22 places to visit on Sri Lanka 5-day tour package

Posted on by Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

If you are looking for the best places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days, Are you looking for places to visit on a Sri Lanka 5-day tour package? Believe me, it will be a daunting task to choose the best Sri Lanka itinerary for 5 days and the places to visit, especially if you are travelling with someone else with a different choice. However, we have crafted this blog post with 22 places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days and a few Sri Lanka 5-day tour itineraries. The main selection tool in choosing the places was the reviews of our past customers. Sri Lanka is a beautiful island, and there are hundreds of places to visit within 5 days in Sri Lanka. Wildlife reserves, crumbling historical monuments, temples, parks, bustling cities, mouth-watering dishes, spellbinding scenery, tropical fruits… the list goes on.

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Places to visit on Sri Lanka 5-day tour package

If you are looking for a couple of places to visit in Sri Lanka’s 5-day adventure tour package? Are you looking for a Sri Lanka itinerary of 5 days? Believe me, it will be a daunting task to choose the best Sri Lanka itinerary for 5 days and the places to visit, especially if you are travelling with someone else with a different choice. However, we have crafted this blog post with 22 places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days and a few Sri Lanka 5 days tour itineraries. The main selection tool in choosing the places was the reviews of our past customers. The island is a beautiful country and there are hundreds of places to visit within 5 days in Sri Lanka. Wildlife reserves, crumbling historical monuments, temples, parks, bustling cities, mouth-watering dishes, spellbinding scenery, tropical fruits… the list goes on.

Are 5 days enough for a Sri Lanka trip?

“What is the best Sri Lanka 5-day tour?”, “what are the places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days?”, “What is the best 5 days Sri Lanka itinerary?” are a few questions we get often via emails. If you also wondering if 5 days is enough in Sri Lanka, my answer is NO…NO, because there are so many places to visit in Sri Lanka, with a 5 day Sri Lanka trip you can only scratch the surface, you will be able to barely scratch either northern or southern Sri Lanka and you will not see much of the island in a Sri Lanka 5 day tour.

If you are looking for a couple of places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days, believe me, it will be a daunting task to make the selection, especially if you are travelling with someone else with a different choice. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country that offers visitors a lot. The number of places to visit exceeds many dozens making it difficult to choose the places to visit within 5 days.

If you are planning to visit Sri Lanka and do a 5-day Sri Lanka trip, this article can be very useful to you. After considering the customer reviews that we received from our past customers, we have lined up the below-mentioned 22 places to visit during your upcoming Sri Lanka tour. You may not be able to all places within the 5 days but you can cover at least some of them.

What can we see on a Sri Lanka 5-day itinerary?

What you can see on a 5-day Sri Lanka tour is decided by the trip you choose. 5 days Sri Lanka trip is available in many variations such as 5 days wildlife tour, 5 day Sri Lanka nature tour, 5 days Sri Lanka cultural tour, 5 days Sri Lanka beach tour etc. So, choose the best package for you. If you cannot find a suitable pre-planned 5 days package tour, ask your tour operator to make a customized 5 days trip itinerary for you, and usually, it won’t cost you anything extra. With a properly organized, customized 5 days Sri Lanka trip you can visit a large number of places, in fact, you can make a trip to historical places, wildlife parks, scenic hill country as well as beaches.

  • Heritage Tour-Sri Lanka 5 days tour- This is mainly a trip that revolves around Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. This 5 days trip starts in Colobm and ends in Colombo.
  • Beauty of Sri Lanka Tour Sri Lanka 5 days tour- is another popular 5-day Sri Lanka trip covering major tourist attractions in the cultural triangle and teh hill country.
  • Cultural triangle Tour Sri Lanka 5 days tour- this 5 days tour not only cover cultural but also major historical place in southern Sri Lanka.
  • Nature Cocktail / Trekking Tour Sri Lanka 5 Days – ideal for a nature lover. The trip includes wildlife parks, rainforests, beaches and many important natural resources.

When is the best time for a 5 days tour in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka is a year-round holiday destination and therefore, venturing on a Sri Lanka five days tour can be done at any time of the year. However, due to the effect of the monsoon, travellers should careful when choosing the destination for a beach holiday. Eg. east coast beaches are ideal for beach holidays from May to October. The west and south coast beaches provide the best settings for beach holidays from November to April. Each beach holiday destination mentioned above is suitable for beach holidays only for 6 months every year and the rest of the year it does not ideal for beach holiday activities due to the rain and rough sea.

If you intend to take one of the above-mentioned Sri Lanka 5 days tour packages, it is best to set off on those tours from November to April. During this period a large part of Sri Lanka remain dry. Most importantly, the places included in above mentioned tour packages largely remains dry from November to April.

Travel around Sri Lanka on your 5 days tour

Travelling is one of the most important parts of the Sri Lanka trip package. Therefore, it is very important to have a proper and time-saving transport mode like a taxi. We always recommend a taxi for Sri Lanka tour packages, because it gives you comfort, and safety while saving a lot of time for you to relax in your hotel and study interesting tourist attractions leisurely. Usually, most tour packages in Sri Lanka are planned using taxis as a transport mode. Time allocated for transport during the tour should be exceeded with other time-wasting modes such as public buses and trains.

How much does it cost for a Sri Lanka 5 days tour?

When it comes to the price factor, it is decided by many reasons such as the category of accommodation you choose, the type of places you visit and the activities you choose to do on the tour. Usually, the accommodation makes up the largest portion of the package price and the cost of entrance fees and activist cost comes immediately behind. The cost of transport and driver/guide fee make a moderate impact on the tour package price. Talk to your tour operator and ask them to make a tour package that suits your budget. Most tour operators are willing to make tour itineraries for you without any extra cost.

