Sri Lanka 7 Days Tour

There are 2 major variations of Sri Lanka 7 days tour and they are; Sri Lanka 7 days tour on the northern circuit and Sri Lanka’s tour on the southern circuit. The southern route tour is the most popular 7 days tour among local as well as foreign travellers in Sri Lanka and only very few travellers undertake the 7 days trip on the northern route. In this blog post, we mainly discuss the 7 days trip to the northern circuit. This blog post is intended to serve the families (local as well as foreign) travellers that are expecting to make a Sri Lanka 1 week trip.

In Sri Lanka, school holidays are around the corner and a lot of people are initiating their August, family trips. Most families plan a Sri Lanka 7-day tour or similar during the school holidays. However, some are opting for shorter trips such as 3 days Sri Lanka tours and 2 days Sri Lanka trips due to the increasing cost. However, we are still receiving a large number of enquiries from domestic travellers for a 1-week Sri Lanka tour ahead of every school holiday. The below-mentioned Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days Sri Lanka tour itinerary is very popular among foreign travellers as well.

A trip to Sri Lanka offers a gateway into the soul of South Asia. The sprawling monuments of the ancient city of Anuradhapura are unrivalled, beyond the rich legacy of the Sinhalese empire sits the buzzing capital of Colombo, the unspoiled, countless tropical beaches, mighty rivers, cascading waterfalls, vibrant culture and some of friendliest people in the world, this tropical nation is full of surprises.

Sri Lanka 7 Days tour with beach

This is the most popular form of Sri Lanka tour, which includes a 7 days trip visiting the cultural triangle, temples, national parks, hill country, southern Sri Lanka, laid-back villages and beautiful cities and many other places in Sri Lanka with a subsequent beach holiday in a beach resort. Usually, foreign travellers from most countries such as the UK, Australia, and Germany travel around the island on a 7-day Sri Lanka tour in order to explore interesting places such as historical monuments, national parks and rainforests etc, while they allocate a few more days for relaxation in a beach resort.

Sri Lanka 7 days tour (northern circuit or southern circuit)

There are 2 major variations of Sri Lanka 7 days tour and they are; Sri Lanka 7 days tour on the northern circuit and Sri Lanka’s tour on the southern circuit. The Sri Lanka south coast tour is the most popular 7 days tour among local as well as foreign travellers and only very few travellers undertake the 7 days trip on the northern route. In this blog post, we mainly discuss the 7 days trip to the northern circuit. This blog post is intended to serve the families (local as well as foreign) travellers that are expecting to make a Sri Lanka 1 week trip.

Sri Lanka 7 days tour: northern circuit

Sri Lanka’s northern circuit had been totally abandoned in the past, but it is getting popular among travellers since the end of the civil war. This northern route was largely ignored by foreign as well as local travellers as it was very unsafe due to the arms conflict between government forces and a rebel group. The northern and eastern region of the island is still not well-developed as holiday destinations. Except for a few places and large cities like Trincomalee, Pasikudah and Jaffna most places lack facilities for travellers. Therefore, proper planning is extremely important if you are venturing on a trip to the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.

However, the northern and east coasts of Sri Lanka is not lacking tourist attractions. But most of them are still not on the radar of travellers. Places such as Somawathiya stupa, Gal Oya national park, Mahiyangana, Kaits, elephant pass, and Trincomalee are a few such important tourist attractions that should be given a prominent place on a Sri Lanka trip on the northern route.

When is the best time for a 7day Sri Lanka tour on the northern circuit?

11 years after finishing the civil war, there is a lot more to be done in northern and eastern provinces to improve tourism. The northern travel route is very suitable for a Sri Lanka tour during the southeast monsoon (From May to October). During this time you see frequent rain over the south and western coastal areas and the sea is not on the side of beach holiday lovers. However, during the same period, north and east Sri Lanka have dry weather and the best conditions for beach holidays.

