Colombo Tours in Spring

Wow! I love being an explorer. When on tour, with Explore, I feel I'm part of the landscape, intermingled with the culture and mixing authenticly with the indigenous people. This whistle stop tour was made even better by a planned itinerary that wasn't rigerously imposed but gently revealed and a guide that new her country. We were specially taken to the wonders of Sri Lanka with a informed hand that kept in giving throughout the trip. I enjoyed the way the delights of Sri Lanka were revealed in the moment and the surprise you have when opening a present. What a gift!

The itinerary offered a perfect mix of adventure, culture, and comfort. Every day brought something new — from wildlife safaris and scenic nature walks to temple visits and authentic local experiences — all complemented by stays in beautiful premium hotels, which provided the perfect place to relax and recharge. One of the standout highlights was the food — every meal was bursting with flavour, and the cooking class in Ella was one of my favourite experiences. We made eight delicious curries with a local family — such a fun and memorable way to connect with the culture! Sri Lanka is an absolute must!

This was a really comprehensive tour of Sri Lanka covering many of the must-see sights. Our guide, George was knowledgeable, organised and helpful, with a good sense of humour and our driver (Hector) was always welcoming and patient with the photographers among us. The programme is very full and involves a lot of time in the coach and on some occasions not enough time to just experience the place. However, unlike recent reviews, our accommodation was great and the locations well chosen. Although there were sometimes western alternatives, be prepared for a lot of Sri Lankan curries at lunch and dinner. While the trip requires only moderate stamina overall, the optional Adam’s Peak ascent is definitely not for the faint-hearted or those with weak knees!

The tour was fantastic. The itinerary fast paced and varied and Ish, our guide was a source of much information and insight. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, the people warm and friendly and food divine. I would recommend it to anyone.

Some of the accommodation was poor, with hygiene issues and broken furniture and equipment. Sadly this fell below the usual standard I have previously had with Explore. The itinerary was good but had a few days of nothing but temples which we felt could have been spread out. The guide was less helpful than other guides I have had. She didn't communicate with the group very well, often leaving information until the night before when it was late to prepare. She could be a bit snappy if you asked her to repeat information. We also had two people in the group who had informed Explore that they had dietary requirements. ( Gluten free and dairy free) None of the hotels were prepared for this which I felt should have been the job of the guide to prepare in advance . She was , at times dismissive of their dietary needs.

If you want to make the most of a fortnight in Sri Lanka this is the tour to go on. We ticked all the boxes that were on my list, on safari we saw elephants, a sloth bear, water buffolo, crocodiles and far more. We visited many temples and old city ruins. We visited Sigiriya or Lions rock, starting off early so we could see the dawn spreading out over the misty landscape. There's plenty of walking, so bring comfortable shoes. The food provided was good - I can't eat chilli and that was catered for. The hotels we stayed in were either basic or comfortable level. All the rooms were clean and the beds comfortable. Sadly, there was little in the way of exciting adventures, NO zip lines/white water rafting/Ambuluwawa Tower. All of which I would have welcomed.