Best of Lanka
Best of Lanka
4.5
Multi-day ToursCultural ToursHiking & Camping ToursPrivate ToursNature & Wildlife Tours
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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About
Sri Lanka, the ultimate destination for an Asian Adventure. We at Best of Lanka brings you the most authentic local experiences Sri Lanka has to offer. From not to miss attractions to cooking excursions, walking with indigenous tribes, bird watching, adventure expeditions, wildlife safaris, tented safari camping experiences, Whale watching, Hot Air Ballooning, authentic village walks, Nature trails, Photographic Tours, Community based experiences and living with locals, we facilitate the most authentic Sri Lankan experiences with best guides in Sri Lanka.
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
396 reviews
Excellent
330
Very good
48
Average
5
Poor
7
Terrible
6
Jochen R
Surrey5 contributions
Jan 2020
My husband and I spent 10 days touring Sri Lanka with Best of Lanka.
Our itinerary included visits to Negombo, Sigiriya, Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala and Bentota.
We did many excursions including Temple of the Tooth, Horton Plains, a Home Stay with a cooking lesson of traditional Sri Lankan food and Yala National Park safari to name a few.
Our driver/guide Mr. Nihal was outstanding. He ensured we were safe at all times while on the road and at our accommodations and excursions. He suggested several other activities throughout the tour.
We highly recommend using Best of Lanka for any future travel plans in Sri Lanka.
Our itinerary included visits to Negombo, Sigiriya, Ancient City of Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala and Bentota.
We did many excursions including Temple of the Tooth, Horton Plains, a Home Stay with a cooking lesson of traditional Sri Lankan food and Yala National Park safari to name a few.
Our driver/guide Mr. Nihal was outstanding. He ensured we were safe at all times while on the road and at our accommodations and excursions. He suggested several other activities throughout the tour.
We highly recommend using Best of Lanka for any future travel plans in Sri Lanka.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Penelope D
London, UK27 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We have recently returned from an amazing 3-week tour of Sri Lanka, organised for us by Praveen at Best of Lanka and can’t recommend this company highly enough. We stayed in a variety of interesting accommodation, all different and perfect in their own way. Special mention goes to the Ficus Canopy Homestay near Kandy, where Ruki made us so welcome. She also, with the help of 2 ladies from the village, taught us how to cook a delicious Sri Lankan curry with accompaniments and took us on a tour of her local village.
We enjoyed so many different experiences. The most memorable being a boat trip across the Puttalam Lagoon, The train from Kandy to Ella, a tuk tuk ride, high up in the tea plantations to Lipton’s Seat, 2 nights in Galle and finally relaxing on the beach at Bentota, and enjoying delicious prawns on the beach for dinner. The only thing I would not recommend would be Yala safari park. Far too many jeeps searching for elusive leopards and the fumes at times, at times, were awful.
None of this would have been possible without our wonderful driver, Sisira. He is a brilliant driver. Not once did we feel unsafe on Sri Lanka’s somewhat perilous roads with Sisira at the wheel. He was knowledgeable, always punctual, entertaining and good company, always making sure that we didn’t leave anything behind at each hotel!
We enjoyed so many different experiences. The most memorable being a boat trip across the Puttalam Lagoon, The train from Kandy to Ella, a tuk tuk ride, high up in the tea plantations to Lipton’s Seat, 2 nights in Galle and finally relaxing on the beach at Bentota, and enjoying delicious prawns on the beach for dinner. The only thing I would not recommend would be Yala safari park. Far too many jeeps searching for elusive leopards and the fumes at times, at times, were awful.
None of this would have been possible without our wonderful driver, Sisira. He is a brilliant driver. Not once did we feel unsafe on Sri Lanka’s somewhat perilous roads with Sisira at the wheel. He was knowledgeable, always punctual, entertaining and good company, always making sure that we didn’t leave anything behind at each hotel!
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom Richard
1 contribution
Apr 2021
We booked a transit holiday in Sri Lanka on our way back to the UK from Singapore with Best of Lanka. The trip was conducted on the bio bubble concept for the first 14 days and after that, we were free to travel as usual, out of the bio bubble. The chauffeur guide wore his personal protection suit for the first 14 days. PCR testing at the first hotel on arrival and on day 12 when we were in Passikudah were all arranged by Best of Lanka with ease.
