How our prices work
A Majeste price adds up the vehicle, driver, hotels, tickets and activities, line by line, in US dollars. The 7-day classic tour costs $866 each for two at shoulder-season rates. Fees last checked 7 November 2026.
What is in the price
The same parts make up every multi-day price. This is the 7-day classic tour for two, in full.
- Your private vehicle and English-speaking driver, with fuel, tolls and parking.
- The driver's meals and lodging.
- Hotels, bed and breakfast, with taxes and service charge.
- Entrance tickets and activities named in the plan, at the listed price. The hill train seat includes our booking charge.
- On multi-day trips, one line for trip planning and support.
| When | Per person | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| June (low season) | $847 | Lowest |
| November (shoulder season) | $866 | $19 more than the lowest |
| February (peak season) | $934 | $87 more than the lowest |
| Christmas and New Year | $1,017 | Highest, $170 more than the lowest |
Priced for a start date in each period. Your dates may fall across two seasons, so check them in the price box. Some stops here cost more in their own busy weeks, such as mid-July to August. The Christmas and New Year price includes our estimate of any compulsory gala dinner on 24 or 31 December.
Classic Sri Lanka, 7 days
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle and driver | |
| Car with English-speaking driver, 7 days7 × $75; fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's meals and lodging included; 150 km a day pooled across the trip | $525 |
| Hotels | |
| Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana): 2 nights, comfort (3-star or good boutique)1 double, bed and breakfast, $65 a night per double room, taxes and service included | $130 |
| Kandy: 1 night, comfort (3-star or good boutique)1 double, bed and breakfast, $60 a night per double room, taxes and service included | $60 |
| Nuwara Eliya: 1 night, comfort (3-star or good boutique)1 double, bed and breakfast, $70 a night per double room, taxes and service included | $70 |
| Ella: 1 night, comfort (3-star or good boutique)1 double, bed and breakfast, $80 a night per double room, taxes and service included | $80 |
| Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama): 1 night, comfort (3-star or good boutique)1 double, bed and breakfast, $60 a night per double room, taxes and service included | $60 |
| Subtotal | $400 |
| Entrance tickets | |
| Sigiriya Rock Fortress entrance2 × $35 | $70 |
| Pidurangala Rock entrance2 × LKR 1,000 | $6.02 |
| Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic entrance2 × LKR 3,000 | $18.05 |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya entrance2 × LKR 3,540 | $21.29 |
| Nine Arch Bridge (Ella)free entry | free |
| Little Adam's Peak (Ella)free entry | free |
| Dambulla Cave Temple entrance2 × LKR 3,000 | $18.05 |
| Subtotal | $133.41 |
| Activities | |
| Hiriwadunna village tour with lunch2 × $35 | $70 |
| Minneriya or Kaudulla elephant safari (private jeep)1 × $75 per jeep, park tickets 2 × $25 + $10 service charge and LKR 300 per vehicle, plus 18% VAT | $146.86 |
| Kandyan dance show2 × LKR 2,000 | $12.03 |
| Tea factory tour and tasting2 × LKR 3,000 | $18.05 |
| Hill-country train, Nanu Oya to Ella (reserved seat)2 × $15 | $30 |
| Yala afternoon safari (private jeep)1 × $89 per jeep, park tickets 2 × $25 + $10 service charge and LKR 300 per vehicle, plus 18% VAT | $160.86 |
| Yala morning safari (private jeep)1 × $89 per jeep, park tickets 2 × $25 + $10 service charge and LKR 300 per vehicle, plus 18% VAT | $160.86 |
| Subtotal | $598.66 |
| Extras | |
| Trip planning and support8% of vehicle and hotels: planning, booking every hotel and ticket, and our team on WhatsApp, 07:00 to 21:00 Sri Lanka time, throughout the trip. Sights and activities are at their listed price, except Hill-country train, Nanu Oya to Ella (reserved seat), which includes our booking charge. | $74 |
- Totalfor 2 people, 6 nights, shoulder season
- $1,731.07
- Per personrounded up to the dollar
- $866
- No date yet, so hotels are priced at shoulder-season rates. Peak season (10 Jan to 31 Mar), Christmas and the busy weeks at some stops cost more.
