Overview
Sri Lanka heritage tour 10 days overview
Sri Lanka has eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and this private Sri Lanka heritage tour visits every one of them in 10 days: the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, the Dambulla Cave Temple, the Sacred City of Kandy, the Central Highlands at Horton Plains, the Sinharaja rainforest and the Old Town of Galle.
Six sites are cultural and two are natural, so the trip moves from royal capitals and cave temples to cloud forest, rainforest and finally the sea. It is the most complete of our Sri Lanka cultural tours, and one of the best heritage tours in Sri Lanka for travellers who love history.
Your 10 day / 9 night heritage tour
All eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites
From the sacred cities of the north to the rainforest and the Dutch fort of the south.
DAY 01Overnight: Anuradhapura
DAY 02Overnight: Sigiriya
DAY 03Overnight: Sigiriya
DAY 04Overnight: Kandy
DAY 05Overnight: Kandy
DAY 06Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
DAY 07Overnight: Sinharaja
DAY 08Overnight: Galle
DAY 09Overnight: Galle
DAY 10No overnight stay
Pickup and return
Start: Bandaranaike International Airport, or your hotel in Colombo or Negombo.
Finish: the airport for your flight home, or your hotel in Colombo or Negombo.
Send us your flight times and we plan the first and last days around them.
Where you will stay
Night 1: Anuradhapura.
Nights 2–3: Sigiriya or Habarana.
Nights 4–5: Kandy.
Night 6: Nuwara Eliya.
Night 7: near Sinharaja (Deniyaya side).
Nights 8–9: Galle.
Nine nights with breakfast in hotels of your choice, from comfortable 3 star to boutique and luxury, confirmed in your quote. Lodges near Sinharaja are simple eco-lodges.
Before you book
What is the price of this heritage tour?
We send a personalised quote, because the price depends on your hotels, the vehicle and the number of travellers. Your private car, driver and nine nights with breakfast are included; entrance tickets, safaris and the Sinharaja forest walk are quoted separately.
What are the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka?
Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, the Dambulla Cave Temple, the Sacred City of Kandy and the Old Town of Galle are cultural sites. The Central Highlands (including Horton Plains) and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve are natural sites.
Is the Sinharaja walk difficult?
It is a guided walk of three to four hours on forest trails, sometimes muddy, with leeches after rain. Good shoes and leech socks help, and a local forest ranger leads every walk.
When is the best time for this tour?
December to April is best for the hill country, Sinharaja and Galle. The Cultural Triangle is dry from about May to September as well, so the tour works most of the year.
Can we shorten it?
Yes. Our 7 day Sri Lanka culture tour covers five UNESCO sites, or we can skip Sinharaja and go straight from the hills to the coast.
Compare all our Sri Lanka cultural tours, the Sri Lanka culture tour 7 days, or read about the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka, Horton Plains and the Sinharaja Forest Reserve.
Highlights
- A private 10 day Sri Lanka heritage tour to all eight UNESCO sites
- Anuradhapura, Mihintale and Polonnaruwa
- Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the Dambulla Cave Temple
- Two nights in Kandy with the Temple of the Tooth
- Horton Plains and World’s End in the Central Highlands
- A guided walk in the Sinharaja rainforest and two nights in Galle Fort
