# Ceylonara Tour

> Private, tailor-made Sri Lanka tours designed by a local team. Cultural Triangle, tea country, safaris and southern beaches, with your own driver-guide. Free itinerary within 12 hours on WhatsApp.

## About

A small, local Sri Lankan team building private, tailor-made journeys across the island — from the Cultural Triangle to the tea hills and the southern coast.

- Website: https://ceylonara.zligger.com/
- Based in: Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka
- Contact (preferred): WhatsApp +94 77 765 5365 — https://wa.me/94777655365?text=Hi%20Ceylonara%20Tour%21%20I%20would%20like%20to%20plan%20a%20trip%20to%20Sri%20Lanka.
- Email: hello@ceylonaratour.com
- Languages: English, Sinhala, Tamil
- Operating hours: 08:00–21:00 Sri Lanka time (GMT+5:30), seven days a week
- Typical response time: under 12 hours
- Service: private, tailor-made guided tours throughout Sri Lanka with a licensed English-speaking driver-guide.

## Tour packages

- [Classic Sri Lanka in 10 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/classic-sri-lanka-10-days/) — 10 days, from $1,190 USD per person
  The route we build most often: Sigiriya and the Cultural Triangle, Kandy, the tea hills by train, a Yala safari and three nights on the south coast.
- [Sri Lanka Highlights in 7 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/sri-lanka-highlights-7-days/) — 7 days, from $890 USD per person
  A tight, well-judged week: Sigiriya, Kandy, the tea train to Ella and two nights on the south coast. Designed for travellers with limited leave.
- [Grand Tour of Sri Lanka — 14 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/grand-tour-sri-lanka-14-days/) — 14 days, from $1,690 USD per person
  Two weeks, coast to coast: the ancient cities, Kandy, the tea hills, two national parks, the whale coast and Galle, at a pace that lets you breathe.
- [Wildlife & Safari Explorer — 8 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/wildlife-safari-explorer-8-days/) — 8 days, from $1,150 USD per person
  Four parks in eight days: leopards at Yala, elephants at Udawalawe and Minneriya, and the quiet, leopard-rich scrub of Wilpattu. Built with early starts and good guides.
- [Cultural Triangle & Ancient Cities — 5 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/cultural-triangle-5-days/) — 5 days, from $640 USD per person
  Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and Kandy — five UNESCO World Heritage Sites in five days, with an archaeologist's eye rather than a checklist.
- [Hill Country & Tea Trails — 6 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/hill-country-tea-trails-6-days/) — 6 days, from $780 USD per person
  Cool air, colonial bungalows, waterfalls and the two best train journeys in Asia. For travellers who would rather walk through tea than lie on a beach.
- [Southern Beaches & Whale Watching — 7 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/southern-beaches-whale-watching-7-days/) — 7 days, from $920 USD per person
  Blue whales off Mirissa, turtles at Rekawa, the ramparts of Galle and a week of very good beaches — with just enough to do between swims.
- [Sri Lanka Honeymoon Escape — 10 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/sri-lanka-honeymoon-10-days/) — 10 days, from $1,850 USD per person
  Fewer places, better rooms, longer mornings. A tea bungalow, a colonial fort hotel and a beach villa, with the driving kept short and private.
- [Ayurveda & Wellness Retreat — 9 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/ayurveda-wellness-retreat-9-days/) — 9 days, from $1,420 USD per person
  A genuine Panchakarma-informed programme with a resident doctor, daily treatments and a prescribed diet — plus enough of the island to feel like a holiday.
- [Sri Lanka Family Adventure — 12 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/sri-lanka-family-adventure-12-days/) — 12 days, from $1,340 USD per person
  Shorter drives, more swimming, elephants, a train, a cooking class and beaches that are safe to swim in. Built with children between four and fourteen in mind.
- [East Coast Surf & Slow Travel — 9 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/east-coast-surf-slow-travel-9-days/) — 9 days, from $980 USD per person
  The trip for May to September, when the south is wet and the east is perfect: Arugam Bay's point break, Trincomalee's reefs, and almost nobody around.
- [Colombo Stopover & Day Trips — 1 to 3 Days](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/tours/colombo-stopover-day-trips/) — 3 days, from $95 USD per person
  A long layover, a spare weekend or a first day before the real trip starts. Kandy and Sigiriya in a day, Galle and whales in another, or Colombo done properly.