Can I book the hotels on my own for the 5 days tour?

Yes, you can book the hotels on your own for the 5 days trip. But it can cause your tour package price to swell around 15-20 per cent. We always recommend our readers book the entire package (transport, guide, accommodation, sightseeing tours, entrance fees) with one supplier, thereby they can get the best price for the trip.

Can I book a Sri Lanka 5 days tour from the beach resort?

YES, the 5 days tour can be booked from the beach resort. Usually, the 5 days tour starts from Colombo, however, due to a large number of requests now we start the trip from Colombo, Colombo airport and 400+ beach resorts on the west coast and south coast.

TRAVEL AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES IN SRI LANKA, visitng temples, Dambulla Sigiriya Polonnaruwa in one day tour, Car and driver Sri Lanka cost
This 5 day Sri Lanka tour includes many iconic tourist places such as the Sigiriya rock fortress, Dambulla golden temple, and tooth relic temple. This 5 days private tour also takes you to the breathtaking scenery in Sri Lanka’s hill country. The travellers will be able to explore Sri Lanka’s fascinating wildlife on a safari too.

Visiting hill country on Sri Lanka 5 days tour

Sri Lanka’s tea country or hill country rises up to 2524 meters above sea level. The hill country of Sri Lanka is to be found in the middle of the country which gradually increases its height from the beaches. Depending on the altitude Sri Lanka is divided into 3 parts, low country, mod country, and hill country. The hill country of Sri Lanka is undeniably captivating. It comes in such contrast to the picturesque coconut tree-lined beaches, and the historical-cultural triangle with crumbling monuments. If you plan a Sri Lanka 5 days tour with a twist of adventure, you must consider adding Sri Lanka hill country to your trip. Because in the hill country, you get the opportunity to soak up many adrenaline-pumping activities such as mountain climbing, water rafting, jungle trekking, hiking, waterfall abseiling, ziplining, and more.

Visiting the hill country capital of Kandy on your Sri Lanka 5 days tour

Described by Sri Lankan people as “Kanda-Uda-Rata”, which literally means the capital in the hills, in the 1800s Kandy, enjoyed the status of the capital of Sri Lanka and enjoyed independence from foreign rulers. Before its glory days, Kandy was a little quiet village in the central mountain range of Sri Lanka, but with its transformation as the capital of Sri Lanka the fortunes of the village changed and the village transformed into a sacred city with the arrival of the tooth relic of Buddha. Today Kandy temple is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka and is visited by tens of thousands of Buddhist devotees every day.

Important hill country cities included in Sri Lanka itinerary for 5 days

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Bandrawela are the most popular hill country resorts in Sri Lanka. Therefore one or more of those hill country resorts may be included in your Sri Lanka 5-day tour. However, the number of hill country cities included in the 5 days tour program and the duration highly depends on the type of 5 days tour itinerary.

  • Kandy
  • Nuwara Eliya
  • Ella
  • Bandarawela
  • Haputale
  • Badulla

What are the important places to visit on the hills on Sri Lanka 5 days tour?

The hill country of Sri Lanka has a wide range of natural attractions. The hill country shows a different contrast against the palm-fringed beaches on the west coast and cities like Kandy Colombo. Here is a list of popular tourist attractions in the hill country. I must tell you that you will not be able to visit all the places mentioned below on your Sri Lanka 5 days trip. But with correct planning and with a good local driver/guide you will be able to cover many of the sites mentioned below.

  1. Waterfalls such as Rambodal falls, Devon fall, and St, Clair falls
  2. Rivers such as the Mahaweli river
  3. Tea plantations such as the Rothshield tea estate
  4. Kandy City
  5. Gregory Lake
  6. Golf course
  7. Racecourse
  8. Single tree hills
  9. Sta Amman temple
  10. Hanuman Temple
  11. Ambewela Farm
  12. Strawberry farm
  13. Horton plains national park
  14. Galway bird sanctuary
  15. Victoria Park
  16. Haggala botanical garden
  17. Moon plain Nuwara Eliya
  18. Tea factory

Visiting Beaches on 5 days tour to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is predominantly a beach holiday destination. The island possesses more than 1300km of pristine beaches that can be used for relaxing holidays at any time of the year. If you plan to add Sri Lanka beaches to your 5 days trip it is necessary to find the best beach for the trip after thoroughly considering the monsoon weather pattern. As a guideline, if you plan the trip from November to April choose the west and south coast for your beach holiday. If you travel on the island from May to October you need to head to the east coast in search of a beach with dry weather.

Sri Lanka is still popular as a beach holiday destination in the world and the island attracts a large number of beach holiday lovers every year. Even though the island is surrounded by pristine beaches of 1700km, west coast beaches are the most popular beach holidays in Sri Lanka. A few places on the east coast such as Arugam bay also visited by some travellers, however, it is a very low figure compared to the number of tourists that visits west coast beaches. Here are some of teh popular beaches for a Sri Lanka 5 days trip.

  • Negombo
  • Kalutara
  • Bentota
  • Beruwala
  • Induruwa
  • Hikkaduwa
  • Galle
  • Unawatuna
  • Mirissa

Visiting Sri Lanka cultural triangle on a 5-day Sri Lanka trip

Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle harbours a large number of ancient temples, palaces, lakes, gardens, stupas, Buddha statues, museums, and many other ancient constructions. Visiting the cultural triangle is on the bucket list of most travellers, especially since it is very popular among first-time visitors to Sri Lanka. Allocate at least 2 days to travel within the cultural triangle. Travelling the cultural triangle for 2 days gives you the opportunity to explore the most important historical monuments in the cultural triangle.

What are the important monuments to visit in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka?

