What are the top 10 places for Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours?

Posted on by Sanjeewa Padmal (Seerendipity)

If you have a day or several days to spare during your Sri Lanka vacation and are wondering what to do with your free time, don’t hesitate to check out one of our best Sri Lanka day tours and short Sri Lanka short tours, which offer you a great opportunity to explore the authentic experiences Sri Lanka has to offer – from a UNESCO World Heritage cultural site to an interesting water rafting, wildlife safari to get closer to wildlife animals, and more.

Sri Lanka offers many dozens of suitable places for short Sri Lanka tours. Here are 10 places for Sri Lanka one-day tours, which can be conveniently reached from most cities, especially from Colombo and the west coast. Therefore, it is perfectly matched for a short trip to Sri Lanka such as 1 day Sri Lanka tour, 2 day Sri Lanka trip etc.

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Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours

As a holiday or a long weekend approaches or simply, there is an itch to find obscure places for short Sri Lanka tours (short trips from Colombo) and hang around and forget about the routine life in the city or take off with friends to some adventure experience. Usually, during the weekend we see a large influx of travellers to our travel cart and the blog in search of short Sri Lanka tours such as 1 day Sri Lanka tours and 2 days Sri Lanka tours.

Perhaps you are also looking for a Sri Lanka excursion to visit nearby places, but your budget may hold you back, but don’t worry even if you just have only a few thousand rupees in your wallet, choose one of the Sri Lanka budget tours mentioned hereunder, that you can think of. If you wish to visit any of these places, Seerendipity Tours can help you to organize a Sri Lanka road trip to any of the places and more.

10 Ideas for Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours

Sri Lanka one day tour Udawalawe national park, Sri Lanka day tour to Sinharaja rainforest, One day Sri Lanka trip to Sigiriya
Affordable Sri Lanka one-day tours from Seerendipity Tours. Click www.seerendipitytours one-day trips for more information and many other one-day programs from Sri Lanka.

What are the top 10 places for Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours?

Sri Lanka offers many dozens of suitable places for short Sri Lanka tours. Here are 10 places for short Sri Lanka tours, which can be conveniently reached from most cities, especially from Colombo and the west coast. Therefore, it is perfectly matched for a short trip to Sri Lanka such as 1 day Sri Lanka tour, 2 day Sri Lanka trip etc.

  1. Galle
  2. Belihuloya
  3. Badulla
  4. Kataragama
  5. Haputale
  6. Bandarawela
  7. Udawalawe
  8. Hatton
  9. Anuradhapura
  10. Colombo

What are the best Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours?

What are the best short Sri Lanka trips to visit the hill country?

What are the best short Sri Lanka trips to the west coast?

What are the best short trips to visit southern Sri Lanka?

How to travel on Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours?

Road travel is recommended for the Sri Lanka day tours and Sri Lanka short tours. It allows travellers to explore many interesting places other than the main tourist sites mentioned in the itinerary. Road travel has become very easy and comfortable over the last few years with the improvement of the infrastructure. especially with the opening of highways the travel time between most major cities has been curtailed.

Choosing the best transport mode is very important in every short trip in Sri Lanka because you have only limited time for the trip and everything should be covered such as exploring important sites, travelling, dining etc within the allocated time period. It means you have no time to lose on the road, therefore, public transport (buses, trains) cannot be recommended for this type of activity. They tend to delay most of the time and can jeopardise your short trip.

Hiring a taxi with a local driver is the best way of travelling on your short trip. It not only saves you time but also comfortable and safe too. Usually, the short trips are booked by travellers, who stay on the island for a short period of time, such as travellers looking for Colombo shore excursions, visitors on seminars, trade shows and meetings as well as travellers on transit in Sri Lanka.

When is the best time for Sri Lanka short tours and day tours?

