Discover Sri Lanka

Just returned from this trip. It was a brilliant 2 weeks. So varied and enjoyable. The hotels are a great standard with exceptional food choice and a pool at every one. Everyday is something different, lots of opportunities to spot wildlife, learn about the culture and see beautiful scenery. Sri lanka is a wonderful country, you won't regret booking this holiday.

This holiday really delivered beyond our expectations in every respect. The itinerary is packed and varied; culture, wildlife, scenery, exciting activities and enlightening experiences. We climbed Lions Rock; biked alongside rivers, lakes, fields and forest; walked to World End and Horton Plain; explored jungle villages, ancient temples and botanic gardens; rafted across rivers and over rapids; swam in the ocean and gorgeous hotel pools, rode the gloriously scenic train from Pattipola to Ella and even braved tuk tuk rides amidst the mad chaos of The Sri Lankan roads. We jiggled around in jeeps, seeking elephant and leopard and enjoying everything else our excellent guides spotted on two very special safaris. Sounds exhausting doesn’t it but with a very comfortable air conditioned bus to transport us between beautiful hotels in superb situations, and delicious multicultural buffets and wonderful Sri Lankan curries and Lion Beer to reenergise us at the end of each day we were always ready and eager for the next early start. Longer trips were broken up with lovely lunch stops and there were interesting visits to spice gardens, a gem museum, a folk museum and a tea factory. We went from busy towns and hot, humid forests to cooler high country and finished at refreshing beaches, journeying via temples, lakes, paddy fields and the gorgeous contours of tea plantations. We saw traditional dancing and fire eaters in Kandy and had time off to wander the markets and soak up the vibes. There were plenty of spontaneous surprises to add a little extra. We felt safe and welcome, the hospitality was genuine, everyone was so friendly, the children are delightful, and although there is some obvious poverty the people seem happy at heart and very keen to share their love of their country with us visitors. The wildlife in this fabulous country is all around you, flora and fauna in abundance and breathtakingly beautiful.

A relatively undemanding tour, mainly by bus, of most of Sri Lanka's highlights ranging from amazing Buddhist images and the fascinating remains of a former capital to tremendous short hikes, a bike ride, a beautiful seaside hotel, wildlife safaris and visits to rural homes. The hotels were good or excellent and the mainly local food was very good with good non-local alternatives.

This was an amazing trip with such a varied itinerary - trying to remember everything we did at the end of it was quite a challenge. At the same time we didn’t feel over rushed although we were on the go much of the time. The hotels were great with really lovely swimming pools which we made the most of. We were lucky enough to travel with a great group of people who quickly became friends and to have a fantastic team taking us around this beautiful country.

This action-packed cultural trip ticked every box imaginable for me. We saw incredible wildlife including leopards, water buffaloes and caimans on game drives in Yala National Park. We got the chance to taste the famous tea in lush tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya and find out more about the process from leaf to cup. The group also got to see fire-dancing performances in Kandy one evening, which gave us a real insight into the country's fascinating customs and traditions. The hotels on this trip are also incredible - we were lucky enough to have unobstructed views of Sigiriya Rock from Hotel Sigiriya and breathtaking sunset views overlooking the lush islands in Giritale. The last hotel, Hotel Cinnamon Red, also had a brilliant affinity pool - taking in the skyscrappers of Colombo! For the adventurous, this itinerary doesn't disappoint either as you can go on whitewater rafting excursions, rural cycling trips and whale watching (in season). Visits to colourful temples, fresh fruit markets and the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home were other cultural pitstops that gave you a real flavour of what the country was like. Once I arrived home, I wanted to do it all over again. It was an incredible trip with a great group of people that I'll treasure forever.

Just back from this trip, it was our first trip to Sri Lanka and our second trip with Exodus. It was a really great trip, really varied, we saw so much and yet the pace was just perfect. A beautiful country and very friendly and safe.

We enjoyed a wide range of experiences - very much as described in the trip description. Many years ago a friend who cycled through many many countries came back and declared Sri Lanka to be the most beautiful place he had visited. Indeed he was right - the parts of Sri Lanka we visited were really lovely and also very friendly. We would have like more extended opportunities for walking and cycling but there's no doubt we packed in a lot (sometimes I felt we were a little rushed on eg at Lion's Rock). Hotels were of a good standard and generally very friendly. Highly recommend a visit to Sri Lanka whether on this trip or independently.

