The long way round

Twelve days from Wilpattu through the old capitals and the hills to Galle

Length: 12 days, 11 nights
Pace: Steady
Bases: 8
Best months: Feb to Mar
From: $1,860 · $155/day

per person, twin share, excluding international flights.

IndicativeThese prices are modelled from market rates and have not been costed yet. We will quote a real figure when you enquire.

When this trip works

Wilpattu is at its best February to June and the south coast is dry December to April, so the overlap is the northern spring. February and March are the sweet spot. January and April both work with one leg slightly off its peak, and December is the tail of the northeast monsoon in the dry zone.

October — out of season

It is October now, and this route reads out of season this month.

Prime
Good
Mixed
Out of season

The shape of it

Colombo and the westCultural TriangleHill countryWest and south coast

8 bases, 7 changes of hotel. The longest stay is 3 nights in Habarana.

Negombo
1 night, day 1
Wilpattu
1 night, day 2
Habarana
3 nights, days 3 to 5
Kandy
2 nights, days 6 to 7
Haputale
1 night, day 8
Ella
1 night, day 9
Mirissa
1 night, day 10
Galle
1 night, day 11
Fly home

Day by day

Breakfast, lunch and dinner, where they are included that day.

Stop 1 · Colombo and the west

Negombo

Day 1 · 1 night

Day1
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 1: Arrival, overnight Negombo
Arrival, overnight Negombo.
- Arrival, overnight Negombo
Meals
None included
Pace
Barely moves

Stop 2 · Cultural Triangle

Wilpattu

Day 2 · 1 night

Day2
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 2: Negombo → Wilpattu
Munneshwaram temple, check-in, evening safari.
- Munneshwaram temple
- Evening safari
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Gentle

Stop 3 · Cultural Triangle

Habarana

Days 3–5 · 3 nights

Day3
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 3: Wilpattu → Anuradhapura → Habarana
Anuradhapura Pooja town (main 3 sites) + Aukana statue, evening leisure.
- Anuradhapura Pooja town (main 3 sites) + Aukana statue
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Steady
Day4
Day 4: Habarana
Morning Sigiriya Rock, village trek (bullock cart or land master, catamaran ride, cookery, walk).
- Morning Sigiriya Rock
- Village trek (bullock cart or land master, catamaran ride, cookery, walk)
If you want moreevening Minneriya safari
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Gentle
Transfer
No intercity drive planned
Day5
Day 5: Habarana → Polonnaruwa → Habarana
Polonnaruwa full site by car, Giritale bicycle ride, evening leisure.
- Polonnaruwa full site by car
- Giritale bicycle ride
If you want morePidurangala Rock (the tour programme must be adjusted if booked)
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Full days
Transfer
No intercity drive planned

Stop 4 · Hill country

Kandy

Days 6–7 · 2 nights

Day6
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 6: Habarana → Kandy
Dambulla cave, spice garden, cultural show, Temple of the Tooth.
- Dambulla cave
- Spice garden
- Cultural show
- Temple of the Tooth
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Gentle
Day7
Day 7: Kandy
Botanical garden, Ambakke + Gadaladeniya + Lankatilaka, evening Kandy city tour + shopping.
- Botanical garden
- Ambakke + Gadaladeniya + Lankatilaka
- Evening Kandy city tour + shopping
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Gentle
Transfer
No intercity drive planned

Stop 5 · Hill country

Haputale

Day 8 · 1 night

Day8
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 8: Kandy → Nuwara Eliya → Haputale
Tea factory visit, Nuwara Eliya city tour, Nanu Oya-Haputale train.
- Tea factory visit
- Nuwara Eliya city tour
- Nanu Oya-Haputale train
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Steady

Stop 6 · Hill country

Ella

Day 9 · 1 night

Day9
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 9: Haputale → Lipton's Seat → Ella
Lipton's Seat, Little Adam's Peak, Nine Arch Bridge.
- Lipton's Seat
- Little Adam's Peak
- Nine Arch Bridge
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Steady

