Three weeks: Jaffna, Trincomalee and the classic loop
Slow travel with the north and east, 21 days is a private Sri Lanka tour by Majeste. It costs $2,411 per person for two at shoulder-season rates (for the hotels on this route, 21 to 30 April), with comfort hotels, entrance tickets and your own car and English-speaking driver included, and Udawattakele forest ticket and temple-run sites paid there. Prices checked 7 Nov 2026. In its best months, Jun to Aug, it costs $2,383 to $2,472 per person for two, depending on the start date. It stops at Negombo, Kalpitiya, Wilpattu National Park, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Trincomalee (Nilaveli and Uppuveli), Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama), Galle (with Unawatuna), in that order. The longest drive is on day 9, from Jaffna to Trincomalee, about 5 h. Nothing to pay now.
Three weeks that add the Tamil north and the east coast to the classic loop: Kalpitiya and Wilpattu, two nights at Anuradhapura, three in Jaffna with an island day, three at Trincomalee for Pigeon Island, then Sigiriya, Kandy, the hills, Yala and Galle. Most places get two or three nights. The one long transfer is Jaffna to Trincomalee, about 5 hours; the rest are under 4 hours. It runs well from June to August, when the north and east are dry; a September start reaches Yala during its usual closure, when the safari needs a substitute such as Udawalawe. From February to April it also works, though Trincomalee's sea is only settling in March.
A 25-minute transfer and a rest day at Negombo: the beach, the Dutch canal, a seafood dinner. The beach is average; it is a soft landing.
About 2 hours 45 minutes up the A3 to the Kalpitiya peninsula: flat, sandy, basic, with a lagoon and few restaurants outside the hotels. A lagoon afternoon by kayak or on foot. Dolphin boats run from about September to April (calmest from November) and kitesurfing from mid-May to mid-October and mid-December to mid-March; either can be added for the next morning.
About 2 hours 30 minutes via Puttalam to Wilpattu's gate. Simple, comfort and superior hotels here are in or near Anuradhapura, about an hour from the gate; the one lodge we name at the gate is the luxury choice. A 14:30 private jeep drive through forest and villus; leopards and sloth bears are seen on some drives, not all.
A second Wilpattu drive from 06:00, when the park is quietest. Under an hour to Anuradhapura in the afternoon and sunset by Tissa Wewa.
From 07:00 the sacred city by bicycle: the Sri Maha Bodhi, the great dagobas, the Samadhi Buddha and the Twin Ponds, with socks for the hot stone. Mihintale's steps at 15:30 for sunset.
About 4 hours north on the flat A9 with a stop at the Elephant Pass memorial. Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil at the evening puja; men remove their shirts inside. Jaffna is hot from April to August and very wet from October to December.
A guided half day through the fort, the rebuilt Public Library, the market and the kovils, with a stop for Rio ice cream. Crab curry for dinner. Upscale hotels are few here and the beaches are modest.
A full day over the causeways to the Kurikadduwan jetty and by ferry to Nainativu for the Nagadeepa temple and the Nagapooshani Amman kovil, or to Delft for wild ponies and the Dutch fort. Ferries fill on Poya days and the sea can be rough in windy months; we confirm the timetable the week before. Casuarina Beach on the way back.
The one long drive of the trip: about 5 hours via Vavuniya and Horowupotana, with lunch at Vavuniya. There is no shorter road. The beach at Nilaveli or Uppuveli for the late afternoon.
A boat to Pigeon Island at 08:00 to snorkel before the reef crowds up by 10:00, with blacktip reef sharks and turtles on some mornings, not all; the near-shore coral is damaged. Koneswaram temple on Swami Rock and the deer of Fort Frederick at sunset.
A day on the beach, or a whale and dolphin boat (roughly May to August; sightings vary) or two dives. Kanniya hot wells and Marble Beach are short drives.
About 2 hours 15 minutes via Habarana; elephants cross the road at dusk. Pidurangala Rock in the late afternoon for the view across to Sigiriya.
Sigiriya Rock at the 07:00 counter opening. Late morning to Polonnaruwa, 1 hour 25 minutes each way, for the ruins; then a 15:00 elephant safari at Minneriya or Kaudulla. It is a long day; the ruins can be dropped for a quiet afternoon.
Dambulla's painted caves, then 2 hours 45 minutes to Kandy. The dance show at 17:00 and the Temple of the Tooth puja at 18:30.
Peradeniya gardens, the lake and Udawattakele forest (ticket paid at the gate), and an evening cooking class. In August the Esala Perahera fills the city (projected 7 to 17 August 2027, not yet announced by the Temple of the Tooth), hotel prices multiply and central roads close from mid-afternoon.
About 2 hours 45 minutes of hairpins with a tea factory tour and tasting. Cold at night and a 05:00 start tomorrow.
Horton Plains from first light, about 3 hours on foot; no view promised after 09:00. The 12:30 to 13:00 train from Nanu Oya to Ella, about 2 hours 30 minutes, luggage by car.
Little Adam's Peak at sunrise and the Nine Arch Bridge early, before the crowds. Then 50 minutes to Haputale and up to Lipton's Seat, before the cloud fills the valleys in late morning.
