Sri Lanka Tours

Whilst Sri Lanka is a great location for a relaxing and rewarding beach vacation it is difficult to justify going all that way and not seeing more of the island. Even though the island is small most of the sights are a good day's trip away form the coastal areas and therefore you need to stay overnight whilst visiting the interior.

More comfortable and more reliable is to book a driver to take you around in an air-conditioned vehicle. All our drivers are experienced guides with good English and incredible knowledge - many people remark that a highlight of the trip is a chance to get to know a local and they'll usually talk for hours about anything from education to Buddhism to Sri Lankan wildlife. They will take you on a customised itinerary which we will plan in advance although there is always room for flexibility once you arrive.

Three Day Tour

The shortest trip we'd recommend is a 3 night tour. It is best to do this at the beginning or end of your stay starting or ending at the airport. Three days would allow you to go up to the Cultural Triangle and visit the amazing Rock Fortress of Sigiriya and the ancient ruined city of Polonnaruwa and the Dambulla Caves .

You would stay at a hotel in the area and either on your way there or back we'd recommend a visit to the famous Pinnewala Elephant orphanage. It is a bit touristy but there is still something very magical about perching on a rock by the river bank watching the elephants bathe and play in the water beside you.

Four nights or more

For longer tours there are a number of options and you'll need to stay overnight in different locations in addition to the Cultural Triangle. The next logical point is Kandy , the last Capital city of Sri Lanka before colonial rule. This is a bustling hill city with the highlight being the ancient Temple of the Tooth. The Peredeniya Botanical Gardens, just outside Kandy are also worth a visit not missing the huge Javan Fig tree covering almost half an acre on its own.

From here you can head back down to the coast or continue inland to Nuwara Eliya a hill post that grew up around the tea industry and still echoes the colonial past of Sri Lanka . As well as visiting the tea plantation there is a worthwhile walk out to the 3,000 foot cliffs of World's End.

After Nuwara Eliya you can return back the way you came or head down to the south coast past beautiful waterfalls and through winding passes. This brings you to the Yala game reserve where you can spend an additional night taking evening and morning game drives (seeing elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, buffalo and, hopefully, leopards). From Yala you can drive back up to the south west coast.

Accommodation

Whilst travelling, it is important that you stay in comfortable accommodation and we have picked a selection of hotels and boutique guesthouses including the Kandalama eco Hotel, The Tea Factory and a number of smaller more intimate places to stay. Let us know the type of accommodation you'd like and we'll make the appropriate recommendations.