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What to book before you travel to Sri Lanka?

Most visits can be booked on the spot. A few sell out days ahead. Here they are, stop by stop, with what you can do without booking underneath. Keep the rest of your time free.

Trip length
One weekTen daysTwo weeks

8 activities to book · about €232 per person

Sigiriya and Dambulla

Days 1-2
Days 1-2The Lion Rock at SigiriyaHalf dayTwelve hundred steps past the frescoes and between two carved paws, up to the palace on the summit. Start at dawn, before the heat.€30Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 1-2Elephant safari at MinneriyaHalf dayFrom July to October, hundreds of wild elephants gather on the dry lake bed. The rest of the year, fewer but still there.€40Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Golden Temple at Dambulla · The rice paddies · The villages · Sunsets

All activities in Sigiriya on GetYourGuide

Kandy

Days 3-4
Days 3-4The Temple of the Tooth, guided2hThe relic is shown three times a day behind drums and horns. A guide explains what is happening; without one it is only a crowd.€20Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 3-4An evening of Kandyan dance1hAn hour of drumming, masks and fire walking, in the court style the kings of Kandy kept alive.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Kandy Lake · The Peradeniya botanical gardens · The market · The viewpoints

All activities in Kandy on GetYourGuide

Ella and the tea country

Days 5-6
Days 5-6The Kandy to Ella train7hSeven hours through tea estates and cloud, at walking pace for much of it. Book the reserved seats, then sit in the doorway anyway.€12Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 5-6A working tea factoryHalf dayWithering, rolling, oxidising, firing, grading. Half a day that explains what the word Ceylon is doing on the packet.€15Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: The Nine Arch Bridge · Little Adam's Peak · The waterfalls · The tea fields

All activities in Ella on GetYourGuide

Galle and the south

Days 7-10
Days 7-10Leopard safari at YalaFull dayYala holds one of the densest leopard populations anywhere. A full day, starting before first light.€55Book on GetYourGuide →
Days 7-10Whale watching from MirissaHalf dayBlue whales pass close to shore here between December and April. Boats leave at six, and the sea is calmest then.€45Book on GetYourGuide →

No booking needed: Galle Fort, UNESCO-listed · Mirissa and Unawatuna beaches · The stilt fishermen · Sunsets

All activities in Galle on GetYourGuide

Indicative prices per person, checked when written. The button opens the GetYourGuide search for the activity and the town, on the days of the stop once your dates are known. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

Frequently asked questions

How much do the activities to book in Sri Lanka cost?

€232 per person if you do them all, across 8 bookings. The most expensive is "Leopard safari at Yala" at €55, the cheapest "The Kandy to Ella train" at €12. Prices checked when written: confirm them when you book.

What can you do in Sri Lanka without booking anything?

16 visits on this itinerary need no ticket or time slot, starting with The Golden Temple at Dambulla, The rice paddies, The villages, Sunsets. They make up most of your days: booking ahead only concerns a handful of sites with limited places.

At which stop should you book earliest?

Sigiriya and Dambulla, with 2 activities to book, against 2 at the quietest stop. That is where slots go first.

How long do these activities take?

From 1h for the shortest to Full day for the longest. Fit them into your days before filling the rest: a guided visit often takes half a day.

The rest of the trip

📒 The free printable Sri Lanka guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Sri Lanka, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book: all our destinations→