3 independent reviews for Sri Lanka tailor made tour, culture & nature
Reviews for Sri Lanka tailor made tour, culture & nature
Rebecca Webster review 30 Apr 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Seeing wild elephants on wildlife safari at Uda Walawe National Park.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Book a driver if you can. The journeys will be more relaxing and you'll have more flexibility to make short stops along the route. Also, take socks with you to temples!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We felt our holiday benefited local people as we used a local travel agent, stayed in hotels run by local people , and purchased from local businesses such as a family woodcarving business. Not sure our holiday reduced environmental impacts - there were our flights, a lot of driving and many plastic water bottles... We felt our holiday supported conservation as we visited animal sanctuaries such as the Elephant Transit Home and a turtle hatchery, and we also visited a number of national parks.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
ExcellentChandra Whear review 25 Sep 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
It is difficult to choose our most memorable part of the trip as every day brought some new experience.s However we all agree the two days at Yala and Udawalawe are probably the most stand out moments; the elephants, golden jackals, mongoose and numerous other animals and birds, together with the whole camping experience is one we will never forget.2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Accommodation can vary greatly. Don't compare European standards with Sri Lankan as you will be disappointed. Accept it for what it is and enjoy, the people wherever you go are always lovely and the food is great! We travelled with our teenage children who were able to understand the effects of the civil war, cope with the humidity and some long journeys. If you have a guide you must specify what you want to do and where you want to go otherwise you are taken to places you had no intention of visiting. It usually ends with you paying for something you didn't want. Make sure your guide has a good grasp of your language, we ended up getting all our info from the guide book. With hindsight we should have asked for a different guide. Take plenty of mosquito spray!3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we had a Sri Lankan driver and guide and stayed in a variety of accommodation types all owned/ run by the local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Fantastic. A holiday we will all remember for always. Lovely people, fantastic food and a beautiful country. Will definitely return but do it ourselves next time. A good introduction to the country.Frances Armitage review 2 Apr 2014
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The amount of wildlife we encountered was just incredible! On the safari in Udawalawe National Park, we saw elephants, crocodiles, water buffalo, many bird species like Blue Tailed Bee Eaters and India Rollers and also lots of reptiles. On the whale watching trip in Mirissa, we were lucky enough to spot five blue whales, turtles, marlin and dolphins. The rush of excitment you felt when the crew pointed out the whales spouts was amazing!2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Expect to be very well looked after! We booked two separate day trips (elephant safari and whale watching) through this company and were so impressed by both. Be prepared for 6am starts on both of these excursions - Sri Lankan sun rise is beautiul! Sea sickness tablets were provided on the whale watching trip but have some back up supplies just in case. The Indian Ocean was really rough when we went out but it all added to the experience.3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I definitely felt that local people benefited from these two day trips. The boat for the whale watching trip was really well staffed by an extremely helpful crew and the elephant safari was conducted by a great driver and conservationist. I was pleased to see that there weren't too many other safari jeeps in Udawalawe National Park. Our driver was always sure to keep a good amount of distance between us and the wildlife, switching off the engine while we observed. During the whale watching, it was noticeable that our boat didn't just follow all of the other boats but took its own route. This meant we weren't crowding the whales when they appeared.4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
These two day trips were the most amazing experiences! Seeing wild elephants has been a life long wish so the safari was fantastic. I feel so lucky that our whale watching trip saw blue whales in their natural habitat. Their majesty will stay with me for years to come. 5 stars!Read the operator's response here:
Dear Frances,
Thank you very much for taking your time to share a descriptive feedback on your experience. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the safaris and Whale Watching tours and we are looking forward to serve you in future as well.
Best Regards,
Lakshi Gunasinghe
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