Galle → DelhiFlight via Colombo · 11h 18m · Train to Colombo, then SriLankan Airlines / Air India / IndiGo
About this circuit
From Kandy up to the tea estates of Nuwara Eliya at 1,900 m, the hill-country train from Nanu Oya to Ella, down to Yala for leopards by jeep, then the south coast: Mirissa's whale boats and the walled Dutch fort of Galle.
Why it matters
Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards anywhere, Mirissa is the main port for whale watching, blue whales among them, and Galle's 17th-century Dutch fort is a UNESCO site. On the Ramayana trail: the Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya, by Nuwara Eliya, and Ravana Falls near Ella.
Stop by stop
How the 11 days split across the 6 stops, and what each one costs on the ground for two.
The hill capital of the last Sinhalese kings, round a lake 500 m up. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), a UNESCO site, holds Sri Lanka's most revered Buddhist relic; the evening puja with drums is the time to go. The Peradeniya botanical gardens, a Kandyan dance show and the spice and tea country round about fill two days. In July-August the Esala Perahera brings ten nights of elephant processions and the town fills up.
Don't miss: Evening puja at the Temple of the Tooth · Walk round Kandy Lake.
How long: 1 day here; on its own Kandy is worth 2 — add a day if you can.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 100 km
1 day for two from ₹4,542 · ₹9,240 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
A colonial hill station at 1,900 m among tea estates, with a golf course, Gregory Lake, Tudor-style hotels and nights that drop near 10 °C. Tea factories (Pedro, Mackwoods, Damro) give tours and tastings, and Horton Plains with World's End is an early-morning trip. On the Ramayana trail, the Seetha Amman temple at Seetha Eliya is visited by many Indian pilgrims. April is the local high season, with races and car rallies, and rooms cost double. The station is Nanu Oya, 8 km away.
Don't miss: Horton Plains walk to World's End at dawn · Tea factory tour and tasting.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 170 km
2 days for two from ₹15,290 · ₹29,341 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
A small village in a gap in the hills at the end of the famous train ride from Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Easy hikes to Little Adam's Peak and Ella Rock, the Nine Arches Bridge with the blue train crossing it, tea estates and waterfalls make it the most popular stop in the hills, with cafes and guesthouses to match. Ravana Falls and the Ravana cave are on the Ramayana trail. Yala and Arugam Bay are 3 hours down the hill.
Don't miss: Hill-country train ride with open doors · Nine Arches Bridge at train time.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), 100 km
2 days for two from ₹9,288 · ₹23,015 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
Sri Lanka's best-known park, with one of the highest densities of leopards anywhere, plus elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and water birds in scrub, lagoons and rock outcrops by the sea. Visits are by jeep (half-day at dawn or afternoon, or a full day), booked through your hotel; Block 1 is the busy core, and jeeps crowd round a leopard sighting. Stay in Tissamaharama or Kirinda, or in a tented camp by the park. Block 1 closes every year from about 1 September to mid-October. Kataragama, a shrine sacred to Buddhists, Hindus (as Murugan's) and Muslims, is 20 km away.
Don't miss: Dawn jeep safari for leopards · Elephants and sloth bears.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (HRI), 40 km
2 days for two from ₹18,802 · ₹32,429 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
A palm-backed bay on the south coast and the main port for whale watching: blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins from about November to April, when the sea is calm. Coconut Tree Hill, Parrot Rock and Secret Beach are a walk away; surf breaks at Weligama (learners) and Mirissa (reef). From May to October the south-west monsoon makes the sea rough and the boats stop.
Don't miss: Blue-whale watching (Nov–Apr) · Sunset at Coconut Tree Hill.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 185 km
2 days for two from ₹10,130 · ₹24,959 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
The 17th-century Dutch fort, a UNESCO site, is a small town of its own inside the ramparts: whitewashed churches, the lighthouse, boutique hotels, cafes and craft shops on a grid of quiet streets. Walk the walls at sunset, watch the cliff jumpers at Flag Rock, and use it as the base for the south coast's beaches. Two hours from Colombo on the Southern Expressway or the coastal train.
Don't miss: Sunset walk on the fort ramparts · Lighthouse and Flag Rock.
How long: 2 days, which is the recommended stay.
Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), 155 km
2 days for two from ₹10,746 · ₹27,443 mid-range — stay, food, local travel and entry; the journey here is extra
What it costs
from ₹74,273 a person
The whole 11-day trip as the planner prices it in January, for two sharing at budget stays: flights from India and back, travel between the stops, stays, food, getting around, entry fees and the planner's buffer.
January to April suits the route: Yala's main block closes from about 1 September to mid-October, and from May to September the monsoon stops Mirissa's whale boats
Entry rules
E-visa before you fly for up to 30 days
Before you fly, apply for the tourist ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) at eta.gov.lk. It is free for Indian passport holders since 25 May 2026, but still required: airlines check it at boarding. Approval usually comes by email; carry the approval.
Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.
Make it yours
Opens in the planner with all 6 stops, suggested days and your home city pre-filled, in January. Swap anything.
·Landslides from Cyclone Ditwah (November 2025) cut the hill-country line, and in 2026 trains were reported starting at Nanu Oya rather than Kandy: check eticket.railway.gov.lk, and book reserved seats when they open 30 days ahead
·Nuwara Eliya drops to about 10 °C at night: pack a fleece, and leave by 05:30 to reach World's End on Horton Plains before the mist
·Book a Yala jeep with a tracker through your hotel; a full day or an afternoon slot escapes the crowds
·Around the Sinhala and Tamil New Year (13-14 April) rooms in Nuwara Eliya cost double or more
·Apply for the tourist ETA at eta.gov.lk before you fly: it is free for Indian passports, but airlines won't board you without it
