10-day Sri Lanka itinerary from the UK
Day by day
| Day | Route | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Colombo (CMB) → Negombo | Arrive, meet your driver, and rest by the coast after the flight. |
| Day 2 | Negombo → Sigiriya | Head north to the Cultural Triangle; Dambulla cave temples on the way. |
| Day 3 | Sigiriya & Minneriya | Climb Sigiriya at dawn; afternoon jeep safari for wild elephants. |
| Day 4 | Sigiriya → Kandy | Spice garden, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the lake. |
| Day 5 | Kandy → Nuwara Eliya | The tea-country drive; estate tour and colonial-era hill town. |
| Day 6 | Nuwara Eliya → Ella | Waterfalls, the Nine Arch Bridge and an easy hill walk. |
| Day 7 | Ella → Yala (or Udawalawe) | Down to the dry south-east for a game drive at first light. |
| Day 8 | Safari → Mirissa | To the south coast for beach time and whale-watching in season. |
| Day 9 | Mirissa → Galle | The Dutch fort, palm beaches and a relaxed final full day. |
| Day 10 | Galle → Colombo (CMB) | Coastal drive back to the airport for your flight home. |
Making it your own
Because you've got a private driver, none of this is fixed. Want more beach and less driving? Prefer to add the east coast? Travelling with kids who need shorter days? Your driver-guide reshapes the plan around you. For a slower version with the east coast built in, see the 14-day itinerary.
What it costs
The private driver-guide and car come to roughly £460–£600 for the ten days, all-inclusive. Add your hotels, meals and entry tickets. See the full cost breakdown in £.
Frequently asked questions
Is 10 days enough for Sri Lanka?
Yes — 10 days is the sweet spot for a first trip from the UK. It's long enough to combine the Cultural Triangle, hill country, a safari and the south coast without feeling rushed, especially with a private driver handling the logistics.
How much does a 10-day private driver trip cost in pounds?
Reckon on roughly £460–£600 for the private driver-guide and air-conditioned car across the ten days, all-inclusive of the car, fuel and the driver's own costs. Hotels, meals and entry tickets are separate.
How much driving is involved each day?
Most days are two to four hours on the road, broken up with stops. Sri Lanka's distances are short but the roads are slow, which is exactly why a local driver-guide makes the trip so much easier.