Sri Lanka Tours & Holidays

Sigiriya is one of Sri Lanka's most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 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 and more ethical to see these majestic creatures in the wild of Sri Lanka's national parks. For this reason, your Sri Lanka tour will include a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park, home to some 400 elephants, as well as leopards, sloth bears and lots of other wildlife. On our wildlife-oriented tours, you will also enjoy safaris in Yala National Park, Wilpattu National Park and elsewhere.

As an island in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka has loads of beach options! 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 to the end of any of our Sri Lanka holidays.

If you would prefer to visit the east coast or the nearby Maldives for your beach break then it would be better to consider a tailor-made holiday - our team will be happy to help!

Sri Lanka lies off the south coast of India, and many travellers to the region like to visit the larger neighbour at the same time as a trip to Sri Lanka.

Our Delhi to Colombo 15-day group tour starts in the Indian capital and takes in the highlights of the Golden Triangle, including Jaipur and the Taj Mahal in Agra. There's then a flight to Colombo (not included in the tour price) where you go on to explore the many highlights of Sri Lanka.

Road conditions are improving each year in Sri Lanka with a number of express highways planned for the popular southwest region. Outside of this region 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 escorted 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 12-day Sri Lanka 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, with an average age of around 48 - 50. And you'll find a real mix of ages on most departures. As long as you are relatively active and have a thirst for adventure, you'll get along just fine!

We use a mix of modern 4 - 5 star hotels and heritage properties on our trips. Most 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. You can find out which hotels we regularly use on our group tours on the relevant tour page for each of our trips.

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.

According to the 2022 LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index, Sri Lanka scores an F rating for LGBTQ+ traveller safety, ranking 171st out of 203 countries.

Same sex marriage is illegal and there are no constitutional or worker protections in place for the LGBTQ+ community. 0 - 25% of consulted citizens consider Sri Lanka a good place to live for gay and lesbian people. Laws prevent the discussion of pro-LGBTQ+ issues and homosexual intercourse results in 10 years in prison plus a fine. Gross indecency is punishable by up to 2 years in prison and a fine.

This does not mean members of the LGBTQ+ community shouldn’t visit Sri Lanka, but precautions should be taken when travelling. As long as you use common sense, travelling in Sri Lanka shouldn’t be a problem.

The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index is designed to provide a good overall picture of attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in each country and may not reflect the experience of foreign travellers to the country.

The tap water in Sri Lanka is unsafe to drink, and may make you unwell. To avoid this, stick to bottled and filtered water, and avoid eating foods such as salads, which may have been washed using tap water.

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 Sri Lanka trip.