At a glance
- Length
- 3 days, 2 nights
- Route
- Galle (with Unawatuna). Starts and ends at Bandaranaike International Airport.
- Best months
- December to April
- Hotels
- Comfort (3-star or good boutique). Bed and breakfast unless the itinerary says otherwise.
Galle and the south coast short break, 3 days
Galle Fort, a whale boat and a river safari
Galle and the south coast short break, 3 days is a private Sri Lanka tour by Majeste. It costs $338 per person for two at shoulder-season rates (for the hotels on this route, April and 1 November to 20 December), with comfort hotels, entrance tickets and your own car and English-speaking driver included. Prices checked 7 Nov 2026. In its best months, Dec to Apr, it costs $274 to $421 per person for two, depending on the start date. It stays at Galle (with Unawatuna). The longest drive is on day 1, from the airport to Galle, about 2 h 15 min. Nothing to pay now.
Day by day
Two nights in Galle, 2 hours 15 minutes from the airport by expressway, for the Dutch fort, a dawn whale-watching boat from Mirissa and a river safari on the Madu River on the way back. The whale boats run from November to April and the sea is calm then; from May to October the fort and the river still work, but the sea is rough and the boats mostly stop. It suits a stopover or a short first visit.
- Guided walk of Galle Fort and sunset on the ramparts
- Blue whale boat from Mirissa, November to April
- Unawatuna and Jungle Beach for a swim
- Madu River mangrove boat on the way to the airport
- Expressway all the way: no long drives
Day 1: Airport to Galle and the fort at sunset
The expressway takes you from the airport to Galle in about 2 hours 15 minutes. In the late afternoon a heritage interpreter walks you round the fort: the ramparts, the Dutch Reformed Church, the lighthouse and the old hospital. Sunset on the ramparts is busy at weekends.
- Road:
- Bandaranaike International Airport to Galle (with Unawatuna), about 2 h 15 min, 153 km
- Overnight:
- Galle (with Unawatuna)
- Sights, tickets included:
- Galle Fort
- Activities, included:
- Galle Fort walking tour with a heritage guide
Day 2: Whale watching from Mirissa, beach afternoon
A 05:00 pickup for the 06:00 check-in at Mirissa harbour, about an hour's drive. The boat leaves at 06:30 and is back around 11:00; the sea can be lumpy and seasickness is common, and whales are seen on some trips in season, not all. The afternoon is free for Unawatuna or Jungle Beach, or for Koggala lake.
- Overnight:
- Galle (with Unawatuna)
- Activities, included:
- Whale watching from Mirissa
- Optional extras, not included:
- Sri Lankan cooking class in Galle Fort ($38 per person for two), Handunugoda tea estate visit (white tea) ($4 per person for two)
Day 3: The Madu River boat safari and the airport
Drive up the coast to Balapitiya, about an hour, for a two-hour boat trip through the Madu River mangroves and islands. The airport is about 2 hours further by expressway, so the whole day is about 3 hours 15 minutes in the car.
- Road:
- Galle (with Unawatuna) to Bandaranaike International Airport, about 2 h 15 min, 153 km
- Activities, included:
- Madu River boat safari
The route
- 1. Bandaranaike International Airport: start
- 2. Galle (with Unawatuna): 2 nights
- Back to Bandaranaike International Airport: end
What is included and what is not
Included
- Private vehicle with English-speaking driver for all 3 days
- Fuel, tolls, parking and the driver's meals and lodging
- 2 nights in comfort hotels, bed and breakfast, taxes and service included
- Entrance tickets: Galle Fort
- Activities: Galle Fort walking tour with a heritage guide, Whale watching from Mirissa, Madu River boat safari
- Trip planning and support: booking every hotel and ticket, and our team on WhatsApp, 07:00 to 21:00 Sri Lanka time, throughout the trip
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
Hotels at each stop
| Stop | Simple | Comfort (this tour) | Superior | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galle (with Unawatuna)2 nights |
|
|
|
|
| Per person for two | $300 | $338 | $408 | $527 |
- Simple: clean guesthouses and small hotels.
