From Colombo · about 15 hours
Sigiriya and Dambulla day tour from Colombo
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$125
per person for two, from Colombo, tickets included
Kitulgala rafting day tour from Colombo
Kitulgala rafting day tour from Colombo is Majeste's private day tour. It takes about 11 hours door to door and costs $75 per person for two, including your own car with an English-speaking driver and white-water rafting on the Kelani River. Prices checked 7 Nov 2026. Nothing to pay now.
Grade 2 to 3 rapids on the Kelani River.
At a glance
| Start | Hours | Km | Per person for two |
|---|---|---|---|
| Negombo | about 11 | 170 | $72 |
| Airport | about 10.5 | 170 | $72 |
| Kandy | about 10 | 130 | $68 |
About this tour
Rafting on the Kelani River at Kitulgala, where The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed. The run is about 5 km and takes 1.5 to 2 hours, with helmets, buoyancy aids and a river guide. Lunch by the river, then canyoning or the Belilena cave if you want more. It rains on most days in the monsoon months and there are leeches after rain.
- Rafting session, safety kit and river guide included
- Lunch by the river and a swim in the calmer stretch
- Optional canyoning and waterfall abseiling in the afternoon
Your day
Planning times from Colombo, not promises. From another start town the times change.
Pickup in Colombo; A4 and A7 via Avissawella.
Arrive at Kitulgala, change and safety briefing.
Rafting, 1.5 to 2 hours on grade 2 to 3 rapids.
Lunch by the river, paid directly.
Optional canyoning, a walk in the Makandawa forest or a swim.
Start the drive back.
Arrive in Colombo.
What is in the price
Included
- Private air-conditioned car or van with an English-speaking driver for the day
- Fuel, expressway tolls and parking
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Colombo, Negombo, the airport or Kandy
- Every activity listed under tickets and fees
Not included
- Lunch is at a local restaurant, paid directly, about USD 5 to 15 a head
- Dry clothes and a towel (bring them)
- Tips for the driver and any local guide, at your discretion
- Drinks, snacks and personal spending
Tickets and fees
White-water rafting on the Kelani River
$60
USD 30 per person, the operator's published price.
Source
- Kitulgala Adventures, checked 7 Nov 2026
Amounts are for two adults. Entrance fees for Sri Lankan residents differ. Message us and we price them for you.
Entrance fees last checked 7 November 2026. Activity prices last checked 7 November 2026. Rupee fees converted at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 (XE mid-market rate, 6 Nov 2026).
Good to know
- The river level depends on dam releases from the Broadlands project; on low-water days the run is tamer.
- Minimum age and weight limits are set by the operator; tell us who is coming.
- The good months here, May to December, are about the river: rafting runs all year, and these are the months with good water for it. They are also the rainy months: May and October are the wettest at Ratnapura, the nearest station (about 470 mm each), so expect rain on most days.
- Leeches on the forest paths after rain.
Good months: May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Optional extras
Not in the price. Add them in the price box.
- Canyoning at Kitulgala
+$60 for two
USD 30 per person, the operator's published price.
Read more
- Sri Lanka entrance fees 2026: Sigiriya and parks
Sigiriya is USD 35, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura USD 30, the Temple of the Tooth LKR 3,000; a park ticket for two is USD 71.86. Checked 7 November 2026.
- Best time to visit Sri Lanka: month by month
January to March is driest on the west and south coasts, in the hills and the Cultural Triangle; May to September suits the east. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
Where the figures come from
- Kitulgala Adventures, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Majeste rate card, checked 7 Nov 2026
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