erything together for us. Ms. Charitha, our trip planner was accommodating before and during our tour. We were impressed with our driver, Mr. Ranga and his knowledge of all the routes and places. Special mention on the mini van allocated to us. It was well maintained and very clean. There was ample space for the 3 of us, making our transfers a comfortable ride. Below are some feedback on our experiences hotel/activity wise. We hope these will help future visitors to Srilanka; 1. Upon arrival, we were stranded inside the airport for almost 2 hours due to some issues with our visa. Thankfully, our driver was there waiting for us outside. As per the voucher, it was mentioned that we will be handed over a complementary sim upon full payment – which we did not get. Later on, the driver told us that we had to collect it inside the airport – which we were not informed otherwise. We were then told that we will be provided with the sim the next day – which never happened. Finally arranged a sim on our 5th day which was then reimbursed by the company. En route to our hotel, 1st stop on our itinerary was the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. However, for some reason, we were taken to a place where there were only 3 elephants (chained), and were offered a 30 min elephant ride for Rs. 3000 per head. There were no other tourists in sight. We were told that this is a private property and that it is better as we can touch the elephants, feed them and have a ride, while the other place (at Pinnawala) is government run with lots of people and that we can only watch the elephants from afar. We were also told that it is now past the feeding/bathing time so there will be no elephants to see there. We dropped the elephant ride in the last minute as it was too expensive. We did not like the fact that we were being coerced to something that would have costed us a lot in place of the activity mentioned in our itinerary. We insisted on visiting the orphanage, and we were glad that we got to witness the bathing session. Please inform your guides/drivers to stick to the itinerary and not “fool” the tourists into spending senselessly in the interest of earning their own commissions. Before we set off to our hotel in Sigiriya, we stopped @ the Cave Temples @ Dumbula. The grotos/caves, statues/carvings and their history were mesmerizing indeed. 2. We had a very pleasant stay @ Kassapa Lion's Rock Hotel. Room was clean and comfortable. Breakfast selection was great. Climbing up and down the Lion's Rock is a challenge but well worth the effort and the expensive entrance fee. Due to the rigorous climb and the massive rush of tourists, we took nearly 4 hours, for which we were scolded for by our driver. We should have been briefed prior on the time constraints so that we could have managed our time accordingly. However, it is in our discretion to spend as much time on one activity that is comfortable to us and drop any of the following activities happening on the same day. Because of this unfortunate event, our moods got ruined and had to miss the Sigiriya museum to rush to Matale for the Ayurveda garden and Kandy in time for the cultural show. We were upset of the fact that we did not take our full money's worth with the very expensive entrance fee. My friends and I are well travelled. We are aware of the marketing gimmicks and commission agreements between places of tourist attractions and the guides/drivers that bring tourists to them. The person allocated to us at the Ayurveda spice garden was a master at his marketing skills, and unfortunately again, we were conned into spending a lot of money on the “miracle meds” locally produced from the place. We came across some testimonials on the net that such places and their products are nothing but a big scam. 3. Kandy City Hotel. Room was clean but tight due to the addition of a third bed. Breakfast selection was average. Kandy Cultural Show we felt was below average. Performances were amateurish for the amount we paid for the entrance fee. We fell asleep in between perhaps due to the boring performances and the fact that we were tired from our Sigiriya activity. This can be given a pass, in lieu of spending more time discovering the Temple of the Sacred Tooth next door. The time spent waiting in the queue inside the temple is not worth the “blink and you will miss” the “sacred relic” as the moving line passes through it. Since we were pressed for time, we could not go into the museum and missed seeing Rajah’s (the ceremonial elephant) preserved remains, which we were looking forward to. Since our hotel was in the middle of Kandy city, there was an easy access to shopping, grocery & restaurants. 