Travel Tip: Itinerary Sri Lanka

When it went to Sri Lanka for me in 2017, there was one decision before the trip – where exactly do I want to go?? Especially if you have only two to three weeks time for a round trip because of your job, it is worth to plan well in advance. For Sri Lanka the choice fell on the following route and places:

Sigiriya & surroundings

After we landed in Colombo in the afternoon and were completely exhausted, we first went to the hotel, the next day directly in the morning to Sigiriya. The drive from Colombo takes about three hours, again and again we pass small places where we could take a break. Sigiriya is of course famous for the Sigiriya Rock. You should definitely plan an overnight stay here if you want to climb Sigiriya Rock. Because in the afternoon it is not only very warm here, but also very crowded.

If you don't want to travel on and on, you can also visit some more sights from Sigiriya. For example, we went to the archeological park Polonnaruwa – one of the most famous sights in Sri Lanka. There are not only impressive stupas and the ruins of various buildings that you can look at from close, but also very large Buddha figures. Make sure you wear the right clothes (knees and shoulders should be covered) and keep an eye on the monkeys!

Just on the other side of Sigiriya is the cave temple of Dambulla. And this one is also absolutely worth seeing! In total, you can admire over 150 golden Buddha statues in the temple, which are divided among various caves. Just like in all other temples, please do not take a photo with your back to the Buddha, as this is considered disrespectful. You should also cover your knees and shoulders here.

Kandy

From Sigiriya we went on to Kandy. The city is famous for the Temple of the Tooth – a large temple where, according to tradition, a canine tooth of Buddha is kept. But the temple is not the only sight in Kandy. There are more temples, not only buddhist ones, which you can visit locally, also the local market is worth visiting. There are also many tourist attractions in Kandy, but they should be taken with a grain of salt: In an Herbal Garden you can have the use of various plants explained to you, watch the processing of Sri Lankan wood at the Wood Carving or browse for jewelry in various stores. Before you buy something here, you should think carefully whether the prices match the offer and in case of doubt, better google again – because unfortunately there are many stores that are out to do business with naive tourists.

Nuwara Eliya & Ella

If you have ever been to Sri Lanka, you know the pictures of vacationers hanging out of the open train doors and driving through the tea plantations. This is the train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and Ella respectively. Be sure to stock up on some provisions for the trip before you get on the train – and then just enjoy the view. In Nuwara Eliya you can visit a tea plantation or enjoy the nature. Ella on the other hand is a typical backpacker town with many hostels. Here is also the famous bridge, the Nine Arch Bridge. Since both places are a bit higher, it is not only cooler, but the view of the green hills is gigantic!

Yala & Udawalawe

Yala National Park is the oldest nature reserve in Sri Lanka. On safaris you can of course see elephants, but with a little luck also leopards and over 130 species of birds. So the park is very popular with tourists for safaris – and that's exactly why we planned a stop here. Depending on the provider and location around the Yala National Park you can do e.g.B. make a safari in the morning or afternoon. We decided to go in the afternoon, because according to the guide the elephants are more active then. We were also lucky enough to see a huge swarm of bats at dusk.

Udawalawe National Park is also a good starting point for safaris. The area is especially known for its large elephant population – we made a stopover here, but did not go on a second safari, because we already saw many elephants during the first tour. Instead we visited a sanctuary for injured and orphaned elephants. The most important thing for me was that there are no elephant rides etc. in the park. be offered, as I do not want to support such a thing.

Galle

The city of Galle is located in the southwest of the country and is known for its fortress, which was built by the Dutch in 1663. Inside the fortress is the old town with many small, narrow streets and stores, where you can browse great. a little bit outside there are hotels and hostels directly at the beach – if you drive a few kilometers with the tuktuk, you will come to white sandy beaches, where you are sometimes almost alone. Perfect for a few days of relaxation before heading home again!

Colombo

Colombo is the capital of Sri Lanka and definitely worth a visit – with its temples, the many quarters and the crowded streets, on which countless cars and tuktuks are on the road at any time of the day or night. If you need a little break from all the hustle and bustle, you will find it in Viharamahadevi Park. A detour to the Independence Memorial Hall is also worthwhile, as is a stroll through the lively Pettah district.

Have you ever been to Sri Lanka? Which stop that we left out, did you take along on the trip?? (: