2.5 weeks itinerary Sri Lanka: Ella, Sigiriya and Jaffna?

Sri Lanka is very special to me and in 2023 I finally had the chance to travel through this amazing country for 2 weeks. In this article, I will tell you everything about my itinerary!

What to expect in this article:

Why Sri Lanka is so special to me

Sri Lanka holds a special place in my heart. My father was born there and fled 40+ years ago as he is Tamil, and for as long as I can remember, my siblings and I have begged to visit. In 2023, we finally made it happen — a family trip to the land that we have heard so much about. Visit family that we had only seen on videocalls before….
Sharing this journey with my family made it all the more meaningful, and now, I’m excited to share our 2.5-week itinerary with you.

Anyone who has visited Sri Lanka looks back at it with a good feeling. Whether it is the beautiful nature, the kind people, or the amazing beaches. You can’t help but fall in love, especially while riding a tuk-tuk 😉

Day 1 & 2

Colombo

Our adventure began in Colombo, where we spent three days enjoying the busy city life. If it’s your first time in Sri Lanka, I recommend starting here to adjust to the lifestyle, pace, and crazy traffic.

Explore the buzzing Pettah Market and delicious street food. Visit the beach, and go to the Lotus Tower during sunset. We stayed at an amazing hotel with an infinity pool and sea view.

On a personal note: Walking in Colombo felt so different from what I expected. I had been to Tamil Nadu in India before and expected it to be more like that. But except for the traffic, everything was different, the language, religion… So I had to get used to it. At first, I felt like I was in just another Asian country, only after arriving in Jaffna I finally felt more at home. So if you want to get to know more about Tamil culture, you really need to visit Jaffna in the north.

Day 3

On the road & Galle

On day 3 we had a long travel day. From Colombo, we travelled to Ella. While on Google Maps it said it would take 5 hours, it took us much more. Also, because we had a quick stop in Galle, to visit the unique fort.

Unfortunately, we did not visit the beaches in the south. This is all due to my dad who believed the South was not safe. It was already a miracle that he accepted to go to Sri Lanka, so even though I felt differently, I skipped the south in our itinerary.
I would advise you to go to the beaches in the south! (If the current situation is safe).

If you have the time you can think of visiting a beach!

Colombo to Ella takes around 5 hours by car.

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Day 4 and 5

Ella

Ella was gorgeous, but let’s first start with our lovely hotel. It was called Ella Country House and it had such an amazing view, you can’t imagine. Waking up, receiving the delicious and fresh breakfast at the hotel, and eating this outside with the view… I loved it. The b ooking link to the hotel can be found here.

Ella itself is amazing as well. One thing you need to visit while being in Ella is the Nine Arch Bridge. It might be one of the most touristic places in Sri Lanka, the view is absolutely gorgeous.

Colombo to Ella takes around 5 hours by car.

Little Adam's Peak & Udawalawe National Park

Little Adam’s Peak
You might have heard of Adam’s Peak, but did you also hear about Little Adam’s Peak? For an easy and rewarding hike, Little Adam’s Peak is a must!
Little Adam’s Peak is just 10 minutes from Ella’s, so you can easily combine it with Nine Arches Bridge in Ella.
The trail is short and well-marked, it took us about 45 minutes to reach the top. Here, of course, you can expect gorgeous views of the surrounding valleys and tea plantations. Our day at Little Adam’s Peak was unforgettable, as I decided to do a zip-line for the first time in my life. You can say I was nervous beforehand, but the whole experience was epic and I will never forget it.

Udawalawe National Park
As we definitely wanted to experience a safari, we made a day trip from Ella to Udawalawe National Park, This is a 1.5-hour drive.
Situated in the southern part of Sri Lanka, it is a great place for people who like to see animals or want to experience a safari. In addition to that, it is a protected area and 124.69 square kilometers, it has become mostly famous due to the amount of wild elephants.
Additionally, you can also spot lots of buffalo, crocodiles, birds, and even some leopards if you are lucky. To read more about my experience, you can click on the link below.

From Ella to Udawalawe National Park takes 1.5 hours by car

Spotting elephants in Udawalawe National Park (Sri Lanka)

Nuwara Eliya

From Ella, we took the train to Nuwara Eliya. Often, I read that this is supposed to be the most beautiful train ride in the world. Well, then we need to take it! It was definitely amazing, we saw nature, tea plantations, and waterfalls all on our way to Nuwara Eliya. I loved it! And if you reserve in time, there are good seats with air conditioning.

In Nuwara Eliya, the cool climate and colonial architecture make you feel like you’ve stepped into a different world. This was actually one of my favorite places in Sri Lanka and I wrote an article about 6 Reasons why you have to add Nuwara Eliya to your Sri Lanka itinerary.