## Destinations we cover

- [Sigiriya](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/sigiriya/) — A royal palace on top of a 200-metre rock, abandoned for 1,500 years (best: May – September (driest); climb at 7am year-round)
- [Dambulla Cave Temple](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/dambulla/) — Five caves, 153 Buddhas and 2,100 square metres of painted ceiling (best: All year; arrive before 9am)
- [Polonnaruwa](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/polonnaruwa/) — A medieval capital best seen from a bicycle at eight in the morning (best: May – September; early morning any month)
- [Anuradhapura](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/anuradhapura/) — A sacred city 2,300 years old, still full of pilgrims at dawn (best: May – September; sunrise and sunset any month)
- [Kandy](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/kandy/) — The last kingdom, a sacred tooth, and a lake in the middle of the hills (best: January – April; Esala Perahera in July or August)
- [Nuwara Eliya](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/nuwara-eliya/) — Tea estates, cold mornings and a hill station that never quite stopped being British (best: January – April; April for the season)
- [Ella](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/ella/) — A gap in the mountains, a famous bridge and the best short walks in Sri Lanka (best: January – March and July – September)
- [Yala National Park](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/yala-national-park/) — The highest density of leopards anywhere on earth — and jeeps to match (best: February – July (water levels lowest))
- [Udawalawe National Park](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/udawalawe-national-park/) — Where you are close to certain to see wild elephants, in open country (best: All year; slightly better May – September)
- [Galle](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/galle/) — A Dutch fort on a headland, still lived in, best walked at six in the evening (best: November – April)
- [Mirissa](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/mirissa/) — Blue whales in the morning, a crescent of sand for the rest of the day (best: November – April)
- [Arugam Bay](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/arugam-bay/) — One road, one point break, and the best surf season in the Indian Ocean (best: May – September)
- [Trincomalee](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/destinations/trincomalee/) — One of the world's great natural harbours, a clifftop temple and live coral offshore (best: April – September)

