Sri Lanka Tours for Experienced Travelers

This was my first trip to Asia and I wanted to get an overview, so the highlights of Sri Lanka really achieved that. The trip was well planned with varied activities, to appeal to most travellers. We did have to put up with Cyclone Ditwah, which made some activities more like an endurance, but nobody could plan for that or do anything to change it. Our Sri Lanka tour guide and his team went way beyond my expectations in order to keep up safe and as comfortable as possible, under difficult circumstances. They deserve their Christmas Bonus! Personally, I would have enjoyed more time at the spice garden and I wonder what the value was of the canoe trip to the curry cooking demonstration. Perhaps it would have been fun in sunshine? The Temple of the Tooth would have been interesting when there was no ceremony going on, to better appreciate the details of the buildings etc. I felt we were intruding on a religious occasion that was of huge importance to local people. Would it be better to spend longer at sites in a smaller geographical area and reduce the travelling between sites. Moving on to the Maldives, this week was great and really hit the spot. We needed sunshine and relaxation and the pace of the week was perfect. Again, the tour guide did an excellent job and supplied us with lovely videos and photos from snorkelling trips. The food on the Dhoni Cruise was excellent, considering the kitchen space and although a bit repetitive, there was a good range to suit all palates. The crew did a great job.

The holiday was brilliant. Well paced with plenty to keep you occupied but enough down time. We saw the highlights of the country and the quality of the hotels was much better than they used to be. The tented camp really wasn't a tented camp and I disliked this place but luckily we were only there for 1 night. We were there during a cyclone which meant we had a lot of rain and we had to miss the Highlands because the roads were washed away and it was impossible to get to. We were looked after extremely well and kept safe and up to date with the situation. The guide and his team were brilliant. Mimi, the guide, Douglas, the driver and Ishan, his assistant were all lovely and brilliant at their jobs. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and this tour allows you to see that.

Good combination of two very different weeks. Good food and interesting and varied sights in Sri Lanka. Well organised and led, in very difficult circumstances during severe flooding and landslides! The boat tour of the Maldives was excellent, by far the best way of seeing this country. The boat was comfortable with great food and attentive crew. The main activity is snorkelling so if this is your thing you will love it!

The Sri Lanka tour was excellent. The country offers a great variety of historical sites, wildlife and landscapes. The tour was well paced without ever feeling rushed. It does include a couple of early starts and there is a fair amount of barefoot walking within the temple complexes. Our guide Ash (ably supported by the driver Damit and assistant Harsha) was exceptional. He clearly has a love of his home country and was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history and the significance of the sites we visited. He was a great story teller and brought the past to life. Ash was always very attentive to the group to ensure we had the opportunity to try local foods and drinks and to visit local markets so as to get a greater sense of the life of everyday Sri Lankans. One highlight was a short visit to a family whose livelihood was dependent upon growing and then using every part of the coconut. A cracking trip which I can thoroughly recommend.

Awesome tour of the main sites of Sri Lanka through the eyes of cycling the backroads. Definitely recommend this trip. Wonderful insight into the country, people, food, smells and sounds. And a special mention to the tremendous guide Ashan and his support team of cycle guides and drivers. Professional and enthusiastically helpful at all times. 10 out of 10 from me.

This trip gave a very good insight into what Sri Lanka has to offer. Our guide 'Ash' entertained us en route to our destinations with stories which brought the history and culture to life. His passion for his country shone through every day and his sense of humour was infectious. He was ably assisted by Damith, our superb driver and Hamesh, his assistant, who was always there when we needed him. Our itinerary was varied from temples and wildlife to beaches and a world renown train journey on the Kandy to Ella train. We were very lucky in that we were one step ahead of the cyclonic depression which sadly left so much damage in it's wake.