My first Exodus trip and what a wonderful trip it was. Such a great insight into this wonderful country which has stunning scenery, amazing historical sites, wildlife, interesting fauna and flora, beautiful beaches and above all very friendly people who are desperate for tourists to return. As a single female traveller I always felt safe, and never felt hassled or threatened when having free time on my own. The tour gives you a real mixture of scenery, temples, wildlife, activities, interaction with some local families, free time, beach days - although we covered about 1500 km in 2 weeks it never felt like we were in the bus too much - and there was so much to view outside. A couple of long days were nicely broken up with different activities. Several of the hotels had stunning views and nice swimming pools - perfect for an early morning or late afternoon swim. All in all a fabulous trip!

Amazing places, scenery, people and activities

This was a great overview of Sri Lanka showing what the country has to offer on culture, landscapes and wildlife. Hotels were generally of a good standard and some had spectacular views. There were some long days involved but these were broken with stops and lunches.

A beautiful country with contrasting scenery from white sand beaches to green tea plantations and jungle and plains. The tour was a great mix of history and temples with wildlife and scenery. Welcoming, hospitably people with a rich and diverse culture A range of hotels from satisfactory to good, expect buffet meals with some a la carte, but be prepared to wait.

What a brilliant trip, the itinerary is well put together, the first week we were doing towns and temples, and the second week was a bit more relaxed in scenery and nature. I was very impressed with all of the hotels used, most had swimming pools and all the rooms were modern and spacious . The last one in Colombo with a roof top bar !

Had a brilliant time with varied activities, lovely hotels, excellent driver and most importantly one of the best guides I have ever had.

This 15 day trip is described as easy/moderate however it is quite full on with so much packed into the time. Sri Lanka is a diverse and interesting country and we were very lucky to have such a knowledgeable and interesting guide, Roshan who brought not only the presenting experience but the history to life. All eyes and ears on him from everyone when we were discussing the day to come. I would add he had the patience of a Saint and witty and entertaining flow to keep us all engaged. The variety of walking, wildlife, history, belief systems, culture, flora, fauna, whale watching and even cycling which I sucked at gave perspective .so lovely to mix with local families on occasion and have such a variety of places and settings with something amazing around each corner. Our driver was remarkable, treating any road challenge like a confident puzzler and kept us safe in some interesting situations.for me the natural beauty of Sri Lanka left me in awe with such a variety of landscapes to explore. There were a couple of very early starts but totally reasonable to catch the hidden gems and avoid the worst of the heat. Dont underestimate the humidity. Hotels were all well placed for what we were visiting each day though if you like to shop or visit a village or town every day that's not an option. There are days where the shoppers can get their fix along the way. Alot of food is buffet style but with great variety and always fresh fruit. Wonderful tea but no real milk to go with it, not alot of dairy produce at all and powdered creamer offered instead. Lovely to have a swimming pool or ocean opportunity to swim and chill out on the days with more free time or after a long day. All the hotels were of a reasonable standard, some more quirky than others but not your generic corporate cloned/squeeze everyone into soul less spaces , mostly fitting the environment they were in. Be prepared to take a variety of clothing, flip flops to walking shoes, vest tops to sweat shirts,shorts to walking trousers. I used my umbrella once. Options to get laundry done along the way. Read the brochure carefully so you know your likely daily spend and added trip costs. Roshan kindly worked costings out in local currency, dollars and sterling which helped on days away from atms.

I loved this trip, a beautiful Country, very friendly people, a great leader and another wonderful Group of people to share it with. One of my best Exodus trips.

The Discover Sri Lanka trip was a wonderful combination of culture, activities and rest.

This was a good way to see all Sri Lanka has to offer.

Trip was very diverse with a great bunch of travelling companions. So much to see and do with sufficient amount of downtime. Standard of accommodation exceeded our expectations and the transport (coach) supplied was comfortable with plenty of room for everyone.

This trip covered so many different experiences, every day was a delight. Our group were the best travelling companions you could possibly hope for and were a pleasure to be with. The hotels were of a very good standard.

A great tour around Sri Lanka seeing beautiful scenery, animals, temples and local people

Excellent tour leader, varied and interesting itinerary, excellent organisation and accommodation.

