With seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, twelve nature reserves, Buddhist cave temples, mist covered plains, tea plantations, stunning waterfalls and gem mines, we could not encourage a holiday tour of Sri Lanka more strongly. All our Sri Lanka holiday tours are organised on a personal basis with private chauffeur driven vehicles. This is the norm in Sri Lanka where coach parties, queues and souvenirs shops are rarely seen.
The most important thing to remember when planning a tour of Sri Lanka is not to over-load your schedule. This is easily done with endless things to entice your interest, but by compiling an itinerary akin to a military operation you are guaranteed to ruin your time away. So try to rule out staying just one night anywhere, allow for the poor roads and always inform us of any special interests you may have such as bird watching, architecture etc… as this will really help us to plan the perfect itinerary for your holiday to Sri Lanka.
We have some suggested Sri Lanka holiday itineraries on the website to offer inspiration and help as a starting point, but to personalise your holiday to Sri Lanka please give us a call on (0207 112 0019) or email us so that we can tailor make your ideal itinerary.
When to Go
Sri Lanka benefits from fairly consistent temperatures of 25-29ºC all year round, however the optimum time to holiday in Sri Lanka is December – April. July – September is ever so slightly cooler and has the ability to produce overcast mornings and brief rain showers, but this may appeal to those who want to focus on a tour of Sri Lanka or families with young children.
There are two distinct monsoon seasons in Sri Lanka. The first lasts from May-June and the second from October to mid-November. During these months the seas on the south coast of Sri Lanka become unsuitable for bathing, the picturesque sways of tropical sand are replaced with narrow lacklustre beaches and the air is heavy with salt and spray. The west coast of Sri Lanka is less affected during this period and so coastal villages such as Bentota are preferable. Better yet, opt to stay slightly inland with easy access to the beach but none of its off season drawbacks.
As for the central Sri Lankan hill country, temperatures are significantly cooler all year round due to its altitude. This makes it ideal for many outdoor pursuits and fantastic as an alternative Christmas destination. What better than to spend Christmas day as a family in an old British plantation bungalow, with an open fire, Christmas tree and all the usual trimmings before driving down to the coast for New Year celebrations on the beach!
Getting About
It is possible to rent a car in Sri Lanka but we advise against it as the roads are poor and the driving conditions challenging. Moreover, it is very economical to hire a driver in Sri Lanka, allowing you to sit back and enjoy the journey. Our drivers speak good English and possess an extensive knowledge of the country enabling them to double up as tour guides. We offer three vehicle types: a saloon car ideal for 2-3 people; a mini-van ideal for 4-6 people or a 4WD jeep for a more comfortable experience.
Many of our customers also enjoy doing part of their tour by train. This should be emphasised as an experience rather than an efficient way of travelling round the island, but some of the train routes especially in the central hill country extremely beautiful and well worth a short trip. We can pre-book tickets for you and arrange for your driver to follow the train with your luggage so you don’t have to worry about hauling it all on board.
Alternatively, for those who have deep pockets it is possible to charter a light aircraft or book a private helicopter for transfers or day trips. For more details please visit www.simplifly.com
