How to combine India & Sri Lanka in one trip

Why combine India and Sri Lanka?

India gives you scale and grandeur — the Taj Mahal, Rajasthan's forts, spice-scented cities. Sri Lanka adds a compact, green counterpoint: rock fortresses, tea hills, leopard safaris and beaches, all within a few hours' drive of each other. Together they balance big-hitting culture with slow, scenic relaxation.

How many days do you need?

Allow at least 10–14 days — around 5 days for India's Golden Triangle (Delhi, Agra, Jaipur) and 5–7 for Sri Lanka's cultural triangle, hill country and south coast. Two weeks lets both countries breathe without feeling rushed.

The best route

The natural flow is India first, then Sri Lanka: fly into Delhi, travel the Golden Triangle, then take a direct flight from Delhi (or Mumbai/Chennai) to Colombo. From there, loop up to Sigiriya and Kandy, down through the tea country to a Yala safari, and finish on the southern beaches near Galle before flying home from Colombo.

When to go

The sweet spot for both is roughly December to March — dry and pleasant across India's north and Sri Lanka's west and south coasts. See our best-time-to-visit guide for the full picture.

A sample itinerary

We've laid out a ready-to-tailor route on our India & Sri Lanka itinerary page — 12 days, fully private, adjustable to your dates and pace.