Sri Lanka Tours

A total of 1,200 steps lead up to the rock fortress of Sigiriya, which sits at a height of 200 metres above the ground. It's not a particularly strenuous climb and most visitors find it relatively easy to accomplish. Allowing time to catch your breath and admire the views, the climb can be comfortably done in an hour. Those on a mission to the top and in moderate shape can scale the rock in 30 minutes but it's far more enjoyable when climbed at leisure.

We no longer include a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in Sri Lanka. The reason we made this decision is that there were concerns over the welfare of the animals. It's much better to see these majestic creatures in the wild and that's way we include a jeep safari in the Udawalawe National Park, home to some 400 elephants.

If you would like to combine sightseeing with a bit of rest and relaxation on the coast, our 12 day Buddha and Beach tour is ideal. As well as covering all the main highlights, the tour also includes four nights in Bentota, one of Sri Lanka's most popular beach resorts. There are many other beaches on the southwest coast so if you have a particular one in mind, our reservations team can organise a beach break to add onto the end of any of our group tours. If you would prefer to visit the east coast for your beach break then it would be better to consider a tailor-made holiday that ends on this side of the island before heading back to Colombo for your flight home.

Road conditions are improving each year in Sri Lanka with a number of express highways planned for the popular southwest region. Outside of this the roads are mostly single carriageways so it can be slow going. The longer journeys are those between Colombo and the Cultural Triangle, and Udawalawe to Galle, which on average take around 5 hours.

Our Signature tours in Sri Lanka have a maximum group size of 24 though the average is around 14 on our more popular itineraries. If you're choosing a tour that visits more off-the-beaten path spots, like our Northeast Explorer tour, then the group size is often just 4-6 travellers. Our travellers are anywhere between the late 20s to late 60s in age and you'll find a real mix of ages on most departures.

We use a mix of modern 4 star hotels and heritage properties on our Sri Lanka Signature tours. Some boast an outdoor swimming pool, which is great for cooling off after a day of sightseeing. Others are popular for their colonial charm and antique features.

On our Signature tours you'll be travelling in comfortable A/C private vehicles, the size of which will depend on the size of the group on that departure. We also include a scenic ride on the train between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya so you can sample the local transport and relax while the train slowly plies its route through verdant hills and tea plantations. While in the Cultural Triangle, you'll also travel by jeep and canoe to reach the village of Kayanwala for an insight into Sri Lanka's rural way of life.

Despite Sri Lanka being a relatively small country, the weather varies widely across the island from one month to the next. Generally speaking December to March is the ideal season for travelling around Sri Lanka as it's mostly dry, warm and sunny across most of the country. Visit our best time to visit page for more detailed information on the weather and when to plan your trip.