Sri Lanka · 1-DAY TOURS

Top 15 1-Day Tours in Sri Lanka

44 tours  ·  ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.8 average  ·  from $22

The 15 best 1-day tours bookable on the island right now, each with its price, its length and who it actually suits. The first one is first for a reason.

From Colombo: Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip with Safari - Dambulla Cave Temple: a quiet start to the cultural day
1-Day Tours, Safari, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

From Colombo: Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip with Safari

1.Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip with Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 842 reviews · 14 - 16 hours · from $53Our pick

Review of the Colombo to Sigiriya and Dambulla day trip, with temple visits, Lion Rock, village experiences, safari options, costs, and practical tips.

“Couldn’t be more glad that I booked this trip and highly recommend it to anyone even if it’s a long trip. We had Chathu as our tour guide and driver for the entire day who was very knowledgeable and humorous. There were 5 people in my group including myself - all from different places - and I felt lucky enough that we all looked out for each other and stuck together as a group when our guide left us to immerse in each activity. All activities were great but I loved climbing Lion Rock and doing the Village Tour where the food was great and nature looked after!”

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Kandy: Nuwara Eliya Day Trip - Asgiriya Stupa and the first cultural stop
1-Day Tours, Kandy Tours, Tour Reviews

Kandy: Nuwara Eliya Day Trip

2.Nuwara Eliya Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 198 reviews · 10 hours · from $27

Review of Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, with tea estates, Ramboda Falls, temples, viewpoints, costs, timing, and practical tips.

“We had a great trip with Danushka. First we went to a temple, and then the herbal spice gardens. We then went to the Jewel museum and the tea factory and gardens. We then headed to a waterfall, went on an optional hike and then had lunch on the edge of a waterfall. The views were incredible. And then we made it to Nuwara Eliya where we had a walk around the park and lake and had the opportunity to ride a boat. Very busy and action packed day! Danuskha was very friendly and made sure we had the best day filled with activities suited to us and our schedule.…”

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Private Day Trip to Sigiriya & Dambulla from Kandy – Aaliya Tours - Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil and the temple detour
1-Day Tours, Kandy Tours, Private, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Day Trip to Sigiriya & Dambulla from Kandy – Aaliya Tours

3.Private Day Trip to Sigiriya & Dambulla from Kandy – Aaliya Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 190 reviews · from $52Top rated

Review of Aaliya Tours’ private Kandy day trip to Sigiriya and Dambulla, with temple visits, flexible stops, costs, timing, and practical tips.

“Our tour guide and driver, Mr Silmy, is super attentive and helpful. The tour was well arranged. The view at the top of Lion Rock was amazing and the ride to the safari was exciting! We were lucky enough to see many elephant herds in a close distance!! Thank you to Aaliya and Mr Silmy.”

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Hikkaduwa/Galle/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle:Day Trip to ELLA - Buduruwagala Temple begins the cultural side
1-Day Tours, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

Hikkaduwa/Galle/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle:Day Trip to ELLA

4.Hikkaduwa/Galle/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle:Day Trip to ELLA

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 171 reviews · 6 - 14 hours · from $60

Explore Ella from Sri Lanka’s south coast with temples, waterfalls, tea, train views, Nine Arch Bridge, hikes, and optional ziplining.

“Chamarindu was an excellent person. He was on time, drove safely and ensured that we are able to experience all that the trip has to offer. The trip was a good decision as we got to see a lot of stuff in a packed day.”

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Private Day Trip to Sigiriya, cave and National park Safari Tour - Sigiriya Lion Rock: the day’s big physical challenge
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, National Parks, Private, Safari, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Private Day Trip to Sigiriya, cave and National park Safari Tour

6.Private Day Trip to Sigiriya, cave and National park Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 143 reviews · from $68

Visit Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Minneriya from Colombo on a private day tour, with hotel pickup, an air-conditioned car, and safari fees extra.

