It is easy to get around Sri Lanka using public buses and trains but renting a car is the most comfortable way of getting around Sri Lanka. Colomb0 – Kalutara – Hikkaduwa – Galle – Welligama – Matara – Yala – Arugam Bay. Hey Agness so lovely to hear from you – sorry couldn’t get back to you sooner. Thanks for the article . We reserved a car via their website and one of their representatives accompanied us for the license validation process. Check out the giant Buddha statue that was featured in a Duran Duran video in the 80’s and have day looking around. We researched some more, weighed our pros and cons and decided to GO for it anyway! Would be really helpful ! If you’re celebrating an anniversary or birthday, we’d recommend booking a special sunset dinner on the dunes overlooking the beach on one side and Yala National Park on the other. You can use this link for a $30 discount on your booking to cut costs further http://www.airbnb.co.in/c/viditt. It is located at Dallawella Beach near Unawatuna. We didn’t know this and booked our flights for a Saturday so will have to either wait till Monday in colombo or get a IDL first from Delhi and pay 4000 LKR to get that validated without being present. We did not face any problems in terms of traffic or safety. Like what you see? A number of tea estates allow visitors to explore them for free. However, you can reach out to the agency (Malkey) we rented our car from as they do provide the service you are after . Getting a visa for Sri Lanka is very easy. A stay here is the perfect antidote to the hustle bustle of Sigiriya’s historical sites – highly recommended! If you have a car, you needn’t pay tuk tuk drivers atrocious fares (LKR 2000 for a five minute drive) at the main entrance to the waterfall. Keep an eye out for elephants, water buffalo, fox, leopards, and other animals from the comfort of a rugged 4x4 vehicle. Unfortunately they aren’t actual fishermen, just actors who ask for money for every photograph you take. It has so much for offer . Thanks for taking out the time to update everyone – very sweet of you Hope your Sri Lanka road trip was amazing Do share photos with us! After plenty of jungle exploring go uphill to Ella and visit the Horton Plains National Park to do some high mountain trekking. Hey guys. Feel free to follow my Facebook page, too. We have planned a road trip basis this itenary and suggestions. The glamping tents are full of character and comfortably furnished with portable air conditioners, comfortable beds, and equipped bathrooms. However we visited during the shoulder season in September and despite grumbling about the intense heat on a couple of days, we enjoyed ourselves. Tweet 2. The fee for this temporary license is LKR 1000 ($6). Air India, Jet Airways, and Sri Lanka Airlines all provide equally  convenient connections from India – it’s best to compare rates before booking a flight. We stayed at Jetwing Yala and what an experience it was! Hope that helps. It’s just…. Is it feasible? The most cost effective option is to book a fixed price cab that costs 3000 LKR ($18) from a stall such as Cassons or Airport Taxi. Just one query – would you know if it is easy to purchase a local sim card for use in Sri Lanka? Thank you! Thanks so much for the detailed information. It’s affordable, roads are good, people even better, and you’ll stumble on SO many gems along the way like this ancient rock fortress. Thanks for sharing all the information. This 4 hour drive will take you from the coast to the heart of wild Sri Lanka. Hi! . Already A Member? Yes you have to deposit cash. A road trip to Sri Lanka would be incomplete without going on a safari! Best Seller. Stay for a day or two in Ella and then go downhill to Gal Oya National Park. This road trip takes you to three completely different ones. Thank you for sharing . Honestly we didn’t really spend much time in Colombo – just picked our rental car and off we went (we spent half a day just to get the temporary driving license in Colombo) – so that was our highlight in Colombo . Spend a day at the beaches of Unawatanu – they are gorgeous to say the least. It’s a pretty part of the country but you might want to skip it if you’ve explored some other tea plantations before. If you haven’t rented a car, you could also take the extremely scenic train ride from Ella to Kandy. Thanks. Is Nuwara Eliya not worth it? The Beaches road trip could easily be the longest of all. Wanted to check, if we rent a car for week, do we have to give security deposit. Glamping dinners under the moonlight Why choose between the sound of waves, a candle-light dinner, or a National Park when you can have all 3 at once amiright? My friend is heading to Sri Lanka for her honeymoon and I’m definitely recommending this to her. Spend a day exploring Galle’s historical centre – especially Galle Fort, Dutch Reformed Church, and its iconic lighthouse. It would be very useful for people like me to plan the trips. Which one would you recommend keeping in view the traffic/road conditions, tourist safety and car-breakdown assistance. My Sri Lanka itinerary 7 days includes all the top places that need to be visited during a trip to Sri Lanka. It took us a couple of hours to obtain this license. Yes Bentota is nice, you should visit As for suggestions, well everything we have to suggest for Sri Lanka is already in this article , Hi! Hi Savi, I love all of your photos, there all amazing. I wanted to know if you visited Bentota , should we go there ? Here are five road trips you can do in Sri Lanka. So glad you enjoyed it We always love hearing from you – You’ll really enjoy Sri Lanka. Exploring the southern coastline of Emerald Island is the most exciting road trip. But once that is done, you are all set to explore every little corner of Sri Lanka on your own. Choose an itinerary that suits your budget and the number of days you have at hand and get going . I’m sure there is. Such a amazing article. Is there any firm which does drone photography for the couple in Sri Lanka? Being a passenger in a vehicle can be a fairly hair-raising experience, although as the roads aren’t so great, often the speeds aren’t so great either. Very useful if someone planing to visit Srilanka. To answer your question, the Pidurangla Hike takes about 30 minutes one way . It has a bohemian and laid-back vibe perfect for long-term travellers. Required fields are marked *. Don’t miss the hiking at Horton Plains to World’s End. Regards And don’t treat driving time shown in Google as the actual time it’ll take. We chose our hotel in Galle based on our readers’ recommendations and we enjoyed it so much that we ended up staying in a number of Jetwing Hotels throughout this trip. No matter how far you get away from civilization, a tuk tuk will always get in your way. Sigiriya is a destination bathed in history. All of us survived 2020 I am planning a 6 days trip covering Srilanka and Maldives in November. Yala National Park is gorgeous and safaris here range from $35-$180 depending on where you get them. It is doable but will be very rushed. You will spot these stalls as soon as you exit the Arrivals area at the airport. I’ll be visiting Sri Lanka after 4N stay in Maldives. We rented it for 16 days and ended up driving around 1400 kilometres, thereby paying for 120 odd extra kilometres. 366, 1st Floor, Galle Road, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka. Still affected by the aftermath of the war, Jaffna will welcome you with its beautiful Hindu temples and generous people. Additional kilometres were charged at LKR 30 per kilometre. Keep up the good work! If you’re renting a car in Sri Lanka, then we’d definitely recommend going with a Sri Lankan company like Malkey as they understand the nuances of the country better and are more flexible when it comes to the terms and conditions dependent on the terrain. Sri Lanka is famous for its stock of stunning beaches and scuba diving. Read here the best 3 day and 2 week Sri Lanka itineraries. beauty “Srilanka” and you too also thanks for sharing, will apply on me also.. Could you recommend some other boutique hotels to stay at in Galle ! On this occasion, we took a convenient direct flight (3 hours) from New Delhi as we were in India before flying to Sri Lanka. If it’s not a surfing trip and you just plan to spend a couple of days at each beach, then, by all means, take a van and driver. In the evening, drive to Sigiriya Lion rock, climb to the top and see the remains of an old fortress that used to belong to an ancient Kandyan king. Your entire post has been really informative and helpful. Now if there is something we love more than exploring a new country or a city, it’s exploring the place…, This is Part 1 of our 5 part series on planning the ultimate road trip to Leh Ladakh in India. But you will need to budget a minimum for USD100/INR 8000 per day for everything (including accommodation, meals, excursions, public transport) and upwards of USD 200/INR 15000 per day if you’re renting a car, staying in nice hotels, and exploring independently. Upon getting to the airport, you will be hounded by several taxi drivers and taxi companies. You could take a pitstop in Kandy on your drive from Sigiriya to Nuwara Eliya. Ihave been planning to visit Sri Lanka (maybe next year). Of the two places Nuwara and Ella , which one would you recommend for a stay? Hey Pratik – The two are similar but Sri Lanka has more diverse landscapes and prettier beaches . I hope you enjoyed my article. Spend the night in the Anuradhapura area and the next day drive to Wilpattu National Park where you can camp for the night. Adding item to