Sri Lanka Wildlife & Nature Tour: Kandy, Nuwara Eliya & Udawalawe (6 Days / 5 Nights )
Discover Sri Lanka's green heart and wild side on this scenic wildlife and nature tour by Dasiatravels. Begin on the lagoons and canals of Negombo, then climb into the hills to the royal city of Kandy and its sacred Temple of the Tooth. Continue through rolling tea estates, ride a classic hill-country train to cool, colonial Nuwara Eliya, and descend past the tumbling Ravana Falls near Ella to the savannah of Udawalawe National Park, one of Asia's best places to see wild elephants. Watch orphaned baby elephants at feeding time, then finish with an evening tour of Colombo. Ideal for families, nature lovers, photographers, and first-time visitors, this private tour with a dedicated chauffeur-guide blends hill country scenery, tea culture, and wildlife over six memorable days.
 
Route: Colombo Airport – Negombo (1N) – Kandy (1N) – Talawakele – Nuwara Eliya (1N) – Ella – Udawalawe (1N) – Colombo (1N) – Colombo Airport
 
Day 1: Arrival in Colombo – Negombo Lagoon & Canals
Distance/Travel Time: 15 km / approx. 30 mins
Ayubowan and welcome to Sri Lanka! On arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, meet your Dasiatravels chauffeur-guide for the short drive north to Negombo, a relaxed seaside town with a rich colonial and fishing heritage. After check-in, stroll along the 17th-century Dutch Hamilton Canal and the lagoon front, and visit the bustling Negombo fish market, where the day’s catch is sorted and sun-dried on the beach. In the late afternoon, take a peaceful boat ride on Negombo Lagoon, gliding past mangroves, fishing boats, and traditional prawn fishermen. Enjoy dinner at one of the town’s popular seafood restaurants.
Overnight Stay: Negombo
Meals: Dinner
 
Day 2: Negombo – Kandy – Temple of the Tooth & Ceylon Tea Museum
Distance/Travel Time: 105 km / approx. 3.5 hrs
After breakfast, drive inland and climb into the hills to Kandy, Sri Lanka's last royal capital and a UNESCO World Heritage City. Visit the Ceylon Tea Museum, set in a restored tea factory, to learn about Ceylon tea's history and see vintage machinery, then enjoy a tasting with views over the hills. Stroll around the scenic Kandy Lake and, in the evening, attend the puja ceremony at the sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic). End the day with dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city at sunset.
Optional en route: Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage or a spice garden.
Overnight Stay: Kandy
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
 
Day 3: Kandy – Drum Village – Tea Estate – Train to Nuwara Eliya
Distance/Travel Time: 80 km / approx. 2.5 hrs by road + 1–1.5 hrs by train (Talawakele to Nanu Oya)
Start with a visit to a traditional drum-making village near Kandy, where artisans handcraft the famous Kandyan drums. Drive south into the heart of tea country, passing waterfalls such as St. Clair’s Falls and endless green slopes. Visit a working tea estate to watch tea pluckers at work, follow the leaf through the factory, and enjoy a fresh cup. At Talawakele, board a scenic hill-country train for a beautiful ride through tea gardens and misty valleys to Nanu Oya, where your car meets you for the short drive to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka’s “Little England”. Explore Victoria Park, a great spot for birdwatching, and the cool Hakgala Botanical Gardens, famous for roses, ferns, and montane forest.
Overnight Stay: Nuwara Eliya
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
 
Day 4: Nuwara Eliya – Ella (Ravana Falls) – Udawalawe Safari
Distance/Travel Time: 165 km / approx. 5 hrs
After an early breakfast, descend through the hills to Ella, stopping at the picturesque Ravana Falls, which tumbles down a rocky cliff beside the road and is linked to the Ramayana legend. Continue south to Udawalawe and check in to your safari tented camp. In the late afternoon, set out on an exciting open-top jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park, home to around 400 wild elephants. Watch family herds bathing and grazing by the reservoir, and look out for water buffalo, spotted deer, monkeys, crocodiles, and, with luck, a leopard or sloth bear. Return to camp for dinner under the stars.
Alternative: Nature lovers can swap the Ella stop for an early-morning walk on Horton Plains to World’s End before driving to Udawalawe.
Overnight Stay: Udawalawe (Safari Tented Camp)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
 
Day 5: Elephant Transit Home – Colombo Evening City Tour
Distance/Travel Time: 175 km / approx. 4 hrs
Start the morning at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, where staff care for orphaned baby elephants until they can return to the wild. Watch the lively bottle-feeding session as the young calves come running for their milk, a highlight for all ages. Then drive west via the Southern Expressway to Colombo. In the evening, enjoy a guided city tour of the colonial Fort district, the vibrant bazaars of Pettah, the striking Red Mosque and the seafront Galle Face Green, with time for museums or galleries if you wish. Celebrate your final night with a farewell Sri Lankan dinner.
Overnight Stay: Colombo
Meals: Breakfast & Farewell Dinner
 
Day 6: Colombo – Airport Departure
Distance/Travel Time: 35 km / approx. 1 hr
After breakfast, check out and transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your onward flight, taking home memories of tea-covered hills, wild elephants, and warm Sri Lankan hospitality.
Meals: Breakfast