Sri Lanka tour operator recommendations.

[CerealPosterHere]

I’ll be travelling by myself so wanted to go with a group for company.

im struggling to find a company with an itinerary I’d want. Want to go for a couple of weeks. Would like to climb the lion rock, do the famous train ride to Ella. I hear Ella is really nice so free day or two there would be good. A day safari somewhere to maybe see elephants. Apart from that am fairly easy about other days.

Has anyone used a company they can recommend?

Trail finders

One option is to hire a private driver for your time there - we have just done this for next week. They will take you wherever you want to go for a set price generally. They are also good guides.
There are companies offering this on trip advisor. They can also book your train tickets with enough notice.
Enjoy. This is our second visit. It's a beautiful country!

I have heard of people using Imagine Holidays and thought they were good.

Other than that it also depends on your budget and the type of accommodation your after.

Yes you can hire your own driver/guide and set out your own route as to what suits you, but your unlikely to meet many people the same way as a inc tour, unless you get talking to people at dinner/hotels etc.

As far as the train goes, the tickets are usually bought up as soon as they come out many by touts then they sell them on at an inflated price, its infuriating.

Have a look at itinerarys package holiday companies use, and maybe a guide book look at blogs etc, to get a better idea.

I’ve just been to SE Asia as a solo traveller and used Exodus. I’d 100% recommend.

Have had friends, both singles and couples who have used Wendy Wu tours to India, Sri Lanka and Vietnam and they've all been really happy.

Look at Explore?

I did Sri Lanka with Intrepid as a solo traveller. They have 2 or 3 different trip options, I did the original style trip and accomodation was quite basic, but this was a long time ago, I'm talking a couple of years after the tsunami. The premium trip is double the price, so presumably much better hotels. All the trips have the train up to the tea plantations. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/uk/sri-lanka
I have also done Exodus and Explore trips in other countries, you can't really go wrong with any of these companies.

Exodus are good. Groups with singles and couples.

Most of the big name companies such as these mention don’t use the train or go to Ella. Maybe I will have to put my own trip together. I don’t really want to hire a guide and car for a fortnight if I’m on my own as I think it’ll just be too intense. I’d rather catch buses but it would be a shame not to be in a group. I’ve seen a great holiday with Intrepid but I’m a decade too old to be allowed on it! Cut off is 35yo 🙈

Yes, I’d love to do their basic trip but I’m too old! None of their other trips go to Ella not even the premium one which is over 3k. Really annoying when the one with perfect itinerary is £600 but I’m not allowed on it! 😂

Yes you can get TA to book your trains, have a look at Hayleys which is a Sri Lankan Tour operator. They may have something that suits in a group.

https://inbound.hayleystravels.com/#location-details

PS I live in Lanka, the above company is good.

Thank you. Will check that out. I’m veering towards hiring a driver now even if it means not having the company of a group. I’m loath to pay more for a not perfect itinerary when I can pay less and do what I want.

Just not sure if it might be a bit intense hanging around with some strange man for two weeks. And am I meant to buy their meals for them, eat with them? hang around with them in the evening? If I stay three days in Ella do I use them for excursions or book excursions through an excursion company 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve tried asking questions on fb groups and am just inundated with virtual business cards and no answers 😆. Think I’m going to try Reddit next.

I travelled around Sri Lanka on my own but I've used G Adventures in other countries and can highly recommend them.

I’d recommend See Lanka travel for your driver/ guide. Nipun is so helpful.
www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g499080-d12003165-Reviews-See_Lanka_Travels-Waikkal_Central_Province.html

G adventures is recommended in the midlifechic blog and they have a trip to Sri Lanka in April.

From my experience they will hang back at mealtimes etc. They are friendly and chatty but you won’t be expected to eat with them, unless you invite them to join you. They tend to know other drivers/ guides and staff at the destinations and like to go and chat with them during the downtime.
Nipun will make it quite clear what’s included and what isn’t as well.

Have a look at Mercury Holidays
https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/tours-search?searchToken=8d58c5f5-eb22-4e01-8df1-46fe2a84278f&tripType=escorted-tours&airports=LHR
They have lots of escorted tours to Sri Lanka including a trip that includes Ella and the railway.

Thank you. That’s helpful. I’ll check him out

I saw them thanks but typically the tour which includes Ella then doesn’t go to the other places I’m interested in and goes further north instead.

G adventures are on my short list. They do have a tour which suits but then it has 4 beach type days at the end which I’m not that interested in. So weighing up whether to pay an excess for a guided tour where nearly a third of it wouldn’t be something of my choice if the rest is ok. Or pay less for doing just what I want but not having any company. And maybe not quite as smooth an experience.

@HalfasleepChrisintheMorning did Nipan make suggestions of places to stop and see/do inbetween places? Because while I have a good idea of wanting to go to x place and see xyz and then move onto y place and see xyz i wonder would i miss the less well known stuff? But if the local drivers give that sort of input that would be great.

Look for tour operators in country - they're often much better value and offer a wider range of options.

He will tailor make the entire tour to you. We did a WhatsApp phone call to sort it all out.

We did a tour of Sri Lanka with Kuoni which was excellent but that was 12 years ago now

No you dont have to spend time with your driver/guide for meals or on an evening and so on, its your holiday so you choose, It would drive me mad.

Another option is to decide where you want to visit and hotels/homestays/etc where you prefer to stay and get in touch with them and they can arrange visits/transport/guides to places so each time you stay somewhere you have a different driver, which is good if you dont like who you get then they can arrange onward travel. Then you can be somewhere a couple of days at your own pace, then pick up another driver.

Pick me could be another option (like Uber) but its really only in the larger areas.

Many homestays have locals who will take out visitors in tuks to places and know the best times to visit say, 9 arches go at 6.30am before the crowds and its peaceful or Sigiriya early or late in the day to avoid most of the mass of people trying to climb.

Of course this all takes planning but you have control of the budget and ultimately where you want to go.

Will add if you post on Trip Advisor on the Sri Lanka forum, you will also get inundated with spam, however you could check out those who have recently used a driver service or hotel etc for transport and ask them to PM you details.

Just another avenue to look at.

Also you dont say when your planning on coming, so check carefully weather for the time of year and public holidays and poya days.