  • Anuradhapura historical city
  • Polonnaruwa historical site
  • Sigiriya rock fortrwess
  • Tooth relic temple Kandy
  • Dambulla golden temple

What are the 11 best things to do on a Sri Lanka 5 days tour?

Even though we talk about 22 places to visit on a Sri Lanka 5 days trip, I’m afraid to tell you that it is a daunting task to visit all these places on your Sri Lanka 5 days trip, because this 5 days trip involves about 800 km of travelling on a car across Sri Lanka. Therefore, travellers can choose only some of the 22 places mentioned in this article to visit during their 5 days adventure.

  1. Sri Lanka jungle tours/ Visiting wildlife reserves
  2. Visiting Crumbling historical monuments
  3. Visiting Temples, parks
  4. City tours and Shopping
  5. Sampling Mouth-watering Sri Lanka cuisines
  6. Enjoying Spellbinding scenery
  7. Exploring tropical forests
  8. Trekking through the Mountains
  9. Visiting waterfalls
  10. Swimming in Rivers, Lakes
  11. Visiting palm-fringed beaches…the list goes on and on

Sri Lanka 5-day tour package: What can we see?

You might wonder, how to do all those things in 5 days in Sri Lanka. Visiting all these places in a Sri Lanka 5-day tour! NO WAY! After all, you need to have some leisure during the trip too; otherwise, it will not be a holiday. Therefore you have to choose a few places to see on your 5 days Sri Lanka tour. So, now you are in a dilemma when it comes to choosing places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days, that’s why I thought of writing this blog post.

So you have to make a choice with regards to the places that you visit on your Sri Lanka 5 days tour, that’s difficult. Many travellers contact us at this stage and ask for our help to choose places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days, sometimes they want us to plan a 5-day Sri Lanka itinerary, with the best places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days. We do not turn them down and make a good Sri Lanka trip package for them, it is free, and most importantly we do not expect them to book the trip with us.

Can I combine my 5 days tour with a beach tour package?

You can combine this 5 day Sri Lanka tour with your Sri Lanka beach tour. A large number of travellers, especially foreign travellers would like to have a separate sightseeing tour to visit important tourist places on the island while having leisure on the beach toward the tail end of this Sri Lanka trip. However, there are a few twists to make to your Sri Lanka 5 days tour if you plan to combine your beach tour with the 5 days trip.

Are 5 days tour packages for Sri Lanka private or public tours?

Sri Lanka 5 days tour can be booked as a private tour or as a public tour. If you book the 5 days trip as a private tour you get a dedicated driver/guide and a dedicated luxury vehicle. All activities on the trip such as transfers, and sightseeing tours are on a private basis. These 5 days tours are also available as a public group tour and which means you are a participant in a group of like-minded travellers. Usually, the participants of the trip come from all parts of the world. You will meet them for the first time on this trip. There can be instances that one or two of the fellow travellers may cause some kind of inconvenience, however, it is very rare. Sri Lanka 5 days group tours have fixed starting dates and ends, therefore, your travel arrangements such as arrival dates should match the tour arrangement. Pre-announced 5 days group tours may be cancelled at any time due to the lack of participants.

Can I customize the Sri Lanka 5-day tour package?

The travellers can customize their 5 days Sri Lanka trip and we have a dedicated staff, that is prepared to help you. If you have booked Sri Lanka 5 days private tour, you can customize the trip in whatever way you like. You may even change the tour itinerary or route of the trip. However, if you have booked the 5 days group tour you may not be able to customize the trip.

What are the 22 places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days?

  1. Colombo-The Commercial capital of Sri Lanka is the most populated city and offers a shopping experience, historical places, parks, beaches, and vibrant nightlife.
  2. Elephant orphanage Pinnawala- is one of the very popular day outing places in Sri Lanka in 5 days, which attracts a large number of travellers every day. Pinnawala elephant orphanage is a place to see the largest herd of tamed elephants in the world, located near Kandy,
  3. Sigiriya rock fortress-the iconic tourist attraction is one of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days. Sigiriya rock fortress is the most popular historical site and UNESCO world heritage site with landscaped gardens, ruined palaces, pools, paintings, fountains and moats, and walls, dating back to the 5th century AD.
  4. Dambulla golden cave temple-UNESCO world heritage site, one of the oldest temples on earth, dates back to the 1st century BC. The place to see 150 Buddha statues and a large number of religious paintings.
  5. Minneriya national park-Wildlife reserve in the north-central province of Sri Lanka to do a jeep safari and spot a large gathering of wild elephants.
  6. Tooth relic temple-Most sacred Buddhist temple, which is also a UNESCO world heritage site. The tooth relic temple is not a popular tourist place in Kandy.
  7. Royal botanical garden Kandy-The biggest Botanical garden in Sri Lanka featuring more than 8000 trees and plants located near Kandy on the bank of the Mahaweli river.
  8. Kandyan cultural show-The evening show takes place in the city of Kandy and features traditional Sri Lanka dancing and musical performances.
  9. Tea garden-You will encounter a tea garden in the tea country better known as the Sri Lanka mountains. The healing climate, rolling hills, cascading waterfalls, breathtaking scenery, and tea plantations are the main features here.
  10. Tea factory – See the entire process of tea manufacturing
  11. Sita Temple-Closely connected to Ramayana, this is the temple believed to be the place, where Sita lived as she was under the captivity of Ravana.
  12. Gregory Lake-Located 1800 meters above sea level in the city of Nuwara Eliya. Activities available here are boating, walking, trekking, and pony riding…
  13. Sinharaja rain forest-one of the oldest patches of forests. A place to live with nature.
  14. Madu river estuary-Explore the mangrove forest which is diminishing fast along with hundreds of avian Fauna species.
  15. Moonstone mines-Semi precious stones found only in Sri Lanka, which are believed to have health benefits. You have the opportunity to see a traditional gem mine
  16. Sea turtle conservation project-These are privately managed turtle conservation projects, you can see the animals belong to 5 species of endangered sea turtles.
  17. Galle fortress-medieval time city built by the Dutch featuring hundreds of structures with old Dutch architecture.
  18. Whale watching Mirissa, One of the best opportunities to spot blue whales and sperm whales.
  19. Yala wildlife reserve-Leopard spot is the best activity and most memorable for travellers, who set off on a jeep safari at Yala. elephant, crocodile, bear, jackal, and many other animals are on the list too.
  20. Kitulgala -better known as the adventure playground of Sri Lanka offers a wide range of adrenaline-pumping activities like Whitewater rafting, kayaking, rainforest trekking, mountain climbing, and waterfall abseiling…
  21. Adam peak-nick-named the temple in the sky is located well over 2300 meters above sea level. It attracts thousands of pilgrims every day during the pilgrimage season from Nov-April. To Non-Buddhist this is a place to have a light adventure and the opportunity to breathtaking scenery.
  22. Udawalawe national park-Another popular national park for Sri Lanka wildlife tours is to see a large gathering of wild elephants.
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Spend five memorable days on a tour of Sri Lanka with a variety of sightseeing activities. Visit the Golden Temple of Dambulla, bicycle around the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, tour Sigiriya Rock Fortress, and see the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) — all UNESCO World Heritage sites.