Sri Lanka 7 days tour on the southern route

This is the beaten path Sri Lanka travel route. More than 90% of Travellers (local as well as foreign) in Sri Lanka resort to this option. Sri Lanka’s southern travel route is popular because it offers a wide range of interesting places and activities. The travellers on this travel route can visit historical monuments, Sri Lanka, mountains, wildlife reserves teeming with leopards, and elephants, pristine beaches, rainforests etc.

7 Cities to visit in Sri Lanka 7 Days Itinerary north

1. Colombo
2. Anuradhapura
3. Jaffna
4. Dambulla
5. Nilaveli
6. Arugam Bay
7. Kandy

Distance to cover on Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary

• Day 1. Colombo to Anuradhapura 215 km, duration 4 hours 30 minutes
• Day 2. Anuradhapura to Jaffna 200 km, duration 3 hours 30 minutes
• Day 3. Jaffna to Nilaveli 238 km, duration of the trip 4 hours
• Day 4. leisure in the beach resort Nilaveli
• Day 5. Nilaveli to Arugam bay 260 km, duration 5 hours
• Day 6. Arugam bay to Kandy distance covers 215 km and the duration of the trip is 5 hours
• Day 7. Kandy to Colombo, distance 115km and duration of the tour 4 hours

When is the best time for a tour on the southern route?

November to April is the best time to travel on the southern route. During this period the sea is very calm like a lake and the water is crystal clear. The weather is very supportive for travellers, who love outside activities. Most parts of the country have dry, sunny weather during the 6 months from November to April. Therefore, November to April considered being the best time of the year to visit tourist places in Sri Lanka and tourist sites such as Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Polonnaruwa receive hordes of travellers during the period.

When is the best time for Sri Lanka 7 days tour on the southern route?

If you are looking for Sri Lanka 7 days tour on the southern route, I would like to suggest below tour itinerary. We offer this Sri Lanka tour itinerary through our website and receive a lot of booking from foreign travellers. The customer feedback for this is also very good. The best time for the southern Sri Lanka tour is from November to April.

IF YOU LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THIS 7 DAYS TOUR PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR, “SRI LANKA 7 DAYS TOUR“.

What is the best Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary on the southern route?

• DAY 1: COLOMBO / SIGIRIYA (Dinner overnight stay in Sigiriya); activities and places:- Pinnawala elephant orphanage and Dambulla golden temple
• DAY 2: SIGIRIYA / POLONNARUWA / SIGIRIYA (Dinner overnight stay in Sigiriya); activities and places:- Sigiriya rock fortress, Polonnaruwa ancient city, Sigiriya village tour
• DAY 3: SIGIRIYA / MATALE / KANDY (Dinner overnight stay in Kandy); activities and places:- spice garden, tooth relic temple, Kandyan cultural show
• DAY 4: KANDY (Dinner overnight stay in Kandy); activities and places:- Kandy city tour, royal botanical garden, Kandy shopping tour
• DAY 5: KANDY/NUWARA ELIYA/ YALA (Dinner overnight stay in Yala); activities and places:- tea plantations factory, Nuwara Eliya city tour, Gregory lake, Sita Amman temple
• DAY 6: YALA / GALLE / BENTOTA (Dinner overnight stay in Bentota); activities and places:- Yala safari, Galle Fort, Turtle conservation centre, Hikkaduwa beach
• DAY 7: BENTOTA / COLOMBO

Is August good for Sri Lanka 7 Days tour?

In Sri Lanka, the August school holidays are around the corner and a lot of people are at the initial stage of planning their August, family trips. Most Sri Lankan families make around 7 days of Sri Lanka trip during the school holidays. Also, there is an upbeat about the arrival of foreign travellers during this time. The rainfall in the month of august is considerably low and therefore suitable for outdoor activities. Apart from the favourable weather for holiday lovers, the annual event is also held in the month of august which is also an important reason why August is popular among travellers.

