Sri Lanka itinerary with kids

Hi, We’re planning a trip to Sri Lanka with our kids in July (ages 5 and 9). Could I get your thoughts on this itinerary?

D0. Arrival in Sri Lanka at 10 PM, hotel nearby (we’re coming from a stopover in Dubai) D1. Depart for Galle, visit Galle in the afternoon. Overnight in Galle D2. Depart for Tangalle, beach time, then drive to Udawalawa. Overnight in Udawalawa D3. Udawalawa NP, then drive to Ella. Overnight in Ella D4. Ella. Overnight in Ella D5. Drive to Kandy. Visit Kandy. Overnight in Kandy D6. Explore Kandy, then drive to Polonnaruwa. Overnight in Polonnaruwa D7. Polonnaruwa. Overnight in Polonnaruwa D8. Minneriya NP, then Sigiriya. Overnight in Polonnaruwa D9. Drive to Trincomalee. Beach time. Overnight in Trincomalee D10. Whale-watching excursion, Pigeon Island. Overnight in Trincomalee D11. Drive to Anuradhapura. Sightseeing. Overnight in Anuradhapura D12. Wilpattu NP D13. Return to the airport. Flight at 5 PM

I’ll admit the last few days feel a bit rushed. We’d be traveling by car with a driver.

Thanks so much for your help! Bruno

Hi,

Honestly, I think your itinerary is quite packed, especially with kids. Here’s the route I’d recommend for summer --> Sri Lanka itinerary in summer

In my opinion, you can skip Anuradhapura (even though I love this place), which will give you more time at the beach.

I also don’t understand the choice to stay in Polonnaruwa... Aside from the archaeological site, there’s not much to do, and accommodations are pricier in that area. I’d recommend staying in Sigiriya. The village is nicer, there are plenty of restaurants, and the vibe is more pleasant.

Happy planning, and don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything!

Fabien

Thanks Fabien for the reply; indeed, the choice of Anuradhapura was for the national park.... Regarding the distances, I relied on Google, but maybe it’s underestimated (airport - Galle - 2h20?) Thanks for your blog, I’d already spotted it ;-) Bruno

Happy to help! 😉

I really love Wilpattu National Park, but it takes quite a bit of driving to get into the park, and there aren’t many elephants. Even though I’m not a huge fan of the Cultural Triangle parks, I’d recommend one of those instead (Minneriya, Hurulu, or Kaudulla).

For travel times, I’d definitely suggest adding at least 30 minutes extra...

Thanks 😉 I had another question about getting around—I’d contacted the drivers on your site, the French-speaking ones, but none were available anymore... (Plus, we were really looking for a driver rather than a guide.) Is it possible to get around by Uber, for example? Or is it better to negotiate transport with the accommodations? With Uber, I’m worried we won’t be able to make a photo stop or even just a quick bathroom break with the kids...

Both options are possible. You just need to agree in advance with the driver. If you stop for a bathroom break or to buy a snack, get him a little something. If it's a 20/30-minute photo stop, let him know ahead of time and tell him the waiting time will be paid.

At the end, I always add an extra tip. The rates charged by PickMe (the local Uber) are really low, so it's better to do it this way.

Organizing transfers through accommodations is smoother, but they take a commission, so the rates are a bit higher.

It's up to you, but for some transfers, the second option will be unavoidable since there's no PickMe.

Thanks for the details! 🙂

Hi there, I’m jumping in on the first comment! Your itinerary looks quite packed. We did almost the same route in 3 weeks (17 days on the ground) with our 3- and 10-year-olds—skipping Trincomalee—by often staying 2 nights in the same place. But we were traveling backpacker-style with buses and trains, so it naturally took longer!

Are your kids used to traveling? For us, we now prefer seeing fewer places to really enjoy them, meet locals, and adjust our route if we’re invited to someone’s home! The kids also like having downtime at the end of the day and being able to revisit a town the next morning, etc.

For our trip (journal here), we also visited Wilpattu NP to avoid the overcrowded parks (in February), but we didn’t see any cheetahs or elephants (though we’d spotted some in the wild nearby!). We stayed at a safari camp—it was really great—and did a safari in the evening and the next morning... A wonderful memory, even if the youngest fell asleep during part of the safari 😉

Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any other questions

thanks for sharing your experience! :-)

Hi Bruno 😊 Thanks for your message and congrats on this wonderful family project! Your itinerary is indeed very packed, but maybe a bit too intense for 5- and 9-year-olds, especially with so many trips almost every day. The last few days could end up being tiring for everyone, and you might have less time to fully enjoy the places. I’d recommend contacting a local agency like Shanti Travel. Their French-speaking team knows Sri Lanka really well and can suggest a more balanced trip, better suited to your kids, with the right stops, a gentler pace, and unforgettable family experiences 🐾🌴 Here’s their website: 👉 https://www.shantitravel.com/fr/voyage-sri-lanka They’re really attentive and will adjust the program to fit your wishes, pace, and expectations! Wishing you and your family a fantastic trip ✨ Don’t hesitate if you have any other questions!