Next to that, we visited the Blue Field Tea Factory in Ramboda, where we learned about tea production and tasted some of the freshest teas. It was so great, that I even wrote an article about it.

From Ella to Nuwara Eliya it took around 2 hour by train.

6 Reasons why you have to add Nuwara Eliya to your Sri Lanka itinerary!

Kandy

Kandy was a nice stop, and my dad needed to visit it after 40 years, although it wasn’t our favorite stop. After the quietness and beautiful nature of Ella and Nuwara Eliya, Kandy felt a bit overwhelming with its crowds.

As for things that you need to do, the Temple of the Tooth is a sacred site that shouldn’t be missed. We also enjoyed an interesting Kandyan dance show, showing the traditional music and outfits. Next to that, we loved the giant Buddha statue on a hill, overlooking the city.
Lastly, walking near the Kandy Lake was nice. Still, Kandy did not steal our hearts as much as other places did, but still spend a day (or 2) here.

From Nuwara Eliya it takes 3 hours to reach Kandy.

Day 10 & 11

Sigiriya & Dambulla

Sigiriya was a fun destination during our trip, and we spent two nights here to fully explore the area. Climbing the iconic Sigiriya Lion Rock was an unforgettable experience, and the views from the top were breathtaking. Next to the Lion Rock, don’t forget to explore the countryside of Sigiriya. In my article The Otunna Guest House, I wrote about what you can see then.

So, we we stayed at The Otunna Guest House, a charming accommodation that we loved for many reasons and I wrote about it in the article.
After Sigiriya, we spend an afternoon exploring Dambulla, home to the stunning Golden Temple, another must-see in Sri Lanka!

From Kandy to Sigiriya it is a 2-hour drive. From Sigiriya to Dambulla just 20 minutes.

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Anuradhapura

On our way from Sigiriya to Jaffna, it was most convenient to make a stop at Anuradhapura, which is just an hour drive from Dambulla.

Anuradhapura’s ancient city was a fascinating stop, even if just for a day. Be aware that it is not just one temple you can visit, the historical ruins and temples are spread over 40 square kilometers.

As we were travelling with a group and some were a bit ‘temple-tired’, we only visited Ruvanvelisaya Dagoba and Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. The Dagoba is a massive white temple and the Bodhi is a tree, which according to a legend is 2000 years old.
If you have more time and want to see more, make sure to stay here 2 days.

From Dambulla, it takes an hour to reach Anuradhapura by car.

Day 14 - 16

Jaffna

Jaffna was the most important stop on our 2 weeks itinerary trough Sri Lanka. It’s not a must-visit for everyone, but for us, it was an essential stop to visit our family. Especially for my dad, as he has not seen some members for more than 40 years. It was a very special experience, as we saw my dad’s old house where he grew up, I saw family members and connected instantly.

Jaffna feels worlds apart from the rest of Sri Lanka. I wrote an article about 10 amazing places in Jaffna that you can’t miss. These tips all come from locals (my family).

We spent five days here, visiting different families every day, but also the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, Jaffna Fort, and more spots. If you’re short on time, you can cut this part of the trip, but for us, it was an emotional and eye-opening experience.
As Jaffna is quite remote from the rest of Sri Lanka, I would say to spend here 3 days.

From Anuradhapura, it takes 3 hours to reach Jaffna by car

Tips from a local: 10 amazing places in Jaffna (Sri Lanka) that you can’t miss!

Negombo

Before heading back to Colombo for our flight, we spent a night in Negombo.

This coastal town was great to take some rest before our long flight back to the Netherlands. At least for my family, I flew to my boyfriend in Pondicherry India, which is just an hour away.

We spent some time at the beach, and with our Dutch roots, we of course had to visit the Dutch Canals, which was a nice sight.

How to get around Sri Lanka

Getting around Sri Lanka is an adventure in itself. You can travel by tuk-tuk or take public buses and trains to see more of the local life. For our trip, we opted for a chauffeur-driven car, as it made my dad feel safer and gave us more flexibility. Normally, I never travel all over a country with a chauffeur, but when you travel with family, things change 😉

Alternate itineraries (2 or 3 weeks in Sri Lanka)

2 Weeks in Sri Lanka
If you’re short on time, you can skip Jaffna and focus on the southern beaches instead. After Sigiriya, head south to explore Mirissa, Galle, and Unawatuna, known for their laid-back and surfer vibes. You can still visit Udawalawe National Park and take a quick train ride through Nuwara Eliya before ending in Colombo.

3 Weeks in Sri Lanka
You can easily spend 3 weeks (or more) in Sri Lanka with still enough things to see. Add extra days in Ella, explore the town of Galle, and relax on the beaches of Tangalle or Arugam Bay. If you love wildlife, consider visiting Yala National Park as you might see leopards.