Day 1: Arrival in Negombo

After a long flight to Sri Lanka, we arrived at the airport, which is located between Colombo and Negombo. We chose to spend our first night in Negombo, a quieter coastal town that is perfect for recovering from the journey. This town offers a mix of attractions, a large beach, and a wide range of accommodations, from simple guesthouses to luxury resorts. Our stay was in a lovely guesthouse by a river full of water iguanas and within walking distance of the beach, making it the ideal place to relax after the long trip.

Although we didn’t explore much of Negombo, we enjoyed the beach and a few charming restaurants. Our first encounter with Sri Lankan cuisine was immediately a highlight: a dish of fish Kottu, which surprisingly turned out to be the best Kottu we had during our entire trip. For those with more time, there are plenty of recommendations in Negombo to discover, as a local told us. After this relaxing day, we were fully recharged to start our journey through Sri Lanka with our own tuk-tuk!

Day 2: From Negombo to Sigiriya – Our TukTuk adventure begins

Today, our journey through Sri Lanka with our own tuk-tuk truly began! Also read ‘How do you rent a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka?’. After a quick driving lesson, we left Negombo at 11 AM for a five-hour drive to Sigiriya. Driving through busy cities took a bit of getting used to, but once we reached the countryside, it became much quieter and more beautiful. We passed through villages, rice fields, and immediately got a beautiful glimpse of everyday life in Sri Lanka. Along the way, we hardly encountered any other tourists and were warmly welcomed by the locals, who loved that we were traveling in a tuk-tuk. We stopped for a refreshing King coconut and eventually arrived at Royal Rock Sigiriya, a hotel with a view of the famous Lion Rock.

Day 3: The Lion Rock and Tips from a Local

Our first full day in Sigiriya. Today, we climbed the iconic Lion Rock, an impressive rock where a palace once stood, and the ruins are still visible. The steep climb took about an hour, but the view from the top made it all worth it. In the evening, we went looking for a cocktail, something that’s hard to find in the jungle, but the friendly restaurant owner of Lion’s Choice offered to make us a local arak cocktail with fresh fruit, which was truly delicious! The owner also chatted with us, and in the end, he gave us some great tips for the coming days.

Day 4: Tips from the Locals: Little Pidurangala, Safari, and Cooking Class

Today, we followed the best tips from the restaurant owner! We started the morning with a short hike to Little Pidurangala, a lesser-known but amazing viewpoint across from Pidurangala Rock. It’s only a 10-minute climb and offers a beautiful, peaceful view of the famous Lion Rock. Since it’s not very well-known, it’s free, and we had the top all to ourselves, with only some monkeys as company. It was a special experience, especially since the path is well-maintained by local people.
Also, check out our blog: Little Pidurangula: the hike for a view of Lion Rock!
Next, we drove by the temple with the large white Buddha: Buddhist Temple – Sigiriya.
In the afternoon, we went on a safari in Kaudulla National Park, where we saw (many!) wild elephants up close, which was an unforgettable experience! This safari was really all about the elephants; we spotted few other animals. The day ended with a cooking class at a local family’s home, where we learned to make traditional Sri Lankan dishes and enjoyed the delicious meal we had prepared ourselves.

Day 4: Kandy – Mixed Experiences

After Sigiriya, our route continued in the tuk-tuk to Kandy, one of the larger cities in Sri Lanka. This stopover made sense on the route, but it wasn’t necessarily our favorite. The city is quite busy and dirty. Driving through the chaos in the tuk-tuk was exciting, and the smell in the air wasn’t exactly welcoming. However, the chaos did have its charm, and we couldn’t help but be fascinated by it. We stayed at Lotus Lake Residence by the lake, a peaceful place with a beautiful view. It was a really nice hotel to relax for a while.
The city is known for the Temple of the Tooth, a temple of great significance to Buddhists. We visited the Temple of the Tooth, and while it was impressive in terms of its significance, it wasn’t particularly captivating to visit. On the bright side, we enjoyed shopping for souvenirs, which is excellent in Kandy.

Day 5: Tea Plantations and High Tea in Nuwara Eliya

Our journey continued through the picturesque mountain landscape towards Nuwara Eliya, also known as “Little England” due to its colonial atmosphere. The drive there was absolutely beautiful, with vast tea plantations on all sides. Along the way, we stopped at a tea plantation, where we learned more about the tea production process and, of course, had the chance to taste the famous Ceylon tea.

We also attempted to reach the Ramboda Falls waterfall, but unfortunately, we didn’t feel comfortable with the state of the road in our tuk-tuk, so we had to turn back. Such a shame!

Once in Nuwara Eliya, we enjoyed the cute English atmosphere and drove around to see everything. In the afternoon, we had high tea at the stately Grand Hotel, a remnant from the British colonial era. The combination of the beautiful gardens, the traditional tea, and the elegant ambiance made it a unique experience. In the evening, we dined at a lovely and super cozy restaurant/bar, with great music and a young crowd: Themparadu. We stayed at Suriya Guest House, a lovely homestay with yoga and very kind owners.

The next day, we sadly had to move on, but you can definitely spend more time in Nuwara Eliya!