This is an excellent trip around Sri Lanka, combining activities (rafting, hiking, cycling), culture (temple visits, tea and cinnamon farms) and nature (safaris, whale watching), with a generous amount of pool and chill time. The many optional activities allow for doing as much or as little as desired, and there is plenty to keep occupied with when down time is available. The included activities gave a fascinating insight into daily life, including the Sri Lankan games (I don't think any of our groups will be winning prizes in those games for a while!). The locals were all so friendly and hospitable, and the hotels exceeded my expectations throughout.

Loved this trip it had a fabulous mix of places to visit and activities. From visiting serene temples to racing down the rapids in a raft everything was well organised and reasonably priced. A wonderful tour guide who attended to everyone’s needs efficiently and with fun, a great group of people and stunning countryside. I would recommend this trip to everyone.

A very varied trip in a green and beautiful land with palm fringed beaches and he warmth of the Indian Ocean. We covered 1600km and seemed to do it all, temples, wildlife safaris, historical ruins, adventure white water rafting, markets, tea plantation, botanical gardens, shopping, culture, beach. Name it and we were there! A comprehensive and very enjoyable itinerary.

We are just home from a fantastic tour of Sri Lanka. Never has an Exodus holiday (this was our eighth tour) been so diverse of culture and wildlife. For example, day one, we were sitting in our hotel which was right beneath Lion Rock (the ancient capital of Sri Lanka) and that afternoon we went on a safari and saw loads of elephants in their natural habitat. Day-after-day, there was something to experience - temples, wildlife, locals, forests, cycling, trekking and even a couple days at one of the world’s top surfing oceans.  Most of the hotels were of an excellent standard with lovely swimming pools. Generally speaking all Sri Lankan staff are very slow and laid-back but after a couple days we felt that this attitude actually helped with the relaxing, chilled atmosphere. Our guide Roshan was highly experienced – he was incredibly diligent, thorough and knowledgeable with exceptional attention to detail – one of the best Exodus guides we’ve met so far.

A great holiday. Lots of variety. Small group. Great guide. Would recommend.

The discover Sri Lanka trip allowed us to see the highlights of the centre and South of the country with a well thought out itinerary. Some days are full on, with early starts and reasonably energetic walks or cycles, the activities are punctuated by two night stops at some hotels, allowing recuperation.

Perhaps the greatest holiday I’ve ever been on. From safaris in beautiful national parks in search of elephants, to visiting fascinating ancient cities, to eating amazing food, all of it was top notch. I really cannot fault the guide (Roshan) at all. He was informative, and taught us all a thing or two about the country, it’s culture, wildlife, etc.

The trip involved truly discovering the wildlife, geography, culture, history, religion and entertainment of Sri Lanka and its people. We saw temples, religious ceremonies, games, wildlife, markets, spice farms, tea plantations and dancing; we tasted some wonderful local food; we heard their amazing morning bird choruses, as well as amazing tales by Roshan, our guide; we travelled by bus, boat, tuktuk, bicycle and train, and stayed in some amazing hotels. Travelling with Exodus and having a local guide made the whole experience easy - everything is organised for you. The balance of activity and rest is really well thought out so it keeps you busy, but with rest breaks to enjoy the sun, the pool or simply explore a little more. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.

A well oiled but flexible trip around central and southern Sri Lanka. Especially enjoyed the rail journey, cycling and meeting the local people. We got to see most of the animal highlights and enjoyed the beach hotel. The additional excursions means that it is a full on tour. Suggest adding on an additional two or three days to wind down.

Firstly just to say how amazing it was to travel long haul again! Every day was a highlight! It was great to use the first day on arrival to chill and get to know the group round the pool of the hotel then the next day we were off on our adventure. The Cave temples were fascinating then we were climbing Lion’s rock, looking for elephants and cycling. Not a dull moment! Lots of interesting UNESCO heritage sites to visit .Even the long drives were punctuated with interesting stops eg Spice garden The Sri Lankan food and hospitality was excellent and there was a good variety of Western food for a change if you wanted it. Loved the fresh pineapple and the bananas. A well balanced trip with culture, nature and activities but enough time to chill by the pool or book a massage in the hotel spa. Loved seeing the tea plantations and getting a really good cuppa on holiday! A holiday full of experiences!

