Sri Lanka Private Tours & Local Tour Guides

• Water Rafting in Kitulgala: Welcome to the wild waters of the Kelani river where roaring rapids and pounding hearts are sure to fill your day. Take on the refreshingly fast waters on this day trip from Kandy, and save room for a savory fish curry lunch. 
• 12 Day Full Sri Lanka Sightseeing Tour: Need an itinerary that’ll fill your entire Sri lankan stay? Dive into our twelve day discovery  of Sri lanka’s greatest hits, completely adjustable to your interests. 
• Kandy To Sigiriya Day Trip: From colorful Kandy to the stunning Sigiriya rock, this day trip is a great way to take a break from the city and indulge in the simplicity of village living, with a traditional Sri Lankan lunch to top things off. 
• Colombo’s Highlights Tour: Welcome to the heart of Sri Lanka, also known as the nation’s capital, Colombo. An extensive tour of the city’s highlights is a great way to kick off your Sri Lankan sojourn. 

To check out our highest rated Sri Lanka tours, head to our Tours page 

Yes. Shorts are completely acceptable in Sri Lanka, as locals frequently wear them. With that said, steer clear from extremely short shorts. Let your short hem reach your knees or slightly above the knee caps. When visiting temples and religious sites, cover your shoulders, chest and knees. 

Talk to your local guide about adding these features to your travel itinerary;

• Jaffna 
• Mulkirigala
• Wilpattu National Park 
• Trincomalee

Need to know more? Get in touch with our local tour guides and get some hidden gems added to your itinerary. 

Do's:

• Take off your shoes and hat when entering temples or homes.
• Try out the food, you can find some of the best rice and curry in the world here. 
• Respect local customs and traditions.
• Bargaining for price is expected at markets, just remember to do so politely. 

Don'ts:

• Don’t drink tap water.
• Don't touch or feed wild animals without permission. Elephants in particular are considered sacred.
• Don't take selfies with Buddha statues or other religious images.

For More Do’s & Don’ts check out our Sri Lanka Tourism Statistics 

• Malaria: Be sure to use insect repellent and sleep under a net at night when possible. Keep anti-malarial medication on hand. 
• Political gatherings: Stay away from these as they can turn hectic and it would be frustrating and confusing to get caught up in any chaos. 
• Pickpocketing: This happens mostly on public transport and in large crowds, especially in narrow alleyways. Stay vigilant and keep your valuables at the hotel. 
• “Broken Meters”; Before you enter a tuk-tuk, negotiate a price with the driver to avoid fare hikes as a result of a “broken meter”. 

Yes, though Sri Lanka has dealt with civil unrest in the form of citizen protests and strikes, if you avoid political gatherings of any kind, you will be just fine. The US Embassy has their travel advisory for Sri Lanka at level 2, similar to Mexico & Germany, so if you exercise the same caution as you would anywhere else, you will be fine. 

December to April is often considered the ideal time to travel to Sri Lanka because of the weather. May to November is great for those seeking less crowds, but these months also fall within Sri lanka’s monsoon season, which can be heavy and hard to navigate.

For more information about weather & travels seasons check out our Sri Lanka Tourism Statistics