Where the figures come from
- Our rate, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Planning rate, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Central Cultural Fund price list, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Passport and Stamps, Pidurangala guide, checked 7 Nov 2026
- GetYourGuide, Habarana Hiriwadunna village tour with lunch, checked 7 Nov 2026
- safa.lk (sister brand) retail price, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Sri Dalada Maligawa, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Department of National Botanic Gardens, checked 7 Nov 2026
- TukTuk Rental and MySLTravel entrance-fee lists (secondary), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Halpewatte (Halpé) Tea, tour page, checked 7 Nov 2026
- The Man in Seat 61, Sri Lanka (fares and booking window), checked 7 Nov 2026
- TravelTriangle, Dambulla entry fees, checked 7 Nov 2026
Entrance fees checked 7 November 2026. Hotel rates checked 7 November 2026. Rupee fees converted at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 (XE mid-market rate, 6 Nov 2026).
The trip planning and support line
This line is our fee. On multi-day trips it is 8% of the vehicle and hotels, printed as its own line so you can see it. Tickets and activities carry no fee, except the hill train seat, which includes our booking charge. Day tours and transfers have no such line.
It exists because a multi-day trip takes work before and during the journey. It pays for planning, booking every hotel and ticket, and our team on WhatsApp, 07:00 to 21:00 Sri Lanka time, throughout the trip.
| Classic Sri Lanka, 7 days, for two | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle and driver | $525.00 |
| Hotels | $400.00 |
| Vehicle and hotels together | $925.00 |
| 8% of that | $74.00 |
Other lines you may see on a receipt
| Line | What it means |
|---|---|
| Vehicle day not needed | At a stop of two nights or more, an activity may bring its own private vehicle for the day. We then take that day off the vehicle charge, up to the price of the activity. |
| Extra distance | Kilometres beyond the pool. We count the road between stops, plus 20 to 50 km of local driving for each night, depending on the place. |
| × 2 vehicles | A group can need more than one vehicle if you choose a smaller one than it needs. Each vehicle is charged, and the price line says how many. |
| Extra room | Hotels take two children in a room. More children than that means an extra double room at every stop. |
| Paid there | Some stops are paid on the day to the people who run them. These are not in the total. The receipt and the price basis name them. |
| No fee budgeted | We found no fee for this sight, so nothing is in the price for it. If one is charged on the day, it is not in the total. |
| Not in price | An activity that does not run on your date is left out of the total, and the receipt says so. |
| Transport, included | On some day tours the jeep, boat or operator collects you, so there is no car to pay for. |
| Half-day vehicle | A half day includes 90 km, not the 150 km of a full day. A day tour over 6 hours can still be a half day for the car when a safari jeep collects you for part of it. The receipt says so. |
| Full board | Luxury rates at Hatton and the tea country already include dinner, so the receipt says full board and half board adds nothing there. |
| Hotels may charge more | In a few festivals and busy weeks, such as Kandy's Esala Perahera and Ella from mid-July to August, hotels may charge more than the rate shown. Your receipt says so on those dates, before you book. |
| Planning estimate | Where we have no hotel to name at a standard, the rate is a planning estimate. The receipt says so, so you see it before you book. |
Vehicle rates
Rates are in US dollars and include the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Checked 7 November 2026.
| Vehicle | Seats | Per day | Half day | Km a day | Each extra km |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car | 2 (3 at most) | $75 | $45.00 | 150 | $0.45 |
| Van | 5 (6 at most) | $99 | $59.40 | 150 | $0.55 |
| Large van | 8 (9 at most) | $119 | $71.40 | 150 | $0.65 |
| Mini coach | 12 (14 at most) | $175 | $105.00 | 150 | $0.90 |
| Vehicle | Base | Per km | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car | $12 | $0.42 | $54 |
| Van | $16 | $0.55 | $72 |
| Large van | $18 | $0.63 | $82 |
| Mini coach | $25 | $0.90 | $116 |
- Kilometres are pooled across the trip, so a short day makes up for a long one. A half day is up to 6 hours door to door and costs 60% of the day rate.
- We pick the smallest vehicle that seats your party comfortably. Above 12 people, we price the trip on request.
- Car: Toyota Prius, Axio or similar, air-conditioned. Two large suitcases and hand luggage. Three adults with large luggage should choose the van.
