Sri Lanka has been on my bucket list for years. An island country so close to India, easy to access, and yet somehow always postponed. When the opportunity came up to plan a short trip from Delhi, just one flight away and offering a balance of nature, heritage, and architecture, Sri Lanka felt like the obvious choice.

I will be sharing detailed itineraries, stays, and experiences from each destination in separate posts, but this one is meant to be a broad snapshot of how I spent ten days travelling across Sri Lanka in early December.

Day 1: Travel Day

The trip began early with dropping Diesel off at Tail Club. Being able to travel with peace of mind, knowing he is happy and well cared for, makes all the difference. If you are a dog parent in the NCR region looking for a reliable boarding option, this is one place I genuinely trust.

We landed in Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport around 6:15 pm. While many travellers choose to stay in Negombo their first night, we headed straight to Sigiriya so we could be rested for an early start the next morning. The drive took a little over three and a half hours. We checked in, settled down, and called it a night.

A quick note if you plan to do this journey late in the evening. Stop for dinner on the way. Most kitchens in Sigiriya shut early, and we were lucky that the team at Rastarant Sigiriya kindly put together a simple fried rice to go with our beers.

Day 2: Sigiriya

If you search for Sri Lanka, Sigiriya’s Lion’s Rock is almost guaranteed to appear at the top of the list. Day two was meant to be dedicated to climbing both Sigiriya and Pidurangala Rock. However, the region was still dealing with the after effects of Cyclone Ditwah, and persistent rain meant climbing was not an option.

Instead, we spent the day walking through the small town and easing ourselves into travel mode. After my last trip to Japan, I have become more accepting of plans changing and allowing nature to set the pace rather than letting meticulous planning take over the experience.

Day 3: Sigiriya to Dambulla to Kandy

We woke up to clear skies, which meant we could finally climb Lion’s Rock. The climb was short but demanding, and well worth it. From Sigiriya, we drove towards Kandy, stopping at the Dambulla Cave Temples along the way.

We reached Kandy by midday. The city is best known for Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, and we attended the evening ceremony at 6:30 pm, which was one of the more atmospheric experiences of the trip.

Day 4: Kandy to Madulkelle

The morning was spent walking around Kandy Lake and exploring the city before heading out in the afternoon. Due to cyclone-related disruptions, including suspended train services and road clearances, we made a last-minute decision to skip Ella.

Instead, we headed to Madulkelle, located within the Knuckles Mountain Range. The Madulkelle Tea Estate became our base for slowing down and spending time immersed in nature.

Day 5: Madulkelle

Rain followed us into Madulkelle, but it felt welcome here. This day was reserved entirely for rest and reset. Surrounded by misty mountains and tea plantations, we spent the hours reading, playing chess, swimming in the frigid water, watching the clouds roll in, and stargazing at night.

Somewhere during the day, between multiple cups of freshly brewed tea, I realised that I might finally be a tea person, too.

Day 6: Madulkelle to Colombo

After breakfast, which included my favourite – idiyappam, and a visit to the tea factory, we drove back to Colombo. While many travellers skip the capital entirely, we were pleasantly surprised. Colombo felt clean, efficient, and well organised.

We did not spend enough time to understand the city in depth, but our first impression was that the urban infrastructure is thoughtfully and carefully executed.

Day 7: Colombo to Ahangama

The morning was spent cafe hopping and taking in some of Geoffrey Bawa’s legacy before heading south. Our next stop was Ahangama, a coastal town near Galle that is steadily becoming popular with digital nomads and slow travellers.

Days 8 and 9: Ahangama, Mirissa, and the Southern Coast

December is usually known for its sunshine along Sri Lanka’s southern coast, but the rains continued. While this meant less beach time than expected, we still managed dolphin and whale watching, relaxed brunches, and long stretches of downtime.

It was not the version of the south coast I had imagined, but it was still deeply restful.

Day 10: Travel Day

Naturally, the sun finally came out on the day we had to leave. We soaked up what we could before heading to the airport and saying goodbye to Sri Lanka, already certain that this would not be our last visit.

This post serves as an overview of my 10-day Sri Lanka itinerary, covering Sigiriya, Kandy, Madulkelle, Colombo, and the southern coast. Detailed guides to each destination, including where to stay, what to see, and how to plan your route, will follow soon.