Sri Lanak is a year-round holiday destination and offers pleasant climate conditions for travellers throughout the year. However, it is good to keep an eye on the monsoon pattern. Different part of the island is soaked up with torrential rain at a specific time of the year and it is mainly decided by the monsoon wind. Generally, the north and East coast of Sri Lanak receive a lot of rain from October to April while the South and west coast of Sri Lanak received the late part of the rainfall from May to October.

10 Best Sri Lanka day tours, and Sri Lanka short tours

1. Short trips from Colombo to Belihuloya

Transport: Travel by bus from Colombo to Belihul Oya and back LKR 300.

Food: LKR 150 per meal per person.

Stay Comfortably in a middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room per night or a budget hotel at LKR 1000 per room per night.

A tour to Belihuloya tops the list among the nature holiday destinations in Sri Lanka with light adventure activities. Same time this is one of the most popular Sri Lanka budget tour packages. You can visit many important tourist attractions on this Sri Lanka tour such as the Horton plains national park, Adam’s Peak, Sinharaja Rainforest in Kitulgala etc.

Hill stations such as Ella, Bandarawela, Haputale and Nuwara Eliya are also not far away destinations from Belihuloya. Belihuloya, unpopular hilly countryside with plenty of opportunities for adventure lovers, is popular for the verdant hills, untamed wilderness, beautiful countryside, rivers, lakes, mountains and waterfalls. Belihuloya is one of the best places to enjoy nature. There are many trekking paths here allowing you to experience the rich natural vegetation in a typical laid-back countryside. Belihuloya is largely unexplored despite its promising settings for Sri Lanka jungle tours and treks.

Visiting galle on a day trip from Colombo, Short trips from Colombo to Galle: duration 1 Days, short Sri Lanka tours, Sri Lanka short tours, short trips of Sri Lanka
Galle Fort, which is the best-preserved Dutch fort in Asia is included in most south coast trips like 5 days Sri Lanka southern tour.

2. Short trips from Colombo to Galle: Duration 1 Day

Transport: Train travel from Colombo to Galle and back LKR 350.

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: LKR 150 per meal per person

Boat tour: Madolduwa boat tour is LKR 3000, so split it up among members of the group.

For travellers, who look for a Sri Lanka budget tour package, undoubtedly Galle one-day tour is one of the hot favourites; and Galle is a popular destination among backpackers too. Get lost in pristine palm-fringed beaches, Dutch colonial heritage, Dutch churches, Dutch forts, markets and beautiful countryside villages. Take a walk in the best-preserved Dutch colonial city in Asia and wander through the cobblestoned alleys, while enjoying the edifices erected in the bygone era.

3. Short Sri Lanka tours from Colombo to Badulla: 2 days 1 night

Transport cost: Train travel from Colombo to Badulla and back LKR 640

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: LKR 150 per meal per person.

The best way to travel to Badulla is considered to be the train because the train journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and Badulla is considered one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. The train is the cheapest option for transport between Colombo and Badulla.

Badulla is one of the most popular tea-producing towns on the island but it is not a popular holiday destination. And therefore the things that travellers need are not as expensive as in Nuwara Eliya, which is the busiest holiday destination in the mountains. Limited supply but still low demand helps the travellers to get the best rates for their accommodation, meals and transport.

Head on to Badulla and make it your base, you can explore the places in the mountains with a very limited budget. make short trips to Ella, Bandarawela and Nuwara Eliya to explore the rivers, waterfalls, historical sites, temples (Visiting a Sri Lanka Buddhist temple here are 13 rules to consider), tea factories and city life in the mountains.

4. Short Sri Lanka tours from Colombo to Kataragama: Duration 1 day

Ideal duration of the short tours to Kataragama: 1 day

Transport cost: Colombo to Kataragama and back by bus: LKR 700

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: Plenty of eating options at an affordable rate of LKR 300 for two per meal

Yala safari entrance: LKR 500 per person (this is the local rate and the foreign rate is around LKR 3000 per person with taxes)

Cost for the jeep: LKR 4000, so split it up among members of the group.