“Fantastic trip taking in three amazing sites, which were all really different experiences. My driver Mohamed was great, lovely to chat to and introduced me to his favourite music. It was a long day from Colombo, 14 hours but so worth it!”

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From Colombo: Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip and Safari - The 6:00 a.m. pickup and the road north
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, Safari, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

From Colombo: Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip and Safari

7.Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip and Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 132 reviews · from $70

Review of Colombo’s Sigiriya and Dambulla day trip, with costs, climb advice, long-drive warnings, guide quality, and safari details.

“The day is really cool, but also really, really long. We started at 545am with a 3 hour drive to the cave temples, which require walking up 249 steps. This isn’t bad, but some of the steps on the way down are just a rocky slope. There is a railiRead more”

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Southern Sri Lanka Sightseeing Day Trip From Colombo & Negombo - Galle Fort: the day’s strongest historic stop
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, Tour Reviews

Southern Sri Lanka Sightseeing Day Trip From Colombo & Negombo

Yala: Private Safari Day Trip with Lunch & Entry Fees - Choosing between the morning and afternoon safari
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, Lunch Experiences, Private, Safari, Tour Reviews, Yala National Park Tours

Yala: Private Safari Day Trip with Lunch & Entry Fees

From Colombo: Kandy, Pinnawala and Tea Factory Full-Day Trip - Breakfast in Ambepussa, then on to Pinnawala
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, Full-Day, Tea Country Tours, Tea Country Tours in Colombo, Tour Reviews

From Colombo: Kandy, Pinnawala and Tea Factory Full-Day Trip

10.Kandy, Pinnawala and Tea Factory Full-Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 99 reviews · 12 hours · from $55

Review of Colombo to Kandy, Pinnawala and tea factory tour, with temple tips, elephant concerns, costs, timing and practical advice.

“I had an incredible day! 🐘✨ First, I went on an amazing elephant ride, which was such a unique and exciting experience, full of excitement and connection with nature. I highly recommend this place! Totally worth it! 🥰 Then, I visited the beautiful city of Candy and explored the stunning Temple of the Tooth—a truly special and peaceful place. Both were unforgettable experiences. Highly recommend! 🥰”

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Colombo/Negombo: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella 3-Day Trip with Train - Day 1: Dambulla caves and the climb up Sigiriya
1-Day Tours, 3-Day Experiences, Scenic Train Rides, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Colombo/Negombo: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella 3-Day Trip with Train

11.Colombo/Negombo: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella 3-Day Trip with Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 93 reviews · 3 days · from $250

Review of Sri Lanka’s 3-day Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Udawalawe tour, with train views, temples, hikes, costs, tips and honest advice.

“It was a great way to discover Sri Lanka. I can't wait to go back! Our guide Chatu took lots care to make sure we had a great experience and took time to explain some of the history and anecdotes as we went along.”

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Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave All Inclusive Private Day Trip - Lunch after the climb
1-Day Tours, All-Inclusive Private Tours, Colombo Tours, Private, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave All Inclusive Private Day Trip

12.Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Cave All Inclusive Private Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 80 reviews · from $55

Review of a private Sigiriya and Dambulla day trip from Colombo, with transport, lunch, temple visits, climbing advice, costs, and honest drawbacks.

“An early start for this trip but it was worth it as it is quite a long drive. Demitha our drive was very good an he looked after us very well. Unfortunately the weather was very bad and we got soaked walking up Sigiriya but you can't di anything about the weather! We had a loRead more”

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Galle/Weligama/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle: Day Trip to Ella - Buduruwagala gives the morning a quiet start
1-Day Tours, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

Galle/Weligama/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle: Day Trip to Ella

13.Galle/Weligama/Mirissa/Hiriketiya/Tangalle: Day Trip to Ella

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 77 reviews · 12 hours · from $57

Review of Sri Lanka’s Ella day trip from Galle, Weligama, Mirissa, Hiriketiya or Tangalle, with tea, trains, hikes and ziplining.