During the month of August, we get a lot of inquiries for Sri Lanka’s 7-day tour from foreign customers (Foreign travellers are the most important market segment for us). Foreign travellers are well aware of the Esala ceremony, which took place in the month of August. Most travellers visit the island mainly to see the Esala ceremony while exploring the other attractions in other places in the country. Therefore we see an upbeat of inquiries for Sri Lanka tours and beach holidays for the month of August.

Sri Lanka weather and Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary

Sri Lanka weather, Sri Lanka’s rain season in August is also in favour of travellers with less frequent rain and showering sun rays, even though it is still monsoon on the west coast. All in all the month of August breaks the deadlock of the diluted holiday vibe on the island, mainly due to the rainy conditions in May, June, and July.

When is the high season in Sri Lanka?

The high season in Sri Lanka is from November to April. According to the usual pattern of tourist arrival in Sri Lanka, there is a sharp increase of travellers in the country from November to April and the number of travellers shows a sharp decrease during the 5 months starting from May, May marks the beginning of monsoon (south-west monsoon). In fact, November to April is the best time to travel to Sri Lanka due to the less rainy conditions and super good conditions for beach holidays on the west and southern coast.

When is the low season in Sri Lanka for Sri Lanka 7 days?

April to October is a low season in Sri Lanka. The number of tourists in the country hit the rock-bottom level in the month of May, June and July. But the number of tourists on the island again increases sharply in the month of August, this is a temporary upbeat of tourist arrivals and there is a downward trend in tourist arrival in the month of September and October again.

Dry Sri Lanka weather in August, Esala ceremony, and School holidays are the 3 important reasons for the increased holiday activities in the month of August, therefore we decided to write this blog post on a Sri Lanka 7-day tour. 

What do our past customers say about this Sri Lanka 7 days trip?

This Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary covers the north, east, and cultural triangle as well as several important places of Sri Lanka’s upcountry. You will cover a distance of around 16300 km in this Sri Lanka 7-day tour. Based on the traveller’s review, this is a well-worth Sri Lanka road trip, in which you see a totally different part of the country in terms of vegetation, climate, and culture. This is a perfect opportunity to explore some of the best pristine beaches of Sri Lanka and you will be able to sense the effect of devastating war.

Sri Lanka 7 days family tour

This is a Sri Lanka 7-day tour itinerary to consider for families, who look for a nice tour in unexplored territory. In this comprehensive Sri Lanka 7-day tour we discuss the northern and eastern Sri Lanka route, which is one of the least explored routes in the country.

The northern route for Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary

We suggest you put aside the planes and trains for this Sri Lanka 7 days tour, suggest you take an old-school road trip. This Sri Lanka 7 days tour is a perfect opportunity to leave behind the hustle and bustle of busy Colombo and look into the beautiful countryside of North-East Sri Lanka. This is a perfect tour itinerary with less stress, activities for kids and plenty of leisure during the trip. Sri Lanka 7 days tour has a mix of time on the sightseeing and beaches.

You might be knowing that Sri Lanka’s weather in August is warm, especially in the dry part of the country (north and east Sri Lanka), and you should be brave to meet the oppressive heat as you make it through the north and east. But travelling in an air-conditioned vehicle makes life easy for you. So, here we go.

Day 1. Colombo – Anuradhapura – Jaffna

On day one of this Sri Lanka 7-day tour, you leave for Anuradhapura from Colombo and later push yourself further northward from Anuradhapura, the journey is pretty straightforward without any major detours. There are 2 major routes that you can take to go to Anuradhapura from Colombo they are:

Route 1. Colombo – Anuradhapura via Thalawa

A distinct feature of this route is less traffic and therefore the travellers can save time. It will take around 4 hours to reach Anuradhapura from Colombo on this route. But keep your eye on the speed limit, you naturally tend to give more gas, because the road is empty and a road with super good driving conditions, a large number of traffic cops are eying on the speeding vehicle on this route. Cops are stationed at regular intervals, especially on the last leg of the route between Thalawa and Anuradhapura.