In this blog post, we discuss mainly 3 Sri Lanka 5 days trip packages. These 3 trips are very popular among travellers to Sri Lanka, especially they are very popular among foreign travellers. The tour itineraries are carefully crafted to cover 3 major areas and serve as a leisure tour package, nature tour package, or adventure trip.

  • Culture cocktail tour Sri Lanka 5 days
  • Nature cocktail tour Sri Lanka 5 days
  • Adventure tour Sri Lanka 5 days

According to my experience, 5 days is not enough to explore the island, even with a two weeks tour you can just scratch a part of the island (either south or north). I have worked for many leading tour operators in the world such as TUI, Neckerman, Firs choice, ITS, and Thomson in the capacity of an interpreter, and most of them offer 5 days tours in many forms.

Transport

Choosing the best transport mode for your Sri Lanka is very important. Because within 5 days you must visit many places while travelling safely within many cities. When it comes to transport, there are many options to consider but we highlight 3 main options below.

Travel by Taxi

If you are wondering, what is the best mode of travelling during your Sri Lanka 5 days trip? A private taxi with a local driver is the best bet for you. This principle can be applied to local as well as foreign travellers. Travelling by taxi is safe, and most importantly it saves you valuable time. Hiring a private vehicle allows you to explore the island at your own pace and gives you maximum privacy. The cost of a taxi is a bit expensive compared to public transport but on the other hand, it is cheaper than air transport. Travelling by taxi is the most sought-after travel option among travellers in Sri Lanka.

On a 5 days trip mentioned in this blog post, we expect that you stick to a private taxi and thereby move swiftly between cities. Saving time on this 5 days trip is very important for the success of the tour. You have to travel over 1000 km during the trips while visiting many dozens of important tourist places during the trip. Another benefit of using a private vehicle is the ability to reach tourist places at every nook.

Using public transport on your Sri Lanka 5-day tour package

If you use public transport, you are required to use shuttle buses or any other transport mode to reach most tourist places as public buses ply the main roads. You have to face the same scenario if you plan to use domestic air transport as the airports are located only in major cities.

Every Sri Lanka trip package that we discuss in this article includes many hours of travelling and you will travel at least 1000 km in every trip package. Travelling in Sri Lanka can be a daunting task and it could uncomfortable and drain your valuable time if you do not stick to the best transport mode.

Sri Lanka itinerary 5 days with TUK TUK, is it a viable option?

With regards to some travelling options, it can be a bit unsafe Eg. Travelling by TUK TUK on long-distance trips can be uncomfortable and involve with lack of safety. TUK TUK is a very small vehicle, which has 3 small wheels while the passengers inside are covered with a leather sheet. Despite there being an iron frame in the passenger compartments, still, it considered being unsafe as it is made of small iron pipes.

How much does it cost for Sri Lanka 5 days trip?

The cost of the trip depends on various factors such as the hotel category and the number of persons in the group. If the number of people in your group increases it can considerably lower the per-person rate. E.g the cost for a single-person tour is about 50% higher than the cost per person based on 2 persons. The accommodation is also a reason for the soaring price of your trip.

The cost of the trip increases dramatically as you go for a higher category of hotels such as 4-star and 5-star. However, the cost of the 5 day Sri Lanka trip with comfortable accommodation cost around US$ 500 per person. If you need to find the exact rate for a Sri Lanka 5 days trip please write to us at admin@seerendipitytours.com.

Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour

Big players in the tourism industry like ITS offer the “Beauty of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 5 days tour”, which includes many interesting places to see in Sri Lanka. This 5 days tour primarily covers historical and cultural sites such as Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, and Tooth relic temple. Three days of the 5 days tour are dedicated to exploring important cultural sites on the island.

Sri Lanka 5 day tour package: nature cocktail

Some tour operators offer “Nature cocktail tour Sri Lanka 5 days“, which also includes many places to see in Sri Lanka, however, most of them are natural attractions such as wildlife reserves and rain forests. These 5 days tours touch unspoiled and little-visited places to tourist attractions pouring with travellers such as Yala national park. The tour covers about 900km of road from the beginning to the end and hence you will be travelling more than 100km almost every day. The tour revolves mainly around southern Sri Lanka, which is one of the greenest parts of the island.

