Itinerary overview

5-Day Hills and Tea Country Focus Sri Lanka Itinerary

Cool-climate highlands itinerary with scenic rail corridors and tea-estate experiences. Designed for September travel with 2 traveler(s), 5 days, and a luxury budget style. The plan keeps transfer pacing realistic while emphasizing culture and tea-country depth.

Tea-country enthusiastsScenic train loversModerate weather preferenceCultural sitesTea countryFood

Day 1

Arrive and settle in Kandy

Arrival -> Kandy | Approx drive: 0.5-1 hrs

Activities

Prioritize highland viewpoints and tea-estate timing
Temple and heritage site sequence with context breaks
Priority culture and tea-country depth block centered around Kandy

Stay area: Kandy

Simple city rooms near transport links (Budget)

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Practical value-focused base with easy access to Kandy activities.

Comfort-focused hotel with practical transfer support (Mid)

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Balanced comfort and location for smooth pacing around Kandy.

Luxury hillside resort with panoramic views (Luxury)

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Premium facilities and service depth for a high-comfort Kandy stay.

Day 2

Transfer to Nuwara Eliya with focused highlights

Kandy -> Nuwara Eliya | Approx drive: 2.5-3.5 hrs

Activities

Use weather buffers for hill-country transfers
Tea-estate walk and tasting with scenic transfer windows
Tea-estate session with tasting and processing overview

Stay area: Nuwara Eliya

Budget cottage stay in tea country (Budget)

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Practical value-focused base with easy access to Nuwara Eliya activities.

Comfortable colonial-style manor stay (Mid)

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Balanced comfort and location for smooth pacing around Nuwara Eliya.

High-end manor stay with private chauffeur options (Luxury)

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Premium facilities and service depth for a high-comfort Nuwara Eliya stay.

Day 3

Transfer to Ella with focused highlights

Nuwara Eliya -> Ella | Approx drive: 2-3 hrs

Activities

Nine Arches Bridge timing window and viewpoint planning
Prioritize highland viewpoints and tea-estate timing
Temple and heritage site sequence with context breaks

Stay area: Ella

Affordable stopover lodge close to rail access (Budget)

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Practical value-focused base with easy access to Ella activities.

Mid-range boutique hotel with mountain outlook (Mid)

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Balanced comfort and location for smooth pacing around Ella.

Premium Ella resort with spa and curated dining (Luxury)

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Premium facilities and service depth for a high-comfort Ella stay.

Explore Ella at a comfortable pace

Ella local exploration | Approx drive: 0.5-1 hrs

Activities

Short ridge hike with rest-friendly pacing
Use weather buffers for hill-country transfers
Tea-estate walk and tasting with scenic transfer windows

Stay area: Ella

Simple backpacker-friendly rooms with valley views (Budget)

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Practical value-focused base with easy access to Ella activities.

Balanced hillside hotel for scenic pacing (Mid)

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Balanced comfort and location for smooth pacing around Ella.

Luxury mountain retreat with private decks (Luxury)

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Premium facilities and service depth for a high-comfort Ella stay.

Day 5

Transfer to Bentota with focused highlights

Ella -> Bentota | Approx drive: 3-5 hrs

Activities

Family-friendly downtime and sunset planning
Layer in short walks instead of high-mileage activity stacks
Old-town walk paired with regional food recommendations

Stay area: Bentota

Budget beach guesthouse in Bentota (Budget)

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Practical value-focused base with easy access to Bentota activities.

Comfortable riverside hotel with pool (Mid)

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Balanced comfort and location for smooth pacing around Bentota.

High-end all-suite coastal stay (Luxury)

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Premium facilities and service depth for a high-comfort Bentota stay.

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Estimated Budget (USD)

USD 3120 - USD 5824

Budget range is directional guidance and changes by travel dates, inventory, and transport style.
Room categories and transfer method can materially change final totals.
Confirm live supplier availability before making payment decisions.

Important Disclaimers

Drive durations are estimates and can vary with traffic, weather, and road conditions.
Accommodation options and inclusions are examples for planning, not guaranteed inventory.
Use this itinerary as planning guidance and validate final logistics before booking.

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