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?

Was planning on Jan/feb next year as that seems to be the drier times. Though I hear Jan this year was unusually wet. Seen lots of TikTok videos of rain

Why not do a G Adventures or other group tour if that's what you want then tag on a private driver to just do Ella and then they can drive you to the airport after.

That’s a good idea, could do a ten day tour and then head to Ella by myself afterwards for a few days. Thanks.

We have been arranging a 2 week tour with travellers isle. They are Sri Lankan based.
They have been very helpful, give various price options and includes hotel, driver and various entry fees in price. We have scheduled a fully tailored tour as travelling with child so wanted it suitable. It’s roughly 2-3 nights in each location, but you can opt for 1 night or longer

Yes its been a bit wetter than normal and hotter esp the last few days. But its not like raining all day every day. Plus the showers cool it down. But its been a few weeks in many places since its been stormy.

But then when you look at weather say BBC etc it usually says rain rain and a bit more rain, we are a tropical island, thats what happens!

We are looking at end feb/ beginning March. Is that a good time usually? Will be doing a small
loop Colombo, Kandy, Ella, yala, then beach south west somewhere and back.

Did an excellent trip with Explore, lots of solo travellers and excellent guide. Loved Sri Lanka!

We used a couple of private drivers and the train. He was brilliant, he even took us to his mother's house as we were passing by and they cut coconuts and jackfruit out of the trees and gave us a delicious lunch.

We organised a driver to take us from the airport to the beaches down south but once we were down south we found a driver along the way, i think through our bed and breakfast. Everyone is lovely 😍

So my new plan is a 7 day group tour of Sri Lanka, dambulla, lion rock, kandy, tea plantation place, a safari. Once finished with the group tour get a bus/train/taxi to Ella and spend maybe 5 days in Ella doing some hiking, waterfalls, the train. Then get down to the south coast for a couple of days snorkelling then back home.

when I’m in Ella I can use a tuktuk or a taxi if I need a ride anywhere.

Who did you go with in the end? Which provider? And why?