Sri Lanka 5 days tour: Adventure trip

5 days Sri Lanka adventure tour also cover many interesting places to see in Sri Lanka, however, they are featuring activities such as trekking, hiking, water rafting, etc.  

I have mentioned only a few 5-day Sri Lanka tours above and there are so many other variations of 5-day tours that can be booked on the island. I would like to discuss mainly those 3 Sri Lanka 5-day tours that I mentioned above.  I feel it is going to serve the mass because it helps you to choose the Sri Lanka 5-day tour package that suit you best, broadly under 3 categories Nature tour, an adventure tour, or a cultural tour, make sense, Right?

Sri Lanka trips are categorized broadly under Nature, Culture, or Adventure

99 per cent of Sri Lanka tour itineraries are coming under those 3 categories or a combination of them. Hereunder we discuss three 5 days of Sri Lanka itineraries and all of them can be twisted to meet your exact requirement. For instance, if it is a cultural tour you can add a little bit of beach stay and adventure to it, if it is a nature tour you can add a bit of adventure to it, likewise you can add a little bit of culture to your 5 days Sri Lanka trip that revolves around nature. 

Do I have time to relax on the Sri Lanka 5 days tour?

If you are in the mood to have a relaxing, leisurely holiday then you should be heading to the beach. Very recently I sent a tour itinerary to a traveller in the UK, which was predominantly a cultural tour; however, I have includes a few adventure activities as well as a jeep safari in a national as optional activities.

It was a 7 day Sri Lanka tour itinerary with 1 overnight stay on the beach. I feel it was a well-balanced tour program because he was interested in culture. But the customer turned back asking for changes to his tour itinerary. The client wanted to make further changes to the tour itinerary and wanted to add more time for leisure and more beach time. After a few more changes, the tour itinerary converted to a beach holiday package with 3 one day tours.

If you are also the kind of traveller that cherishes leisure and needs time to relax on your 5-day trip to Sri Lanka you better book a 5-day Sri Lanka beach holiday and organize a few day tours to important tourist attractions with your resort guide. If you are in a position to add a few more days to your plan you can make a 5-day Sri Lanka tour and beach stay separately. Usually, most travellers that come to Sri Lanka spend 10 to 14 days on the island, the first half of the trip they make a tour while towards the end of the trip they spend time on the beach while relaxing.

Sri Lanka travel itinerary 5 days what do you need to know?

Now it is time to jump into my main point, hereafter I discuss Sri Lanka 5 day trips that I mentioned above. All these tour packages are planned with important places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days.

Each tour itinerary covers many places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days. There are many Sri Lanka 5-day trips with beach stays but in this article “places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days”, I’m not going to make a lengthy discussion on the beach holidays. You read about many places that are coming under “places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days”, in this article I’m not going to give a lengthy description of these places. Because, I have already written separate articles (dedicated to each site) on all of them, giving a complete picture of each place. So, if you need a much clearer picture and a full description of sites please head on to the attached URL.

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Spend five memorable days on a tour of Sri Lanka with a variety of sightseeing activities. Visit the Golden Temple of Dambulla, bicycle around the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, tour Sigiriya Rock Fortress and see the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa) — all UNESCO World Heritage sites. Your comprehensive itinerary includes breathtaking scenery of Sri Lanka’s hill country, jungle trek, tuk-tuk transport and an ox-cart ride in a rural village. Includes 3-star hotels with daily breakfast.

Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour

This 5 day Sri Lanka tour can be described as a cultural tour because it contains a large number of cultural attractions. This tour revolves around cultural sites and includes many historical places to see in Sri Lanka in 5 days. It covers many important tourist attractions in the cultural triangle such as the Sigiriya rock fortress, the Dambulla cave temple, Polonnaruwa ancient city, and the Kandy tooth relic temple, all these places are located within the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka.

The tour also includes whitewater rafting and a jeep safari in Minneriya national park as optional activities. This is a Sri Lanka itinerary expanded over 5 days, which begins in Colombo. Even though the tour starts in Colombo it does not include a Colombo city tour and shopping, however, the Kandy sightseeing tour with shopping is covered in the program. On this 5 days tour, you will also be able to visit the important tourist places in Sri Lanka’s hill country along with the cultural triangle, Tea factory and tea estate, Ramboda waterfalls, Nuwara Eliya, and Gregory lake are some of the highlights of the hill country tour.

Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour itinerary

  • Day 1 – Colombo/Sigiriya
  • Day 2 – Sigiriya/Polonnaruwa
  • Day 3 – Sigiriya / Kandy
  • Day 4 – Kandy / Nuwara Eliya
  • Day 5 – Nuwara Eliya / Colombo

Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour and places to visit in Sri Lanka in 5 days

  • Colombo
  • elephant orphanage Pinnawala
  • Sigiriya rock fortress
  • Dambulla golden cave temple
  • Minneriyan national park
  • Tooth relic temple
  • Royal botanical garden
  • Kandyan cultural show
  • Tea garden
  • Tea factory
  • Sita Temple
  • Gregory Lake

Accommodation on the beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour

This 5 day Sri Lanka tour mainly revolves around the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka, which means you will be travelling to Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Kandy as well as Nuwara Eliya. There are 4 overnight stays on the trip; Sigiriya (2 nights) and Kandy (2 nights). It will be very easy to find accommodation in both cities as there is a large number of hotels in both places. Every budget can get a suitable type of accommodation. Travellers can book cheap dormitory types of accommodation from 5-star to luxury boutique hotels, based on their requirements.

Map of Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour

map of Sri Lanka 5 day culture tour package
Map of Sri Lanka 5-day tour package. This 5 days cultural tour of Sri Lanka includes important tourist places in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka such as Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Kandy.