Our chauffeur-guide Kosala was very cool-headed and draw us to all approved tourist sites during the restricted 14 days before we got out of the bio bubble. Sri Lanka is very ahead of the other countries in making a way for tourists to visit even during the pandemic without shutting doors completely. We were lucky to see some wildlife before the parks closed their doors due to escalating new covid cases. We were nervous to book this holiday because of the pandemic but Best of Lanka made it very swift, safe, and experiential.
Our chauffeur-guide Kosala was very cool-headed and draw us to all approved tourist sites during the restricted 14 days before we got out of the bio bubble. Sri Lanka is very ahead of the other countries in making a way for tourists to visit even during the pandemic without shutting doors completely. We were lucky to see some wildlife before the parks closed their doors due to escalating new covid cases. We were nervous to book this holiday because of the pandemic but Best of Lanka made it very swift, safe, and experiential.
Written May 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shruthi M S
Dubai, United Arab Emirates11 contributions
Sep 2023 • Solo
During my recent trip to Sri Lanka in October and November of 2023, I enjoyed working with Sajidh, who coordinated and customized my itinerary to meet my travel preferences, dietary needs, and, most importantly, meaningful experiences. His attentive communication and ability to accommodate changes in plans were highly appreciated.
Throughout the trip, my dedicated chauffeur, Kosala, provided reliable, timely, clean, and comfortable transportation. However, I suggest the company consider offering compact and economical car options, especially for solo travelers, to make the experience more pocket-friendly.
Some of the highlights of the various local service providers can be glimpsed a little bit here:
1. Kandy: I stayed at Villa 49 and had the opportunity to explore the local area with the help of a knowledgeable lady guide who is fantastic. This experience allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture and enjoy delicious, authentic cuisine at the chosen accommodation. The day spent with the lady guide and how she planned the village exploration and tuk-tuk tour are some of the most memorable moments. I would highly recommend her tours.
2. Lunugamvehera National Park (Yala Block 5 and 6): I embarked on a night trail and full-day safari, spotting various wildlife species and enjoying the beautiful landscape. The company of a dedicated ranger and driver who wished to showcase Srilankan wildlife at its natural best made my safari experience unforgettable.
3. Green Turtle Snorkeling Center: Aja welcomed me and ensured my safety and comfort during my snorkeling session. Aja's expertise with the water allowed me to spot various aquatic species and snorkel alongside giant green turtles. His wife prepared a batch of Ceylon ginger tea, adding a warm touch to my experience.
Sajidh's professional input and flexibility also allowed me to attend a retreat and stay at places I had planned on my own alongside the travel experience I had designed with Best of Lanka, making the trip genuinely personalized and enjoyable.
Throughout my trip, I was impressed by the company's commitment to responsible tourism and its focus on supporting local communities and conservation efforts. I highly recommend Sajidh, Kosala, and the company's services to anyone planning a visit to Sri Lanka.
Throughout the trip, my dedicated chauffeur, Kosala, provided reliable, timely, clean, and comfortable transportation. However, I suggest the company consider offering compact and economical car options, especially for solo travelers, to make the experience more pocket-friendly.
Some of the highlights of the various local service providers can be glimpsed a little bit here:
1. Kandy: I stayed at Villa 49 and had the opportunity to explore the local area with the help of a knowledgeable lady guide who is fantastic. This experience allowed me to immerse myself in the local culture and enjoy delicious, authentic cuisine at the chosen accommodation. The day spent with the lady guide and how she planned the village exploration and tuk-tuk tour are some of the most memorable moments. I would highly recommend her tours.
2. Lunugamvehera National Park (Yala Block 5 and 6): I embarked on a night trail and full-day safari, spotting various wildlife species and enjoying the beautiful landscape. The company of a dedicated ranger and driver who wished to showcase Srilankan wildlife at its natural best made my safari experience unforgettable.
3. Green Turtle Snorkeling Center: Aja welcomed me and ensured my safety and comfort during my snorkeling session. Aja's expertise with the water allowed me to spot various aquatic species and snorkel alongside giant green turtles. His wife prepared a batch of Ceylon ginger tea, adding a warm touch to my experience.
Sajidh's professional input and flexibility also allowed me to attend a retreat and stay at places I had planned on my own alongside the travel experience I had designed with Best of Lanka, making the trip genuinely personalized and enjoyable.
Throughout my trip, I was impressed by the company's commitment to responsible tourism and its focus on supporting local communities and conservation efforts. I highly recommend Sajidh, Kosala, and the company's services to anyone planning a visit to Sri Lanka.
