins of the ancient city. It is open 630am to 530pm and costs $30 USD. The admission ticket also gives you access to the Sigiriya Lion Rock Museum. 

2. Pidurangala Cave & Rock Temple

Alternatively and for a lot cheaper (500 LKR or approximately $1.37 USD), you can visit Pidurangala Rock. After a short hike you will be treated to an incredible view of the nearby Sigiriya Rock and surrounding nature. The hike begins at a temple and you must cover your shoulders, knees, and remove your shoes as you pass through the temple area. I was wearing a tank top and luckily they had a basket of scarves available to use and return after the hike. The advantage of choosing to visit Pidurangala Rock is that it is less crowded and you get a view of Lion Rock, a perfect backdrop for pictures!

If you have time, why not visit both sites? I experienced major flight delays and subsequently lost a full day in Sigiriya. I chose to visit the less crowded Pidurangala Rock because it was walkable from my accommodation, significantly cheaper, and I could admire Sigiriya Rock from a distance. It felt like the most time effective way to experience both. 

3. Stay in a Treehouse in Sigiriya

I could not contain my excitement for a treehouse experience at Back of Beyond Pidurangala! The entire treehouse is open to the jungle, but you still have the accommodations of a hotel room so it is somewhat of a glamping experience. I loved sitting on the balcony surrounded by trees and listening to jungle sounds. This is truly the place to disconnect and relax in nature.

In case you are skittish of bugs you should consider that they come with the experience. There were cute little toads in my bathroom and shower area and who knows what else was lurking around, but thankfully the bed had a mosquito net. If you are looking for a unique jungle experience in Sigiriya, this is it!

4. Dambulla Rock Temple

Next, Dambulla Temple is another impressive site on top of a rock. This is an authentically beautiful and well preserved religious site that is over 2,000 years old. The complex contains five temples in caves with beautifully painted ceilings and Buddha statues. If you roam around a little you will be sure to encounter some playful monkeys, be careful with your possessions! 

Because it is a temple, you will need to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees. You will also remove your shoes when entering the temple gate. I believe there is a paid storage area, but I opted to stash my shoes off to the side for free and hope for the best.

The entrance fee for foreigners is 1500 LKR. It’s less than a 30 minute drive from Sigiriya, so you can make it a day trip from there or an easy place to stop en route to Kandy on the drive south. 

5. Train Ride from Kandy to Ella

The blue train is iconic in Sri Lanka! It’s known for its open windows and doors and awe inspiring views. If you’ve done any research on Sri Lanka you have undoubtedly seen pictures of people hanging out the door of the train looking like they are having the time of their life.

The most popular route is from Kandy to Ella. The scenery will change from jungle to the spectacular hilly countryside with tea plantations and gorgeous green highlands. If you are traveling around the country this is the perfect way to enjoy the scenery.

The train ride is around 6-7 hours long, but is said to take longer. Make sure you book the express train. You can prebook online, in person at the train station, or through your accommodation in Sri Lanka. If your travel plans are inflexible, I recommend pre-booking your ticket. Hopefully you will have blue trains and blue skies in your future!

6. Ella

Arriving in Ella felt like a breath of fresh air with its beautiful mountainous scenery. Along the main road in town you will find everything you need, cafes, restaurants, and cute shops. It’s lively but has a relaxed feel with backpacker vibes. What I loved about Ella is that you have access to hiking, adventure, and nature. This is the perfect place to recharge in a yoga class and unwind with a massage. All of my favorite things.

Check out my blog post, Planning Your Trip to the Beautiful Town of Ella, Sri Lanka for all the details about activities in Ella.

7. Hike to Ella rock

Getting out into nature is the best way to take in the beauty of Ella. The hike to Ella rock will take you to the best viewpoint over the city of Ella and the green hills. On a clear day you can see all the surrounding nature and Little Adam’s Peak from a distance. If you’re lucky you will meet a few friendly dogs on the railroad tracks that will lead the way. 