Day 1 of Beauty of Sri Lanka 5-day tour package-Colombo/Sigiriya

Ninety-nine per cent of travellers touch the island in Colombo because the main international airport of Sri Lanka is located in Colombo. Even if you travel to Sri Lanka on a cruise ship you will be landing in Colombo because most cruise ships are docked in the international harbour of Colombo. Due to the limited time available on your Sri Lanka 5-day tour package, we recommend only a short Colombo sightseeing tour. Thereby you can visit important places in Colombo and save time for other important activities that your operator planned for your Sri Lanka 5-day tour package.

Is it worth visiting Colombo?

Colombo is not an extravagant tourist attraction I feel it wastes time to have a Colombo city tour on your Sri Lanka 5-day tour. If you need to see the city badly you can make time for a Colombo city tour on the last day of the tour, and you can have a half-day city tour. A half-day tour of the city is more than enough to explore Colombo. Further reading on Sigiriya

Supposedly you drive to Sigiriya right after your flight, it will take about 4 hours to reach the hotel in Sigiriya, of course, a small break is also included in today’s program. The distance to cover is around 175 km, however, it takes around 4 hours on the journey, Perhaps you can drive 200 km in 2 hours in your country but in the Sri Lankan case, it takes a bit more time than in your country. 

The duration of the drive is also highly unpredictable due to the heavy traffic in cities. But according to my experience, you can reach Sigiriya from Colombo in 4 hours’ time (without stops). If you land early morning (around 4.00 am) in Sri Lanka you will be able to reach Sigiriya in 3 hours’ time. However, there will be a processing time required for formalities at the arrival lounge and it can be 30 minutes to more than an hour.

Pinnawala elephant orphanage

Colombo is a coastal city near the beach and you will drive to the interior of Sri Lanka from here. The drive on the countryside road is very picturesque and you will encounter patches of forests, coconut plantations, rubber plantations, and isolated villages at frequent intervals. Pinnawala elephant orphanage is the first stop of the day; however, you make a stop any time before that if you need a small break. Usually, most travellers opt to take a break in Kajugama (before Pinnawala elephant orphanage) and drink Tea/Coffee. Read more on the Pinnawala elephant orphanage

Dambulla cave temple

The next stop on the 5 days Sri Lanka itinerary is the Dambulla cave temple, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and a main tourist attraction on the island. The distance between the 2 places is 98 km and it takes around 2 hours to reach Dambulla from Pinnawala. Further reading on the Dambulla cave temple

After Dambulla golden cave temple it takes around 30 minutes to reach the hotels in Sigiriya and Habarana.

Day 2 of Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour -Sigiriya/Polonnaruwa

On day 2 you are going further deep into the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka and visiting the most popular iconic cultural and historical monument of Sri Lanka, the Sigiriya rock fortress. Later in the day, you visit end most ancient capital of Sri Lanka known as Polonnaruwa. You will not be travelling as much as you did on the previous day; however, there will be around 2 hours drive. Further reading on Polonnaruwa.

You will be able to find time for a jeep safari in Minneriya on day 2, usually, it takes around 2 hours for the Sigiriya hike and the visit to the Polonnaruwa historical city lasts around 3 hours.  Village tour with cooking and bird watching in Sigiriya is also optional activities that can be booked in Sigiriya; however, you have to arrange the time required for optional activities by adjusting the main ingredients of the itinerary. 

Day 3 of Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour –Sigiriya, Kandy

Today you will drive to Kandy, which is the heart of Sri Lankan culture and home to a large number of temples, gardens, museums, nature reserves, and museums. However, you do not have much time in Kandy on this Sri Lanka 5-day tour. So, plan your trip with the tooth relic temple, royal botanical gardens, and Kandyan cultural show. You may also be able to time for some shopping if you need, as you visit those attractions.  Further reading on Kandy

Day 4 of Beauty of Sri Lanka 5 days tour-Kandy, Nuwara Eliya

You are travelling to Sri Lanka’s tea country on the day of the Sri Lanka 5-day tour. Nuwara Eliya sits 1800 meters above sea level and is home to many dozens of cascading waterfalls, rivers, lakes, patches of forests, and many other natural attractions. You will be enjoying the overwhelming natural beauty for the entire day and make an overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya. Unlike other places you visited so far it can be really cool here, sometimes the temperature dips down to minus degrees after the sunset. Further reading on Nuwara Eliya

Day 5 of Beauty of Sri Lanka -Nuwara Eliya / Colombo

You will be travelling to Colombo from Nuwara Eliya today and the journey will last around 5 hours. You will be visiting 2 picturesque waterfalls today. Most importantly you have the opportunity to do water rafting as you come across Kitulgala today. As I told you if you need to visit important places in Colombo you can find time for it by leaving the hotel in Nuwara Eliya a little bit early.

nature cocktail trekking tour Sri Lanka, 5 days tour sri lanka, sri lanka tour 5 days, train trips in Sri Lanka, train trips sri lanka, train journey sri lanka, the 6 best hiking places in Sri Lanka
This nature tour includes rainforest trekking, white water rafting, safari, hiking, and trekking. This adventure tour also includes whale watching based in southern Sri Lanka. If you

Nature cocktail/trekking tour Sri Lanka 5 days itinerary

  • Day 1 – Colombo/Sinharaja / Galle / Mirissa
  • Day 2 – Mirissa/Yala
  • Day 3 – Yala / Nuwara Eliya
  • Day 4 – Nuwara Eliya / Kitulgala
  • Day 5 – Kitulgala / Colombo

What are the 11 places to visit in Sri Lanka 5 day nature tour package?