4. En route to the train station for our transfer to Nuwara Eileya, we stopped by a Batik and Gem stone factory. Since these are products identifiable to SL, we could not help but spend again. We also took a quick stroll through the vast expanse of Kandy Botanical Garden. If you have a lot of time to spare, this will be a good place to while away the day. 5. The train ride to Nanu Oya was average. (If you do plan to go to the Hill Country by train, make sure that you get a cabin equipped for viewing the scenery you’re passing through along the way.) Unfortunately, due to some mechanical breakdown with our train, our arrival got delayed by almost 4 hours. Our driver who came by road reached much before us, and checked in our luggage in the hotel. We were put up in Thuruliya Lodge in Ramboda. From the picture we saw of the place with the waterfall right next to it was indeed deceiving. Nonetheless, the view from our terrace was very scenic. The room itself was huge. Unfortunately, service was redundant, we faced great difficulty communicating with the attendants and there was no breakfast buffet, so we ended up with the basic egg (in any form), toast, butter & jam. Horton Plains activity garnered a mixed reaction from the 3 of us. This is a must do for those who are super fit and love hiking and trekking. Otherwise, give it a pass as the trail is long, with varying terrains, and the rewards are not very exhilarating. Mini world’s end and World’s end are almost the same. Getting to Baker’s fall is a tedious task that takes its toll on your feet and legs. By the time you make you way back from Baker’s Falls, you will be completely drained of energy. The walk back is more painful and seems forever  We still cannot figure out why we had to spend extra on the hiring of another van to get us there. (Be wary of price changes. Stick to the price mentioned on the itinerary.) The place is over rated. It would have been better for us to miss this and instead explore the tea plantations uphill and perhaps participate in the tea pickings. Witnessing first-hand how tea is made at one of the tea factories we visited was indeed a learning experience. (Point to be shared to the Horton Plains officials: There should be distance markers at intervals to guide the hiker how much more to go so that one can pace oneself accordingly. There should also be shortcuts back to the exit in cases of emergency). 6. En route to Bentota, stopped on the way for white water rafting at the Kelani River, Kitulgala. After the Lion’s Rock, this was the highlight of our trip. The guys at Adventure Lanka were friendly and very funny which made our rafting so much more fun. Our last stop was at The Orchid Hotel, Bentota. Amazingly romantic setting. The room was a bit crammed due to the addition of the 3rd bed, the bathroom could have been more appealing, but the beach view and the friendliness of the staff made up for all these shortcomings. Since it is a small place (8 rooms in total), there was no buffet for breakfast, instead, you get the basic egg (in any form), toast, butter and jam. We opted for Srilankan breakfast of Milky rice and fish curry on our 2nd morning….we wished we had the same the morning before  . The hotel has an in house Ayurvedic spa facility, but you need to book in advance. On our way to Galle for the Dutch Fortress, we stopped by one of the Turtle Hatchery on the way. Word of caution: it’s better to donate rather than spending on the over-priced souvenirs inside the facility. Galle Fort is totally over rated. Nothing much to write about. There is this eatery inside the fort called Crepeology. Highly recommended. Shopping tips: Odel & Laksala are filled with every imaginable souvenir available. However, they can be pricey. Odel in Colombo is a one stop shopper’s paradise. All the souvenirs, including tea that you may have missed in other places are available here. Always remember that souvenir pieces are standard. You will get them from anywhere in varying prices. It is good to take advantage of hawkers plying the streets. They sell comparatively cheaper. Since you are on your own for breakfast and dinner, inform your guide/driver in advance about your meal preferences and especially the price range – for they can take you to high-end places from where they also get commission. Lunch/dinner from the hotel will obviously be very pricey. Stock up on water at all times. A small bottle of water will set you back for min. SLR 40/- It’s also a good idea to pack snacks with you for your excursions. Our tour of 7 days and 6 nights was crammed with activities, especially for the first 3 days, with a lot of walking and more walking! But it was all worth it. Thank you Travel Triangle & Tour East Lanka team for your support and helping us experience the best of Srilanka without having to face any reservation hassles  We will definitely recommend you guys to our friends and also look forward to our next trip somewhere else in the world!  One thing we would like to confirm from authentic sources if possible. Are the meat/chicken all over Srilanka actually HALAL? Best regards from me and my friends! The climb up and down the Lion's Roack @ Sigiriya and the white water rafting on the Kelani river @ Kitulgala.

