Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Upscale 4-5 star hotels and lodges. Enjoy high-end service, refined comfort, and premium locations — ideal for travelers seeking extra indulgence.
Amazing 10 days on the Sri Lanka uncovered tour. Special thank you to Hasi for being such a great tour guide throughout and V for the couple of days we spent with him on tour.
Although classed as level 1 adventure you do need to be fit. One day cycled 15kms, another climbed all 1100 steps up Lion Rock. You did not have to do these things but would have missed interesting fun experiences. I travelled with my sister. We are both in our early 70's and managed all the included activities. Enjoyed the age group varying from late teens upward.
Sri Lanka was an amazing country to experience. The Explore itinerary is well thought out to cover a variety of places and experiences, as much as it can be done in a short two weeks time. I loved the Sigiriya climb and the Hortons plains walk the most. And the elephants and their babies, of course.
The accommodation was good. The food was plentiful, and usually not an issue to find something for everyone's taste. There were times when I felt we had been faced with one too many buffet options, when lighter choices would have been more desirable. But I understand that a buffet was usually the most expedient way to accommodate a group of our size.
With 12 people in the group, mostly solo travellers, we had a very good dynamic. People were always included if they so desired, and also had the option to step out of the group bubble and do their own thing.
Hector, our driver, was a joy to be around, always attentive, safe, and going out of his way to make sure we were all taken care of, always with a smile. Thank you Hector!
And not the least, Nala, our tour leader, was the secret ingredient that made it all even better. Always with a big smile and a big heart, assessing everyone's needs and desires and trying to accommodate everyone, Nala was a treasure trove of information about Sri Lanka. Thank you Nala for sharing your love and passion for your country with us.
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!
A real insight into Sri Lanka’s culture and heritage together with its diverse landscape. The guides wonderful positivity and knowledge really enhanced the trip experience.
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Tent
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Puerto Río Tra
Colombo, Negombo, Puerto Río Tranquilo, Bentota, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains National Park, Ella, Yala National Park
Say Ayubowan to South Asia's gem, Sri Lanka. This adventure is going to take you all over – from national parks to beaches to ancient fortresses and temples, we’ve squeezed in all the highlights & a few lesser-known secrets to create the perfect 11-day trip. With hand-picked inclusions and extra free time add-ons, this trip delivers the best Sri Lanka has to offer.