I am so glad I decided to book this tour to Sri Lanka, I had the most amazing holiday! What a beautiful, wonderful, welcoming country this is, I cannot recommend it enough. I usually travel along, but decided to join a group for the first time so I didn't have to organise everything myself, and the trip exceeded expectations.

I was well impressed with Sri Lanka - charming people, friendly and calm perhaps due to the widespread effect of Buddhism. Our well planned route took us inland, through the mountains and round the south coast with expert guide Nalaka, so we got a great overview of the island. Lovely hotels, most with pools, and superb food - buffets with the chance to try everything mixed with home cooking on banana leaves. We had the opportunity to travel in different ways - rafts, bikes, jeeps and trains; we saw wildlife close up, especially elephants of course, crocodiles, monkeys and a wide range of birds; and we explored some incredible historic sites. A very memorable and fun trip with a lovely group.

From tropical beaches, through steaming jungles to Scottish moorlands Sri Lanka has it all. Where else can you grow where they grow pineapples, coconuts and cashew nuts a few miles down the road from tea, potatoes and leeks? Fantastic scenery, great food and wonderful people.

We were a mixed bunch of travellers from mainly the UK, aged from 24 to 76, single and partnered. Roshan was our tour guide - he'd been doing it for over 10 years, so there was a certain repetition in his recommendations. Sometimes we were simply let loose to explore without guidance. We enjoyed his descriptions about social life in Sri Lanka and his take on politics but he was reticent about the current situation and we learned little about his private life. He was very helpful at all times. Some days were full of activity and others were more relaxed. Sigirya was my favourite hotel. We were there over the New Year's holiday so some activities such as the Tea factory visit, were not as illuminating as they would otherwise be. The buffet food was excellent and the hotels left little to complain about. Unfortunately our trip ended on Easter Sunday, when over 250 people were killed in Colombo. Exodus were very good at organising transport to the airport despite the curfew.

A tour to be thoroughly recommended, covering all aspects of Sri Lanka and it’s lovely people. Busy, lots of early starts and some long journeys but so worth it. The trip notes were accurate and we were also able to see sights at their most opportune moments, I.e. climbing Lion Rock before breakfast and before the crowds, Temple of the Tooth while a ceremony with drumming was on, Horton Plains early before the heat and the mists descended. Having lunches cooked by villagers and our guide stopping and buying us bananas, watching curd (yogurt) making and tasting it, eating freshly sliced Jack fruit at the roadside. We enjoyed every minute.

Deservedly one of the top selling trips to a country that prides itself in welcoming visitors. The design of the trip includes much of the green and exciting scenery which highlights the Buddhist nature of the people. The simple act of picking up a caterpillar from the path to avoid killing it, simple but touching. Excellent hotels chosen for their location were another great feature.

This holiday met my expectations and more, It really does live up to its title of ‘Discover Sri Lanka’. The itinerary is comprehensive and varied. In two weeks it looks at the culture and history of this truly beautiful island as well as there being many opportunities to observe its bird and wild life, The hotels on this trip are comfortable and it was good to have a number of stays lasting more than one day. Although I was unable to take part in some of the activities, thiose who did thoroughly enjoyed them. The tour leader was excellent.

Two weeks packed with variety of scenery, wildlife, culture on this beautiful island. The itinerary is well balanced to enable you to experience so many highlights yet still have relaxation time. The hotels, apart from the Orient, were a very high standard and in great locations. I travelled on my own yet always had an enormous double/twin room and felt safe. Our guide Nala and the driving crew were superb, everything was well organised yet flexible enough to allow us to enjoy "local experiences" which added to our fun. You will return from this trip with so many happy memories.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with very friendly people. We experienced so many different things and visited so many places that gave us an insight into life in Sri Lanka. It was very well organised and it would be hard to see as much as we did without such a tour

Very much recommend this trip to people who like a huge variety of experiences on holidays. The trip notes are very accurate and you will travel through, walk through and stay in many different scenic places ranging from small villages, paddy fields, national parks, hill plantations and beach locations. You have opportunities to see and get close to a range of wild animals, bird life and to have contact with local people and their lives during walks and other activities. There are UNESCO world heritage sites and a range of towns to explore. Above all, there are the lovely, smiley Sri Lankan people to meet.