- Van: Toyota KDH or similar, 6 passenger seats, air-conditioned. Five or six large suitcases.
- Large van: Toyota HiAce high-roof or similar, 9 passenger seats. Eight large suitcases with the rear row folded for luggage.
- Mini coach: Toyota Coaster or similar, up to 14 passengers. Luggage hold for one large suitcase per passenger.
Hotel rates by standard and season
Nightly rates in US dollars per double room, bed and breakfast, with taxes and service charge included. Planning rates, checked 7 November 2026.
These are the rates we price with, for 6 of our 26 hotel regions. Hotels are named as examples of the standard you will get. If a named hotel is full we book one of the same standard in the same area and tell you which. See example hotels.
| Region | Low | Shoulder | Peak | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | $36 | $40 | $50 | $60 |
| Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana | $32 | $35 | $45 | $55 |
| Kandy | $32 | $35 | $45 | $55 |
| Ella | $36 | $40 | $52 | $60 |
| Mirissa and Weligama | $36 | $40 | $52 | $60 |
| Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli | $25 | $32 | $40 | $30 |
| Region | Low | Shoulder | Peak | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | $70 | $75 | $100 | $115 |
| Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana | $60 | $65 | $85 | $100 |
| Kandy | $55 | $60 | $80 | $90 |
| Ella | $72 | $80 | $105 | $120 |
| Mirissa and Weligama | $72 | $80 | $105 | $120 |
| Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli | $50 | $65 | $80 | $60 |
| Region | Low | Shoulder | Peak | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | $100 | $110 | $150 | $175 |
| Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana | $95 | $110 | $180 | $220 |
| Kandy | $85 | $100 | $160 | $200 |
| Ella | $130 | $150 | $240 | $300 |
| Mirissa and Weligama | $130 | $150 | $240 | $300 |
| Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli | $90 | $120 | $180 | $110 |
| Region | Low | Shoulder | Peak | Christmas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colombo | $155 | $170 | $240 | $275 |
| Sigiriya, Dambulla and Habarana | $170 | $200 | $320 | $400 |
| Kandy | $135 | $160 | $255 | $320 |
| Ella | $220 | $260 | $415 | $520 |
| Mirissa and Weligama | $255 | $300 | $480 | $600 |
| Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli | $180 | $240 | $360 | $220 |
| Standard | Child 6 to 11 sharing | Half board, per adult | Gala dinner, per adult, per gala night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | $12 | $12 | None |
| Comfort | $18 | $18 | $40 |
| Superior | $30 | $28 | $70 |
| Luxury | $55 | $45 | $180 |
- A single room costs 80% of the double rate.
- Bed and breakfast unless the itinerary says otherwise. With half board, children 6 to 11 pay half the adult rate.
- Gala dinners are our estimate for 24 and 31 December. Children 6 to 11 pay half. The receipt marks the line as an estimate.
National park fees
Park fees come from the Department of Wildlife Conservation fee schedule: a fee per person, a charge per vehicle and 18% VAT. Checked 7 November 2026.
The formula: (fees per person + USD 10 service charge per vehicle + a vehicle fee of LKR 300 per jeep or van (LKR 150 for a car or boat)) × 1.18. Children under 6 enter free. From 13, the adult fee applies.
| Category | Adult | Child 6 to 12 | SAARC adult | SAARC child | Parks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | $25 | $15 | $20 | $10 | Minneriya, Kaudulla, Horton Plains, Udawalawe, Yala, Lunugamvehera, Wilpattu, Pigeon Island |
| II | $12 | $6 | $10 | $5 | Wasgamuwa, Bundala, Kumana, Gal Oya |
| III | $5 | $3 | $4 | $2 | None on our routes |
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2 adults × $25 | $50.00 |
| Service charge, one vehicle | $10.00 |
| Vehicle fee, LKR 300 at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 | $0.90 |
| Subtotal | $60.90 |
| VAT at 18% | $10.96 |
| Park tickets for two | $71.86 |
Jeep hire is separate from the park ticket. Yala morning safari (private jeep): USD 89 per jeep (up to 6) plus park tickets: about USD 72 for two adults, USD 36 each. For two adults in one jeep, that comes to $160.86.
