Essential Sri Lanka

Traveler Reviews

• D

  Danielle

  July 6th, 2026
  Automatically translated. View in Original LanguageRate this translation
  Automatic translation available in English. View in English
  The group of 12 travelers was great; we came from all over the world. As for the tour, it was well-organized. We saw...
  The group of 12 travelers was great; we came from all over the world. As for the tour, it was well-organized. We saw a variety of landscapes, the pace was just right, the hotels were top-notch, and I even went hiking. The only downsides—the issues I see—are: - The fact that it was too much of a “tourist” experience. For example, I would have liked to eat at places frequented by locals. Which is what I did outside of the tour. - I like to tip when I want to and give the money directly myself. Talking about it right from the start of the tour—even “suggesting” an amount—seemed odd to me. We didn’t find out until the end what the money was used for. It would have been more appropriate to explain when it was spent and check with the other travelers in the group to see if they were okay with it and how much. I’d like to point out that we’d already paid for the entire trip, and on top of that, we were still paying for activities on site that weren’t included. Overall, I’ll have fond memories of the trip.Show more
  Traveled in May 2026
  

  Reply from: Intrepid Travel

  Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience, Danielle! We're so pleased to hear you enjoyed exploring Sri Lanka, appreciated the pace of the itinerary, the variety of landscapes, your fellow travellers and the quality of the accommodation. It's wonderful to know you'll be taking away such fond memories of your trip! We understand that many travellers are looking for opportunities to enjoy authentic local eateries, and we'll be sure to pass your feedback on to the team responsible for this itinerary for consideration. We also recognise that tipping practices can differ greatly from person to person. While any suggested tipping amounts are intended as a guide and participation is always at each traveller's discretion, some of our trips offer the option of a group tipping kitty, which many travellers find to be a convenient way to manage gratuities throughout their journey. Where a tipping kitty is used, leaders maintain a tipping record that travellers are welcome to view at any time, and we appreciate your insights into how this was introduced and communicated during your trip. We also appreciate your comments around the activities that weren’t included. We aim to strike a balance between including the must-see experiences while leaving room for optional activities, allowing travellers the flexibility to tailor their experience to their own interests and budget. While our trip notes outline many of the optional experiences available, together with their approximate costs so travellers can budget in advance, we appreciate that these costs can add up depending on the activities chosen. Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback, Danielle. We hope to welcome you on another Intrepid adventure in the future.

  Show more
• 

  RosaWalker

  January 30th, 2020
  Amazing tour! Everything was super organised and the our tour guide Sam made the trip unforgettable. We felt we got...
  Amazing tour! Everything was super organised and the our tour guide Sam made the trip unforgettable. We felt we got to see so much of Sri Lanka in such a short space of time and can’t wait to return one day. Be prepared to pay extra for some of the optional activities but they are so worth it! Some meals are also not included but Sam made sure to always take us to affordable and authentic places. Can’t recommend this tour enough!Show more
  Traveled in January 2020
  

  Reply from: Intrepid Travel

  Thanks for your feedback Rosa!

  Show more
• S

  Sinead

  January 21st, 2020
  I had an amazing time in Sri Lanka, such a beautiful country. Prasad the guide was fantastic from beginning to end....
  I had an amazing time in Sri Lanka, such a beautiful country. Prasad the guide was fantastic from beginning to end. He always went the extra mile to make sure the trip was enjoyable, safe and ran smoothly. He shared a lot of local knowledge and was very professional. We got so much done including additional activities that the tour guide went out of his way to organise. The transport and hotels were all to good standard and I would highly recommend this tour.Show more
  Traveled in January 2020
  

  Reply from: Intrepid Travel

  From us and Prasad thanks so much for your feedback Sinead! Sri Lanka is certainly a stunning place and we're so glad you enjoyed your time there.

  Show more
• A

  Emily

  September 18th, 2019
  Mathisha was such a brilliant tour leader - he made the trip so special!! He provided such great knowledge and also...
  Mathisha was such a brilliant tour leader - he made the trip so special!! He provided such great knowledge and also made the trip feel very personalized!Show more
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Ellen

  September 18th, 2019
  My Essential Sri Lanka Trip with Intrepid exceeded all my expectations.The wonderful group of people I traveled with...
  My Essential Sri Lanka Trip with Intrepid exceeded all my expectations.The wonderful group of people I traveled with made the trip exciting and enjoyable. The trip had the right balance between included activities and free time. My favourite location was Ella in Central Province and I would have loved to spend an extra day there exploring! Overall, I feel grateful for a fantastic trip and to have memories for a lifetime.Show more
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Ella

  September 18th, 2019
  Mathisha was an excellent guide who gave our tour such a personal touch!
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Ciara

  September 18th, 2019
  Perfect tour! Had both hiking and adventurous activities but also relaxation time.
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Alanah

  September 18th, 2019
  The trip was well planned out with lots of activities and optional activities that showcased Sri Lanka.
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Cecelia

  September 18th, 2019
  Our tour guide went above and beyond to make sure we had the best time possible and saw the real Sri Lanka
  Traveled in December 2018
• A

  Natalie

  September 18th, 2019
  I would like to compliment Ranjan on his managing of our group and all that he did to accommodate us and keep us safe...
  I would like to compliment Ranjan on his managing of our group and all that he did to accommodate us and keep us safe and happy during our trip! Keeping a group of 13 females between the ages of 18 and 3 happy is difficult and he was up to the task. I wish I knew in advance that the group would be 1% female and the number of people in the group. The larger the group the more difficult it is to please everyone's requests and personalities. I will not do a tour for 18-29 again after this experience. Everyone was chasing instagram moments more than they were wanting to experience the destination. I am extremely disappointed that at our first night's meeting Ranjan told our group that we would not be taking the train from Kandy to Ella, but instead a bus. He was told that Intrepid already told us of this detail and that was incorrect. This train ride is advertised as a highlight of the trip. I booked my trip in March so see no reason why a seat could not be booked within the 9 months in preparation of this trip. When you travel to the other side of the world for a once in a lifetime trip, with a set itinerary, you are counting on it. Intrepid should have had the appropriate number of confirmed seats booked for us. If I was booking this trip myself, the ticket would have been booked. Ranjan made an effort to take us to the train station and get standing room only seats on the train but it was just too packed for our large group. We wasted hours in the day trying this but I thank him for his effort and ideas trying to get us onto a train. I'd like to thank Ranjan for being concerned about us on our trip and warning us of things we should be careful for. I'd like to thank him for connecting us with safe tuk tuk drivers when we wanted to go off on our own and for staying up waiting to make sure we made it home safe. Also, for helping us make our Christmas and New Years holidays memorable and for celebrating the holidays with us. He was very helpful when asking questions about the value of products and rides to places and also always had our particular interests in mind through the whole trip. He was also helpful in making post-trip arrangements with an additional night at the hotel and transportation. Thank you, Ranjan!Show more
  Traveled in December 2018