  1. Colombo
  2. Sinharaja rainforest
  3. Madu river estuary
  4. Moonstone mines
  5. Sea turtle conservation project
  6. Galle fortress
  7. Whale watching Mirissa
  8. Yala wildlife reserve
  9. Sita temple
  10. Tea factory
  11. Kitulgala

As with most Sri Lank trip packages, this 5 day Sri Lanka itinerary starts in Colombo and ends in Colombo. As the name suggests the tour mainly revolves around ecological tourist attractions. The tour includes whale watching in Mirissa, a Full day Safari at Yala national park, trekking in the Sinharaja rainforest, and a boat tour at Madu river estuary, and Horton plains national park. The tour also includes Galle Fort as well as the Ceylon tea trail.

The initial part of the trip takes place along the southern and the western coast of the island you will visit many tourist attractions in the region. After visiting Yala national in southern Sri Lanka you drive to the mountains of Sri Lanka, where you encounter Horton plains national park.

Finding accommodation on the 5 days Sri Lanka nature cocktail tour

The tour is planned primarily to explore southern Sri Lanka. Southern Sri Lanka is one of the best places to see the natural beauty of Sri Lanka, therefore, this tour package is ideal for nature lovers. The tour revolves around beaches, wildlife parks, rainforests and picturesque Sri Lanka’s hill country. The tour includes 4 overnight stays in Mirissa (1 night), Yala (1 night), Nuwara Eliya (1 night) and Kitulgala (1 night). Finding accommodation will not be a matter of concern in all places except Kitulgala.

Map of nature cocktail tour Sri Lanka 5 days

map Sri Lanka 5 day nature tour package
Map of Sri Lanka 5 day nature cocktail tour. The best time for this Sri Lanka 5-day tour package is from November to April due to the effect of the monsoon.

Day 1 of nature cocktail tour Sri Lanka 5 days -Colombo, Sinharaja, Udawalawe

You will be travelling to Sinharaja and Udawalawe via Kalutara from Colombo. The journey will take place along the western border of the island along beaches, and the sea view is dominating throughout the trip. The first stop on the trip is the Sinharaja rainforest. The journey from Colombo to the Sinharaja rainforest lasts about 2 hours and then you set off on guided trekking of the Sinharaja rainforest. Further reading on Sinharaja

Sinharaja Forest trek on 5 days Sri Lanka trip

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the rainforest of Sinharaja is one of the last remaining primaeval rainforests on the island. This natural jewel harbours a large number of trees, plants, and veins while more than 60% of the vegetation (trees, plants, veins, and orchids) are endemic to Sri Lanka, many of them are considered rare. Endemism among the fauna is also considerably high in Sinharaja and it is estimated that 50% of Sri Lankan endemic species of animals (especially butterflies, amphibians, birds, snakes, and fish species) are living here. Most importantly the forest is considered to be one of the best places for birds and it is home to 95% of endemic birds.

The virgin forest of Sinharaja has a large tract of hilly areas as well as a lowland rainforest, both are considered important ecological areas of the forest. The valuable ecological environment of Sinharaja is largely intact over the last thousands of years. Sinharaja rainforest is a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978. This virgin rainforest is declared a UNESCO world heritage site by the world body in 1988.     

Due to the high density of trees and plants in Sinharaja, it may not be the best place to spot animals, however, the Sinharaja rainforest is one of the best places to experience the unique atmosphere of the rainforest while enjoying the sights of many dozens of bird species. According to the naturalists, there are 3 elephants and about 15 leopards living in the forest. The purple face langur is the most frequently seen animal in the Sinharaja rainforest, which is also endemic to the island.

Usually, the sighting of a flock of birds in the canopy and the upper canopy is very common and therefore you need to have a binocular to have a clear view of them.  Sri Lanka Crested Drongo and the noisy orange-billed babbler are often seen here. Out of 26 endemic bird species, 20 species of endemic birds of Sri Lanka occur here including some of the rare species such as the red-faced malkoha, Green-billed coucal, and Sri Lanka blue magpie. The rainforest harbours a large number of amphibian species including a large number of tree frogs. Among the reptiles that can be seen here are endemic green pit vipers and hump-nosed vipers. Invertebrates include the endemic common birdwing butterfly and leeches.

Udawalawe national park safari on Sri Lanka 5 days tour

Udawalawe national park is located at the foothills of the central highland of Sri Lanka, bordering Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces. The park was established under the Udawalawe multi-purpose project, under which a large tract of the jungle was cleared to establish a new settlement. The sanctuary was created to provide a safe home for the displaced animals due to the new settlements and the expansions of the Udawalawe reservoir.  

Udawalawe attracts a large number of tourists every year and it is one of the best places to spot wild elephants. This open elephant habitat has many unique features such as grasslands and Udawalawe reservoir allowing the jumbos to thrive. One of the most interesting features of the park is the Udawalawe reservoir, which provides plenty of water to the jumbos even during the drought. The number of resident elephants in the park is estimated to be around 250.  

Sri Lankan leopards, rusty-spotted cats, and fishing cats can also be spotted on the safari, but rarely. The Sri Lankan sloth bear, which is endemic to Sri Lanka also lives here but is very rarely seen by visitors. Sri Lankan sambar deer, Indian muntjac, Sri Lankan axis deer, wild boar, Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain and water buffalo are among other mammal species. Golden jackals, toque macaques, Asian palm civets, grey langur, and Indian are also residing in the park. It is found that 5 species of mice species can be spotted in Udawalawe. The endemic Ceylon spiny mouse, known from Yala National Park, was recorded in Udawalawe in 1989. Indian bush rats and three species of mongoose are also recorded in the national park.

At the end of the day of the 5 days nature cocktail tour, you will head to Yala or Tissamaharama for an overnight stay.