Written November 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lisa D
4 contributions
Dec 2019
Best of Lanka organized our 3 week tour of Sri Lanka. From the beginning Viraj and Daniel were excellent with respect to communication and planning of our itinerary. Our driver, Dula, was amazing. We always felt safe and he was very attentive to our needs and accommodated last minute changes to our itinerary no problem. Over the course of our 18days with Dula, we got to know him and were sad when it was time to leave.
We had a wonderful time in Sigirya and Kandy. All the activities we included were amazing.
We took the train from Kandy to Haputele and loved every minute.
In Haputele, we stayed at Living Heritage Koslanda as recommended by Best of Lanka. It was beautiful and a real highlight of our trip. However, because of distances and driving times, we were not able to visit Ella and Little Adams Rock. It would have been too long to go there on the same day as our visit to Lipton's Seat.
Our visit to the farm stay was definitely unique. We got to see a lot of bird life and wild elephants. However, the accommodation was beyond rustic and was a little too unsanitary for us.
We were looking forward to Yala and the tented safari camp. However, the camp is seriously in need of maintenance and the condition of the tents was very poor. In addition, we needed to up by 430am to get in line to go into Yala. There is only one entrance and about 300 jeeps. We would not recommend Yala at this time. Bundala Park though was beautiful and uncrowded.
Another highlight of our trip was Hiriketya Beach. The surfing is great. We stayed at Jasper House and loved it. Finally we stayed for our last 3 nights at the Parrot Fish Bay Inn. It was beautiful and service excellent. An amazing conclusion to our holiday.
Overall, we would highly recommend this trip with a couple of changes for the farm stay and Yala.
We had a wonderful time in Sigirya and Kandy. All the activities we included were amazing.
We took the train from Kandy to Haputele and loved every minute.
In Haputele, we stayed at Living Heritage Koslanda as recommended by Best of Lanka. It was beautiful and a real highlight of our trip. However, because of distances and driving times, we were not able to visit Ella and Little Adams Rock. It would have been too long to go there on the same day as our visit to Lipton's Seat.
Our visit to the farm stay was definitely unique. We got to see a lot of bird life and wild elephants. However, the accommodation was beyond rustic and was a little too unsanitary for us.
We were looking forward to Yala and the tented safari camp. However, the camp is seriously in need of maintenance and the condition of the tents was very poor. In addition, we needed to up by 430am to get in line to go into Yala. There is only one entrance and about 300 jeeps. We would not recommend Yala at this time. Bundala Park though was beautiful and uncrowded.
Another highlight of our trip was Hiriketya Beach. The surfing is great. We stayed at Jasper House and loved it. Finally we stayed for our last 3 nights at the Parrot Fish Bay Inn. It was beautiful and service excellent. An amazing conclusion to our holiday.
Overall, we would highly recommend this trip with a couple of changes for the farm stay and Yala.
Written February 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LeighSki1
Healdsburg, CA20 contributions
Feb 2022
This is the tour company to use if you are visiting Sri Lanka. I worked with Sajidh for over 6 months in putting together a trip for 16 of us visiting Sri Lanka for a 11-day hiking trip. I changed the itinerary many times and every time Sajidh was very patient and accommodating. I originally had reached out to about 5 different companies for help in planning this trip. Sajidh from Best of Lanka was the only one to always return my emails promptly. HIs English is excellent, and we communicated easily. The Guide provided, Indika, was stellar. Indika is just a gem. Very patient, knowledgeable and entertaining. He has a wonderful sense of humor and an unerring sense of how to spontaneously add quality to the trip along the way. The accommodations were wonderful, and the staff provided to us with our tour bus was wonderful. We are a retired group of hikers from the US. We have made over 20 international trips, and we have had a guide on about half of the trips. This was our BEST guided experience even though Best of Lanka primarily focuses on cultural and sightseeing tours.
If you are looking for a tour company to enhance your visit to Sri Lanka, you have found the answer right here at Best of Lanka.
If you are looking for a tour company to enhance your visit to Sri Lanka, you have found the answer right here at Best of Lanka.