one at Kandy Mahaweli reach hotel was excellent. Rest all were decent. Repeatedly asking for documents by Travel Triangle was unnecessary and should be avoided.

as a pleasant experience. Themindi, our travel agent, was professional in accomodating our requests and suggested the itinerary and hotels well in our trip budget. She was polite and it was a pleasant experience communicating with her all throughout. Afzal, our driver, drove well and comfortably. He was aware of the routes and kept the car clean each time we sat. A polite, pleasant, and professional driver. Few things could have been better: The Colombo hotel was a highly rated but a very below average hotel with outdated amenities. Colombo hotel suggestion could have been better. Our itinerary was very hectic with only one day at each location; this made us very tired and we also missed visiting the treks and temples due to the large travel time. We could only touch one or two must visit places in each location. I would suggest booking two/three days per location at the very least. It is important to discuss and clarify all hidden charges and the mode of payment with 'I am Srilanka'. They have some preferences with paying in USD and in cash upon reaching Sri Lanka. Better to have these clarified in advance. Thanks for helping us organise our trip. We do plan to revisit. Chilling on a sun bed, next to our private beach at the Palms Hotel, in Bentota.

r travco in future. Since my wife is in her final trimester we requested the the travel agent to cut-short our trip skipping sigriya , dambulla and bentotta and keeping 2 days at one destination so that we don’t have to hop from one hotel to another every single day. We covered colombo, kandy, nurwa elliya and ella in 8 days. But the room provided to us were not what we paid for. Both in kandy and nurwa eliyya on first day there was no view/ balcony and we were forced to adjust on day one and were provided the promised room on day 2. UpOn confirming with the hotel reception we were told that the travel agent was told about the unavailability of the room on the provided dates. He played smart, keeping us in dark and had the audacity to threaten us to cancel the trip in nurwa eliya upon complaining when it happened for the second time in nurwa eliyya. So technically we cut short 3 destinations, paid more than the initial quotation and switched rooms every single day for 8 days pretty much adding to the discomfort. Secondly, considering my wife’s pregnancy in mind we preponed the trip by one day without any change in the itinerary thereby adding extra day in colombo to rest and readily paid extra for one day accommodation plus airport transport( that was covered in trip). Travel agent said his service is from airport to airport so if we are coming one day before we’ve to pay extra for airport to colombo transfer. We paid without arguing but we strongly feel this could have been avoided. Thirdly, travel agent always increased the price by 10-15 usd saying the economic conditions in srilanka isn’t good which is clearly unprofessional. Moreover he provided the wrong booking name in all four hotels adding to the confusion.

very much for making our stay a happy and memorable one.

was our first international trip with my toddler, we had some preferences over the hotels and places to visit. Chamodi was so quick in giving her suggestions and informations which I felt other travel agents lacked. She tailored the itinerary to suit our interests and preferences, ensuring a personalized experience for each family member. There were lot of changes we had to make in the middle of planning and Chamodi was present over WhatsApp whenever I had some query. The chauffer she provided us Mr. Madusanka was someone who is best in the business and he made our trip even more special with his excellent service. The accommodations selected were comfortable and conveniently located. Moreover, her local expertise and recommendations enriched our experience, allowing us to discover hidden gems and immerse ourselves in the vibrant culture of Sri Lanka. Thanks to Chamodi and D Lanka Tours , our family created unforgettable memories in Sri Lanka. We highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a memorable and stress-free travel experience.

gent Chathura was very quick and informative. He had answers for all our questions and customize our trip based on our needs. If anyone is planning to go to Srilanka , I'll recommend you guys.

ed, allowing me to truly immerse myself in the beauty and diversity of Sri Lanka without any worries or stress.

te. Where they fell short was with local driver/guide. Experience with the driver was unpleasant and found behaviour to be occasionally rude, uncooperative and lacked enthusiasm to show/host well.

r the itinerary. We are very grateful to our fabulous driver, Udayanga Subash, who took great care of us the entire time. Our highlights were climbing Sigiriya at sunrise, visiting the elephants at Pinnawala, exploring the west coast beaches, and all the Buddhist temples.

ereliya then kandy . Centara hotel and beach was amazing. In Raddison colombo Sea facing room and swimming pool was awesome .

ravel itinerary and also in customizing the tour package. She was very polite and supportive and catered to all our needs. Our Driver Mr Sineth Madusanka was the coolest person ever. A big thank you to Travel Triangle & Steeple Tour for making our tour memorable !!!

s can be breathe taking, Sri Lanka's took us by surprise. It's a beautiful country with incredible natural beauty filled with picturesque mountains, rivers and lakes and a people who are friendly and helpful. The tourism industry though, is still in its infancy, and standard of service has some ways to go. Despite paying for top-end hotels, we were shocked to find that many of them do not even have air-conditioning in the rooms. Although we made a conscious decision to select our own hotels, the tour agency was not even aware of the lack of air-conditioning in those facilities and did not advise us on it. So although TravelTriangle was useful in recommending several tour agencies for us to secure proposals from, the agencies themselves do little more than just provide barebone service focused on pricing. You will have to do a lot more homework on your own if you want to ensure an enjoyable visit and avoid surprises.