You will encounter several good restaurants and hotels along this route in Chilaw, Thalawa, Negombo, Marawila etc. There is plenty of places to stop for a tea break or a toilet break on this route, presumably this is the trip with kids.

Route 2. Colombo- Anuradhapura via Dambulla

This is the most popular route to drive to Anuradhapura from Colombo and has a large number of important places to stop. You also can make regular stops for a tea break, or toilet break since there are many restaurants on the way.

The journey will take around 5 hours on this route and heavy traffic conditions can be expected in major cities such as Dambulla, Kurunegala, and Giriulla. Both routes are similar in terms of road conditions but the time taken on this route is more than the other route (Colombo-Talawa-Anuradhapura) there are a few differences with regard to the attractions too.

Anuradhapura, the First stop on Sri Lanka 7-day tour

Anuradhapura is a destination worth a visit because the rich historical past of Sri Lanka is very much evident here. I would like to say it is an archaeological zoo, with thousands of old structures, dating back to the 2nd century BC lying in a heavily green area.

Most structures here are pompously done and have solid foundations. It is a reason to marvel to see how much they accomplished more than 2 thousand years ago without high-tech equipment, but they had the know-how.

What do we see in the Anuradhapura city tour?

Anuradhapura is a place to see gigantic reservoirs, huge pagodas/dagobas, multi-storied palaces, temples, intricately carved decorations, and statues. Anuradhapura is a UNESCO world heritage, definitely, worth the attention of travellers, the city has its own rights as a place of cultural and historical importance (Disney’s documentary film “Monkey Kingdom” was filmed in Anuradhapura along with Polonnaruwa).

However, this Sri Lanka 7 days tour does not include an overnight stay in Anuradhapura, neither it includes a visit to Polonnaruwa. The tour includes just a stopover to relax while exploring some important historical places. If you feel that you need more time to explore Anuradhapura or need to have more time in the city, there are a number of good hotels to be stationed at.

If you leave Colombo in the early hours, one can easily reach Anuradhapura for the lunch break, there are a large number of good hotels and restaurants here. There are plenty of places to stop for a break between Anuradhapura and Colombo but beyond Anuradhapura, the chances are much scarce.

The drive from Anuradhapura to Jaffna

The journey from Anuradhapura to Jaffna takes around 4 hours and the distance to cover between these two cities is 198 km, the journey takes place along the A9 main highway, which is quite busy now with a large number of people making trips to Colombo and vice versa. The commuters were allowed on this route under strict rules and supervision of the Sri Lanka Army during the northeast war, which ended in 2009. Today people are free to move along A9 without any fear or restriction.

It is worth making a stop at Murikandy Pillayar Shrine that you encounter after Vavuniya, this is a Hindu temple that survived the civil war and it was spared during the rebuilding of the A9 main road too. A large number of travellers make a stop here to make a donation and ask for blessings of the god.

After Vavuniya you will encounter the remnant of the devastating war more often than before. There is no sightseeing in Jaffna planned in this Sri Lanka 7 days tour, on the first day. After the long drive, the guests are exhausted and have no appetite to explore the cultural and historical sites. On the other hand, there is no time to visit sightseeing as you arrive late evening at the hotel.

Day 2. Jaffna city tour

Visiting war-ravaged Jaffna is also a part of Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary. Jaffna is the capital of northern Sri Lanka and has many historical and religious places to explore. The majority of people in Jaffna are of Hindu origin and speak the Tamil language, Jaffna is a big city and very busy, there is a large number of shops in Jaffna, allowing you to buy anything available in Colombo.

