Itinerary questions
Planning my first trip to Sri Lanka and would love some feedback on possible itinerary.
Dates: 23 October (arrive 1pm) – 8 November (2:25am departure).
I am more interested in history, culture, mountains, tea plantations and nature than beaches but I'd still like a little bit of coast and maybe some snorkelling if conditions are good, but I don't want this to be a beach holiday.
Current plan:
23 Oct (Thu) – Arrive in Colombo (1pm), travel to Galle
24–25 Oct (Fri–Sat) – Galle
- Galle Fort
- Coastal walks
- Good food
- Optional beach/snorkelling if conditions are good
26 Oct (Sun) – Travel to Yala or Udawalawe, stay somewhere close.
27 Oct (Mon) – Safari (Yala or Udawalawe) and then travel to Ella
28–30 Oct (Tue–Thu) – Ella
- Little Adam's Peak
- Nine Arches Bridge
- Lipton's Seat
- Diyaluma Falls
31 Oct (Fri) – Horton Plains early morning, then continue to Kandy
1–2 Nov (Sat–Sun) – Kandy
- Temple of the Tooth
- Ambuluwawa Tower
- Maybe the Botanical Gardens if time allows
3–6 Nov (Mon–Thu) – Sigiriya
- Sigiriya Rock
- Pidurangala sunrise hike
- Dambulla Cave Temple
- Polonnaruwa
7 Nov (Fri) – Travel back towards Negombo/airport, relax before late-night flight
8 Nov (Sat) – 2:25am flight home
A few questions:
- Does the pace look sensible, or is there still too much moving around?
- Yala or Udawalawe for late October/early November?
- Anything genuinely worth adding or swapping without changing the overall route too much?
Many thanks