The trail is easy, but gets very steep at the end as you ascent to the viewpoint. If you are looking for something shorter with less elevation gain, I recommend Little Adam’s Peak.

8. Nine Arch bridge

This is a beautiful place to visit in the early morning when it is foggy and moody. The architecture of the stone bridge is perfectly contrasted with the surrounding tea plantation and lush green jungle landscape. It is picture perfect and worthy of the crowds of people who come to wave at the passing trains and admire the scenery. Add this to your list of things to do while you’re visiting Ella.

How to Get to Nine Arch Bridge

There are several ways to get to the Nine Arch Bridge. I opted for the scenic nature walk through the forest. From the main road in town, turn off onto Ella-Passara Road and follow the road until you see a marked footpath on the left side of the road heading into the forest. It’s slightly past Cafe Umbrella (stop in for food before or after you visit the bridge). There is a tag on Google Maps of the exact spot. This path will lead directly to the bridge, which is much better than driving in my opinion.

There are multiple viewpoints on both ends of the bridge, so be sure to wander and check out both sides. You can capture multiple different angles for pictures and the morning light is really beautiful. Make sure to listen for the train and stay clear of the tracks when it’s approaching. Don’t risk it all for that selfie. 

9. Take a yoga class

Don’t neglect to stretch after hiking and long distance travel. If you’re looking to unwind, stretch, and clear your mind, take a yoga class in an outdoor studio. I took several classes in Ella and Mirissa and can confirm yoga is even better with a view, fresh air, and nature sounds. I woke up early to take a sunrise class in the hills of Ella and afterwards I felt like I unlocked new levels of bliss.

10. Go on a Safari 

In addition to the impressive list of things to do in Sri Lanka, add a safari to your travel itinerary! Bucket list, check! In my opinion, Sri Lanka is an underrated destination for diverse wildlife. They even boast their own “big 5” including elephants, leopards, sloth bears, blue whales, and sperm whales.

There are at least 20 national parks in Sri Lanka with options for year round safaris. A few of the most visited parks include Yala, Minneriya, and Udawalawe. Yala National Park is the most popular safari and is known for leopards. Minneriya & Udawalawe are smaller parks and best known for their elephant population. 

Check out my blog post, How To Plan an Unforgettable Safari in Sri Lanka for in depth information about planning a safari.

11. Mirissa 

After exploring the central hills and jungles of Sri Lanka, it’s time to hit the southern coast beaches! If you’re coming from Udawalawe National Park, it’s about a 2 hour drive to Mirissa. I hired a driver and had plenty to gawk at during the drive. Traffic was stopped several times for cattle crossing the roads and even a parade, it seemed like just an average day for the driver. 

Mirissa is the place to relax, enjoy the chill beach vibes, and also spot some amazing marine life. There are plenty of beachside hotels and Mirissa beach is the place to hang.

Parrot Rock

If you walk along Mirissa beach you will see Parrot Rock, right off the coast. You can walk out to the rock and climb up the makeshift stairs and enjoy the 360 degree views of the water and beach. If you like nightlife, the nightly beach bar parties are easy to find.

I wasn’t kidding when I said Sri Lanka has it all; Mirissa is THE place for whale watching boat tours and snorkeling excursions to see giant sea turtles! Whale watching season is generally from November to May, so plan accordingly if this interests you. 

If you like to surf or want to try lessons, follow the coast 10 minutes west to Weligama beach, known as surfing paradise. I was told it’s a good place for beginners to learn to surf. I didn’t stop here, but saw a lot of people surfing and watching from the beach when I drove by. 

Something about being out all day in the sun and swimming makes me extra hungry, am I right? While in Mirissa you have to stop at No. 1 Dewmini Roti Shop, it’s a family owned restaurant with incredible local food and raving reviews. You can choose between savory or sweet roti options, I recommend one of each! The owners also offer a cooking class if you love the food and want to learn how to make it. 

