Shveta

Hi All,

We (4 adults and 4 children) are planning a 5 nights 6 days trip to Sri Lanka in end of December. Based on my preliminary research I have drawn the following itinerary:

Dec 27 / Day 1 - Arrive Colombo airport at 7: 20 AM and leave directly for Kandy
Dec 28 / Day 2 - Kandy
Dec 29 / Day 3 - Nuwara Eliya
Dec 30 / Day 4 - Nuwara Eliya
Dec 31 / Day 5 - Bentota
Jan 1/ Day 6 - Flight from Colombo at 5 PM

Is the above reasonable? Please give suggestions if we need to change the places keeping in mind that we are travelling from India and driving long distances in a day is not too much of a hastle for us.

Would it be a good idea to hire a 8 seater for the entire trip or is the public transport reliable and convenient? In both the cases please suggest reliable companies.

Once we freeze the broad itinerary I will come back with the sight seeing options at each of the places.

Thanks in advance

Best regards

Shveta

flygirl

Hello

I have nothing to add, but, am considering an 11 night trip over this winter and so I thought I'd see what replies you may get.

Have a great time!

Kathie

What are you goals with this trip? We loved our time in Sri Lanka, but we were primarily focussed on the history and culture. We spent a good amount of time in the cultural triangle, which I see you are skipping. There is so much to see and do in Sri Lanka, this short trip will give you very little time there.

By the way, 5 nights never yields 6 days, but only 4 full days. You really can't count your arrival day or departure day as sight-seeing time, and each time you change locations takes at least half a day. While distances in Sri Lanka, look short, roads after narrow, winding and crowded with all sorts of traffic so it take longer than you might expect to get from place to place.

We used a local agency to make our arrangements (transport and lodging), and with your group, I suggest that would be a good idea. We used Boutique Sri Lanka and had a great experience with them, but there are lots of local agencies. We found having our own car and driver necessary for what we wanted to see and do. Get yourself a good guidebook - it will be very valuable in your planning and while you re there.

CaliforniaLady

First of all, you have nine people including the driver, correct? Do you plan on using a large van? You need to find a travel agent willing to take you. I used Steven at Camlo Lanko tours, he's the owner. I would say that he did a pretty good job of driving me around, and he also acted as a tour guide.
Camlo Lanka Tours -Your Personal Sri Lanka Tour Operator

Regarding your itinerary, people go to Sri Lanka for different reasons. With only five nights, I would spend the first four nights in Dambulla as a base for the Cultural Triangle, and the final night in Kandy (arriving in time to see the ceremony at the Temple of the Tooth). Although others here have a different opinion of Nuwara Eliya than me, I was not al all impressed. It was cold there, and it seemed for very much like England to me.

I don't see the relevance of your saying that you are going driving long distances in India on the same trip. I combined South India with Sri Lanka last year, and each one seemed like a different trip. Kathie is correct, the roads, with the exception of those around Colombo, are windy and narrow. Do yourself a favor and stay in two places only.

Shveta

Thanks everyone for your inputs. Based on your suggestions, we will base ourselves at two locations at the most and we are more certain now to hire a van with driver for our trip. Would also try the contacts you mentioned for the logistics.

Kathie, our goal from the trip is to explore the natural beauty of the place since Sri Lanka is not very different from India culturally speaking. Given this objective which places would you suggest we go to?

Thanks again