The holiday was an excellent mix of activities - walking, cycling, exploring wildlife and looking at cultural sights. The hotels, with the exception of the Sevonra Garden, were excellent with good service and helpful staff. The food was great across the hotels, again with the exception of the Savonra Garden, with plenty of Sri Lankan dishes to explore. The changes I would make would be to have longer in Galle as it was such an interesting town and we only had a couple of hours there which was not long enough. Also to factor in less time in the woodcarving shop.

This was my first Exodus trip and was booked to celebrate a big birthday and make wonderful memories and I certainly did that! I wasn’t quite sure what to expect as a single traveller but the holiday was fantastic, I needn’t have worried - I was in safe hands with our wonderful guide Ruwan and surrounded by a lovely group of friendly travellers. We did such a lot! Everyday was packed with new experiences from climbing Lion’s Rock to whitewater rafting to watching a snake try to eat a bat!

This was an awesome trip from start to finish. Great way to see a lot of the country, people, wildlife, culture, history whilst taking on board some really fun activities such as white water rafting, walking to World's End at Horton Plains, cycling through villages and paddy fields, looking at amazing views on a train journey seeing elephants, monkeys, boar, deer, crocodiles, many types of birds and even a leopard!

Great holiday with varied activities.

Full of wonderful experiences made even better by our Tour Guide - Sujee. Rice & Curry is delish!

A wonderful 15 day trip which matched/exceeded all our hopes & expectations. It was a very full itinerary but well worth the effort. We have always been independent travellers & this was our first ‘group experience’, one which we thoroughly enjoyed - the mixed group added to enjoyment. The trip was helped by the lovely leader Samith (see our comments below) and having such a stunning island to explore. The history, culture , scenery & diversity of Sri Lanka was well showcased by the structure of the tour.

A couple of friends had been on this trip and recommended it but it so exceeded my expectations. An amazing variety of experiences around a beautiful island with a fabulous guide and a great group of travelling companions.

This was an excellent introduction to Sri Lanka which included a wide range of activities, from visiting Buddhist temples to safari trips in two national parks, white water rafting and cycling in the beautiful Sigirya region. We travelled through contrasting regions and were also given opportunities to meet a number of Sri Lankans who were not involved in the tourist trade and try some authentic Sri Lankan food. The hotels were of a high standard and a number had good quality swimming pools. We were impressed by the diversity of Sri Lanka wildlife- we saw so many different birds, as well as monkeys, water buffalo, crocodiles and lizards as well as the elephants and even (luckily) a leopard! Generally, a varied and well thought out itinerary.

This is a wonderful adventure to a beautiful island. It's busy, with some early starts and long journeys, but so worth it, to see so many Unesco Heritage sites, and many unexpected stopovers outside the comprehensive itinerary.

This tour will take you to the main ‘must see’ places in Sri Lanka. However - if you want to go off the beaten track then this isn’t the trip for you. There is free time where you can explore on your own but obviously limited as to where you can go. The standard of the hotels vary - but mostly are ‘tourist’ class with other tour groups staying. Opportunity to eat locally is limited - pressure from guide to eat the hotel buffet. We ordered off the menu - much cheaper - and more than enough food. Breakfasts varied from very good to poor. Be prepared to see lots of rubbish in the towns and along the side of the road.

This is an enjoyable trip with a good variety of activities. If you have been to India before you will find Sri Lanka surprisingly different. If this is your first trip to the sub-continent it is an excellent introduction. We didn’t climb Adam’s Peak, but the other activities on the trip were all good, including the traditional Sri Lankan games that we had been apprehensive about, but which were great fun. The accommodation was generally good apart from the Giritale Hotel which is undergoing building work and our initial room was unfinished. At Nuwara Eliya the group didn’t stay at the Hill Club, but at the Mirage King’s Cottage, which was very pleasant and a little way out of town with lovely fresh air and gardens. The food on the trip was fine, we particularly liked the midday meal on the cycle ride day. Exodus arranged for the group to refill our water bottles from a large container on the minibus, which worked well and helped minimise plastic waste.

Loved this trip, made extra special by our tour guide, Ruwan, whose thoughtful additions to the standard trip made the whole experience even more memorable. There was a good balance of visits to temples, encounters with local people, walking, information about Sri Lanka, its history and culture and seeing wildlife.