Stop 7 · West and south coast

Mirissa

Day 10 · 1 night

Day10
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 10: Ella → Udawalawe → Mirissa
Ravana waterfall, afternoon Udawalawe safari.
- Ravana waterfall
- Afternoon Udawalawe safari
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Steady

Stop 8 · West and south coast

Galle

Days 11–12 · 1 night

Day11
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 11: Mirissa → Galle
Morning whale watching, Galle city tour.
- Morning whale watching
- Galle city tour
Meals
Breakfast, Dinner
Pace
Gentle
Day12
Travel day · timing to be confirmed
Day 12: Galle → airport
Galle → airport.
- Galle → airport
Meals
Breakfast
Pace
Barely moves

What it costs

One route, three levels of hotel. The itinerary does not change.

Comfort

$1,860

$155 a day · single supplement $630

Well-run three-star hotels and family-owned guesthouses, chosen for location and the people who run them rather than the star rating.

Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver-guide throughout
Daily breakfast
All transfers and road tolls
24-hour local support line

Boutique

$2,820

$235 a day · single supplement $1,070

Small boutique hotels, tea-estate bungalows and design-led beach houses. Twelve rooms rather than a hundred.

Everything in Comfort
Breakfast and one further meal daily
Park fees and site entrances as itemised
A trip designer on WhatsApp for the duration

Luxury

$4,140

$345 a day · single supplement $1,865

The best rooms on the island: colonial bungalows, private villas and lodges with their own naturalists.

Everything in Boutique
All meals, and a private chef where the property allows
Private guiding at every site rather than shared
Airport fast-track on arrival and departure

per person, twin share, excluding international flights.

Entrance fees, itemised

Site fees in Sri Lanka are high and rising: Sigiriya alone is thirty-five dollars. Most operators bury them in the exclusions. Here is the whole list, with what we cover and what we do not.

Wilpattu National Park and jeep
$40
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Anuradhapura sacred city
$25
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Sigiriya rock fortress
$35
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Polonnaruwa ancient city
$25
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Dambulla cave temples
$10
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
$12
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Peradeniya botanical gardens
$10
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Kandyan dance performance
$10
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Tea factory tour and tasting
$8
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Udawalawe National Park and jeep
$40
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Whale watching boat, MirissaSeasonal and weather-dependent.
$45
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Galle FortA living town; there is no ticket.
Free
In the price
Yes, we cover it
Minneriya or Kaudulla and jeepOptional.
$40
In the price
No, paid on the day
PidurangalaOptional.
$6
In the price
No, paid on the day

Entrance fees for The long way round
Site	Fee	Included
Wilpattu National Park and jeep	$40	Yes, we cover it
Anuradhapura sacred city	$25	Yes, we cover it
Sigiriya rock fortress	$35	Yes, we cover it
Polonnaruwa ancient city	$25	Yes, we cover it
Dambulla cave temples	$10	Yes, we cover it
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic	$12	Yes, we cover it
Peradeniya botanical gardens	$10	Yes, we cover it
Kandyan dance performance	$10	Yes, we cover it
Tea factory tour and tasting	$8	Yes, we cover it
Udawalawe National Park and jeep	$40	Yes, we cover it
Whale watching boat, MirissaSeasonal and weather-dependent.	$45	Yes, we cover it
Galle FortA living town; there is no ticket.	Free	Yes, we cover it
Minneriya or Kaudulla and jeepOptional.	$40	No, paid on the day
PidurangalaOptional.	$6	No, paid on the day

Covered by us: $260
If you do the optional ones: $46

Who this is for

Travellers with a fortnight who want wildlife as well as the headline sights
Anyone who would rather see Wilpattu than queue at Yala

And who it is not

Visitors between May and September: both Wilpattu and the south coast are out of season together
Anyone wanting the east coast or Jaffna, which need their own trip and their own months