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Private Tour · 4★ hotels 14 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Anuradhapura, Kandy, Ella & Bentota – 4-Star Hotels4-star hotel version: Sacred Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa by bicycle, Kandy, the hill train to Ella and an elephant safari at Udawalawe, then four nights at Bentota. Private Tour · 4★ hotelsModerate intensityEnglish-speaking guide Tour priceFromUSD 1,672per person This 14 day Sri Lanka tour with Anuradhapura follows the island in the order its history unfolded. You begin with the sacred first capital in the north and the ruined cities and rock fortress of the Cultural Triangle, then climb to the royal hill town of Kandy and the tea country, ride the famous train down to Ella, watch wild elephants at Udawalawe and finish with four slow nights beside the sea at Bentota. Everything is private, with your own driver-guide and an air-conditioned vehicle, so the pace is yours to set. Stay in 4-star hotelsThis version of the tour is booked in 4-star hotels for all 13 nights: Regenta Arie Lagoon in Negombo, Amaya Lake in Dambulla, Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy, Araliya Green Hills in Nuwara Eliya, Te Dalu Resort & Spa in Ella, a comfortable 4-star hotel in Udawalawe and Temple Tree Resort & Spa in Bentota, or similar hotels of the same standard. Rooms are double or twin, or single if you travel alone, with breakfast included each morning. The route, the sightseeing and your private driver-guide are the same as on the 3-star and 2-star version of this tour, so the difference is a more comfortable room, a better restaurant and pool, and in most places a quieter setting. Lunch, dinner, entrance fees, activity fees and train tickets are not included in the price. Who the 14 day Sri Lanka tour with Anuradhapura suitsThis route is for travellers who want depth rather than a quick tick-list. Two weeks lets you spend three nights around Dambulla, so Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura each get a day of their own instead of being squeezed together. The first ten days are active but never frantic: mornings start after breakfast, drives are broken up with stops, and most afternoons leave room for a swim or a quiet walk. The main physical effort is the climb at Sigiriya and the cycling at Polonnaruwa, so a moderate level of fitness helps. After day ten the programme deliberately slows right down. Couples, friends and families with older children all fit well, and the beach block works as a genuine rest after the sightseeing. The route and where you sleepYou land at the airport and drive a short way to Negombo, where the first night is simply for recovering from the flight. Then you head inland for three nights near Dambulla, enough for Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. Two nights in Kandy follow, so the hill capital gets a full day, and after that comes one night each in Nuwara Eliya, Ella and beside Udawalawe. The last four nights are on the Bentota coast. Most drives last three to four hours at most, and the two longest, Negombo to Dambulla and Udawalawe to the coast, are split by sightseeing stops that make the hours pass easily. Moments you will rememberAt Anuradhapura you walk among pilgrims in white who still bring flowers to the Sri Maha Bodhi, a fig tree grown from a cutting of the Buddha's own tree, and you stand beneath stupas so large they look like hills that someone has plastered white. At Polonnaruwa you swap the vehicle for a bicycle and pedal along shaded tracks between brick shrines, a ruined palace and the calm rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara. Sigiriya adds a sense of drama: frescoes on a sheer wall, gigantic lion paws at the gateway, and a summit with views across a sea of forest. Further south the mood changes. In Kandy the evening drums and dancers are followed by a visit to the temple that keeps the Buddha's tooth relic. The train from Nanu Oya to Ella leans through tea terraces, tunnels and waterfalls, and your driver meets you at the far end. Late on day nine you sit in an open jeep at Udawalawe while elephants wander down to the reservoir. Near the end you drift between mangrove islands on the Madu River and, if the timing suits, see young turtles at a hatchery. Comfort, meals and your driver-guideYour private vehicle is air-conditioned, and your English-speaking driver-guide travels with you throughout, handling tickets, explaining what you see and suggesting good lunch stops on the way. Hotels are comfortable and chosen for their position, on a bed-and-breakfast basis, so breakfast is included each morning while lunch and dinner are paid by you, and your driver-guide can suggest a good restaurant after a long day. Entrance fees and jeep fees are paid separately. Temples ask for covered shoulders and knees, so pack light cotton layers, a hat, sturdy shoes and a warm jumper for Nuwara Eliya, where the evenings are cold. Best time for this Sri Lanka itineraryNo single month suits the whole island, so this route works around a trade-off. The ancient cities of the north are driest from about April to September, while the hills, Kandy and the Bentota coast are driest from roughly December to March and good into April. Udawalawe delivers elephants through most of the year, with greener scenery and fewer vehicles in the shoulder months. In any season mornings are the best time for climbs and ruins, and a short afternoon shower is part of the island's rhythm rather than a reason to cancel. Make it your ownEvery Volata Travels itinerary can be adjusted. You might add a night at Yala or swap a beach day for an early whale watching trip from Mirissa, which usually runs from about November to April. You can keep the bicycles or ride in the vehicle, trade the village visit for a longer evening in Kandy, or lengthen the stay at the coast. Tell us your dates, interests and how active you like to be, and we will shape the details and confirm a final plan. Tour highlights
