Private aviation · Sri Lanka
Helicopter transfers,
the ultimate time-saver.
A 45-minute helicopter hop turns a two-day drive from the south coast to Sigiriya into a scenic morning. Operators, routes and honest 2026 pricing.
Direct from LHR
~10h 45m non-stop
Time difference
GMT + 5h 30m
Visa
ETA online · ~£40
Pricing
Quoted in £ GBP
Plan from your country
Why fly instead of drive
Sri Lanka is small on the map — 65,000 sq km, the size of Ireland — but the road network is slow. Galle to Yala is four hours; Yala to Sigiriya is a full nine-hour day. On a two-week luxury journey those transfer days eat six per cent of your holiday.
Helicopters compress them. A single 55-minute flight from Yala to the south coast, or 45 minutes from the coast to Sigiriya, gives you an extra day and a spectacular view of the interior — tea estates, ancient tanks, jungle canopy.
Routes we book most
Colombo (BIA) → Koggala. 30 minutes. £2,200 per aircraft. Skips the Southern Expressway on arrival day.
Colombo → Sigiriya. 45 minutes. £3,200 per aircraft. Removes the four-hour road transfer to the cultural triangle.
Yala → Koggala or Yala → Colombo. 55 minutes. £4,000–£4,500 per aircraft. The single most valuable hop on any two-week itinerary.
Colombo → Trincomalee / Passikudah. 75 minutes. £5,000 per aircraft. The only sensible way to reach the east coast without losing a day.
How helicopters fit into an ultra-luxury journey
On the fourteen-night ultra-luxury route (Amangalla, Ceylon Tea Trails, Yala, Cape Weligama), we use two helicopter hops — Yala to Koggala after the safari camp, and Cape Weligama to Colombo on the return. Total flight time under two hours; time saved, effectively two full days back at the beach.
See the master ultra-luxury Sri Lanka holidays page for the full itinerary, and our private villas and private-island guides.
Plan with us
A senior planner will reply within 24 hours.
Personalised itinerary, indicative pricing in £, no obligation.
Begin your bespoke journeyCompare at a glance
Which Sri Lankan destination is right for you?
The short answer: pair one cultural stop, one hill-country stop and one coast. This table compares what each place is best for, when to go, how long to stay and how far it is from Colombo.
Cultural Triangle
- Best for
- First-timers, history, the iconic rock climb
- Best months
- Jan–Sep (driest Feb–Aug)
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car · 30 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Habarana safaris
Central Highlands
- Best for
- Culture, temple ritual, a soft landing before the hills
- Best months
- Jan–Apr, Jul–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 3–3.5 hrs by car · 2.5 hrs by train
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya
Tea Country
- Best for
- Tea bungalows, cool air, Horton Plains
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Ella
Hill Country
- Best for
- The train ride, walks, relaxed hill romance
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 6 hrs by car · 45 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Nuwara Eliya, Yala
South-east
- Best for
- Leopards and private dawn game drives
- Best months
- Feb–Jul
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights (4 drives)
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Ella, Tangalle
South
- Best for
- Guaranteed elephants, families with children
- Best months
- Year-round
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Yala, the south coast
South-west Coast
- Best for
- Colonial fort, boutiques, villa living
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 1.5 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Mirissa, Ahangama
South Coast
- Best for
- Blue whales, easy beach days
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (whales)
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 2 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Galle, Tangalle
Far South Coast
- Best for
- Privacy, staffed villas, uncrowded sand
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 3–5 nights
- From Colombo
- 3 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Yala, Galle
East Coast
- Best for
- Summer beaches when the south-west is wet
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- From Colombo
- 5.5 hrs by car · 1 hr by seaplane
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Pasikuda
Design your Sri Lanka journey
Name, email and a line about your trip is all we need — a senior planner replies within 24 hours.
Answers
Common questions
Are private helicopter transfers available in Sri Lanka?+
Yes. Cinnamon Air, Simplifly and Deccan Aviation operate private helicopters (Bell 407, AW109, Squirrel) between Colombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Yala, Koggala and Trincomalee. Flights are 30–75 minutes depending on route.
How much does a helicopter transfer cost in Sri Lanka?+
For the whole aircraft (up to five passengers, plus limited luggage), reckon £2,200 for a short hop (Colombo–Koggala, 30 min), £3,200 for a medium leg (Colombo–Sigiriya, 45 min), and £4,000–£4,500 for the long southern connection (Yala–Colombo or Yala–Koggala, 55 min).
Which routes are worth flying, and which are better by road?+
Fly the long ones: Yala–south coast, south coast–Sigiriya, Colombo–east coast (Passikudah, Trincomalee). Drive the short scenic ones with a senior chauffeur-guide: Galle–Yala (4 hrs), Sigiriya–Kandy (2.5 hrs), Kandy–Nuwara Eliya (3 hrs on the train, the highlight of the trip).
Can I charter a private jet from London to Colombo?+
Yes. A Bombardier Global 6000 flies London–Colombo direct in about ten hours and costs roughly £280,000 return for the aircraft (12–14 seats). We work with a UK-based broker on this. Most ultra-luxury clients fly commercial business (£4,000–£8,000pp from LHR) and spend the private jet budget on-island — helicopters, villa buyouts, longer stays.
Is helicopter travel safe in Sri Lanka?+
Yes. The three operators we use hold Sri Lanka CAA scheduled and non-scheduled licences, fly twin-engine or single-engine turbine aircraft with recent maintenance records, and stand down on weather without penalty to the guest. Every flight we book carries full passenger insurance.