The tour leader Sujee; the driver Madhawa and assistant Kalinda made this 15 day holiday and experience never to be forgotten. I for one will never forgot the moments when the bus would suddenly stop to speak to the ladies picking tea, the farmers drying the sweet corn on a road; visiting the potter and his wife; buying and trying fruit from a young lass who was watching the stall for her father, who wants to go to university; to watching the wild life and views. Listening to Sujee telling us about the country, the people, the wonderful education system, the rural areas, the cities and the religions. Stopping on route to get lunch from a local person or place, simple and lovely. Visiting Temples, walking up to Lions Rock early in the morning going through the water gardens. Going to Hurulu Eco Park, on an Elephant Safari, fabulous well worth paying that little extra. The walks, just brilliant, particularly the Horton Plain, worlds end 6 mile walk, down ravine like paths, waterfalls, views and yes it was warm. It did take me a few minutes to realise I had to pace myself as the air goes get bit thinner at 14,000 feet. The cycle ride along the rivers, seeing people working, stopping off for tea etc; Kandy was lovely and we did get free time to wander and enjoy the sights ourselves including a ride on Tuk Tuk and 'fried' ice cream (wow). Oh and the Spice and Herb Garden with back massages at the end! Up into the highlands of Sri Lanka and the stay at a rather quaint old colonial gentlemans club. Then down the Indian Ocean for a couple of days swimming and relaxation. Finally the food, just fabulous mind you we were catered for and they did dumb down the chilli, beautiful flavours and the Samosa we had in a tiny place in the middle of no where was one I will never forget A highly recommended trip and no I didn't do Adams Peak, I enjoyed my nights sleep instead:)

What a wonderful way to experience the wonders and beauty of Sri Lanka. Days spent visiting cultural sites, wildlife safaris were we got up close to elephant, sadly we didn't see the elusive leopard. Visits to isolated villages were we enjoyed local food cooked and eaten in the Sri Lankan way Cycling through the countryside seeing the local way of life. So many experiences that made sure you never had a dull moment. Plus a guide, Nalaka, who gave us such wonderful insight into the cultural past and the present way of life in Sri Lanka. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the island then this is the trip for you.

A good mix of cultural and historical experiences with a beach holiday thrown in for good measure.

great mix of types of activities. culture, geography, local colour and adventure. some aspects quite physically demanding. needs a couple of extra days to make a bit more relaxed

This trip is very varied and introduces the highlights of Sri Lanka. There was a great mix of culture, nature and adventure.

An absolutely fab holiday. It exceeded all my expectations. Top top top class Sri Lankan tour guide was one of the highlights. Very well paced. Fantastic variety of activities , often x 2 per day, as well as plethora of places to visit .Activities sometimes meant being organized to get up at 6am to climb up a beautiful rock or spent walking three hours to the ‘world’s end’ , to cycling, water river rafting under the bridge built in 1956 for the movie ‘Bridge over the river Kwai, to taking a train journey from a height of nearly 2,000 meters to just under 1,000 M. Whale spotting, beach side hotel to relax in, a long day on Safari seeing everything BUT the elusive Leopard. We had x 3 days in the lovely town of Kandy and saw their splendid Botanic gardens as well as visiting a gem shop to learn about their famous Sapphires from a gemologist - Princess Di’s ring came from here. Interesting diversion to an Aryuvedic herbal clinic where we had an interesting talk from a long qualified herbalist as well as neck, shoulder and face massages,, Got to sample locally made Sri Lanka curries made by a family almost in the middle of the jungle. Also had a meal in one of the houses that Exodus built for people who lost homes in the 2004 Tsunami when 50,000 Sri Lankans perished. I almost forgot - a trip to a tree plantations/factory is also organised and yes, you will definitely wish to bring some home - prices v reasonable! Very comfortable bus to ride on and all 9 hotels, bar 1, were top class. Our tour guide was immensely informative on all aspects of Sri Lankan life, culture, history as well as past and current politics. He was also extremely kind and attentive and looked after each person,s needs, no matter how diverse or demanding!! Yes, a trip I shall have fond memories of for many a year. I highly recommennd it if you relish adventure, activity and good fun.