Day-by-day itinerary Your Volata Travels driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and takes you by private air-conditioned car to the coast near Negombo, a drive of roughly twenty minutes. There is nothing scheduled today, and that is deliberate. After a long flight the best plan is a shower, a light meal and a slow look at the sea. If you have energy left, walk along the beach as the light fades, or watch the fishing boats near the lagoon from your hotel. Sleep early, because tomorrow starts with a drive inland and a full day of sightseeing. Accommodation Regenta Arie Lagoon or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After breakfast you begin the journey inland, and the first stop is close to your hotel. Negombo's fish market, known locally as Lellama, sits at the northern end of the lagoon beside the bridge. Around four thousand boats are said to put to sea from here each day, and the trading starts in the small hours, so by the time you arrive you will find baskets of silvery catch being sorted, weighed and argued over. Wear shoes you do not mind getting wet. The road then climbs towards the hills and reaches Pinnawala, about an hour and a half from Colombo. The orphanage was founded in 1975 beside the Maha Oya river to look after elephants found abandoned or hurt in the forest. Calves under three are still fed from large bottles, which is a charming sight, and twice a day the herd is walked through the streets to the river for a bath. Watching dozens of elephants splash and roll in the shallows is the highlight, so plan your lunch around that. You continue north to Dambulla, with the whole journey taking roughly three and a half to four hours on the road, plus your stops. The cave temple stands above the town, up a flight of stone steps. Five caves lie under one enormous overhanging rock, and inside are 153 Buddha statues, three royal figures, four deities and ceilings painted from edge to edge with scenes from the Buddha's life. UNESCO listed the site in 1991. Remove your shoes at the entrance and carry a scarf or a light layer for covered shoulders. You then check in at your hotel beside the lake and have the rest of the evening free. Expect an early night, because tomorrow involves a climb. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Amaya Lake or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Set off early to beat the heat. Sigiriya is a granite plug rising roughly 200 metres out of the jungle, and in the fifth century King Kashyapa chose it as the site of a palace that few could storm. You approach through symmetrical water gardens, climb a staircase bolted to the cliff, and pass the Mirror Wall, once polished so brightly that visitors could see themselves in it. Look for the painted women on the rock face, their colours still clear, and then reach the Lion's Paws, where a huge beast once framed the final stairs. About 1,200 steps lead to the summit, with ruined foundations and a view in every direction. Allow around three hours. After lunch you drive to Polonnaruwa, around an hour to an hour and a half away. This was the capital after King Vijayabahu defeated the Chola invaders in 1070, and it flourished under Parakramabahu, who ruled from 1153 to 1186. His engineers built an irrigation system so ambitious that the great reservoir beside the city looks like an inland sea, and the island became known as the granary of the East. The ruins are spread out on flat, shady ground, which makes cycling a pleasure. You freewheel past the circular Vatadage, the royal palace and the audience hall, ending at Gal Vihara, where Buddha figures are carved into a single granite face and the faces are calm and unhurried. If you prefer, your driver can follow in the vehicle instead of you pedalling. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen, because there is little shelter from the afternoon sun. You return to Dambulla at dusk. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Amaya Lake or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today belongs to Sri Lanka's oldest capital. You leave after breakfast and reach Anuradhapura in about an hour and a half to two hours. For many centuries it was the centre of Theravada Buddhism, and UNESCO listed it as the Sacred City of Anuradhapura in 1982. Unlike Polonnaruwa, this is not a museum. Pilgrims arrive by the busload, dressed in white, carrying lotus buds and jasmine to lay at shrines. The heart of the visit is the Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig grown from a cutting of the tree under which the Buddha reached enlightenment and planted in the third century BC. You then walk among the great dagobas. Ruwanwelisaya gleams white against the sky, while Jetavanaramaya is a vast mass of brick that dwarfs everyone walking round it. Your guide explains how these stupas were built and why pilgrims circle them clockwise. Dress modestly, with knees and shoulders covered, and expect to take off your shoes at the shrines. The stone can be very hot at midday, so thin socks or an early start make walking more comfortable. You return to Dambulla around mid-afternoon, with time for a rest or a swim before the evening outing. In the late afternoon you visit a village near Sigiriya, where a bullock cart rolls along a track between paddy fields. You then paddle across a quiet lake in a traditional outrigger canoe, visit a chena plot where farmers grow seasonal crops on cleared land, and watch a village woman cook over a wood fire. The visit ends with a home-cooked rice and curry meal. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Amaya Lake or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 You leave Dambulla after breakfast and wind south into the hills, a drive of about two and a half to three hours without stops. The first break comes at Matale, where a spice garden shows you the island's famous crops growing in the wild tangle of a tropical plot. Guides pull leaves for you to rub and smell, and you meet cardamom, pepper vines, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. You learn how each is harvested and used, and how Ayurvedic healers blend them into oils and remedies. The garden is linked with a farmers' cooperative, and you are free to buy something small to take home, or just to browse. If time and energy allow, the Aluvihare rock temple is nearby and can be added as an optional stop. Its caves hold old painted walls and make a calm, short detour. You arrive in Kandy in the afternoon, check in and rest. In the early evening you attend a cultural performance, an hour of drumming, dances in elaborate headdresses, acrobats and fire acts that keeps the Kandyan tradition alive. Afterwards you visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic beside the lake. The relic is said to have reached the island in the fourth century, smuggled in the hair of a princess from Orissa, and it remains the most revered treasure in the country. Drums sound and worshippers file past with offerings, so this is the best moment to see the temple in action. Dress modestly for the temple and take off your shoes at the entrance. You can eat in the hotel restaurant, or ask your driver where the locals go for dinner. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 With two nights in Kandy, today is unhurried. After breakfast you visit a gem museum and workshop, because Sri Lanka has been famous for sapphires and other stones since ancient times. A reconstructed mine shows how the stones are found, a short film follows the path from rough pebble to finished jewel, and the showroom displays cut and set pieces in gold, silver and platinum. You are under no pressure to buy, and it is a good chance to ask honest questions about quality and treatment. The next stop is a tea estate on the hill slopes. The story of tea here began when the British, who ruled the island, saw that the climate around Kandy suited the crop. The first plant is said to have come from China and been planted at Peradeniya. Your guide explains why the high slopes yield the best leaf, and you may see pluckers moving between the bushes with baskets on their backs. In the afternoon you drive the short distance west to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, set in a loop of the Mahaweli river. The gardens cover 147 acres and hold over 4,000 species, including a celebrated orchid collection, spice trees, avenues of towering palms and giant old figs. The site goes back to 1371, when King Wickramabahu III held court here, and its modern layout began in 1821. During the Second World War it also served as an Allied headquarters for Asia. Take your time on the lawns. The evening is free for a stroll around the lake or a drink on your hotel terrace. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today you climb. After breakfast you leave Kandy and head into the tea hills, a journey of roughly three to four hours by road, with several stops to break it up. The first is a working tea factory, where your guide walks you through the whole process: leaves are plucked, spread to wither, rolled, left to oxidise, dried and then graded by size. It surprises many visitors that only a day passes between the bush and the cup. You finish with a tasting of freshly made Ceylon tea and a long view across the terraces. The road continues upwards to Ramboda, where a tall, tiered waterfall tumbles beside the road among tea fields. Close by stands a temple to Hanuman, built by the Chinmaya Mission. Its giant statue, some eighteen feet high, is the tallest of the monkey god in the country and is tied to the Ramayana story, so the site draws many Hindu visitors as well as travellers. You reach Nuwara Eliya, a hill town about 1,900 metres above sea level that the British nicknamed Little England. Your driver takes you through the colourful market and past colonial bungalows, and if you have the energy you can see Hakgala Botanical Gardens, known for roses, tree ferns and monkeys, and the Seetha Amman temple nearby. Temperatures drop sharply after sunset, so bring a fleece or jumper. A warm bed at your hotel ends the day, with dinner wherever you like, either in the hotel restaurant or nearby. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Araliya Green Hills or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After a relaxed breakfast your driver takes you down to Nanu Oya station, the stop for Nuwara Eliya, where you board one of the great railway journeys of Asia. The line follows the tracks laid by the British in the 1860s, first to carry coffee and later tea from the estates, and it is still a living part of local life. Expect around three to four hours of slow travel through terraced slopes, mist, tunnels, small stations and waterfalls that spray the carriage windows. The seats are not the point. Most travellers stand at an open door or window, watch women picking leaf on impossibly steep ground, and wave at children who run out to greet the train. Carry your camera and a light jacket, and keep your bag within reach, since the carriages can be crowded. Your driver takes the luggage by road and waits for you at Ella station. Once you arrive, you transfer to your hotel and have the afternoon free. Ella is a relaxed village in a cleft of the hills, with views opening towards the plains through a gap in the mountains. Many guests simply sit on a terrace and watch the clouds move. If you want to stretch your legs, an easy walk of about an hour leads up Little Adam's Peak through tea fields, and the Nine Arch Bridge is a short drive away, where you can wait for a train to cross the stone viaduct. Both are optional, and your driver can suggest the best timing. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Te Dalu Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today you leave the hills behind and descend to the dry plains, a drive of about two and a half hours in total. A short distance from Ella you stop at Ravana Falls, a broad, 82-foot cascade that spills over a smooth rock beside the road. After rain it fans out like a drooping areca flower, while in dry spells it shrinks to a few ribbons. Local legend ties it to King Ravana of the Ramayana. The road next leads to Buduruwagala, a rock temple that few travellers reach. A British surveyor came upon it in the early twentieth century, and its seven figures are carved into a single rock face that looks like a kneeling elephant with its head lowered. A tall standing Buddha stands at the centre, flanked by smaller bodhisattvas whose style shows Mahayana influence. The carvings are generally dated to the ninth or tenth century, and traces of old paint can still be seen on some of them. The walk to the site is short and quiet. You check in at your riverside camp near Udawalawe, rest through the hottest hours and then, in the late afternoon, set off on a jeep safari. Udawalawe was created to protect the catchment of the Walawe reservoir and to shelter elephants displaced when the basin was developed. The open grassland makes it one of the easiest places on the island to see wild elephants in good numbers, and you may also spot buffalo, deer, crocodiles and many water birds. Sightings are never certain, but the chance is excellent. You can choose to eat at the camp, with the sounds of the night outside. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Comfortable 4-star hotel in Udawalawe or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 This is the longest day of the tour, but it is also one of the most varied, as you leave the plains and reach the sea. After breakfast you drive towards the south-west coast, with the total journey to Bentota taking four to five hours plus stops. The first main visit is Galle Fort. The Portuguese began building it in 1588 and the Dutch rebuilt and enlarged it from 1649 onwards, and it is now a UNESCO site. Walk the ramparts, look at the lighthouse and clock tower, glance into the Dutch Reformed church, and wander shaded lanes of old houses, small galleries and cafés. From Galle the road follows the coast to the Madu River, a wetland of mangroves and small islands, around 915 hectares in extent. A boat trip takes you through narrow green channels where birdlife is often easy to spot. You pause at an island where cinnamon bark is peeled and rolled, and at a platform where tiny fish nibble the dead skin from your feet, which tickles more than you expect. When the timing works, you finish at a turtle hatchery on the coast. Several species of sea turtle nest on this stretch of beach, and the centres protect eggs, care for injured animals and release hatchlings at dusk. Your guide explains the conservation work. You reach your beach hotel in Bentota by evening, with time for a swim before dinner. The next three days are yours. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today there is nothing to do and no one to hurry you. Sleep late, take breakfast on the terrace and then choose between the sea, the pool and the sand. Bentota sits where a calm river meets the ocean, so you have two kinds of water to play in: surf and swell on one side, and a flat, sheltered river on the other. If you feel like activity, the river is the place for it. A kayak is a quiet way to drift past the mangrove edges, and banana-boat rides and jet-skis are on offer for those who want more speed. These are optional extras that your hotel or driver can arrange, and you pay for them on the spot. Otherwise, read a book, swim between waves and walk the long beach in the late afternoon, when fishermen haul their nets in and the light turns gold. After two weeks of early starts and long drives, many guests find that simply sitting still is the best part of the tour. Dinner, wherever you choose to have it, is a good moment to decide whether you want any outings over the next two days. Your driver can suggest options, and nothing needs to be booked in advance. If the sea looks rough on the day, the pool and the river are always calmer alternatives, and the staff can point out the safest stretch of beach for swimming. