We (my husband and I ) plan to be in Srilanka from 22nd Dec 2012 till 2nd Jan2013. We'd like to cover the following, could you please provide your feedback on the itinerary and an suggested hotels to stay in:
1. Dambulla, Sigiriya, Anuradhapura (2 nights)
2. Kandy, Nuwareliya (3 nights)
3. Ella and Yala (2 nights)
4. Galle, Mirissa (2 nights)

Many thanks!

Looks like you are trying to do far too much in the time available. You need to redo this itinerary including travel time and where you're spending the nights.

Yes, you are trying to cram in way too much. These places may not look far apart on the map, but the drives are long.

Just your first stop is entirely unrealistic. Anuradhapura is quite a drive from Dambulla. Closer (and better preserved) is Polonnaruwa. You will need a minimum of three full days - which means four nights - to see all of these. In this area, I highly recommend the Kandalama.

And are you expecting to stay in one place and see Kandy and Nuwareliya? Or are you staying in one place and taking a day trip train ride?

Likewise, you wouldn't stay in one place and visit both Ella and Yala.

Take a look at a couple of travel agent's sites: Boutique Sri Lanka and Red Dot. Both have lots of info about suggested itineraries, accommodations and travel times. Use those site to help you plan.

By the way, do you have a guide book? If not, get one now. I used the Lonely Planet.

Also, you will be traveling at the busiest and most expensive time of the year.

Thanks so much for your tips. Yes I have revisited the itinerary and think this makes more sense

2nights at Sigiriya (we will see Dambulla and Sigiriya only)
2 nights at Kandy (We are skipping Nuwareliya)
2 nights at Ella (I am a big fan of seeign the sunrise at Adams Peak)
1 night at Tissa
2 nights at Mirissa

Overall about 700 kms of travel spread over 10 days. Does this seem do-able? We understand this is the costliest season to be visiting Srilanka, but snce it is a trip with a couple of our friends, this is th eonly time we can all take a vacation. Got myself the lonely planet guidebook and have been reading the same. Also this is my 3rd visit to Srilanka- except my last trip was in 2004. I hardly seem to remember the distances or places I stayed in.. Hence I really appreciate your inputs. Thanks again

-Abi

Looks like a more manageable itinerary than your original. However, a couple of observations:
1. Adams Peak is at Dalhousie rather than Ella, which is several hours travel away by train or car. The sunrise is spectacular but does involve a strenuous climb up the mountain starting at 2.00 am. Slightly Chilled guest house is the closest place to the base of the mountain and agood place to stay. There is a, much smaller, Little Adams Peak at Ella which is more accessible and the sunrise over Ella's Gap is also impressive.

2. We stayed at several places along the southern coast, Weligama, Goyambokka, and Galle and visited Mirrissa which is a beautiful little place with probably the best beach in the area but, if you are planning on getting back to the airport from that coast it is a VERY long drive. We decided to spend our last days in the country in Galle which is much closer to the airport but still took a drive of 5 -6 hours via the outskirts of Columbo.

Kathie's suggest of using the tour operators sites is a good one as they have already done the hard work of planning distances etc and they have a wide variety of trips on offer. We travelled in Feb and found it very difficult to get accommodation and it was impossible to find anything around Yala or Tissa.

Thanks crellston, these inputs are very helpful. I didn't realize the difference between Adams Peak and little Adams Peak for instance. Now that you have pointed it out, yes I do remember a climb starting at 2 Am when I did visit it all those years ago! So maybe we will settle for the sunrise at little Adams Peak in this trip. We are already doinga fair amount of travel.

We are yet to book our flight tickets, so maybe I will add another day in so we have an extra day to get back to the airport.

I have already written to the tour operators Kathie has mentioned and some others as well to see if they can work this itinerary out for us. Thanks again for all your help!