travelrightsrilanka.com

Travel Right Sri Lanka is fantastic

Travel Right Sri Lanka - Fantastic tour company Hirosh did an amazing job planning our tour of Sri Lanka. We had a fantastic private tour of Sigirya Rock. We arrived later in the afternoon, yet the guide was able to lead us so that we reached the top easily and saw the rock murals before they closed. As well, he had great insight about the palace ruins. I’m quite afraid of heights and was still able to climb the rock. It’s well worth the effort. Beautiful views and fascinating history. Nihal was the official guide at Polonnaruwa and he was amazing. His English was perfect and his knowledge of the ancient city really made the history come alive. As well, Nihal ensured that we toured in such a way that we avoided the crowds and we still saw everything. Polonnaruwa is a must see for anyone interested in the rise and fall of ancient civilizations. It is definitely worth hiring private guides for both of these sites. Their knowledge is invaluable. We stayed at Oak Ray Elephant Lake near Sigirya for two nights and the place was amazing. It had the biggest pool I’ve seen, the buffets were good, and the staff was great. The rooms were clean and spacious. Our driver, Chatura, was excellent. The road traffic is a bit dangerous and I always felt safe. This was extremely important to me, especially when we drove through the mountainous areas. Chatura was able to point out local sites of interest (waterfalls, etc), and stopped at impressive places for food (the buffalo curd was outstanding, red bananas were amazing, and the Dhosa meal was great too.). He was always helpful and friendly. He felt like family. We loved the Royal Botanical Garden in Kandy and it is well worth the visit. Ella was beautiful and the Ambiente Guest House had a truly spectacular view, especially at sunrise. The famous train over the Nine Arches is likely overhyped. Despite choosing the less popular route, the train was still so busy that we had to stand. It’s fine if it’s a short trip and you’re not carrying luggage, anything else would be uncomfortable. You’ll see views of the terraces and tea plantations if you drive this road so no need to take the train. The bridge is pretty, and there were likely a hundred people at the side watching the train go over. Chatura took us to Joe’s Resort on Unawatuna beach. It was beautiful. The resort is clean and comfortable and the food was good. The swimming here is completely safe because the coral reefs off shore break the waves. If you’re a diver, this would be a good place to be. Galle fort is a must see. You can walk the fort walls and amble down the side streets. It’s a historic area and beautiful. ‘Stick no Bills” had great coffee served in a cool courtyard. Do visit a Tsunami museum to get a sense of the devastation this country faced. A turtle sanctuary is pricey but if some of the money goes to conservation, then it’s worth it. Hirosh planned our trip with input from us. We requested 3 star accommodation and most of the places exceeded our expectations. In total we had 5 nights accommodation and 7 days of driving. My advice is don’t try to do it all. We had to go to a wedding in Jaffna, so we ended up driving the entire island. Unless you love sitting in a car, don’t do that. We are not typically people who use a tour company but I cannot state how invaluable Tour Right Sri Lanka was for navigating this country. I was relieved not to have to figure out how to get from place to place, how to purchase food, where to find bathrooms, etc. Chatura helped us with everything which meant I could just sit back and enjoy the views. I highly recommend Travel Right Sri Lanka. I give them five stars.

Date of experience: Jan 23, 2026