Colombo · Kandy · Ella · Galle · 5 nights / 6 days · budget
Sri Lanka 5N Island Circuit
The free-ETA island, done properly: Kandy's temple, the train through tea country to Ella, Nine Arch Bridge, and Galle's fort — with a private car for the hills and the famous rail leg kept in.
Highlights
- Free ETA for Indians — the cheapest international paperwork in Asia
- Kandy–Ella scenic train (reserved seats)
- Nine Arch Bridge and Little Adam's Peak
- Galle Dutch Fort sunset
- Private air-conditioned car with English-speaking chauffeur
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Colombo → Kandy
Land, meet your chauffeur, climb to Kandy via the Pinnawala route. Evening at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Day 2 — Kandy → Ella by rail
The subcontinent's prettiest train ride — reserved seats through tea gardens. Your car meets you in Ella with the luggage.
Day 3 — Ella
Little Adam's Peak at sunrise, Nine Arch Bridge for the classic photograph, tea-factory visit after lunch.
Day 4 — Ella → Galle
Descend through Rawana Falls to the southern coast. Evening walk on Galle Fort's ramparts as the light goes gold.
Day 5 — Galle & the coast
Unawatuna beach morning, optional stilt-fishermen stop, lazy seafood lunch. Drive to Colombo by night.
Day 6 — Departure
Airport drop with tea packed and the rail video already sent to the family group.
Included
- 5 nights accommodation with daily breakfast
- Private AC car + chauffeur for the full circuit
- Kandy–Ella train tickets (reserved class, subject to availability)
- All fuel, parking, driver expenses and interstate charges
- ETA filing assistance (the government fee is currently ZERO for Indians)
Not included
- Flights to/from Colombo
- Lunches and dinners
- Entry tickets (Temple of the Tooth, tea factory, etc.) — paid at gate
- Travel insurance
- Anything not listed in inclusions
Best time to go: December to March for the south and hills; the island works year-round with regional monsoon awareness.
Things to carry
- · Passport valid 6+ months + printed free ETA
- · Layer for Ella's cool evenings
- · Modest wear for temples (shoulders/knees covered)
- · Motion-sickness tabs for hill roads if prone
Cancellation policy
30+ days before departure: full refund minus ₹2,500 per person processing fee.
15–29 days: 50% of the package cost is retained.
7–14 days: 75% is retained.
Under 7 days or no-show: non-refundable.
Hotel and airline penalties during peak or festival dates may be higher and are advised at booking. Wherever we can recover more from suppliers, we pass it back.
More questions, answered
- Is the Sri Lanka ETA really free for Indians?
- Yes — under the scheme in force since May 2026, the ETA fee for Indian nationals is zero on the official portal. We file it free with the package; beware lookalike sites that charge USD 25–50 for it.
- Are train seats guaranteed?
- Reserved-class tickets open ~30 days out and sell fast. Book the package early and we lock them; if the railway sells out, we arrange the same route by scenic road and refund the rail fare.