If you wish to have some peace and tranquillity without ripping off your wallet choose Kataragama for your Sri Lanka Budget tour package. With proper planning, you can have one of the very affordable Sri Lanka Budget tour packages to Kataragama.

Kataragama is a place where you see a large number of local travellers and you will not encounter many foreigners, because Kataragama is the most popular religious site in Southern Sri Lanka and attracts hundreds of thousands of Buddist as well as Hindu devotees every year. Therefore hotels, meals and all other services are mainly for local travellers and therefore you can avoid the touristy price easily.

There is a large number of places to visit during the tour in Kataragama such as Yala national park, Kataragama Temple, Wedihitikanda, Kirinda, Yatalatissa Dagoba.

5. Short Sri Lanka trips from Colombo to Haputale

Ideal duration of the short tours to Kataragama: 2 Nights/3 Days

Transport cost: Colombo to Haputale and back by bus: LKR 500

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: there are many local restaurants to serve travellers. and the food is affordable.

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular holiday destinations in the mountains, where you can plan a Sri Lanka Budget tour package. Haputale is one of the most popular health resorts in the mountains. The weather is loved by most Sri Lankan travellers, due to its mild temperature, Weather in Haputale has a notable contrast to the low country’s warm weather.

The cool climate in Haputale results mainly from the elevation. There are several important places to visit in Haputale such as the Adisham bungalow, and Tangamale nature reserve. Haputale is popular as a place to have a peaceful holiday while enjoying the cool climate.

Nuwara Eliya is one of the most beautiful cities in Sri Lanka with many waterfalls, rivers, patches of forests and tea plantations

6. Short Sri Lanka tours to Bandarawela

Ideal duration of the Sri Lank tour: 2 Nights/3 Days

The cost of transportation for Sri Lanka short tours from Colombo and back by bus: LKR 600

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: there are many local restaurants to serve travellers. and the food is affordable.

This is one of the best places to plan a Sri Lanka budget tour package because it offers a plethora of activities in the form of hikes, trekking, mountain climbing, visiting waterfalls, visiting popular religious places and eating delicious food. Most importantly, Bandarawela is the best alternative to the overpriced holiday destination, Nuwara Eliya. Bandarawela is most popular as a city that produces the best Ceylon tea and tourism is not given as much importance as in Nuwara Eliya.

Due to the high demand, the prices of accommodation, meals, transportation and all other services required by travellers are very expensive in Nuwara Eliya but planning your tour to Banadarawela allows you to eliminate the touristy price while enjoying the upcountry salubrious climate. There is a large number of archaeological sites such as the Dova cave temple, and the Divurumpola temple near Bandarwela and most of them are important tourist attractions included in the Ramayana tour. Places like Ella and Badulla also can be visited within a short drive from Banadrawela to spice up your cultural, historical and experience of rich nature.

Bandarawela is the gateway to one of the most popular trekking sites in the mountain known as Lipton Seat. With plenty of activities, the Sri Lanka budget tour package to Haputale makes a lasting impression on all travellers heading to this beautiful laid-back village.

7. Short Sri Lanka tours from Colombo to Udawalawe

Ideal duration for Sri Lanka short tours to Udawalawe: 2 Nights/3 Days

Transport cost: Colombo to Udawalawe national park and back by bus: LKR 500

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: there are many local restaurants to serve the travellers and the food is affordable.

Travel via Ratnapura, apart from the scenic drive, you can even visit the Udawalawe elephant orphanage and visit the elephant museum. The tea plantations in the mountains of Rathnapura are its hallmark, but you can even have a safari at Udawalawe national park in this Sri Lanka budget tour package. Try to use the other route via Galle and Matara to experience some different sites on the return journey.

Udawalawe is a place where you encounter a large number of foreign travellers because Udawalawe national park is one of the best wildlife reserves to enjoy the elephants in action. Here you can see a large number of elephants during the safari no matter what time you do it.