This was our first Exodus tour and it certainly won’t be our last. We saw so much of the country and had an amazing guide (Sujan) who was passionate about not only his job but more importantly his country. Seeing wild elephants (not only in the national parks) was our highlight of the whole trip. One negative was the gem factory visit, where the staff were quite pushy in gaining a sale. Be warned - you can get the same jewellery in the hotel shop at a much better price.

a great, well organised trip - The hardest thing i needed to do was to wake up on time - everything else was taken care of. Loved the safaris, bird watching, village walks/cycling, train journey, whale watching and more. Hotels were great too.

This two week trip of Sri Lanka covers a lot of ground & various experiences & really gives the traveller a great taste of what this wonderful country has to offer. We had cultural experiences in Dambulla & Sigiryia , saw elephants & leopard on safari ,experienced hiking, biking, white water rafting, tea plantations, cities like Kandy & Galle, colonial experiences in Nuwara Eliyia , super food & the services of Ruwan an exceptional guide.

Great trip. Good balence of culture, wildlife and activities. Our guide Ruwan was fantastic; always smiling and had any problems sorted before they occurred. All hotels were of a high standard and the food was good (although we would have liked to eat at local restaurants) transport was excellent, our coach was clean, comfortable and roomy. We definitely had the best driver in Srilanka. I would highly recommend this trip.

An excellent holiday with a good tour leader, excellent driver and helper and fun holidaymakers.

The discover Sri Lanka trip offers a great mix of learning, seeing and experiencing what Sri Lanka has to offer, mixed ample opportunities to simply relax by the pool trying to decide what mixer to have with your large glass of Arrack

An excellent holiday with so much to see and do.

An excellent holiday with so much to see and do.

A very broad tour of the principal cultural and wildlife sights. Fantastic sights ranging from Buddhist sculptures, tea plantations to leopards and elephants in their natural habitat. Great food, landscapes and experiences.

In 2 weeks we managed to see most of the main sights in Sri Lanka. It was going full tilt mostly staying one or two nights in each place. We really enjoyed all the places that we visited and found them very interesting (apart from the gem museum which was very dull and boring and high pressure sales). The accommodation was more luxurious than we expected, having been on tours with other companies. The nice thing about this was that almost all hotels had pools and very pleasant surroundings. The downside of this was that they were often outside the population centres so that you forced to eat there and had less scope for exploring local towns and villages and using their shops and restaurants. It also therefore added to the expense of the trip. The transport was comfortable (coach) and the driver did a really good job in such adverse and hectic driving conditions.

In 15 days we enjoyed many varied experiences that enabled us to gain new insights into this exciting, challenging place. Our accomodation was mostly very luxurious, the food tasty if somewhat predictable in hotels; eating food prepared and served by locals in villages was enjoyable as was playing some traditional village games. Cycling in the countryside and taking to the water gave us a different perspective again. July was a great time to travel and we saw very little rain ; the temperatures on the west coast were high but the hill country pleasantly cooler - no need for jumpers or coats at all. Although we missed seeing a leopard at Yala N.P. elephants, warthogs, water buffalo, spotted deer, monkeys, crocodiles and many different birds made up for that. We even saw a mongoose.

We had a great holiday and were very well looked after by our tour Guide: Ruwan Balasuriya

It was amazing to discover this beautiful country. The locals, temples, scenery, nature, smells... loved it loved it loved it!!

Amazing trip around Sri Lanka

We had an amazing and enchanting tri to Sri Lanka everything was wonderful. The hotels, the guide, the food and most of all the beautiful scenery.

Smiling people, beautiful scenery, wildlife, culture, history, delicious food and great company; our trip to Sri Lanka ticked so many boxes and we absolutely loved it.

This was a wonderful holiday experience Beautiful lush country Abundant wildelife The locals were very kind and helpful- never felt unsafe Sights and scenes were so varied and the itinerary so diverse each day something new and exciting to experience Cycle on local tracks to sample a village lunch - very tasty Safari - elephants, leopards Whale watching Temples Tea plantation Train journey Sandy beaches The warm Indian Ocean The food/ delicious I could go on... Our tour guide - neelaka - fabulous so knowledgeable and enthusiastic with humour This is a must holiday who loves to explore and sample new cultures and environments Can’t enthuse enough about it Thank you exodus!!