“I had an amazing experience in Ella. Tush, the driver was awesome, he was the best part of the trip. Even though I was by myself, it felt like I was with an old friend. Tush showed me awesome places in the highlands and introduced me to the Sri Lankan culture. One of the best days in my trip to Sri Lanka.”

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From Galle/Hikkaduwa/Mirissa: Day Trip to Experience Ella - Buduruwagala’s quiet stone figures
1-Day Tours, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

From Galle/Hikkaduwa/Mirissa: Day Trip to Experience Ella

14.From Galle/Hikkaduwa/Mirissa: Day Trip to Experience Ella

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 75 reviews · 14 hours · from $57

Experience Ella from Sri Lanka’s south coast with waterfalls, tea country, a train ride, Nine Arch Bridge, zipline, and Little Adam’s Peak.

“Great tour! If you want to explore Ella in one day, this is the tour for you and Shane the ideal guide. The program is packed, but not stressful at all. I had plenty of time for everything at each location and learned a lot about the country and its culture. My highlight was definitely the train ride! Shane was very friendly and helpful. The tour was well organized, and I have no complaints at all.”

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Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Cave Temples Day Trip - The spice garden stop is pleasant, but not essential
1-Day Tours, Colombo Tours, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Cave Temples Day Trip

15.Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Cave Temples Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 73 reviews · from $55

Review of a private Colombo to Sigiriya and Dambulla day trip with Pidurangala, village stops, lunch, transport, costs, and practical tips.

“fake visits, and fake safari's arranged as against genuine. At the end was trying to avoid the best programme of climbing mount sigiriya and was forcing to take up forest safari for earning dubiously”

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New in 1-Day Tours

★ 5.0An ultimate day trip to Sigiriya rock fortressFrom $851 reviews
★ 5.0All Inclusive 3 in 1 pass-Day Trip to Sigiriya Galle KandyFrom $1802 reviews
★ 3.41-Day Tour of Both Yala and Udawalawe National ParksFrom $1184 reviews
★ 5.0Ambuluwawa Tower & Tea Factory,Kandy Day TripFrom $699 reviews
★ 4.4Adventure day trip to explore Ella by tuk tukFrom $327 reviews
★ 4.9Galle Day Trip – River Safari, Sea Turtle & Stilt FishermenFrom $8016 reviews
★ 4.8Kelani River White Water Rafting Day TripFrom $1745 reviews
★ 5.0Kandy to Nuwara Eliya Day Trip – Little England & Tea CountryFrom $3024 reviews
★ 5.0Sigiriya & Dambulla Private Day Trip with Entry Fees & LunchFrom $13024 reviews
★ 4.5Exclusive: Southern Sri Lanka Sightseeing Private Day TripFrom $8524 reviews
★ 5.0From Colombo to Galle Fort and Jungle Beach Day TripFrom $7026 reviews
★ 4.5From Colombo to Galle Fort and Unawatuna Beach Day TripFrom $4827 reviews
★ 4.5VALUE PACK! One Day Safari Tour to Yala and Udawalawa ParksFrom $10028 reviews
★ 5.0Udawalawe Safari Day Trip with Return Transport – All InclusiveFrom $18032 reviews
★ 4.6Sigiriya and Dambulla Day Trip and SafariFrom $7532 reviews

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Explore Sri Lanka

Every kind of day out on the island, and the best of each.

Wildlife

Yala SafarisUdawalawe SafarisMinneriya SafarisWilpattu SafarisElephant Tours

On the water

Whale WatchingSnorkelingRiver SafarisTurtle HatcheriesRafting at Kitulgala

Hills & tea

Tea EstatesTrain JourneysHighland TreksWalks & ClimbsCycling Days

Towns & ruins

Galle FortRuins & RelicsTuk-Tuk ToursCooking ClassesCity Tours