Usually, the mid-day is not suitable for safari and you don’t see animals but it does not apply to Udawalawe national park, where you can witness wild elephants during the whole day. Elephants are the most occurring animal here and crocodiles, monkeys, deer, wild boar, and wild buffaloes are some of the other wildlife you will encounter at Udawalwe national park.

8. Short Sri Lanka tour from Colombo to Hatton/Dik Oya

Ideal duration of Sri Lanka short tours to Hatton: 2 Nights/3 Days

Transport cost: Colombo to Haputale and back by bus: LKR 550

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: There are many local restaurants to serve the travellers and the food is affordable.

Chugging up to Hatton/Dickoya from Colombo will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This chilly upcountry twin city gives the pleasure of enjoying the healing climate at an elevation of 1200 meters above sea level.

Hatton is one of the least explored holiday destinations in the country and you will not encounter foreign travellers here. Hatton is one of the best places for a Sri Lanka budget tour package. As you reach the hills, just inhale the refreshing salubrious air, sip a cup of Ceylon tea, rise early and take a glimpse of the rising sun.

9. Short Sri Lanka tour to Anuradhapura

Ideal duration of this short Sri Lanka tour to Anuradhapura: 2 Nights/3 Days

Transport cost: Colombo to Haputale and back by bus: LKR 550

Stay: Comfortable middle-class hotel at LKR 2000 per double room or budget hotels at LKR 1000 per room in a budget hotel

Food: There are many local restaurants to serve the travellers and the food is affordable.

Anuradhapura is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the central province and a place to experience the cultural flavour of Sri Lanka. We have discussed many dozens of times about Anuradhapura on this blog but still, we repeatedly talk about it, why? because it is one of the holiday hotspots in Sri Lanka.

Anuradhapura is a place that should not be forgotten if you are interested in learning about the rich historical past of Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura is a historical and cultural hotspot in one of the key archaeological sites with hundreds of temples, palaces, lakes, museums, and many other important places. It has a fascinating collection of ruins built by Sri Lankan engineers, artisans and craftsmen over the many centuries starting from the 3rd century BC to 1061 AD.

10. Colombo city tour

Ideal duration of short Sri Lanka tour to Colombo: 1 Day

Travel Calculation: Approx. USD 120

Colombo is a cultural melting pot, consisting of many ethnic groups such as Sinhalese, Tamil, Burghers etc. Colombo is the busiest city on the island with busy roads, shopping malls, hotels, and street markets. Colombo offers great bargains allowing you to buy a wide range of products such as leather products, textiles, gems and jewellery, and electronic equipment at an affordable rate.

Same time there is a many historical attraction in Colombo that deserves your attention. Wolvendaal Church, Gangarama temple, Viharamahadevi, Independent Square, Pettah, Galle face and BMICH are some of the noteworthy places.

Transportation: Having private transportation is the best way to do your Colombo sightseeing tour. The tour lasts around 4 hours and you have allocated some extra time for shopping as you wish. Many tour operators provide Colombo city tours and a few tour operators organize Colombo city tours in a TUK TUK as well as in a Double Decker bus allowing the travellers to have a novel experience.

Accommodation: The accommodation might be a bit costly in the city centre. But a few kilometres from the city (Mt.Lavinia, Dehiwala) you get plenty of opportunities to have affordable accommodation.

Places to Eat: There are many places to eat in Colombo; here you get plenty of street food too. If you could drop into one of the food courts such as the majestic food court you can have plenty of choices to sample Sri Lanka specialities as well as foreign dishes.

Places to Visit: Colombo is a place for a day tour for most travellers who spend holidays in Sri Lanka. A large number of travellers who spend a beach holiday on the west, southern and east coasts take part in the Colombo day tour. Colombo is also included in most Sri Lanka road trips. Either way, don’t forget to explore interesting places such as Colombo Zoo, Colombo Museum, the Pettah market, and Gangarama temple.

Interesting Tips: Avoid the city tour at rush hour to curtail the time spent on transportation. If you visit the city on weekends and holidays you can explore the city more peacefully as the chaos in the city is at its lowest.