Day 6: On the way to Ella

On day 6, we left Nuwara Eliya for Ella, a touristy mountain village in Sri Lanka. Although our plan was to take the train, we decided to continue our journey through Sri Lanka with the tuk-tuk instead. I heard from others that the trains were crowded and some people couldn’t even get a seat. Also, we had become quite attached to our tuk-tuk, and the view was beautiful.

Along the way, we had some trouble with the tuk-tuk, but luckily it happened right in front of a tuk-tuk repair shop, so we got lucky. Within half an hour, we were back on the road. Once we arrived in Ella, we explored the town and had a nice meal. To be honest, Ella wasn’t our favorite town. The main reason was that it was so full of tourists, and as a result, the atmosphere was very different from the rest of Sri Lanka.

Day 7: Ella to Dikwella, Waterfalls and Beautiful Routes

On day 7, we decided to leave Ella earlier and head to Dikwella, with two waterfalls as a stop along the way.
The first was the Ravana Waterfall, a 100-meter-high waterfall right along the road. From a platform, we could admire the spectacular view, with nearby stalls offering snacks and souvenirs.
Next, we visited the lesser-known Pallewela Waterfall, a hidden gem that we reached by walking 20 minutes through rice fields. We had the place all to ourselves and were able to climb to different levels to discover new views each time. It was also great that this place seemed a bit rugged and undiscovered! Highly recommended!

At the end of the day, we arrived in Dikwella, a peaceful coastal town with beautiful beaches. This place is perfect for relaxing after a day full of adventure.

Day 8, 9, 10: Dikwella Resort

After all the adventures, we were ready for some relaxation, so we booked a few days at the Dikwella Resort & Spa. The resort offered a great mix of luxury and affordability, with a fantastic location right on the beach. Dikwella Bay Beach, next to the resort, is an idyllic beach with calm, clear water, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The highlight here was Turtle Point, where turtles regularly return thanks to the locals who feed them seaweed. We spent hours in the sea, swimming alongside the turtles. These days were all about enjoying the sun, sea, beach, and cocktails.

Day 11: On the way to Mirissa & Coconut Hill

On day 11, we headed to Mirissa, a beautiful coastal town with plenty to do. We spent the first day exploring Mirissa, checking out the beaches, and visiting Coconut Hill (which was quite crowded with tourists, but still beautiful!). Mirissa is a charming little town! We stayed at Morning Star in Mirissa, a stunning accommodation with a beautiful pool and a great breakfast. On the first evening, we also discovered one of our favorite restaurants in all of Sri Lanka: Concept La Mer. We had fantastic shrimp pasta, tuna steak, and grilled fish, along with delicious cocktails.

Day 12: Crocodile Safari and Fishing in the Nilwala River (Matala)

On this day, we drove a bit back on our route to take part in an excursion on the Nilwala River. We went on a private boat to spot crocodiles and fish. We did this with Crocodiles Watching and River Safari with Isuru. Isuru is incredibly friendly and very skilled at spotting crocodiles, even the tiny ones sitting on branches! During the fishing, we both caught an eel and two other fish, and he was able to find the perfect spots for fishing as well.

We ended the evening with happy hour on the beach and delicious pizzas in Mirissa.

Day 13: Whale Tour from Mirissa

A whale watching tour is a popular activity in Mirissa, and we chose to go with the Whale Watching Club due to the good reviews. The tour started at 6 AM, during a beautiful sunrise. We quickly saw groups of dolphins, which was an impressive sight. Then, the search for whales began, with many boats out on the water at the same time. As soon as something was spotted, all the boats rushed to it, which made the experience feel less special. However, we appreciated that our organization sometimes took a different course and approached the animals with more respect than the others. In the end, we saw two whales in the distance. The tour lasted six hours in total, and although the search was intense, it was definitely a unique experience.

Day 14: Heading to Galle with a visit to a turtle sanctuary

Our Sri Lanka itinerary with the tuk-tuk took us today from the south coast to the charming town of Galle. Along the way, we made a special stop at the Sea Turtle Hatchery Habaraduwa, a place where they carefully protect sea turtles. During an informative tour, we learned how they protect turtle eggs, care for baby sea turtles, and ultimately help release them safely back into the sea. Unfortunately, our visit didn’t coincide with a release moment, but it was still an inspiring experience!

After this wonderful visit, we continued our journey to Galle, a city with a rich history dating back to the Dutch colonial era. This heritage is clearly visible in the historic buildings, such as the famous Galle Fort, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We leisurely walked through the charming streets, enjoyed the colonial architecture, and happily browsed the local shops.

Day 15: End of Our Journey

After two weeks, our two-week road trip through Sri Lanka came to an end. We drove back to Negombo, where we returned the tuk-tuk and spent one last night in a lovely hotel.

We’ve labeled this trip as our best one so far. Hopefully, you can experience it yourself with the help of this Itinerary through Sri Lanka with your own TukTuk.

Getyourguide Activities Sri Lanka

Do you like to book your activities with a guide through GetYourGuide? Below are some popular activities in Sri Lanka.