10 days in Sri Lanka: the classic route, with the fat trimmed
10 days, 1,156 km and about 30 hours of driving in total. A car with driver for the whole trip is $700 (2–3 people) or $950 in a van (up to 8), at the shoulder rate (July, August); December to February is 10% more and May to June 10% less. That is the vehicle, the driver, his food and his room, and fuel — not hotels. Ten days is the most-searched Sri Lanka itinerary and the one most often padded to twelve places. This is the version that fits in ten without a single day lost to a transfer you did not need. Prices last verified September 2026.
The route, day by day
| When | Where | Stay | Drive from the last stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–2 | KandyCultural Triangle | 2 nights | 107 km2h 49m |
| Day 3 | Dambulla Cave TempleCultural Triangle | On the waya stop, not a night | 72 km1h 54m |
| Days 3–4 | SigiriyaCultural Triangle | 2 nights | 23 km0h 36m |
| Day 5 | PolonnaruwaCultural Triangle | 1 night | 60 km1h 35m |
| Day 6 | Nuwara EliyaHill Country | 1 night | 221 km5h 49m |
| Day 7 | EllaHill Country | 1 night | 60 km1h 35m |
| Day 8 | Yala National ParkSouth & West Coast | 1 night | 133 km3h 31m |
| Day 9 | MirissaSouth & West Coast | 1 night | 163 km4h 17m |
| Day 10 | Colombo Airportfly home | — | 196 km5h 10m |
Open this exact route in the planner → Change the nights or add a stop, and the hours per day, the price and five years of rain data for your month update as you go.
Priced on 10 days on the road at $70 a day for a car, because your driver is committed to you whether the vehicle moves or not. The 1,156 km alone would come to $474, so the days are the higher and fairer number here. 3 of the 9 legs are distances we have measured on the road; the rest are modelled from road geometry and our own average pace of 38 km/h. Drive times are modelled, not logged — our drivers are recording real ones and these numbers get replaced as they come in.
Why this shape
Two nights at Kandy and two at Sigiriya, because those are the two places where a second night changes what you see rather than just where you sleep.
Polonnaruwa goes in as a bicycle day between Sigiriya and the hills.
The hills get three nights across Nuwara Eliya and Ella, then Yala for a dawn drive and Mirissa to finish.
What we left out, and why
Every itinerary is a subtraction. These are the ones we made, so you can put them back if we chose wrong.
- AnuradhapuraThe one real casualty. It is older and larger than Polonnaruwa and it needs its own day plus an hour and a half each way. It goes back in at twelve days.
- PinnawalaOn the Kandy road and included by reflex in most published itineraries. Ethics are contested; we would rather drive you to the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe.
- GalleForty minutes from Mirissa and easy to do on the way out. It gets its own night at twelve days.
When to go, and what it costs then
December to March is the classic window and the reason prices are highest then. July and August work well too — the hills and the ancient cities are fine, and the south coast has good days.
Our prices move with demand, and we publish the rule rather than hiding it. The bands below are set from Sri Lanka’s own 2025 arrivals figures — 2,362,521 visitors across the year, from 258,928 in December down to 132,919 in May. Demand swings 1.95×. We move price by 20 points.
| Month | Arrivals 2025 | Band | Car | Van |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 252,761 | Peak | $770 | $1,045 |
| February | 240,217 | Peak | $770 | $1,045 |
| March | 229,298 | High | $735 | $998 |
| April | 174,608 | Low | $665 | $902 |
| May | 132,919 | Trough | $630 | $855 |
| June | 138,241 | Trough | $630 | $855 |
| July | 200,244 | Shoulder | $700 | $950 |
| August | 198,235 | Shoulder | $700 | $950 |
| September | 158,971 | Low | $665 | $902 |
| October | 165,193 | Low | $665 | $902 |
| November | 212,906 | High | $735 | $998 |
| December | 258,928 | Peak | $770 | $1,045 |
The full month-by-month breakdown, including which coast is dry when, is on its own page.
Change it
This is one arrangement of a road, not the only one. Open the route builder, tap the stops you want, set the nights, and the kilometres, the days and the price move as you go — using exactly the numbers on this page.
The places on this route
KandyDambulla Cave TempleSigiriyaPolonnaruwaNuwara EliyaEllaYala National ParkMirissa
What individual legs cost
Colombo Airport to KandyNuwara Eliya to EllaMirissa to Colombo Airport
Questions people ask
Is 10 days enough for Sri Lanka?
It is the right length for one full crossing: ancient cities, hill country, a safari and the south coast, without rushing any of them. It is not enough to add the east or the north.
How many hours a day are we in the car?
About two and a half on average, with two longer days: the airport to Kandy at the start, and Ella down to Yala. Four of the ten days involve no significant driving at all.
Can we swap a stop?
Yes, and the builder is there so you can see what the swap costs before you agree to it. Change the stops, change the nights, and the kilometres and the price move as you go.
What is included in the price?
The vehicle, the driver, his meals and his accommodation, fuel and air conditioning. Not included: hotels, expressway tolls (passed on at cost), park and site tickets, and anything you buy. We take no commission from any hotel, shop or showroom, and we will not deliver you to one that pays for arrivals.
How do we pay?
In cash at the end, in rupees, dollars, euros or pounds. Nothing up front, and the price is agreed in writing on WhatsApp before you fly.
Send us this route on WhatsApp →
Prices last verified September 2026. We check them monthly and change the date only when we have actually looked.