18-35 Travel
Take the match
The honest read
  • About £131/day across 16 days
  • 2,409 all-in with a typical £314 flight from London151/day)
  • We only rate a price against this trip's own history once we've tracked it for 21 days — no guessing before that.
  • Cheaper per day than 3 of 4 similar trips we compared
  • 5.0 from 1 traveller reviews

Price movement, fill and the all-in cost come from our own daily tracking— not the operator’s feed. You book on TourRadar; the live price always applies there.

Length16 days
RouteColombo → Mirissa
Group sizeMax 4
Ages18–35s
Nights15 nights
Runs20 months/yr
BookingInstant confirm

About this trip

A 16-day private tour of Sri Lanka built around trekking and some of the country's best-known sights, with a driver-guide who shapes the route around what you want to see.

Expect the climb up Sigiriya Lion Rock, a pre-dawn trek up Adam's Peak for sunrise, and wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park, alongside trekking trails elsewhere on the island.

As a private, fully guided trip, it runs at your pace rather than a fixed group schedule.

What you'll do

  • Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock
  • Trek up Adam's Peak for sunrise
  • Spot wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park
  • Walk trekking trails across the island
  • Travel with a private driver-guide who adjusts the plan to you
Good to know
  • Private tour, so the itinerary can be personalised rather than fixed
  • Adam's Peak sunrise means an early, dark start for the climb
  • Marketed as easy going, but includes several trekking days

Day by day

Exactly what you do each day, where you sleep, and how it flows — written by us, from the real itinerary.

ColomboHabaranaPolonnaruwaSigiriyaKandyEllaHaputaleHorton Plains National ParkHaputaleHattonAdam's Peak/ Sri PadaUdawalawe National ParkMirissa
Route map for Highlights of Sri Lanka (Private Premium Tour)
  1. Arrive at Colombo Airport where your driver picks you up and drives you to Negombo for the night. After settling in, recover from the flight with lunch or dinner, then explore Negombo and its surroundings in the afternoon.

  2. Start with a full breakfast, then transfer to Habarana. Trek through Hiriwadunna village before climbing Pindurangala Rock for views of the famous Sigiriya Lion Rock.

  3. Visit Polonnaruwa, the 11th-century capital, to see the temple complex with three massive carved Buddha statues, temples, gardens and palaces. Rent bicycles to explore the ruins.

  4. Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress, Transfer to Kandy — Sigiriya

    Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, the 5th-century fortress that rises 200 metres from jungle floor. See water gardens, frescoes, the stone mirror wall and lion platform, then transfer to Kandy.

  5. Kandy, Royal Botanical Gardens, Temple of the Tooth, Transfer to Ella — Kandy

    Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya on the Mahaweli River, then the Temple of the Tooth where Buddha's molar teeth are kept. Watch traditional dances and enjoy local dishes before heading to Ella.

  6. Hike through villages and rice fields around Ella, then trek to Ella Rock for panoramic views. Travel by train on the return journey with spectacular views, then rejoin your driver at the station.

  7. Thangamalay Forest Reserve — Haputale

    Trek from Haputale through eucalyptus, fir and rainforests over tea plantations to Thangamalay Forest Reserve. Reach a mountain lodge far from villages where minimal light pollution lets you see countless stars.

  8. Horton Plains National Park — Horton Plains National Park

    Trek to Horton Plains, Sri Lanka's highest plateau above 2200 metres, with pristine mountains and grasslands. Visit World's End viewpoint and Baker waterfall in a six-hour hike, return to tea plantation bungalows after lunch.

  9. Trek to Bambarakanda, Sri Lanka's highest waterfall, crossing mountain passes with panoramic views. Swim in a natural pool at a smaller waterfall before your driver takes you back to Haputale. Optional cooking class and homestay available.

  10. Train ride through Sri Lanka's hill country — Hatton

    Take an early train through the hill country to Hatton, then hike through diverse forests usually closed to tourists. Cross tea plantations and landscapes with fantastic views, ending at Maskeliya at the foot of Adam's Peak.

  11. Sunrise from Adam's Peak, Transfer to Udawalawe — Adam's Peak/ Sri Pada

    Climb Adam's Peak before dawn at your own pace to witness sunrise from this cone-shaped mountain sacred to Christians, Muslims and Hindus. Shower and drive 3.5 hours to Udawalawe, where your resort sits in an untouched village with peacocks and hornbills.

  12. Spend the day in Udawalawe National Park on a four-hour jeep safari with a local ranger, spotting herds of elephants, sambars, chitals, boars and crocodiles. Visit the Elephant Transit Home in the afternoon to watch orphaned calves being bottle-fed before release.

  13. Transfer to the South Coast, Mirissa Beach — Mirissa

    Transfer to Mirissa Beach on the south coast. Relax at your hotel with its pool and amenities, a five-minute walk from the beach. Optional activities include diving, surfing, whale watching and swimming with turtles.