- Comfort: 3-star or good boutique.
- Superior: 4-star.
- Luxury: 5-star or top boutique.
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.
Prices across the year
| When | Per person | Compared |
|---|---|---|
| June (low season) | $270 | Lowest |
| November (shoulder season) | $338 | $68 more than the lowest |
| February (peak season) | $365 | $95 more than the lowest |
| Christmas and New Year | $381 | Highest, $111 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. The Christmas and New Year price includes our estimate of any compulsory gala dinner on 24 or 31 December. June leaves out Whale watching from Mirissa, which does not run then.
Prices by group size
| Group | Per person | Total | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 adult | $508 | $508 | Car |
| 2 adults | $338 | $675 | Car |
| 3 adults | $340 | $1,017 | Van |
| 4 adults | $297 | $1,185 | Van |
| 6 adults | $281 | $1,682 | Large van |
| 8 adults | $265 | $2,114 | 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.
Good to know
Pace
Short expressway drives; one 05:00 start for the whale boat.
When to go
- Best months: December to April.
- Harder months: May to October. Rain, rough seas or park closures can affect parts of the trip.
- Sightings are never guaranteed. Some drives and boat trips see a lot, some see little.
Stop by stop
Galle (with Unawatuna)
- Heavy rain in May (about 315 mm) and again in October and November; Unawatuna's sea is rough from May to October.
- The fort is expensive by Sri Lankan standards and hot and humid at midday.
- No real beach inside the fort; Unawatuna's beach has narrowed with erosion and gets crowded.
- Crowded at weekends.
Limits and seasons for each activity
- Whale watching from Mirissa: Check-in 06:00. Rough sea possible; not advised in pregnancy or with back problems.
- Whale watching from Mirissa: Children under 5 travel free; whether a small child copes with four hours at sea is for you to judge.
- Whale watching from Mirissa: Daily from November to late April or early May, with a 10-passenger minimum. No trips May to July. August to October only when the sea allows, so we do not sell those months.
- Madu River boat safari: Life jackets are on board; wear them.
Paying and cancelling
- Nothing to pay now. You pay your driver in cash when the trip starts. No deposit, no card details online.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup.
- Inside 24 hours, tell us at once: your driver has held those days for you and turned other work away.
- Your driver's name and vehicle plate come by 20:00 the evening before the trip, or within 30 minutes of a later booking.
Children and residents
- 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.
- Entrance fees for Sri Lankan residents differ. Message us and we price them for you.
Questions about this tour
Can we do this trip from May to October?
You can, but the whale boats mostly stop and the sea at Unawatuna is rough. We tell you before the trip, offer a cooking class or the Handunugoda tea estate in place of the boat, and show any price difference. You decide.
Are whales guaranteed?
No. Blue whales are seen on some trips between November and April, not all. The rules set an approach distance, and we ask operators to keep to it.
Where do we stay?
Inside the fort or at Unawatuna, 12 to 20 minutes away. Fort hotels are small and dearer; Unawatuna has the beach.
Read more
- Sri Lanka whale watching: Mirissa vs Trincomalee
Mirissa boats run daily November to late April, USD 60 per adult with Majeste; Trincomalee roughly May to August, USD 60 per adult too. Checked 7 Nov 2026.
- How many days in Sri Lanka? 7, 10 or 14, priced
Seven days: the centre, hills and a park; ten adds Polonnaruwa and Horton Plains; fourteen, the whole island. USD 828 to 1,709 each for two, Nov 2026.
- 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.
- 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.
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Sources and dates
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
- MySLTravel entrance fee list 2025-2026 (free entry), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Tripadvisor marketplace listing (Viator inventory), checked 7 Nov 2026
- Raja and the Whales, Mirissa, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Udawalawe Safari Help Centre price list PDF, published Dec 2025, titled for 2026, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Majeste planning rate table, checked 7 Nov 2026
- Majeste rate card, checked 7 Nov 2026
More about our photos on the credits page.