17 Day Full Island Sri Lanka — North to South, East to West
About This Tour
Seventeen days. The whole island, with the time to actually see it.
This is the trip for travellers who have made the decision: this is the Sri Lanka holiday. Not a stopover, not a tag-on to a Maldives leg. Seventeen days gives you the entire classic loop plus three big additions most operators leave out: Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka's first ancient capital, older than Polonnaruwa), Wilpattu (the country's largest national park, far quieter than Yala), and four real nights on the south coast, long enough to settle in. You leave with a complete picture of Sri Lanka, not a fast-forward of it.
Your Route
- Day 1: Colombo Airport → Negombo (one quiet night near the airport)
- Day 2: Drive to Anuradhapura
- Day 3: Anuradhapura ancient city by bicycle
- Day 4: Wilpattu National Park (afternoon safari)
- Day 5: Drive to Sigiriya
- Days 6–7: Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla
- Days 8–9: Kandy & the Temple of the Tooth
- Day 10: Nuwara Eliya, tea country
- Days 11–12: Ella, via the scenic train
- Day 13: Yala safari
- Days 14–16: South coast: Galle, Mirissa, Weligama
- Day 17: Drive to airport
Private air-conditioned car, your own driver-guide for all 17 days.
The Moments That Will Stay With You
🏛️ Anuradhapura by bicycle. Sri Lanka's first ancient capital, founded in the 4th century BCE and the seat of Sinhalese power for 1,300 years. UNESCO World Heritage. The site is enormous: palaces, dagobas (some of the largest brick structures ever built; the Jetavanaramaya was once the third-tallest building in the world after the Pyramids of Giza), monasteries, sacred bodhi tree. Best explored on bicycles in the cool of early morning. Allow a full day.
🐆 Wilpattu, the alternative to Yala. Sri Lanka's largest national park, 1,317 km². Closed for decades during the civil war, only fully reopened to tourism in 2010, which means it is still less commercial than Yala. Same wildlife (leopards, sloth bears, elephants), a tenth of the jeeps.
🏔️ Sunrise at Sigiriya. The 5th-century rock palace of King Kashyapa, UNESCO listed. Be at the gate at 6:30 AM.
🚴 Polonnaruwa. The 11th–13th century capital, with the Gal Vihara: four colossal Buddha statues carved from a single granite outcrop, considered the finest Sinhalese rock sculpture ever made.
🙏 The Temple of the Tooth, Kandy. Time your visit for the 6:30 PM puja.
🚂 The blue train from Nanu Oya to Ella. Reserved 1st-class seats.
🐆 Yala at first light. 979 km², with one of the highest leopard densities anywhere.
🏰 Galle Fort. UNESCO listed. Built by the Portuguese in 1588, fortified by the Dutch.
🏝️ Three nights on the south coast. Long enough to actually slow down. Galle Fort for one day, Mirissa or Weligama for the other two.
Why This Route, Not the 14-Day or 21-Day
The 14-Day Classic skips Anuradhapura and Wilpattu, two of the country's most rewarding sites, to keep the tour at a tighter length. The 21-Day Grand Tour adds the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) on top. Seventeen days is the version that includes everything west of the east coast: every UNESCO site, both major safaris, both ancient capitals, the full hill country, the south coast at proper pace. It's our recommendation for travellers who want one complete trip rather than two visits.
Good to Know
- Your driver-guide is with you all 17 days in a private A/C vehicle. No coaches, no shared groups.
- Bicycles included for Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.
- Electronic visa, applied online, ~10 minutes.
- No malaria risk on this route. No vaccinations required.
- Year-round departures, on whichever dates suit you.
✅ Included
Private A/C vehicle for 17 days · Professional English-speaking driver-guide · 16 nights of accommodation at your chosen tier · Daily breakfast · Airport pick-up and drop-off · Bicycle hire at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa · Reserved seats on the Nanu Oya → Ella scenic train · All fuel, tolls, and parking · 24/7 WhatsApp support
❌ Not Included
Site entrance fees and safari park fees (unless you select the All Site Entrances add-on or All-Inclusive meal plan) · Lunches and dinners (unless you upgrade meal plan) · International flights · Travel insurance · Tips for your driver-guide and hotel staff
📋 Booking
The price on this page is live: set your group size, hotel tier and dates and the total updates as you go · Instant confirmation upon payment · Secure card checkout · Custom dates year-round