Entrance fees
Fees for foreign adults and children at the main sites, highest first. Checked 7 November 2026. Rupee fees converted at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 (XE mid-market rate, 6 Nov 2026).
| Site | Adult | Child | SAARC adult | Source and date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigiriya Rock Fortress | USD 35 | USD 20, ages 6 to 12 | USD 20 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Polonnaruwa Ancient City | USD 30 | USD 15, ages 6 to 12 | USD 15 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Anuradhapura Sacred City | USD 30 | USD 15, ages 6 to 12 | USD 15 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Lotus Tower | USD 23.60 | USD 11.80, ages 3 to 12 | Same as adult | AmazingLanka, Lotus Tower, 7 November 2026 |
| Sinharaja Forest Reserve | USD 15, plus LKR 2,500 (about $7.52) compulsory guide, per group of up to 6 | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | LankaWebsites Sinharaja guide, 7 November 2026Budgeted at USD 15 per adult plus a compulsory Forest Department guide at about LKR 2,500 per group of up to 6. Sources conflict (LKR 2,700 including the guide in 2024; LKR 3,800 plus the guide in one 2026 page; USD 15 to 35 in operator lists) and we could not open the Forest Department tariff, so this is a budget figure. No child price is published. |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya | LKR 3,540 (about $10.65) | LKR 1,770 (about $5.32), ages 5 to 12 | Same as adult | Department of National Botanic Gardens, 7 November 2026 |
| Hakgala Botanic Gardens | LKR 3,540 (about $10.65) | LKR 1,770 (about $5.32), ages 5 to 12 | Same as adult | Department of National Botanic Gardens, 7 November 2026 |
| Hurulu Eco Park | USD 10 | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | SL Voyo entrance fee guide 2026, 7 November 2026About USD 10 per adult and USD 5 per child before jeep hire, collected by the Forest Department at the gate (one secondary list; no age band is published, so children are budgeted at the adult rate). This is a Forest Department reserve, not a Wildlife Department park, so the park-ticket formula does not apply. This is a budget figure. |
| Dambulla Cave Temple | LKR 3,000 (about $9.02) | Adult fee from 6 | LKR 2,500 (about $7.52) | TravelTriangle, Dambulla entry fees, 7 November 2026 |
| Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic | LKR 3,000 (about $9.02) | Adult fee from 6 | LKR 2,500 (about $7.52) | Sri Dalada Maligawa, 7 November 2026 |
| Ambuluwawa Tower | LKR 2,750 (about $8.27) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | AmazingLanka, Ambuluwawa, 7 November 2026LKR 2,750 per adult is budgeted; lists give LKR 2,000 or 2,750, and a child price of LKR 1,000 to 1,500 with no published age band. A vehicle entry fee of about LKR 350 for a car or van is paid at the gate. |
| Mihintale | LKR 2,000 (about $6.02) | Free, ages 6 to 11 | Same as adult | AmazingLanka, Mihintale, 7 November 2026LKR 2,000 per adult is budgeted; four lists say LKR 1,000 and one says LKR 2,000. Children under 12 are reported free. Paid at the site. |
| Yapahuwa Rock Fortress | LKR 2,000 (about $6.02) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | AmazingLanka, Yapahuwa, 7 November 2026About LKR 2,000 per adult, paid at the site. Sources conflict (USD 4 to 10 reported) and Yapahuwa is no longer on the Central Cultural Fund list, so this is a budget figure. |
| Namal Uyana Rose Quartz Mountain | USD 6 | USD 3, ages 6 to 12 | USD 3 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Ritigala Forest Monastery | USD 6 | USD 3, ages 6 to 12 | USD 3 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Maritime Archaeology Museum, Galle Fort | USD 6 | USD 3, ages 6 to 12 | USD 3 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home | USD 5.90 | USD 3.54, ages 6 to 12 | Same as adult | Udawalawe Safari Help Centre price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Jaffna Fort | USD 5 | USD 2.50, ages 6 to 12 | USD 2.50 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Colombo National Museum | LKR 1,200 (about $3.61) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | AmazingLanka, Colombo National Museum, 7 November 2026 |
| Pidurangala Rock | LKR 1,000 (about $3.01) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | Passport and Stamps, Pidurangala guide, 7 November 2026 |