## Travel guides

- [Hello world!](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/07/31/hello-world/)
- [The Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka: A Month-by-Month Guide](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/07/28/best-time-to-visit-sri-lanka/)
  Sri Lanka has two monsoons. The south-west (Yala) monsoon runs May to September and brings rain to the west and south coasts and the hill country. The north-east (Maha) monsoon runs October to January and affects the east and north. December to March is best for the west and south coasts; April to September is best for the east coast. March is the strongest all-island month.
- [Sri Lanka Visa and ETA: What Travellers Need to Know](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/07/19/sri-lanka-visa-eta-guide/)
  All foreign nationals need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka. Since 25 May 2026, nationals of 40 countries — including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, India, China, Japan, Germany, France and most of the EU — receive a 30-day double-entry tourist ETA free of charge. Other nationalities pay the standard ETA fee. Applications are made at eta.gov.lk; unofficial sites charge large mark-ups.
- [How Much Does a Trip to Sri Lanka Cost? Real Numbers](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/07/10/how-much-does-sri-lanka-cost/)
  A budget traveller in Sri Lanka can manage on around USD 35–50 per day, a mid-range traveller on USD 80–130 per day including a private driver, and a comfortable trip with good hotels on USD 180–300 per day. Site entrance fees are the biggest hidden cost, totalling roughly USD 120–160 per person for a standard two-week cultural route.
- [Is Sri Lanka Safe for Tourists? An Honest Answer](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/07/01/is-sri-lanka-safe/)
  Sri Lanka is generally a safe destination for tourists, with low levels of violent crime against visitors. The most common real risks are road traffic accidents, strong rip currents at unpatrolled beaches, dengue fever, and minor scams such as inflated tuk-tuk fares and gem shop commissions. Solo female travellers report Sri Lanka as broadly safe, with occasional harassment on crowded public transport.
- [Sri Lanka in 10 Days: The Route We Recommend Most](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/06/22/sri-lanka-10-day-itinerary/)
  A well-balanced 10-day Sri Lanka itinerary runs Colombo airport to Sigiriya (2 nights), Kandy (2 nights), Nuwara Eliya or Ella via the hill-country train (2 nights), Yala National Park (1 night) and the south coast at Mirissa or Unawatuna (2 nights), finishing at Galle before flying home. Total driving is around 18 hours spread over ten days.
- [The Kandy to Ella Train: How to Book It and What It Is Really Like](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/06/13/kandy-to-ella-train-guide/)
  The Kandy to Ella train takes roughly six to seven hours, or about four hours from Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya) to Ella. Reserved seats open 30 days in advance and sell out quickly in high season. Reserved second class is generally the best choice because the windows open, unlike air-conditioned first class. Sit on the right-hand side travelling from Kandy towards Ella.
- [Yala, Udawalawe or Wilpattu: Which Sri Lankan Safari Should You Choose?](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/06/04/yala-vs-udawalawe-vs-wilpattu/)
  Choose Yala for the best leopard chances (40–60% per drive) but expect crowds; Udawalawe for near-guaranteed elephant sightings in open grassland; Wilpattu for wilderness and wild leopards with very few jeeps; and Minneriya or Kaudulla between July and September for the Gathering, the largest seasonal congregation of Asian elephants in the world. All charge around USD 42 per foreign adult plus a jeep fee.
- [What to Pack for Sri Lanka (and What to Leave at Home)](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/05/26/what-to-pack-for-sri-lanka/)
  Pack light, breathable clothing for Sri Lanka's coast and lowlands, plus a fleece and long trousers for the hill country where nights fall to 8–12°C. Shoulders and knees must be covered at Buddhist temples and shoes removed, so carry socks for hot stone. Also bring high-factor sun cream, DEET repellent, a reusable water bottle with a filter and a universal adapter with UK-style square pins.
- [Sri Lanka with Children: A Practical Family Guide](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/05/17/sri-lanka-with-kids/)
  Sri Lanka is a family-friendly destination with short distances, welcoming people and good private hospitals in main towns. The main practical considerations are heat, long winding drives, dengue-carrying daytime mosquitoes and dangerous rip currents on unpatrolled beaches. A good family itinerary keeps drives under three hours, uses Udawalawe rather than Yala for safari, and ends on a sheltered beach such as Unawatuna, Bentota or Pasikuda.
- [Sri Lankan Food: 12 Things to Eat and Where to Find Them](https://ceylonara.zligger.com/2026/05/08/sri-lankan-food-guide/)
  Sri Lankan cuisine is distinct from Indian food, characterised by coconut, tamarind, curry leaves, pandan and Maldive fish. Essential dishes include rice and curry with multiple side dishes, egg hoppers (appa), string hoppers, kottu roti, lamprais, pol sambol, ambul thiyal sour fish curry, dhal curry, jackfruit polos curry, and short eats. Breakfast is typically hoppers or string hoppers with dhal and sambol.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I get a quote from Ceylonara Tour?
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.

### Are your tours private or in a group?
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.

### How much does a Sri Lanka tour cost?
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.

### What is included in your tour prices?
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.

### Do I need a visa to visit Sri Lanka?
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.

### When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
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.

### Is Sri Lanka safe for tourists right now?
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.

### Is Sri Lanka safe for solo female travellers?
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.

### How long should I spend in Sri Lanka?
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.

### Do you offer airport pick-up?
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.

### What are the drivers and guides like?
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.

### Will my driver take me to gem shops or spice gardens?
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.

### Can you customise a tour or build one from scratch?
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.

### How do I pay, and when?
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.

### What is your cancellation policy?
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.

### What kind of hotels do you use?
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.

### Can you arrange tours for large groups or families?
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.

### Do you provide child seats?
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.

### What should I wear at temples in Sri Lanka?
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.

### How much should I tip in Sri Lanka?
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.

### Do you do elephant rides?
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.

### What is the food like, and can you cater for dietary needs?
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.

### Will I have mobile signal and internet?
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.

### What happens if something goes wrong during my trip?
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.

## How to book

Message Ceylonara Tour on WhatsApp at +94 77 765 5365 (https://wa.me/94777655365?text=Hi%20Ceylonara%20Tour%21%20I%20would%20like%20to%20plan%20a%20trip%20to%20Sri%20Lanka.) with your travel dates, trip length and interests. A tailor-made day-by-day itinerary and full price breakdown is sent back free of charge, usually within 12 hours. No deposit is required to receive a proposal.

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Last updated: 2026-07-31
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