  14. Free time at Mirissa Beach to enjoy the facilities and plan spontaneous excursions.

  15. Drive three hours from Mirissa to Colombo Airport for your flight home.

What's included

  • Guide: local english speaking Driver-Guide 12 Days Trekking Guide during the Hiking Excursions, including Lunch Packs
  • Meals: Any Type of meal plan can arranged
  • Activities: Tickets to all attractions and sightseeings as discriped in Tour Itinerary are included: Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Polonnaruwa, + Bicycle Rent Sigiriya Lion Rock Kandy Botanical Garden and Temple of Tooth Trainride: Haputale - Hatton Horton Plains National Park Udawalawe National Park, Jeep Safari, Park Guide, Half Day
  • Transport: Transportation for the entire Tour is provided air-conditioned vehicle (car or minivan) with English-speaking driver 12 days, incl. fuel. 2x Airport Transfers
  • Accommodation: 15 Nights, Double Room in upper Middle Class Hotels inlcuding 2 Nights Half Board (breakfast & dinner) and 13 Nights Breakfast only Negombo - Jetwing Beach*****, 1 Night, B&B Habarana - Sigiriya Hotel***, 2 Nights, B&B Kandy - Topaz Hotel****, 1 Night, B&B Ella - The View Hotel, 2 Nights, B&B Ohiya - Hillsafari Eco Lodge, 2 Nights, HB Haputale - Vantage Hills, 1 Night, B&B Maskeliya - Pekoe Lodge, 1 Night, B&B Udawalawe - Kottawatta Village Eco Retreat, 2 Nights, B&B Mirissa - Spice House, 3 Nights, B&B
What's extra
  • Activities: On request we can provide a german- or french speaking Driver-Guide for your Tour, additional charge is a total of: 200€ (shared by all tour members)
  • Flights: Flights are not included
  • Insurance: Travel insurances are not included

How travellers rate it

5.0from 1 real reviews
Guide5.0
Itinerary5.0
Transport5.0
Accommodation4.0
Food4.0
Operator5.0
Price history — our own daily tracking
Tracked 7 days · 126 checks
Today
£2,090
Typical
builds at 21 days (now 7)
Lowest
£1,320
on 23 Jul
Highest
£2,090
£1,318£1,705£2,09222 Jultoday
Spots left · 3 Aug departure

Cheapest live departure per day, in £, recorded by our tracker since 22 Jul. Never a brochure “was” price.

Your free day in Colombo

Landing early, staying on, or filling free time? The best-rated day experiences in Colombo — you book on Viator (we may earn a commission).

Tour dupe
Same trip, less money
£1,185 less all-in
Sri Lanka budget tours (8 Days, 7 Nights) with private driver, vehicle & H/B accommodations
4.9from £9748 days
The trade-off: 8 fewer nights, and a different operator.
See the dupe
How it compares

The same-vibe trips, side by side — price, value per day, and how each is moving. Only we can lay two operators' trips out honestly.

Sorted by fit — never by who paid. Price moves and availability come from our own daily tracking.

Getting there

Colombo· one-way, arrive 2 Aug 26

One-way so you can book your return whenever. Prices & booking shown on Trip.com.

Hotels in Colombo

View more accommodation

Live prices via Booking.com & partners, booked on their site — separate from your tour. We may earn a commission; it never changes your price.

On a budget?

Hostels in Colombo for the night before your tour · 2 Aug3 Aug

Booked on Hostelworld, separate from your tour. We may earn a commission — it never changes your price.

Getting online in Sri LankaWhat data actually costs, and the throttle limits nobody publishes

Common questions

How long is Highlights of Sri Lanka (Private Premium Tour)?

It's a 16-day trip. It starts in Colombo and finishes in Mirissa.

How much does Highlights of Sri Lanka (Private Premium Tour) cost?

The land price starts from £2,095 per person for the 16-day trip. You book on TourRadar, where the live price always applies.

What will Highlights of Sri Lanka (Private Premium Tour) really cost me all-in?

On top of the £2,095 land price, budget roughly £314 for a return flight from the UK — about £2,409 all-in before spending money. Most day-to-day meals out and optional activities are extra.

What's included in the price?

The price covers all your accommodation, transport during the trip, a group leader/guide. Anything the operator lists as optional or not included — see the full breakdown on this page.

What's not included?

international flights and travel insurance (required) are not included, so factor them into your budget. We show typical flight costs and can point you to insurance on this page.

How big is the group?

Groups are capped at around 4 travellers — a small-group trip, mostly solo 18–35s travelling to meet people, not a coach tour.

When does Highlights of Sri Lanka (Private Premium Tour) run?

It runs across roughly 20 months of the year, so there's usually a departure to fit your dates. Check live availability and prices in the dates section above.

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