I thought the trip was very well organised and our guide Ruwan was excellent

We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this trip. It was very varied in experiences from Buddhist temples to a taste of the local culture and life of the villagers. The contrast of the busy noisy towns to the tea plantations , national parks & forest areas. The whole experience was made extra special and interesting by our excellent guide' Bob'( his Sri Lankan name is impossible to pronounce), who explained clearly the history, culture & life of Sri Lanka, illustrated by his own personal stories. Hotels were of a good standard and the food & service were on the whole good. The train ride was an experience, expect to stand for 2 hours, though some local women made a small seating space for me and I enjoyed hearing their life stories and they generously wanted to share their snacks with me! Yala national park was very good and we did see a leopard however, the game drive in Kaudulla National park was too crowded with other viewers.

An absolutely wonderful trip. Full of enjoyable activities and varied, excellent and interesting hotels. Would definitely recommend.

A superb trip with so many varied experiences and one which although most of the major sites were visited also included chances to see day to day Sri Lanka and meet the people whose ever smiling personalties are one of the hallmarks of this beautiful country.

A superb trip with so many varied experiences and one which although most of the major sites were visited also included chances to see day to day Sri Lanka and meet the people whose ever smiling personalties are one of the hallmarks of this beautiful country.

We have just returned from our first trip with Exodus and must say we were very impressed with all aspects of the holiday. The administration and trip documentation were top class. The tour leader was brilliant....nothing seemed to faze him and he organised day-to-day activities superbly. The coach driver and his helper were also excellent and the tour coach was first class. The itinerary was comprehensive, with a nice blend of iconic and historical sites, cultural and physical activities, and nicely varied transport and accommodation.

If you want the see some of the main essential sites of Sri Lanka in a week this is the tour for you. It is not too full on compared with some other Exodus trips and you do have time to take in the beauty of some of the wonderful places you see and stay.

This was a wonderful trip, full of colour and variety. We travelled all over the country and saw so many interesting places and had fantastic experiences, but also had time to relax along the way. The tour leaders in Sri Lanka were the winning leader team in the Exodus leader awards in 2016 and I can see why.

What a fantastic trip! Travelled with my new wife on our Honeymoon and although I had high hopes of Sri Lanka the tour went far beyond our expectations. A guided tour of 16 with a real mixture of people we visited many sights and places and overall was a very well balanced trip that comprised of history, culture, tradition and a bit of R&R. The tour allows you to experience the different provinces of Sri Lanka that provides its unique vibe.

A wonderfully varied trip. We did so much. I'll try not to repeat what Karen said but will add a few thoughts. The Sri Lanka we saw was surprisingly diverse. We went from low, hot and humid, by the Indian ocean near Colombo, up into the beautiful hill country, with its expanses of tea plantations, then down to the semi arid coast in the south. A great start was meeting the group. They were all positive, punctual and friendly. We laughed a lot. I loved the food. So much choice! Buffets offered salads, curries, fruit and more for around £6. I didn't feel the need that some felt for sandwiches and chips instead. I'm not vegetarian but found the veggie choices in the buffets to be the best options. We had great "village meals" on two occasions, plus the opportunity to try mannioc and drink tea from coconut shells.

This was an amazing trip, well organised the right amount of activities and free days. Sri Lanka is a truly beautiful country and the people are very hospitable and very friendly. On this tour you get to see and do so much looking back on our 15 days don't know how we managed to fit it all in. on the whole the hotels are of a very good standard, you do get a bit tired with them mostly serving buffet meals but they are of good quality this and plentiful. There is generally an Al a Carte menu but don't worry not like the over priced ones in the U.K just standard food and price .

If you want a truly diverse trip with a range of cultural and wildlfe experiences which gets you under the skin of the country then this could be the trip for you! We went with an open mind and some expectations, but they were suppassed. You get to see some beautiful architecture and scenery, enjoy the diverse flora and wildlife (yes wild elephants are amazing!), meet friendly locals and enjoy fantastic food. I have travelled to a number of different countries and as a vegetarian have often struggled with the choice of food, but not in Sri Lanka. We were helped at every turn by our amazing guide, Sujan, so we could sit back and enjoy every bit of the experience!

Highly recommended. It's an amazing country and Sri Lankan's in general have a very chilled and relaxed attitude to life/work. Which is a nice to see when you come from a big city. The country itself is lovely and picturesque. The mountain region in particular has some amazing views.