Some of the main attractions to explore in Jaffna are;

a. Jaffna library- located near Jaffna city.

b. Nagadeepa temple- this is a well-known Buddhist temple located in Nagadeep, believed to be visited by Buddha.

c. Jaffna fort- the Portuguese-built and Dutch-rebuilt forts is located near the city.

d. Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil-is the most popular Hindu temple in the city and takes only a few minutes from the city centre.

e. Jaffna archaeological museum-located within the city limit.

f. Ruins of the Royal palace-the site is located in the city of Nallur.

g. Keerimale hot spring-located in Kankasuntharai close to the Naguleswaran temple.

h. Subramaniam Children’s park- located near the city with many activities for kids.

i.  In Jaffna, you get a large number of local restaurants serving typical Hindy/Indian dishes such as butter dosa.

j. Many restaurants are serving vegetarian food while some others starting with meat lovers as well.

Day 3. Jaffna – Nilaveli

On day three of this Sri Lanka 7-day tour, it is time to go to the east coast of Sri Lanka, where you encounter some of the best beaches of Sri Lanka, such as Nilaveli, Kalkudah, Pasikudah and Arugam Bay.

The journey takes place in the southward direction from Jaffna via Mullaitivu. You will encounter a lot of war-ravaged areas along the way. If you happen to travel to Mullaitivu and Pudikudiruppu, you will be able to see vastly devastated areas, towards the end of the war, there are a large number of buildings and trees with scars of bullets of gunfire or shelling. The infrastructure is in minimalistic condition in the area.

Nilaweli is one of the best beaches in Sri Lanka for a beach holiday, therefore we suggest 2 nights stay in Nilaweli during this Sri Lanka 7day tour. It will be evening or late evening when you arrive at the hotel in Nilavei, but don’t worry there is one more day for you to relax on the pristine beaches of Nilaveli.

Day 4. leisure in Nilaveli

If you do not wish to a standstill all day long, there are many activities here to keep you busy such as diving, snorkelling, whale watching etc. even you can make a half-day sightseeing tour to explore some of the important attractions in Trincomalee. important places to visit in Trincomalee are;

• Hotwells Kinniya- hot wells are located in a remote area in Kinniya, there are several natural pools with waters of varying temperatures
• Lovers leap
• Gokanna Buddhist temple
• Fort Fredric
• Koneswaram Hindu temple – all these places are located in the city of Trincomalee and can be explored while based in Nilaveli or Trincomalee.

Day 5. Nilaveli-Arugam Bay

On the fifth day of Sri Lanka 7 day tour, the journey takes place along the beautiful beaches of the east coast of Sri Lanka. You will encounter several popular beach holiday destinations such as Kalkudah and Pasikudah along the way. You can plan your overnight stay for the day at any of these places. All are nice beaches with the best weather for beach holidays, in fact, this is the best time to travel to the east coast of Sri Lanka.

The travellers encounter a large number of foreign as well as local travellers on these beaches because these are the best beaches for your beach holiday in the month of August. The warm, sunny beaches and sea off Arugambe are calm and clear like a swimming pool, wide sandy beaches in Arugambe are also another reason, why so many travellers head to Argambe over and over again

Day 6. Arugam Bay – Kandy

It is time to head to Colombo after exploring northern and eastern Sri Lanka. The journey takes place inland to Kandy, and therefore you will be able to explore some of the most sought-after tourist attractions on the island such as the tooth relic temple, Pinnawala elephant orphanage and Peradeniya botanical garden. In order to explore the UNESCO world heritage site of Kandy, it is best to plan an overnight stay in Kandy.

The drive from Arugambe to Kandy takes around 6 hours, hence you can allocate only a few hours for the sightseeing in Kandy. Usually, most travellers visit the tooth relic temple in the late evening during the ceremony in the temple and therefore you can include Kandyan cultural show and the tooth relic temple in the itinerary today.

Day 7. Kandy-Colombo

On the last day of Sri Lanka 7 days itinerary, the journey continues in the westward direction from Kandy via Kegalle. The journey will take around 3 hours without sightseeing.

