Sri Lanka Beach Trips

Positives: Sri Lanka and its people are beautiful and I felt very welcome here. Our guide (Ash) shared his expert knowledge with us in a very considerate way, always providing a well timed and appropriate level of detail but without information overload. I found him to be very calm, caring and mindful of individual interests across the group. I felt that he gave us an immersive experience of his county and culture as well as a guided tour. Our driver and helper were also great. My most memorable highlight was climbing Lion Rock to see the sunrise. I also enjoyed the food and authentic cooking demonstrations. Most accommodations were very good and overall I was very glad to have taken this tour. Room for improvement: Transport - our minibus was very uncomfortable for long journeys. Adam’s Peak - only 4 of our group of 12 did the climb and the accommodation was awful with over 300 external stone steps to climb to our room. Quite treacherous after heavy rain and fallen leaves. No soap provided in the ladies’ loo by the dining area. For me, this is a red flag on hygiene standards. I suggest offering Adam’s peak as an optional tour rather than part of the core itinerary. Offer other options - e.g. we were 5 mins drive from our next hotel before heading past to a mediocre food court and the tea factory. I felt that a hotel drop could have been offered for anyone wanting to spend the afternoon there to enjoy the spa, pool etc. instead. Safari - I didn’t enjoy the first one. We spent 3 hours bumping around on a dusty track in the afternoon heat and saw one elephant and a few water buffalo in the far distance. The other two safaris were also scheduled in the afternoon heat so I chose not to join them although fellow travellers said that both were better than the first. Consider whether safaris could be scheduled for early morning.

The Sri Lanka in Depth trip was really enjoyable. We visited a great mix of places seeing temples, ancient capital ruins, beautiful countryside filled with tea plantations, beaches and cities. The trip was packed with activities however you always had enough time to see what you wanted at each place. The trip was well run and one I would recommend.

The tour was very good. Ash our leader was excellent, as were our driver and assistant. The wildlife safaris were a highlight, and the Elephant Orphanage, but unfortunately we did not see any leopards. I enjoyed the optional whale watching cruise but did not see any blue whales. I did not like the side trip to Adam’s Peak. Only four of the group climbed the mountain and the rest of us just had to wait in the hotel, which was of a very poor standard. I would have preferred a safari in Yala National Park instead. The other hotels were pretty good, especially Kandy.

This trip was beyond my expectations. Our leader, Mimi made sure we had a fantastic time. The country is filled with so much beauty and spirituality. The Adam's Peak pilgrimage was my highlight.

The trip was just the right combination of temples, safaris, ancient cities and added extras such as an ayurvedic massage, cooking classes, visits to tea plantations. I love that we had the opportunity to visit local enterprises that gave back to the communities. The pace was hectic but what really made the trip was our trip leader. Sooty had a huge range of knowledge that he delighted in sharing with us...from cuisine, to the flora and fauna, to history and Sri Lanka's socio-economic history. If there were any concerns he dealt with them without fuss and always communicated to the group or person with the concern. He truly wanted everyone to have a good time and experience the real Sri Lanka. He also made birthdays very special and there were three on our trip! We always felt safe and that everything was running smoothly. His crew on the bus also were great and seemed to have as much fun as us.

Our tour leader made the trip amazing. His enthusiasm, energy and knowledge were beyond anything we were expecting. Nothing was too difficult and any small problems that popped up during the trip were addressed immediately. I was very happy and impressed.