Venture on a Southern Sri Lanka tour to see the important tourist attraction on Sri Lanka’s south coast such as Wildlife parks, beaches, forts, museums, parks, and town

Day 2 of the nature cocktail 5 days tour

Day two of the 5 days Sri Lanka trip is reserved to explore the Yala national park. Your Yala safari starts early morning. The chances of spotting animals are high in the early morning, especially leopards. The full-day Yala national park safari starts early morning and you will be taken to the park by your personal driver/guide. You will be able to spot many animal species such as leopards, elephants, crocodiles, monitors, etc.

Day 3 of nature cocktail 5 days tour – Ella

You will start day three of Sri Lanka’s 5-day tour (nature cocktail tour) with a drive to Sri Lanka’s hill country. As you head to Nuwara Eliya, en-route visit waterfalls and tea plantations, and a tea factory.  A few temple visits are also in the program; however, you can omit them if you wish. Further reading on Yala

Day 4 of nature cocktail 5 days tour – Ella, Horton plains, Kitulgala

On day 4 of Sri Lanka, 5 day tour (nature cocktail tour) you will be heading to Horton plains national park with a packed breakfast and make a 2 hours trek through the breathtaking cloud forest. This is a natural jewel of Sri Lanka one of the last remaining cloud forests on the island. The forest has unique in many ways. Here you see different kinds of trees and plants that you cannot see elsewhere in Sri Lanka; the vegetation is adapted to withstand the cool climate and unceasing wind. Further reading on Kitulgala

Day 5 of nature cocktail tour -Kitulgala, Colombo

Kitulgala is very popular among adventure enthusiasts and it offers many adrenaline-pumping activities such as Whitewater rafting, kayaking, mountain climbing, waterfall abseiling, and mountain biking. Kitulgala is also a laid-back village with an extensive green cover, here you will be doing a rainforest trek in the morning. Afternoon heading to Colombo and the drive takes around 2 hours.  Further reading on Colombo

Sri Lanka 5 day adventure tour package

  • Day 1 – Colombo/Kitulgala
  • Day 2 – Kitulgala / Adam’s peak
  • Day 3 – Adam’s peak / Udawalawe
  • Day 4 – Udawalawe / Mirissa
  • Day 5 – Mirissa / Colombo

What are the places to visit on Sri Lanka 5 day adventure tour package?

  • Colombo
  • Kitulgala
  • Adam’s peak
  • Udawalawe national park
  • Mirissa
  • Galle Fort
  • Madu river estuary
  • Sea turtle conservation project

Sri Lanka is a leading beach holiday destination in the world, maybe because Sri Lanka is an island. Still, a large number of travellers plan beach holidays without knowing the existence of other interesting places such as wildlife reserves and adventure sites. Therefore only a few travellers ask for adventure tours in Sri Lanka.

Map of adventure tour Sri Lanka 5 days

map of Sri Lanka 5 day adventure tour package
Sri Lanka 5 day tour package (adventure). This Sri Lanka 5-day tour package covers mainly the west coast, Sri Lanka hill country, and southern Sri Lanka tourist attractions. The tour package includes trekking, hiking, water rafting, bird watching, safari, whale watching, and many more.

Day 1 of adventure tour Sri Lanka 5 days -Colombo, Kitulgala

On the first day of this Sri Lanka 5-day tour, you will be heading to Kitulgala, in view of giving your tour a flying start. The distance from Colombo to Kitulgala is 100 km and it takes around two hours to reach the Kitulgala water sports centre. You will be escorted to the adventure sports centre by your driver. There will be three activities planned for today white water rafting, Kayaking, and rainforest trekking. 

Day 2 of adventure tour -Kitulgala, Adam’s peak

After breakfast leaves for Adam’s peak and takes a rest in your hotel. You will take the most magnitude hike on the island which lasts 5 hours (only the upward journey), many people undertake this venture due to religious reasons but for tourists, this is a wonderful place to experience rich natural wealth with a twist of adventure.

If the best walks are the oldest – the pilgrim trails and the ancient ways – then the most delightful of all is the drovers’ paths, their contours forgiving, their prospects timeless. This 5 day Sri Lanka trip includes the hike of Adams peak, along with the ancient track believed to be existing for many thousands of years.

Adams’ peak is the 3rd highest mountain on the island (2300 meters above sea level). The hike starts with the fall of night and you will be at the summit before sunrise, which means you are here to witness the sunrise. Adam’s peak is considered one of the best places to see the sunrise. You will finish the hike in the morning and make a small rest and breakfast at your hotel in Adam’s peak. Further reading on Adam’s peak

Day 3 of adventure tour -Adams peak, Udawalawe national park

After the hike head to Udawalawe national park and take a rest in the hotels that sits near the national park. In the afternoon make a jeep safari at Udawalawe national park to see wild animals such as elephants, crocodiles, jackals, monkeys, buffalo, etc. 

Day 4 of adventure tour -Udawalawe national park, Mirissa

On the 4th day of the 5 days Sri Lanka adventure tour, you will be heading to Mirissa, in the afternoon and leisurely in the beach resort. Further reading on the Udawalawe safari

Day 5 of adventure tour -Mirissa, Colombo

Early morning leave for a whale watching trip off the southern coast and later leave for Galle, en-route visit the Galle fortress and sea turtle conservation centre and make a boat tour at the Madu river estuary.

Our articles under the title “places to visit in Sri Lanka“

About The Author

Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

administrator

The focus of this site is Sri Lankan travel. We at Serendipity Tours (Private) Limited, attempting to impart our valuable experience as travellers who have explored most parts of the country over the last decade. We are helping our valuable readers plan their memorable Sri Lanka trip with our travel expertise and experiences. In case you require any additional information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at admin@seerendipitytours.com. In addition, we can plan your vacation package or any other Sri Lankan travel-related needs.

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