Visiting Pinnawala on Sri Lanka 7 days tour

There are several important places that you can’t miss along the way such as the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, Royal botanical garden Peradeniya, tea factory and tea garden. With visits to all these places, the journey might take between 6-7 hours to reach Colombo from Kandy, but it largely depends, on how much time you spend at each site.

What do we need to have on Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days tour?

Mosquito nets for kids, because only the main beds are provided with mosquito nets in the hotel and the supplement beds are not provided with mosquito nets, it is best to carry mosquito nets for kids.

The restrooms you may encounter may not have the best hygienic conditions. Still, the number of travellers going to these areas is very low and owners are not spending much to upgrade their properties. It is best to carry soap, tissues, toilet paper, and hand sanitisers.

Take suitable sunscreen in order to avoid sunburns, in the month of August the weather in the east and north Sri Lanka is warm and sunny, there is a high chance of occurring sunburns if you expose the skin to direct sunlight.

Sri Lanka’s weather in August is dry but it is highly advisable to apply some mosquito repellent in order to avoid mosquito bites.

Accommodation for your Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days itinerary

There is plenty of possibilities for accommodation in all the places mentioned above (Jaffna, Trincomalee, Arugambe, Kandy). Kandy will be the best station with the most possibilities for accommodation facilities. Possibilities are endless, here you get extremely luxurious boutique hotels to very cheap dormitory-type of accommodations.

Even though there are not as many options as in Kandy, you can find a nice place to stay, without much trouble in all other places too. But since this is the main holiday season on the east coast and Sri Lanka weather on the east coast is very suitable for holidays, it is advisable to book your hotels in advance in order to make sure you get the best rate for your accommodation and you get a nice place to stay. 

Cost of accommodation in the month of July and August

The accommodation cost rises in the east and northern parts of Sri Lanka in the month of July and August due to the high demand. The rates of accommodation normalize again once the high demand is over in August.

The accommodation cost in Kandy also rises in the months of August and July. Some hotels impose a supplement charge during the Kandy Esala ceremony and it is around USD 50 per room per day. The cost of the supplement is directly attributed to the annual Kandy Esala ceremony that draws more than 500000 visitors to the city. During the 10 days of the Esala ceremony, the customers are compelled to pay the room supplement charges.

How do I book accommodation for my Sri Lanka 7-day tour?

You might be also looking for the best way to book hotels for your Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days itinerary. There are many options for it. But the best option is to book rooms with a local tour operator. Because the local tour operators get a specially discounted rate from hotels, which is not published on the internet (They are not allowed to publish it on the internet). Tour operators pass the discount to the travellers in order to be competitive against foreign tour operators and online booking portals.

Sri Lanka weather in August -west, southern coast

If you plan a Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days itinerary in the month of august and like to have a fun-filled time on the beach, my advice is to avoid the southern coast. August is not a good month to travel to the south coast due to heavy rain and monsoon.

Sri Lanka’s weather in August is normally dry and sunny in most parts of the country. Therefore Sri Lanka’s weather in August is very suitable for travelling around the country. Even though there is a reduction of rainfall over the west and southern coast of Sri Lanka, the sea remains rough and not suitable for sea bath in many parts of the west and southern Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka weather in August is good for the 7 days tour

August has very favourable weather for a Sri Lanka 6 nights 7 days itinerary, especially the places that you travel to on this trip. This Sri Lanka 6 night 7 days itinerary revolves mainly around northern and eastern Sri Lanka, In the northern and eastern parts of the island,  most places on the North and East coast of Sri Lanka is dry and sunny while the sea is also very calm and clear making it suitable for beach holiday activities.

Here you get top-rated diving and snorkelling sites such as Nilaveli marine sanctuary, Arugambe, and Kalkudah. If you happen to travel to the east coast in the month of August don’t forget to make a whale watching trip, this is the best time to do a whale watching trip on the east coast.

Why you should book a Sri Lanka itinerary for 7 days with Seerendipity tours