| Avukana Buddha | LKR 1,000 (about $3.01) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | TukTuk Rental and MySLTravel fee lists, 7 November 2026 |
| Mulkirigala Rock Temple | LKR 1,000 (about $3.01) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | TukTuk Rental and MySLTravel fee lists, 7 November 2026LKR 1,000 per person is budgeted; lists give LKR 500 or 1,000. Paid at the temple. |
| Dambulla Museum | USD 3 | USD 1.50, ages 6 to 12 | USD 1.50 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Tombs | USD 3 | USD 1.50, ages 6 to 12 | USD 1.50 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Buduruwagala Rock Carvings | USD 3 | USD 1.50, ages 6 to 12 | USD 1.50 | Central Cultural Fund price list, 7 November 2026 |
| Gangaramaya Temple | LKR 400 (about $1.20) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | MySLTravel entrance fee list 2025-2026, 7 November 2026LKR 400 per adult, children free, according to one list; LKR 500 is also in circulation. Paid at the temple and covers the Seema Malaka pavilion on Beira Lake. |
| Aluvihare Rock Temple | LKR 300 (about $0.90) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | MySLTravel entrance fee list 2025-2026, 7 November 2026LKR 300 per person, paid at the temple (single secondary source). |
| Gregory Lake | LKR 200 (about $0.60) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | MySLTravel entrance fee list 2025-2026, 7 November 2026LKR 200 per person for the lakeside park (single secondary source). Boats and pony rides cost extra. |
| Seetha Amman Temple | LKR 100 (about $0.30) | Adult fee from 6 | Same as adult | MySLTravel entrance fee list 2025-2026, 7 November 2026LKR 100 per adult, children free (single secondary source). In practice a donation. |
Reading the table. "Adult fee from 6" means we hold no firm child price, so we budget the adult fee from age 6 and nothing under 6. Confidence is our own rating of each figure. Low means one secondary list, or sources that disagree, and the note says which.
No ticket budgeted: Adam's Peak (Sri Pada), Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam's Peak, Ella Rock, Ravana Falls, Lipton's Seat, Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, Koneswaram Temple, Galle Fort, Hikkaduwa Coral Sanctuary, Kande Vihara. Some of these take donations.
Entrance fees for Sri Lankan residents differ. Message us and we price them for you.
We leave Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage out of this table because we do not promote it. Here is why.
Season calendar
Hotels change their rates by season. The east coast runs on its own calendar.
| Season | Most of the island | East coast |
|---|---|---|
| Low season | 1 May to 31 Oct | 10 Jan to 31 Mar and 1 Nov to 20 Dec |
| Shoulder season | 1 Apr to 30 Apr and 1 Nov to 20 Dec | 1 Apr to 30 Apr and 1 Oct to 31 Oct |
| Peak season | 10 Jan to 31 Mar | 1 May to 30 Sept |
| Christmas and New Year | 21 Dec to 9 Jan | 21 Dec to 9 Jan |
East-coast calendar: Trincomalee, Uppuveli and Nilaveli, Pasikudah and Kalkudah, Arugam Bay.
Some places have busy weeks of their own, priced at the peak rate: 15 July to 31 August in the Cultural Triangle, Kandy and Yala, and 1 to 20 April in Nuwara Eliya.
Children
- Children under 6 stay free sharing their parents' bed. Children 6 to 11 sharing a room pay a small supplement. From 12, hotels count a child as an adult. The supplement is in the extras table above.
- Park tickets: free under 6, the child fee from 6 to 12, the adult fee from 13.
- Other sites set their own ages. The entrance fee table shows each one.
- Every child takes a seat, so children count towards the size of the vehicle.
- Hotel policies vary, so tell us the children's ages at the time of travel.
What is not included
- Flights
- Visa
- Lunches and dinners, unless you add half board
- Tips, at your discretion
- Travel insurance
- Optional extras listed under each day
- Drinks, snacks and personal spending
- Anything a tour lists as paid there
- How much does a Sri Lanka trip cost in 2026/27?
Majeste's Classic Sri Lanka 7-day tour is USD 866 per person for two in 3-star hotels, shoulder season, with car, driver, tickets and safaris. 7 Nov 2026.
- 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.
- Private driver in Sri Lanka: cost and how it works
A car with an English-speaking driver costs USD 75 a day (van USD 99) with Majeste, fuel, tolls and 150 km a day included. Rates as of 7 Nov 2026.