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Bentota has a long tradition of Ayurvedic care, and today is a good moment to try it. Many hotels and small clinics along the coast offer massages with warm herbal oils, and a treatment after two weeks of road travel is a pleasure for tired legs. Ask your hotel to book it in the morning, when the doctor can also talk through which treatment suits you. The rest of the day is open. Swim, use the pool and enjoy a long lunch. Your driver is on hand if you want a short trip, perhaps to a local market or the town, but nothing is planned. Before dinner, walk down to the water's edge and watch the sun drop into the sea. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 This last full day is again yours, with a few optional ideas if you want to see more of the coast. Close to Bentota are the lush gardens created by the Bawa brothers, a peaceful place to stroll among tropical trees. Further south, about an hour away, Hikkaduwa offers a coral reef for snorkelling and glass-bottom boat trips. If you are travelling between roughly November and April, an early whale-watching trip from Mirissa is possible, but it means a very early start and a drive of about two hours each way, so decide the night before. Otherwise, stay put, swim, pack slowly and enjoy a farewell dinner by the sea. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After a last breakfast by the sea, your driver collects you and takes you to the airport at Katunayake, a drive of about two hours. We time the pick-up to your flight and leave a comfortable margin, so you are never rushing. If your flight is in the evening, you can enjoy a final swim and a late check-out before you go. Thank you for travelling with Volata Travels, and we hope to see you in Sri Lanka again. Meals Breakfast Included Activities
Landmarks
Route mapWhere you'll stayThese are the hotels we plan to use. If one of them is full on your dates, we book another hotel of the same standard (“or similar”) and tell you its name before you travel. Regenta Arie Lagoon or similarNegombo 1 night · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Amaya Lake or similarDambulla 3 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similarKandy 2 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Araliya Green Hills or similarNuwara Eliya 1 night · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Te Dalu Resort & Spa or similarElla 1 night · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Comfortable 4-star hotel in Udawalawe or similarUdawalawe 1 night · Bed and breakfast · exact hotel confirmed at booking Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similarBentota 4 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel What's included
What's not included
Pickup & drop-offPickup: Your Volata Travels driver-guide meets you in the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Katunayake, with a name board. Pick-up from a hotel in Colombo or Negombo can also be arranged. Drop-off: Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) for your departure flight, with the timing planned around your flight. Important informationItinerary order and overnight stops can be adjusted to fit your dates and pace — this is a private tour built around you, not a fixed departure. Cancellation policyAll cancellations must be received in writing by your Volata Tour Consultant. 19.1 Unless otherwise specified in your quotation, the following cancellation terms will apply to your booking: 19.1.1 Cancellations received between the date of booking and 61 days prior to departure will result in the loss of the deposit. 19.1.2 Cancellations received 60 – 46 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 25% of the tour price. 19.1.3 Cancellations received 45 – 29 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 50% of the tour price. 19.1.4 Cancellations received 28 – 15 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 75% of the tour price. 19.1.5 Cancellations received 14 days or less prior to departure will be subject to a forfeiture of the entire tour price. 19.2 Cancellation of airline tickets will be subject to the refund policy of each individual airline and may be greater than the percentages above particularly when low cost/net-based fares are used. 19.3 The purchase of special event tickets is subject to the refund policy of each individual event. Please refer to the specific event policy for details. 19.4 Volata reserve the right to charge for financial penalties, fees and losses incurred in excess of your cancellation fee as a result of cancellation.... What travellers say5.0 average from 7 customer reviews OF Omar Farouk, Jordan We had a fantastic time. The service was friendly, the itinerary was clear, and the scenery was exceptional. AY Amina Yusuf, Kenya A memorable tour with warm hospitality and fascinating cultural experiences. We felt comfortable throughout. SP Somchai Prasert, Thailand Everything was arranged conveniently, allowing us to focus on enjoying our holiday. The itinerary was well paced, and the destinations were easy to reach. The comfortable vehicle made travel around Sri Lanka a pleasure. DF Daniel Fischer, Germany A smooth, informative trip with excellent views. Our guide was professional and made the history engaging. GW Georgia Wilson, New Zealand Beautiful scenery, smooth planning, and a warm welcome. We had a wonderful time in Ella. YS Yuki Sato, Japan We enjoyed a relaxing vacation in Sri Lanka. The service was professional, and the comfortable vehicle made the trip special. SN Samir Nasser, Lebanon Excellent guide, beautiful scenery, and smooth arrangements. We had a fantastic time. You might also like      Ready to plan your Sri Lanka trip?Tell us your dates and interests — we'll put together a private itinerary within a day. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 14 days enough for Anuradhapura, Kandy, Ella and the coast?