12. Enjoy the views on Coconut Hill

Coconut Tree Hill is a picturesque hill on the shore of the ocean with perfectly placed tall coconut trees overlooking Mirissa bay. When I visited Coconut Hill, it was absolutely pristine. It was quiet in the early morning with only the noise of subtle ocean waves. I had the entire hill to myself for at least an hour and was able to take a few beautiful pictures and sit peacefully in silence. It’s one of those places that makes you want to sit down and take it all in by imprinting your memory with its beauty.

As with most beautiful places, it will likely be crowded. It is a well known hot spot for locals and tourists to visit, especially for sunset. I noticed that most people didn’t stay long, so if you are patient, you might be able to enjoy some solitude. Alternatively, you could stop at the Sunset Bar which is nearby at the base of the hill. You can still have oceanside views and admire Coconut Tree Hill from afar. 

13. Beach it up in Unawatuna

As my trip around Sri Lanka was coming to a close, I wanted to end the trip on a beach and in a convenient location to the airport. If you follow the road along the coast west from Mirissa, you will arrive in Unawatuna in about 40 minutes or so. It is about 1 hour south of Colombo and 1.5 hours away from the airport, making it a perfect final stop. 

This beach destination is a bigger and livelier tourist area than Mirissa. You will have more options for restaurants, night life, and shopping. 

As I was winding down from 2 exciting weeks of travel, I kept my activities light and relaxing; yoga, massage, and beach walks.

Sri Yoga Shala is a yoga retreat center that offers drop in classes in a beautiful open air nature setting. Stop by their plant based cafe after class for breakfast/lunch items. All class info and times are posted online monthly.

14. Dalawella beach

Dalawella beach is near Unawatuna and worth a visit!  My accommodation was halfway between Unawatuna beach and Dalawella, so I was able to casually stroll down the beach, but you can easily take a tuk tuk ride from wherever you are staying.

The entire coastline is really nice, but Dalawella beach stands out because of the picture perfect enormous climbable rock and horizontal palm tree. Ideal spot to soak up the sunset. 

15. Palm tree rope swing

Lastly, for your Sri Lanka travel itinerary you must try out the Dalawella palm tree swing! If you are walking from the same direction as I did, you will come upon the “famous” palm tree rope swing before reaching Dalawella beach. It’s right in front of Dream Cabana guesthouse. The rope swing is manned by the staff of Dream Cabana, it costs 500 rupees, which is less than $2 USD. 

I think I got lucky because it was early in the morning and there wasn’t anyone around when I went for a swing. I’m sure the swing gets busy due to all the exposure it gets from social media. It’s a thrill and who doesn’t want to monkey around like a kid?!

The swing experience

My excitement quickly turned into thinking, “how am I going to do this?” as the guy pointed to the base of the palm tree and told me I needed to climb it. The higher you climb to start, the more momentum you will get for the swing. I wasn’t able to climb too high, but it was sufficient and I didn’t die.

Thrills aside I must be honest, the swing takes a little finesse and strength. This isn’t a sit down swing, you are standing upright and will need to use your upper body strength and balance.

Overall, the swing was such a rush, I had the biggest smile on my face the entire time! Hands down the best $2 I spent in Sri Lanka.

In conclusion, I’m still smiling as I recall my adventure around Sri Lanka, this travel itinerary is truly epic. I came back forever changed by this incredible country and solo experience. I can’t recommend Sri Lanka enough, add it to your list!

If you have more time in Sri Lanka, here are a few more ideas to add to your travel itinerary:

• Yala national park
• Nuwara Eliya
• Diyaluma Falls
• Little Adam’s Peak
• Lotus Tower in Colombo
• Jami Ul-Alfar Masjid (or Red Mosque) in Colombo
• Whale watching in Mirissa 
• Galle
• Yapahuwa rock fortress
• Avukana Buddha statue

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