Sri Lanka Tours

Sri Lanka is an extraordinary country full of beautiful beaches, wildlife, and cultural gems. The people are friendly and love to welcome tourists. You’ll find lots of places to shop for souvenirs on Sri Lanka tours and most things are affordable, although some of the major attractions can be quite expensive. The country is largely safe for tourists.  However, you do need to be aware of the local laws and traditions before you embark on a Sri Lanka tour, which you can find on the UK government’s website.

While there are many significant and natural sights to discover during a Sri Lanka trip, it’s a relatively small island country. Eight days is ample time if you want to explore the highlights but if you prefer to delve a little deeper into the culture, history, and wildlife, then you may prefer a 15-day tour.

On our 10-day trips to Sri Lanka, you’ll have plenty of time to see many of the main sights. You’ll enjoy a range of exciting experiences, giving you a greater insight into the country. Go on game drives in the Yala and Udawalawe national parks, and trips to Sinharaja rain forest and Dickwella beach. There’s also a private whale-watching excursion.

Sri Lanka is a year-round destination for wildlife watchers but if you’re wanting to experience certain festivals, hit the beach, or avoid the crowds, then you’ll want to consider the best season for booking your trip to Sri Lanka.

Wildlife lovers should travel between November and April when all the major parks are open, and the animals begin to gather around the water holes. But September is best for seeing the elephants and their calves at Minneriya National Park.

Despite the Yala monsoon, which arrives in May, this is a good time to enjoy some of the country’s most prestigious festivals. You’ll also avoid the throngs of tourists during these months. But if you prefer warmer, drier weather and don’t mind the crowds, then opt for a Sri Lanka tour in January.

Want to spend a lot of time outdoors, perhaps in the highlands of Sri Lanka? Then avoid the south-western monsoon season in May-July.

Sri Lanka is a diverse country with a scenic coastline, sprawling national parks, ancient cities, and picturesque countryside dotted with traditional hillside towns. Cycling in Sri Lanka is a great way to cover more distance so you can experience many of the highlights in one trip. From the Dambulla Cave Temple and the rock fortress at Sigiriya to the UNESCO-listed city of Kandy, our Sri Lanka cycling tours steer you around some of the country’s best locations.

Yala National Park is a must-visit destination and is home to the elusive leopard as well as elephants, deer, sloths, wild boars and various species of birds.

Owing to its dramatic and diverse landscapes, one of the best ways to see the country is on a Sri Lanka cycling tour as this gives you the opportunity to explore further and immerse yourself in the local culture. Because cycling in Sri Lanka is a common way to get around, many of the roads you’ll ride along are tarmacked. When you cycle the back roads, you’ll enjoy mostly quiet trails with sublime views.

Sri Lanka is one of the best places in Asia to go on safari. You can go whale and dolphin-watching off the southern coast on your Sri Lanka wildlife tour. You can also visit the national parks and Sinharaja rain forest. These locations are home to a huge array of animals such as:

Barking, Sambar and Spotted deer
Wild boar
Hundreds of bird species, such as the iconic greater flameback
Purple-faced langur
Leopard
Water buffalo
Jackal
Mongoose
Elephant
Sloth

Safari in Sri Lanka is an exhilarating, awe-inspiring experience. One of the most popular places for a safari is Yala National Park. It plays host to an incredible 215 species of bird, 47 reptile species, and 44 mammals, including the Sri Lankan elephant and sloth bear. Yala also has the largest concentration of leopards in the world.

Udawalawe National Park is one of the best parks for seeing elephants on a Sri Lanka wildlife holiday, as it has the highest concentration of wild elephants in the country. You can also spot water buffalo, wild boar, jackals, spotted deer, and mongoose.

Being such a biodiverse country, Sri Lanka is a wildlife-lover’s paradise with hundreds of species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. It also boasts the largest population of sperm whales and blue whales in the world.

Not only is Sri Lanka home to an abundance of national parks and hundreds of species of animals, with 522 species of birds alone, but it has become much loved for its ongoing conservation efforts. Sri Lanka wildlife holidays introduce you to some of the most impressive creatures in the world, from leopards, elephants, and sloth bears to blue and sperm whales. This makes it one of the best countries in the world to go on safari.

Sadly, there are no tigers in Sri Lanka as they became extinct here thousands of years ago. The leopard is the main predator in the country with an estimated 800 roaming the parks.

Because of its vast and diverse population of animal species, such as elephants, leopards, sloth bears, sambars, deer, and jackals, Yala National Park is considered by many to be the best park to visit on Sri Lanka wildlife tours.

This depends on which airport you fly from, but as a guideline, you can expect a flight from the UK to Colombo to take at least 12.5 hours. Some take a fair bit longer, of course, and this flight time accounts for a minimum of one layover.

To check flights from your local airport, get a better idea by using Skyscanner. If you’d like us to take care of your flights, select the price that includes flights when booking your Sri Lanka adventure.

Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with wet and dry seasons, so temperatures don’t differ much from month to month. In Colombo, April tends to be the hottest month, with an average of 29°C. The coolest month is January, with an average temperature of 27°C.

Sri Lanka has two monsoon seasons that affect different regions. The south-western one takes place in May-July and the north-eastern one takes place in October-January.

If you’re travelling to any region that has a higher altitude though, you should be prepared to layer up when the temperature drops.

Sri Lanka is a hot, often humid country. The dress code is also quite socially conservative, so it’s best to leave any revealing clothing at home and opt for loose-fitting clothes, made from materials like cotton and linen, which don’t show too much skin. It’s a good idea to make sure shorts, skirts, and dresses are no higher than knee-length at most sites.

If you visit any temples during your stay, the dress codes tend to be tighter. You’ll want to make sure your knees and shoulders are covered. They will expect you to take off any hats and shoes (but it’s fine to keep your socks on; the temple floors get hot so you might need them!).

Sometimes you will be expected to take off your shoes in other venues too, like cafes and restaurants. For this reason, make sure you bring shoes that slip on and off easily, like sandals.

A sarong wrap (or scarf) is a versatile piece that can be used as a cover-up, shawl, skirt or even a blanket. They are suitable for anyone, regardless of gender, and are a worthwhile item to pack for your Sri Lanka trip!

It’s wise to travel to Sri Lanka with a lightweight waterproof coat and a travel umbrella too, especially if you’ll be there during the monsoon season. Even a five-minute downpour in Sri Lanka can leave you drenched, so be prepared!