About 2 hours 15 minutes to Tissamaharama and a 14:30 Yala Block 1 safari. Leopards on some drives, not all. During the September to October closure Block 1 is shut: If part of your plan cannot go ahead, we offer another date or a substitute and show any price difference. You decide whether to take it. For this drive that is Udawalawe or Block 5.
A 05:30 Yala drive of about 3 hours, then 2 hours 45 minutes by expressway to Galle. A guided walk of the fort in the late afternoon, ending on the ramparts at sunset.
A last morning in the fort or at Unawatuna beach, 15 minutes away. The airport is about 2 hours 15 minutes by expressway.
| Stop | Simple | Comfort (this tour) | Superior | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Negombo1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Kalpitiya1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Wilpattu National Park1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Anuradhapura2 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Jaffna3 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Trincomalee (Nilaveli and Uppuveli)3 nights |
|
|
| No example listed yet |
| Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana)2 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Kandy2 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Nuwara Eliya1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Ella2 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Galle (with Unawatuna)1 night |
|
|
|
|
| Per person for two | $2,074 | $2,411 | $2,951 | $3,964 |
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. Bed and breakfast unless the itinerary says otherwise.
| When | Per person | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| June | $2,383 | $54 more than the lowest |
| November | $2,329 | Lowest |
| February | $2,562 | $233 more than the lowest |
| Christmas and New Year | $2,633 | Highest, $304 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. East-coast hotels follow their own calendar: their busy months are May to September. 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. November leaves out Pigeon Island snorkelling, which does not run then. Christmas and New Year leaves out Pigeon Island snorkelling, which does not run then.
| Group | Per person | Total | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 adult | $3,907 | $3,907 | Car |
| 2 adults | $2,411 | $4,822 | Car |
| 3 adults | $2,356 | $7,068 | Van |
| 4 adults | $1,996 | $7,982 | Van |
| 6 adults | $1,843 | $11,056 | Large van |
| 8 adults | $1,781 | $14,244 | Large van |
Two adults share each room, and an odd adult has a single room at 80% of the double rate. We pick the smallest vehicle that seats the group in comfort. Per-person figures are rounded up to the dollar.
One transfer of about 5 hours (day 9, Jaffna to Trincomalee); otherwise under 4 hours. Dawn starts on days 4, 5, 13, 17, 18 and 20.
Not that we can confirm. FitsAir's winter 2026/27 schedule lists no Jaffna flights, so we plan by road and treat flights as unavailable unless an airline confirms one.
The north and east are dry then and Trincomalee's sea is calm. A September start is fine for the north and east but reaches Yala during its usual closure: If part of your plan cannot go ahead, we offer another date or a substitute and show any price difference. You decide whether to take it. For the safari that is Udawalawe. From February to April the loop also works, but the east coast is only settling; to give Trincomalee's nights to Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya, use Change the route or add days beside the price: the planner prices that route before you book.
Yes, in an east-coast variant that goes Ella to Arugam Bay to Gal Oya; between Trincomalee and Sigiriya it is too far. Use Change the route or add days beside the price: the planner prices it before you book.
Jaffna to Trincomalee, about 5 hours with lunch at Vavuniya. Everything else is under 4 hours, and most days are under 3.
From May to September the east coast is the right beach: June averages 25 mm of rain at Trincomalee against 205 mm at Colombo. Checked 7 November 2026.
Fourteen days covers ancient cities, the hills, two parks and the south coast, no day over 4h30 in the car. About USD 1,709 each with Majeste, 7 Nov 2026.
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.
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.
6 days · Comfort hotels
Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Wilpattu National Park
Anuradhapura, three nights in Jaffna, Wilpattu
$666
per person for two, 6 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, temple-run sites paid there
9 days · Comfort hotels
Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Trincomalee (Nilaveli and Uppuveli), Pasikudah (Kalkudah and Batticaloa), Arugam Bay, Yala (Tissamaharama and Kataragama)
Sigiriya, Trincomalee, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay, Yala
$1,111
per person for two, 9 days, comfort hotels, May rates, tickets included
7 days · Comfort hotels
Anuradhapura, Sigiriya (Dambulla and Habarana), Kandy
Five UNESCO-listed sites in six nights
$694
per person for two, 7 days, comfort hotels, shoulder season, tickets included, temple-run sites paid there
Fees last checked 7 Nov 2026. Hotel rates last checked 7 Nov 2026. Transport rates last checked 7 Nov 2026. Activity prices last checked 7 Nov 2026. Rupee fees converted at LKR 332.5 to USD 1 (XE mid-market rate, 6 Nov 2026).
Where the figures come from
More about our photos on the credits page.
Example for 2, no date chosen
$2,411per person, rounded up$4,821.53 total
for 2 adults, 21 days, comfort hotels, car, shoulder season
Nothing to pay now. You pay your driver in cash when the trip starts. Plans change? Cancel free up to 24 hours before pickup. Replies within 30 minutes, 07:00 to 21:00 Sri Lanka time.
_on_a_trail_in_Wilpattu_National_Park.jpg){kind=link}