Written February 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ross
2 contributions
Mar 2020
We had a fantastic trip. A well balanced itinerary of activity and relaxation arranged by Eshani with six locations all very different and all very nice, exactly what we asked
These included boat trip on the Hamilton canal and lagoon in Negombo, climbing Sigiriya Rock, cultural tour around the villages at Harbarana in a jeep, the temples at Dambulla and Polonnaruwa and Elephant safari at Minneriya. Then a super homestay visit near Kandy, staying in a tree house and learning to cook Sri Lankan curry. A wonderful train journey from Kandy to Ella where we climbed Little Adam's Peak then on to Yala where we fished in a lake and had a wonderful day's safari at the national park. Finally on to Unawatuna in the south to relax on the beautiful beach and a visit to Galle. We had a driver, Kosala , who looked after us very well, taking us every where, particularly to lovely places for lunch
These included boat trip on the Hamilton canal and lagoon in Negombo, climbing Sigiriya Rock, cultural tour around the villages at Harbarana in a jeep, the temples at Dambulla and Polonnaruwa and Elephant safari at Minneriya. Then a super homestay visit near Kandy, staying in a tree house and learning to cook Sri Lankan curry. A wonderful train journey from Kandy to Ella where we climbed Little Adam's Peak then on to Yala where we fished in a lake and had a wonderful day's safari at the national park. Finally on to Unawatuna in the south to relax on the beautiful beach and a visit to Galle. We had a driver, Kosala , who looked after us very well, taking us every where, particularly to lovely places for lunch
Written March 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marianne
Neath, UK1 contribution
Jan 2020
We booked online with the help of Shasheen a tailormade 15 days holiday to Sri Lanka. We visited the cultural triangle, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala and the south coast.
We had an excellent driver: Sameera. He is a very responsible driver, knows his way around and brings you to nice places to visit. His English is very good. He went the extra mile to make our journey memorable and regularly came with great extra builds on top of our itenary.
We had an excellent driver: Sameera. He is a very responsible driver, knows his way around and brings you to nice places to visit. His English is very good. He went the extra mile to make our journey memorable and regularly came with great extra builds on top of our itenary.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Latonia G
Brooklyn, NY146 contributions
Feb 2020 • Solo
I just returned from a fabulous 12 day trip to Sri Lanka. Singaraja Forest and Yala National Park were the highlights of my trip. The island is teeming with wildlife, the people are extremely kind and warm and the food is farm to table fresh. My consultant at Best of Lanka, Shasheen, did a wonderful job creating an itinerary for me simply based on our email correspondence. We were in constant communication throughout the trip and this proved particularly important when my flight to Sri got delayed by 3.5 hours causing us to have to make changes to the planned activities. My guide and driver for the duration of the tour, Sarath, was a lovely, kind gentleman who took great pride in showing me the best Sri Lanka had to offer and was at the airport waiting for me even though my flight arrived after 1:00 AM...almost 9 hours later than originally anticipated! I felt very comfortable and safe the entire trip and recommend Best of Lanka to anyone contemplating a visit. You can tell their number one priority is providing outstanding customer service and It truly shows how committed they are to making their clients’ holiday turn out perfect. Thank you again, Shasheen!
Written March 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CharlieWaverley
Nottinghamshire, UK5 contributions
Aug 2023 • Family
Sajidh at Best of Lanka organised a fantastic itinerary for our 2 week holiday to Sri Lanka. Family of 5 with 3 teens we asked for a mixture of activities and relaxing. Best of Lanka organised some great activities including white water rafting, jungle trekking, canyoning, cycling, lunch with a family in a local village, temple visits and elephant safari. Sometimes off the beaten track but always in the safe hands of the wonderful Laki our guide and driver who ensured we had a relaxing trip - he organised everything along the way making sure we had tickets when we needed them, guides, where to stop for great lunches and toilet breaks on long journeys! I would absolutely recommend Best of Lanka - on reflection we would never have been able to organise a similar trip independently not for the same price or with the same experiences -having Laki with us and the thoughtful planning of the trip by Sajidh provided the most memorable holiday to date. The biggest thank you!
Written August 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were communicating with Best of Lanka, but the itinerary is with Sri Lanka Expedition, did anyone experience the same thing? If so, how did the tour turn out?
Written April 7, 2019
Hi Jochen, the two companies seem to interlap so no need to worry.We had 12 day trip with a wonderful private driver- Dula & from airport pick up to final drop off everything ran smoothly. We had a brilliant time. Enjoy yours
Written April 8, 2019
Hi Paul, were staff at Best of Lanka quick to respond to any questions you had?
Written March 27, 2019
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