Culture & Highlights
Sri Lanka Highlights Express
6 Days / 5 Nights Package
6 Days / 5 Nights Package
6 Days | Culture, Tea Country, Mountains, Beach and Colombo
This compact private tour is designed for Indian couples, families and groups who want to experience Sri Lanka’s main highlights within six days. The journey combines Sigiriya’s ancient heritage, Kandy’s sacred culture, Nuwara Eliya’s tea-covered mountains, Bentota’s golden beach and Colombo’s shopping and city life.
Exclusions: international flights, visa or ETA fees, entrance tickets, personal expenses and tips. All of it is spelled out in your written quote.
A starting point, not a fixed departure. Add nights, swap a stop or change the pace and we'll rebuild it around you.
Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport in the morning and meet your private chauffeur-guide.
Travel to Sigiriya, approximately four hours from the airport, depending on traffic and refreshment stops. Check in at the hotel and relax briefly.
In the late afternoon, visit the magnificent Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated historical attractions.
King Kashyapa developed this spectacular rock citadel during the fifth century CE. Explore its landscaped water gardens, ancient frescoes, Mirror Wall and the enormous Lion Paws that once formed the entrance to the summit.
Those who complete the climb will see the ruins of the royal palace and enjoy panoramic views across forests, lakes and distant mountains.
Travellers who prefer not to climb to the summit may explore the museum, water gardens and lower archaeological areas.
Overnight stay in Sigiriya
After breakfast, leave Sigiriya and travel towards Kandy, Sri Lanka’s last royal capital.
En route, visit a spice and herbal garden in the Matale region.
Learn how cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, aloe vera and other tropical plants are cultivated and traditionally used in Sri Lankan cooking and Ayurveda.
The guided visit is educational, and purchasing herbal products is entirely optional.
Continue to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, one of Asia’s finest tropical gardens.
The gardens contain more than 4,000 plant species, including orchids, palms, giant bamboo, medicinal plants, spice trees and flowering collections from around the world.
Highlights include the Avenue of Royal Palms, the Orchid House, the giant Javan fig tree and the beautiful lawns beside the Mahaweli River.
Continue to Kandy and enjoy an introductory city tour. See Kandy Lake, the central market, colonial buildings and a viewpoint overlooking the city.
Depending on the arrival time, you may also visit a gem, woodcarving or batik workshop.
In the evening, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Lanka’s most revered Buddhist shrine.
The temple houses a sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. For centuries, possession of the relic symbolised the authority to rule Sri Lanka, giving the temple enormous religious and historical importance.
If timing permits, experience the evening pooja, when traditional drumming accompanies the religious ceremony.
Visitors should wear modest clothing and remove their footwear before entering the temple.
Check in at the hotel after the visit.
Overnight stay in Kandy
After breakfast, leave Kandy and travel through the beautiful Central Highlands towards Nuwara Eliya.
The scenic road passes mountains, valleys, waterfalls and extensive tea plantations.
Stop near Ramboda Falls, one of the most attractive waterfalls along the Kandy–Nuwara Eliya road.
Enjoy views of the cascading water and the surrounding tea-covered mountains. This is an excellent place for photographs and a refreshment break.
Visit a working tea plantation and factory to discover how world-famous Ceylon Tea is produced.
Learn how skilled tea pluckers select the finest leaves before observing the stages of withering, rolling, fermentation, drying and grading inside the factory.
Complete the experience by tasting a freshly brewed cup of Ceylon Tea overlooking the plantations.
Arrive in Nuwara Eliya, situated approximately 1,800 metres above sea level.
Its cool climate, gardens, colonial-era buildings and old cottages have earned the city the nickname “Little England.”
Enjoy a guided city tour including:
Spend some time walking beside Gregory Lake. Optional activities such as paddle boating, cycling or horse riding may be available, depending on the weather and local operating conditions.
Check in at the hotel and enjoy the cool mountain climate.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast, leave Nuwara Eliya and travel towards Sri Lanka’s southwestern coast.
Stop at a viewpoint overlooking St. Clair’s Falls, popularly known as the “Little Niagara of Sri Lanka.”
This broad waterfall flows through a beautiful valley surrounded by green tea plantations.
Continue to Devon Falls, sometimes called the “Veil of the Valley” because of its graceful appearance.
Enjoy views of the waterfall and stop for refreshments before continuing through the mountains.
Travel through Kitulgala, a rainforest-covered region beside the Kelani River.
Depending on the group’s interests and available time, optional activities can be arranged, including:
White-water rafting requires additional time and is subject to the river level, weather, age and health requirements.
Continue to Bentota and check in at the beach hotel.
Spend the evening relaxing beside the Indian Ocean. Enjoy a swim, a sunset walk or time beside the hotel pool.
Overnight stay in Bentota
After breakfast, enjoy a short period of relaxation beside the beach before leaving for Colombo.
Enjoy a boat ride through the Madu River wetlands, one of southern Sri Lanka’s most important coastal ecosystems.
Cruise between mangrove forests, small islands and traditional cinnamon-growing communities while observing birds, water monitors and other wildlife.
The precise route and island stops will depend on the selected boat operator, water level and weather conditions.
Visit a sea turtle conservation project in Kosgoda.
Learn about the different marine turtle species found around Sri Lanka and the threats they face, including plastic pollution, fishing nets and the destruction of nesting beaches.
The conservation centres protect eggs and hatchlings, while some also care for injured turtles that cannot immediately return to the ocean.
Continue to Colombo and enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Sri Lanka’s commercial capital.
Depending on available time and group interests, see:
Enjoy free time for shopping at One Galle Face, Colombo City Centre, Havelock City Mall, Odel or selected local shops.
Popular purchases include Ceylon Tea, spices, gems, handicrafts, clothing, souvenirs and Sri Lankan food products.
Check in at the hotel. In the evening, enjoy an optional rooftop dinner, nightclub or casino experience.
Overnight stay in Colombo
After breakfast, transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your departure flight.
Leave Sri Lanka with unforgettable memories of its ancient heritage, sacred culture, mist-covered tea country, waterfalls, tropical beaches and vibrant capital.
Operational note: A morning arrival is strongly recommended on Day 01 to allow sufficient time to reach and visit Sigiriya. If the flight arrives late, the Sigiriya climb may need to be moved to the following morning, requiring adjustments to the Kandy programme.
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we'll send back a tailored version of this itinerary with a full quote, usually within a day.