How to Spend 3 Weeks in Sri Lanka: Epic Itinerary

How to spend 3 weeks in Sri Lanka: epic itinerary. Sri Lanka is a destination that seems to have soared in popularity in recent years. And for good reason. This beautiful island nation has everything you could possibly look for in a travel destination: amazing culture, ancient temples, stunning landscapes and white sandy beaches. So what are you waiting for? Time to book flights to Sri Lanka. Read on for how to spend 3 weeks in Sri Lanka: epic itinerary. This itinerary provides a broad mix of cultural sites, nature, wildlife and relaxing on the beach.

Negombo (near Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport)

Most visitors to Sri Lanka will fly in via Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). This is actually closer to the beachside town of Negombo than Colombo itself, making Negombo the perfect place to spend your first night. You can get to your accommodation from the airport using the rideshare app PickMe – a tuk tuk takes about 20 minutes and doesn’t cost much. Negombo itself is not large, but boasts some lovely sandy beaches.

Colombo

If you’re in Sri Lanka to chill out, maybe give the busy capital city Colombo a miss. But if you’re here for the culture, then Colombo has some fascinating sights to see. Visit the distinctive Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque with its candy stripe red facade, the many-Buddha Gangaramaya Temple and the oldest Hindu temple in the city, Sri Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Kovil, dedicated to the gods Ganesha and Shiva. There’s also some excellent food to discover, best enjoyed by booking a Colombo food tour so that you can sample a range of different dishes.

Yapahuwa Rock Fortress

Yapahuwa Rock Fortress is a bit out of the way, and so not included on a lot of Sri Lanka itineraries. However, if a remote Tomb Raider style jungle fortress, complete with crumbling ruins, stone lions, and monkeys galore sounds like your cup of tea, then it’s definitely worth a visit. You can also hike to a viewpoint behind the temple (only about 15 minutes walk each way). Take the train directly from Colombo Fort station to Maho Junction. From there it’s best to arrange a pick up with your Maho accommodation provider (I can recommend Walawwa Eco Lodge) to take you to your accommodation and also to and from Yapahuwa Rock Fortress. Read more detailed information here.

Sacred City of Anuradhapura

From Maho area you can get a direct bus to the city of Anuradhapura. The ancient sacred city of Anuradhapura is one of the true cultural highlights of visiting Sri Lanka. This UNESCO World Heritage site dates back to the 4th century BC and is known as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning. Huge stupas tower over you, visible for miles around. Although it’s an ancient site, Anuradhapura is still an active place of worship, which is really interesting to watch. The best way to explore the ancient city is by bicycle, as it’s spread over quite a large area. Cycling around from ancient temple to ancient temple is also just really fun! Alternatively you can hire a tuk tuk and driver for the day. Read my more detailed post about visiting Anuradhapura here.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya has some of the most stunning landscapes in Sri Lanka. The famous Lion’s Rock, which used to be used as a fortress in ancient times, is a remarkable sight. This enormous rock stands alone, surrounded by an endless expanse of forest and rice paddies. You can climb to the top and see the feet of an ancient stone lion carved into one side, and also gardens on the top. Then, the best view of Lion’s Rock from a distance are from the top of Pidurangala Rock, a fairly easy hike to an absolutely incredible viewpoint. This is a lovely place to enjoy sunrise or sunset. Sigiriya town itself is very laid back, with lots of cute cafes and charming guesthouses.

Kandy

Kandy is the starting off point for the famous Kandy-to-Ella train ride. However, this city in the heart of Sri Lanka has plenty of things to see of its own. Spend an afternoon wandering around the Royal Botanical Gardens, visit the intriguing Temple of the Tooth, or simply spend some time exploring the bustling streets. If you’re planning to take the train to Ella (which is a real must-do in Sri Lanka!) I can recommend staying near the train station so that you can walk down early in the morning and catch one of the first trains of the day. The train ride is a fantastic experience, with stunning views of the Sri Lankan countryside as you make your way up to the tea plantations in the mountains. Please do be extremely careful taking photos as some tourists have been injured or even tragically lost their lives.

Ella

Ella is an incredibly beautiful town nestled between luscious tea plantations and rolling hills. The railway line runs straight through the town, and you can walk along the train tracks to get to different parts of town (and avoid some of the hills). Ella has a relaxed traveller vibe, with lots of cute cafes where you can sit in the fresh air looking out over the amazing views. You can walk to the impressive Nine Arch Bridge (try and time it with a train going over the top) or hike up Little Adams Peak if you’re feeling energetic. (You can book an organised tour here).

There are plenty of bars and restaurants to while away the evening. Or even better – book onto a Sri Lankan cooking class where you can learn how to make delicious traditional curries. I did mine at Ella Nine Arch Spice Garden (contact them via WhatsApp for the best price). They also give you a tour of their spice garden so you can see plants such as nutmeg, vanilla and allspice growing fresh.

If you have more time, I also recommend making a stop at Nuwara Eliya. A charming town (known as “Little England” due to its colonial architecture) on the Kandy-Ella route where you can visit a tea factory to see how it’s produced.

Udawalawe National Park

Now for the wildlife section of this How to Spend 3 Weeks in Sri Lanka: Epic Itinerary. Visiting Udawalawe National Park to see elephants was an absolute highlight of my time travelling around Sri Lanka. Getting to see these majestic creatures in the wild, where they actually belong and without any cruel activities such as riding or bathing, was utterly magical. Read my more detailed post here: How to Visit Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka’s Wild Elephant Safari. From Ella, you can reach the town of Udawalawa Junction by public bus, or you can arrange a private taxi. You can either book your Udawalawe National Park elephant safari via your accommodation, or book online here: Book Udawalawe National Park Private Safari.

See also: Is It Ever Ok to Visit Elephant Sanctuaries?

Yala National Park

Why visit just one national park when you can visit two? Sri Lanka is a paradise for wildlife lovers. And with Udawalawe and Yala national parks being so close to each other it’s easy to visit both in a single trip (some people even do both on the same day – book: GO WILD! Double Safari Day Trip (Yala & Udawalawe)). Yala National Park is most famous for the elusive leopard, but there’s a plethora of other wildlife to see too, so you won’t be disappointed. Stay in nearby Tissamaharama and arrange the safari via your accommodation for the best price. It’s possible to do full-day or half-day Yala safaris. Alternatively, you can book online here for ease: Book Full day Safari – Yala National Park.

Hiriketiya Beach

After a jam-packed itinerary you definitely deserve some downtime on Sri Lanka’s beautiful south coast beaches. There are so many cute beach towns to choose from. Personally, I prefer to just do one or two and spend quality time there relaxing rather than trying to see all of them. I recently chose to visit Hiriketiya and absolutely fell in love with the place. Whether you’re into surfing, yoga or just chilling at the beach or in cute cafes, there’s something for everyone here. This part of Sri Lanka is becoming extremely popular. A new boutique shop or chic beach resort seems to open every year. In Hiriketiya, I can recommend booking the yoga and brunch deal at Salt House and enjoy a modern take on traditional hoppers at Duni‘s Hoppers.

From Hiriketiya you can continue to explore Sri Lanka’s south coast. Or, take the local bus to Matara where you can catch the airport bus straight back to Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) / Negombo. Hopefully you’ve found this post on How to Spend 3 Weeks in Sri Lanka: Epic Itinerary useful. Let me know in the comments below!

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