The trip to Sri Lanka followed by the dhoni cruise in the Maldives was absolutely amazing. So many different experiences and so much variety. I absolutely loved all of it, from temples and elephants to swimming with sharks. The 2 different tour leaders on the 2 parts of the tour were both excellent as were their support staff. They went out of their way to give us a fantastic experience.
Looking back at our photos now we've returned to the UK we can't believe the amount we saw and the amazing experiences we had on this tour. Sri Lanka is an amazing beautiful country with some much going on - we only scratched the surface. Our tour leader Cham worked so hard to make sure that we had everything we needed, resolving our problems and sorting out food for our fussy son! His knowledge about Sri Lankan history and wildlife was immense. He even found the best place to buy genuine Sri Lanka cricket shirts for the sporty members of our group. The only thing we'd change was the pace of the second half of the Sri Lanka leg of the trip. The first half gave us time to chill and bond as a group, as well as hang out in the pool at Giritale and play cricket. The second half we moved every night and covered a massive distance, though interesting, this was quite tiring (especially for the kids), so we'd suggest that a two night stop in the middle of this element would resolve this issue easily. This was clear in the notes, however, as was the high chance of not getting the train. The pace did slow considerably for the Maldives element, with a lot of time on our boats travelling between reefs. The snorkelling was quite frankly mind-blowing, and even the more nervous swimmers loved it. The crew were fantastic, and the food was delicious. The guide knew his stuff, and made sure we had great snorkelling experiences. Our only criticism of this part of the trip was that splitting the group when we'd got to know each other and were getting on really well was disappointing. There were larger boats, and we'd have preferred to be on a single boat given how long we spent travelling separately. The crew did what they could to mitigate this by tying the boats together when we moored for snorkels, meals and overnight and that was great. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable trip, and with a few very small tweaks it'd be perfect!
BUDGET TOUR: Embark on a 13-day adventure through Sri Lanka, starting in Colombo before visiting the UNESCO-listed Dambulla Cave Temple and climbing the ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Hike the Knuckles Mountain Range, opt to visit Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth, and enjoy white-water rafting in Kitulgala. Take the scenic train to Ella for hill-country hikes and a Sri Lankan cooking class, then spot wildlife on safari in Udawalawe. Learn tea-making at Handunugoda, surf in Unawatuna, and explore Galle’s UNESCO-listed fort before concluding in Colombo with a traditional blessing ceremony.
GROUP TOUR (FOR AGES 18 - 49): Embark on this 12-day tour of Sri Lanka, beginning with a tuk-tuk tour of Negombo’s vibrant fish market before travelling to Sigiriya to explore its iconic rock fortress and experience traditional village life. Continue south to Kandy to visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth, then journey through lush tea plantations to Ella aboard the world’s most scenic train. Hike Little Adam’s Peak, marvel at the Nine Arches Bridge, and enjoy a wildlife safari in Udawalawe National Park. Relax on the idyllic beaches of Hiriketiya and Tallala, surf at Weligama Beach, visit Coconut Tree Hill in Mirissa, and engage in a cultural exchange at a Buddhist Monastery.