Yes, comfortably. The first ten days cover the ancient cities, Kandy, the tea hills and Udawalawe with only one night in most places, and the final four nights are left for the beach. If you want even more time in the hills, say so and we can trim the coast or add a night at Ella, but most guests find this balance of sightseeing and rest works well.
How hard is the Sigiriya climb?
It is a steady climb of about 1,200 steps, mostly on stairs and walkways, so it feels tiring rather than technical. Most people reach the top in around an hour with rests. Go early, carry water, wear shoes with grip and take your time. If you prefer not to climb, the gardens and the lower terraces are rewarding in themselves, and Pidurangala is an alternative view of the rock.
Do we have to cycle around Polonnaruwa?
No. Cycling is the way the old programme explores the ruins, and it is a lovely way to cover the flat, shaded paths, but it is optional. If it is very hot, or you would rather not ride, your driver follows by vehicle and you can see the main groups on foot. Tell us in advance and we will plan around your wishes.
How long is the train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella?
Plan on roughly three to four hours. The line runs through tea estates, tunnels and over bridges, and delays are common, so treat the time as approximate. Your driver takes your luggage by road and meets you at Ella. Carriages can be busy on weekends, so ask us about the class and timing that suits you.
Will we see elephants at Udawalawe?
There is a very good chance. Udawalawe is known for open grassland and a large reservoir where herds come to drink, and sightings are frequent in most months. Wildlife is never certain, but afternoons are usually productive. You may also see buffalo, crocodiles, deer and many water birds. The jeep fee and park entrance are paid separately.
What is the best time of year for this tour?
The ancient cities are driest from roughly April to September, while Kandy, the hills and Bentota are best from December to March and fine into April. Udawalawe is rewarding through most of the year. Because the island has two monsoons, there is always a trade-off, and we are happy to advise on your travel dates.
What should I wear for the temples?
Cover your shoulders and knees at all religious sites and carry a scarf or light wrap. Shoes and hats come off at the shrines, and stone can be hot, so thin socks are useful. At Anuradhapura, white or light-coloured clothes are the custom among pilgrims, but any modest cotton clothing is fine.
Can the four beach nights be changed?
Yes. Some guests swap a beach night for Yala safari, add a night at Galle or Mirissa for whale watching, or spend more time in the hills instead. The coast block can also move to a different resort such as Beruwala. Tell us your priorities and we will adjust the plan and confirm what is possible.
What's included in the 14-day tour price?
Meet and greet at Bandaranaike International Airport; 13 nights in 4-star hotels (or similar), double or twin room sharing; a single room if you travel alone; Daily breakfast at your hotels (bed and breakfast); All transfers and sightseeing in a private air-conditioned vehicle; English-speaking driver-guide throughout the tour; Fuel, parking, driver accommodation and highway fees. The tour costs USD 1672 per person when two adults share a room, or USD 3203 for one traveller in a single room, for 13 nights / 14 days. These prices are valid for travel from 8 October 2026 to 30 November 2027.
What's not included?
International flights and the Sri Lanka ETA visa fee; Lunches, dinners and drinks (breakfast is included); Entrance fees and activity fees (Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya Rock, Polonnaruwa ancient city, Anuradhapura sacred city, village experience, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and cultural show, Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens and more); Optional tours and optional activities; Train tickets (if you choose the scenic train); Hotel supplements when you travel on 24 December and 31 December (New Year), and the Christmas supplement on 24 December; Tips, porterage and personal expenses; Early check-in and late check-out at hotels; Travel insurance and bank charges.
Is the price the same on 24 and 31 December?
Not quite. Hotels charge a compulsory supplement for the nights of 24 December (Christmas Eve) and 31 December (New Year's Eve), and these supplements are not included in the tour price. If your dates include either night, tell us when you enquire and we will confirm the supplement for the hotels on your route before you book.
Can I customize this tour?
Yes. The order of stops, the number of nights in each place, the hotels and the activities can all be adjusted to your dates, pace and budget — this is a private tour built around you, not a fixed group departure. Tell us what you would like to change and we will send a revised quote.
What is the cancellation policy?
All cancellations must be received in writing by your Volata Tour Consultant. Cancellations received up to 61 days before departure result in the loss of the deposit. Between 60 and 46 days before departure a charge of 25% of the tour price applies; between 45 and 29 days, 50%; between 28 and 15 days, 75%; and 14 days or less before departure the entire tour price is forfeited. Airline tickets follow the refund policy of each airline, and special event tickets follow the policy of each event. The full Terms & Conditions are at www.volatatravels.com/terms-and-conditions.