Sri Lanka Travel FAQ

Message us on WhatsApp with your rough dates, how many days you have and what you are interested in. That is enough to start. We send back a day-by-day itinerary with hotel options at three price levels and a full cost breakdown, usually within 12 hours. It is free and there is no obligation to book.

Every tour we run is private. You travel with your own party only, in your own air-conditioned vehicle, with the same English-speaking chauffeur-guide for the whole trip. There are no fixed departure dates — you travel when you want to.

Our private tours start from around USD 890 per person for seven days and USD 1,190 for ten, based on two people sharing a room in mid-range hotels. That includes accommodation, breakfast, the vehicle, the driver-guide, fuel and airport transfers. Site entrance fees typically add USD 100 to USD 160 per person. Travelling as a group of four or more brings the per-person price down noticeably.

Accommodation, daily breakfast, a private air-conditioned vehicle for the whole trip, a licensed English-speaking chauffeur-guide including his meals and accommodation, all fuel, tolls, parking and taxes, airport transfers, a local SIM card and 24/7 WhatsApp support. Anything not included is listed clearly on each tour page — we would rather show you the whole number up front.

Every foreign visitor needs an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before flying. Since May 2026, nationals of 40 countries — including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, most of the EU, India, China and Japan — receive a 30-day double-entry tourist ETA free of charge, though the application is still compulsory. Apply only at the official site, eta.gov.lk.

It depends which coast. December to March is best for the south and west coasts, the hill country and Yala. April to September is best for the east coast, Trincomalee and Arugam Bay. March is the strongest all-island month. Tell us your dates and we will build the route around the weather rather than against it.

Yes. The economic and political difficulties of 2022 are behind the country, tourist arrivals are at record levels, and violent crime against visitors is rare. The genuine risks are road traffic, rip currents at unpatrolled beaches and dengue-carrying mosquitoes — all manageable with sensible precautions.

Broadly yes, and many women travel here alone without problems. Staring is common and occasional unwanted comments happen, particularly on crowded public transport. Dressing modestly away from the beach and avoiding empty beaches after dark makes a real difference. Travelling with a private driver-guide removes most of the situations where women report feeling uncomfortable.

Ten days is the sweet spot for a first visit — enough for the Cultural Triangle, the hill country, a safari and the coast without living in the car. Seven days works if you accept moving most days. Fourteen turns it from a tour into a holiday.

Yes, included in every tour. Your guide meets you inside the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike International Airport with a name board, whatever time you land. If your flight arrives late in the evening we will usually suggest a first night near the airport rather than a long drive in the dark.

All our chauffeur-guides are licensed by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, speak fluent English and have years of experience on these routes. They are local — most were born within an hour of somewhere on your itinerary. For specialist trips such as birding or archaeology we use guides with that specific expertise.

Only if you ask. Commission stops are the standard business model for many Sri Lankan operators and we do not use it. If you want to see a spice garden or buy sapphires we will take you somewhere reputable. If you do not, nobody will raise it.

Most of our trips are custom. The tours on this site are starting points — we change hotels, add nights, swap national parks, slow the pace or extend to the east coast every day of the week. Tell us what you want and we will write it.

Typically a deposit to confirm your booking and hotels, with the balance payable on arrival or before departure. We accept international bank transfer and card payment. You will always have a written itinerary and a full price breakdown before any money is requested.

Deposits are generally refundable up to 30 days before arrival, less any non-refundable hotel or park charges already committed on your behalf. Terms are set out in writing with your quote. We will always tell you which parts of a booking are refundable before you pay.

Whatever suits you. Our standard quotes use comfortable 3 to 4 star hotels and well-run guesthouses. We also work with boutique properties, tea estate bungalows, tented safari camps and the island’s best luxury hotels. Every quote shows the hotel name so you can look them up yourself.

Yes. We run trips for families, groups of friends, wedding parties and small corporate groups, using larger vehicles or several cars in convoy. Per-person prices fall as the group grows because the vehicle and guide are shared.

Yes, free of charge — just tell us the ages of your children when you enquire. Sri Lankan vehicles do not carry them as standard, so it is worth asking any operator you speak to.

Shoulders and knees covered, shoes and hats removed at the entrance. Carry a pair of socks — temple stone gets extremely hot by mid-morning. Never pose with your back to a Buddha statue, and be aware that visible Buddha tattoos have led to travellers being refused entry to the country.

Tipping is appreciated rather than expected. Around 10 per cent in restaurants if a service charge is not already added, a few hundred rupees for hotel staff, and roughly USD 8 to 12 per day for a driver-guide on a private tour if you are happy with the service.

No, and we will not arrange them. We do not work with any venue that offers elephant riding or bathing with chained elephants. Wild sightings in the national parks and the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe, where orphaned calves are rehabilitated for release, are the ethical alternatives — and better experiences.

Sri Lankan cuisine is coconut-rich, often spicy and genuinely one of the best in Asia. Vegetarian and vegan travellers do very well here — a standard rice and curry is mostly vegetable dishes. Tell us about allergies, gluten intolerance or halal requirements at the enquiry stage and we will brief the hotels ahead of you.

Coverage is good across almost the whole island, including in the national parks. We provide a local SIM card on arrival with plenty of data, so you can stay in touch with us and with home. Wi-Fi is standard in hotels, though speeds vary in the hills.

The same WhatsApp thread you used to plan the trip stays open throughout. Our office is reachable at any hour, we can move hotels, arrange a doctor or change the plan mid-route. Your guide also carries a direct line to the office. Practical help beats a hotline.