Hill country, rainforest belt
Plan 1 night here, and the good months are May to Dec. Kitulgala is 84 km from Bandaranaike International Airport, about 2 h 45 min by road, and is known for white-water rafting, canyoning and the Bridge on the River Kwai film location.
Kitulgala is a rainforest village on the Kelani River between Colombo and the hills, known for grade 2 to 3 white-water rafting, canyoning and lowland birding. Most people stop for about three hours on the way to or from Hatton and Nuwara Eliya. Rain falls almost daily in the monsoon months and leeches are common.
Prices are for the activity only unless the card says a vehicle is included. Last checked 7 November 2026.
Kitulgala · about 2 hours
About 5 km of grade 2 to 3 rapids on the Kelani at Kitulgala, with a guide in each raft. Rafts are usually shared with other guests. You get wet and the water level depends on recent rain and dam releases upstream.
$30
per person for two, activity only
Kitulgala · about 3 hours
Walking, sliding and jumping down a forest stream with a guide, with a short abseil in some sections. Expect leeches in wet months and slippery rock. Jumps are optional; you can climb round them.
$30
per person for two, activity only
Kitulgala · about 5 hours
Both activities in one morning: rafting first, then a canyoning descent. It is a full and tiring half day. A sensible way to break the Colombo to Kandy or Nuwara Eliya drive if you like being wet.
$57
per person for two, activity only
Round tours with a night or more here. You can change the route, the nights and the hotels in the planner.
9 days · Comfort hotels
Kitulgala, Hatton (Adam's Peak and tea country), Nuwara Eliya, Haputale, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), Mirissa (with Weligama)
Rafting, Adam's Peak, Pekoe Trail, Ella Rock, surf
$1,088
per person for two, 9 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included
Planning rates for a double room per night, taxes and service included. They run from $23 to $500 depending on standard and season. Rates checked 7 November 2026.
| Standard | Low | Shoulder | Peak | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | $23 | $25 | $32 | $38 |
| Comfort | $45 | $50 | $65 | $75 |
| Superior | $95 | $110 | $175 | $220 |
| Luxury | $210 | $250 | $400 | $500 |
Seasons here: Low 1 May to 31 Oct. Shoulder 1 Apr to 30 Apr and 1 Nov to 20 Dec. Peak 10 Jan to 31 Mar. Christmas 21 Dec to 9 Jan.
Bed and breakfast unless the itinerary says otherwise. These are planning rates built from public prices. Choose your dates and the booker shows the price for them; if a rate changes while you are booking, nothing is booked and you see the new price first. Once you book, your booking keeps its price. On a multi-day trip our 8% planning fee is added to the hotel and vehicle cost, as its own line.
Kitulgala is usually a rafting stop or a single night between Colombo and the hills. There are few hotels, so the superior and luxury rates are rough figures. Luxury here means two boutique properties; the tea bungalows around Hatton are about an hour and a half away.
clean guesthouses and small hotels
Or similar.
3-star or good boutique
Or similar.
4-star
Or similar.
5-star or top boutique
Or similar.
Where the figures come from
Planning times for a private car in daylight, with one short stop and no sightseeing. Add 20 to 40 minutes to leave or enter Colombo at rush hour, and 10 to 20 percent in heavy rain or after dark in the hills.
| To | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hatton (Adam's Peak and tea country)A7; hill road | 35 km | 1 h 15 min |
| KandyVia Gampola, Nawalapitiya and Ginigathena; hill road | 63 km | 2 h 15 min |
| Nuwara EliyaA7 via Hatton and Talawakele; hill road | 74 km | 2 h 15 min |
| AirportVia Hanwella and Avissawella, A4 and A7 | 84 km | 2 h 45 min |
| ColomboA4 High Level Road, then A7 | 90 km | 2 h 45 min |
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.
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.
Nothing to pay now. You pay in cash when the trip starts: to your driver when the booking includes our vehicle, otherwise to the person we name with the meeting point. No deposit, no card details online.
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