wishlist requires an account. If you are lucky enough to be around on Poya day you can join the worshippers that go there to celebrate the full moon. Whatever accommodation you choose, breakfast is served at a scenic restaurant close to the reception. Wanted to know how long is the hike to the rock opposite Sigiriya ? Thank you in advance. After enjoying Horton Plains and lots of cool weather at high altitude, have lunch at a local kade or tea house. Take a road trip to explore the wonders of Sri Lanka, including Tsunami Honganji Vihara, sea turtles, Yala National Park, elephants and Royal Rock Temple. We drove d, Left Delhi for a short roadtrip & the entire drive, Leh Ladakh Road Trip: An Unbelievable Drive In India, Two Week Bali Itinerary – Tips For Planning A Trip To The Island Of Gods, Five Benefits Of Using Your Credit Card While Travelling, Everything you need to know to plan an EPIC trip to Sikkim, An Epic New Zealand Road Trip – Itinerary, Tips, and Planning, Days 2-5 – Stay in Galle and explore Southern Province including Mirissa, Unawatuna, and Galle, Days 5-7 – Stay in Yala National Park and go on safari, Days 5-7 – Stay in Yala National Park and go on safari (2 days), Days 7-10 – Stay in Arugam Bay/Trincomalle and explore offbeat beaches of Eastern Sri Lanka, Days 10-11 – Stay in Sigiriya and go hiking, Days 11-13 – Stay in Kandy/Ella and explore Nuwara Eliya, Ella, and Kandy, Days 3-8 – Stay in Unawatuna and explore Southern Province including Mirissa, Unawatuna, and Galle, Days 8-10 – Stay in Yala National Park and go on safari (2 days), Days 12-18 – Stay in Trincomalle and explore offbeat beaches of Eastern Sri Lanka, Days 18-20 -Stay in Anuradhapura and explore surrounding temples and monasteries, Days 21-24 – Stay in Sigiriya/Dambulla and go hiking, Days 24-27 – Stay in Kandy and explore Sri Lanka’s most visited town, Days 27-29 – Stay in Ella and explore Nuwara Eliya and Ella, Day 30 – Return to Colombo and fly out of Colombo. I’m sure she’ll love it too! Detailed street map and route planner provided by Google. Make sure you start early as it can take anywhere between 7-8 hours. We actually think it looks prettier during the day, so try going around 10 am. We really enjoyed Jetwing Yala and we chose to visit Unawantuna/Mirissa on a day trip, so we didn’t stay there! Colombo – Singaraja – Horton Plains – Gal Oya. We booked our Safari through our hotel itself and reserved a private jeep for the two of us. We rented our car from Malkey Rental and it was a seamless process. You could even witness turtle hatching by visiting a farm in Mirissa. From ₹15,999. Colombo – Kandy – Anhuradapura – Polonnaruwa – Sigiriya – Kandy. Take the alternative route suggested by Google Maps and park your car and hike up! Arugam Bay is the ideal place for a prolonged stay if you chose the 1 month itinerary listed above. I think the same is true in Sri Lanka of tuk tuks and residents. In case you didn’t stop at Yala National Park, you can go on safari from Arugam Bay – Gal Oya National Park and Kumana National Park are in the vicinity. The Cultural Triangle is an area in the Northern District of Sri Lanka. Great article . Also, a network of public buses is run by the Sri Lanka Transport Board. Use this map type to plan a road trip and to get driving directions in Sri Lanka. I am heading to Sri Lanka for a week. Make sure you take your passport along and go early as it gets really hot and crowded later in the day. Safaris are enthralling and you can expect to spot everything from leopards and elephants to wild boars and spotted deer. We would like to book a taxi for 3 of us. Could you help us suggest best place to not miss during our visit. The article is meticulously curated! Hi maam..really wonderful pics and amazing information. You can stay in Weligama and travel to Galle for sure. Welcome to Sri Lanka Roadtrip! Hey Christina – we do include budgets for a lot of our trips but here we’ve mentioned how much safaris and car rentals etc cost but the overall cost depends heavily on the kind of hotels you choose and where you fly from . La richesse faunique du Sri Lanka et la possibilité de faire des safaris avec notre fils a été une des principales raisons de notre road trip au Sri Lanka. If I had to pick my favourite hotel from our trip to Sri Lanka, it would have to be Jetwing Vil Uyana. Thank you so much for sharing this post myself anubhav from Agra, India. Yala National Park is gorgeous and safaris here range from $35-$180 depending on where you get them. The road trip to the north is a road less traveled but also the most varied. Happy to hear that Sri Lanka is a dream, especially if you’re driving . We booked our safari with. Sinharaja is a tropical rainforest full of native birds, amphibians and plants. 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