Five Days in Sri Lanka from India

What is the best 5-day Sri Lanka itinerary from India? (Checked 11 October 2026)

Fly into Colombo, spend two nights in Kandy and two in Nuwara Eliya, then fly home. The route gives you the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, tea country and two Ramayana trail temples listed by Sri Lanka Tourism, without a long drive every day. Indians need a Sri Lankan ETA, but it is free.

What does the day-by-day plan look like?

Day 1. SriLankan Airlines' India routes land at Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), which Sri Lanka Tourism places 35 km north of the city. Go straight to Kandy rather than spending a night in the city.

Day 2. Kandy is the sacred city of the Temple of the Tooth. Check the temple's current ritual and visiting times on the day, and dress for a working shrine.

Day 3. Drive up to Nuwara Eliya. The SLTDA Ramayana brochure places the Ramboda Sri Bhaktha Hanuman Temple at Thawalamtenne, Ramboda, at the 40 km post on the A5 Kandy to Nuwara Eliya road. It was built by the Chinmaya Mission of Sri Lanka, and its Hanuman, carved from granite, is 16 feet tall.

Day 4. The same brochure places the Sita Amman Temple at Seetha Eliya, 3.7 km from Nuwara Eliya, and describes it as part of Asoka Vanam in the Ramayana. The temple now has shrines to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Spend the rest of the day in the tea country around the town.

Day 5. Allow the whole day for the drive back to the airport. Hill roads are slow, and a missed international flight costs more than a lost afternoon.

Sri Lanka Railways suspended all trains between Rambukkana, Peradeniya and Gampola from midnight at the end of 25 October 2026 until further notice, after a landslide near Kadigamuwa, with no restart date given (Newswire, 25 October 2026). That means no Colombo to Kandy train for now, and the reports do not mention the Nanu Oya to Ella section. Go by road, which has the advantage of passing the Ramboda temple. Check our Kandy to Ella train guide for the latest rail status.

How much is the airport taxi to Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in Indian rupees? (Checked 27 October 2026)

Quick answer: On the airport's fixed-fare taxi card, read on 27 October 2026, Kandy is Rs 21,384 and Nuwara Eliya is Rs 34,992. At the Central Bank of Sri Lanka's indicative rate for 27 October 2026, that is about 6,125 and 10,023 Indian rupees. You pay in Sri Lankan rupees, not INR.

The card covers trips that start at the airport, so it does not give a price for the Day 5 drive back from Nuwara Eliya. Ask your hotel or driver for that quote. The card does not say how many passengers or bags the rate covers, or if expressway tolls are included, so ask at the counter. For the road, bus fares and a dated landslide check, see our Colombo airport to Nuwara Eliya guide and Colombo airport to Kandy guide. Landing late? Our Colombo airport to Negombo guide has the Rs 3,780 card rate for a first night near the airport.

Have ten days? Our 10-day itinerary from India adds Anuradhapura, Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa before Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

Which flights go to Sri Lanka from India?

SriLankan Airlines, Sri Lanka's national carrier, lists Colombo flights to and from Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai on its India routes page (checked 11 October 2026). We do not quote fares or flight times, because the airline's prices change daily and we found no official timetable to cite. Search your dates directly with the airline.

Flying from Gujarat? FitsAir has flown non-stop between Ahmedabad and Colombo three times a week since 19 June 2026 (Daily FT, 22 June 2026), and lists the flights on its flight schedule page (checked 25 October 2026). SriLankan Airlines announced in February 2026 that Ahmedabad would be its tenth Indian destination (SriLankan Airlines news; The Hindu, 24 February 2026), but we found no confirmed start date, so we do not list it as a route yet. Days and times change with the season, so confirm them on the airline's booking page before you pay.

Can you go by ferry instead?

Yes, but it lands in the north. The passenger ferry links Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu with Kankesanthurai on the Jaffna peninsula, and it pauses for the north-east monsoon, as in 2025. If you arrive by sea, base the five days in Jaffna, with the Nallur Kandaswamy Temple at the centre, rather than attempting Kandy. The India to Sri Lanka ferry guide has the current sailing days, baggage rules and booking steps.

Do Indians need a visa for Sri Lanka?

Yes, an ETA, and it is free. The official notice on eta.gov.lk says Indian nationals are among 40 nationalities who can get a 30-day tourist ETA free of charge from 25 May 2026, with double entry within the 30 days. Every foreign visitor must still obtain the ETA before arrival. Use only eta.gov.lk; our Sri Lanka ETA guide lists the lookalike sites to avoid.

Can you use Indian rupees in Sri Lanka?

Not for paying in shops or hotels. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka authorised the Indian rupee as a designated foreign currency in August 2022, alongside 15 others such as the US dollar and pound sterling. That status is for banking and trade. The Central Bank says it does not make the Indian rupee legal tender, and that transactions within Sri Lanka are made in Sri Lankan rupees. Plan to exchange money or withdraw LKR.

Do Indians need a passport for Sri Lanka?

Yes. You need a valid Indian passport, even though the ETA is free. The official ETA site lists what every ETA holder must show at the port of entry, as checked on 18 October 2026 (eta.gov.lk, how to apply):

Three more points from the same pages:

• The ETA is linked to the passport. The free scheme notice says Indian nationals holding diplomatic, official, service or ordinary passports are covered (eta.gov.lk). Use the same passport for the ETA, the flight and the trip.
• Timing. An ETA holder must enter Sri Lanka within three months of the ETA being issued. The ETA covers up to 30 days from arrival and can be extended up to six months.
• Help. The ETA site gives a 24/7 call centre on 0094 71 99 67 888 for application status.

For fees for other nationalities, extensions and fake ETA sites, see our Sri Lanka visa guide. This section covers only the passport rules for Indian travellers.

Do Indians pay less at heritage sites?

Yes, at Central Cultural Fund sites. The CCF says SAARC citizens get a 50 per cent discount, with prices quoted in US dollars and paid in rupees at the day's rate. On its price list updated on 14 October 2026, a full Sigiriya ticket is USD 35 and Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are USD 30 each. The list has no separate SAARC column, so confirm the discounted amount at the counter with your passport. The discount covers CCF sites only, not every temple.

Buying this trip as a package from Chennai? See Sri Lanka tour package from Chennai for what to check before paying.

How can you change the route?

• Heritage instead of hills: swap Nuwara Eliya for two nights near Sigiriya, where the SAARC discount applies to CCF tickets such as Sigiriya's.
• A full Ramayana trail: the SLTDA brochure lists close to 25 accessible Ramayana sites and suggests at least nine nights to cover them properly. Five days covers only the hill-country pair.
• Hindu temples beyond the Ramayana: see our Hindu temple circuit.

What should you pack and wear?

The SLTDA brochure says traditional wear, Sri Lankan or Indian, is required at the temples on the Ramayana trail, and that a few temples ask men to remove their shirts. Sri Lanka Tourism also advises modest dress at religious sites and light woollens for the hills. Our what to wear guide has the detail.

Not sure five days is right? The how many days in Sri Lanka guide compares four to fourteen days.

Have more time? Our 10-day Ramayana trail itinerary adds Munneswaram, Koneswaram, Ravana Cave, Kataragama and Rumassala.

Paying with UPI or rupees? Our money and ATMs guide explains UPI at LankaQR shops and why Indian rupee notes are not legal tender here.