We are a French couple, and returning from an 18 day trip to SriLanka (from 10/12 to 28/12/2016), organized by ourselves, and with the services of an independent driver Rishan Rafudeen Rishan4ever@gmail.com
We highly recommend this driver. We contacted him by email, after reading good recommendations found on @. At the end of this trip, we confirm these good assessments.He hihly contributed to the success of our trip.
First of all, it is a friendly and professional person, who speaks very good English. He is an excellent driver, who has a decade of experience, very calm, and respectful of the rules of the road. He respects its customers and the requests that are made to him. We discussed a lot of topics during the many hours of travel: the opportunity he talks about his country, the life of the Sri Lankans, in all sincerity. He does not ask questions about the personal lives of his clients, and if we have spoken of our lives, he listens with interest, but remains discreet: he does not allow himself personal remarks.
He never imposed stops in stores.
He has an air-conditioned car to take 2 or 3 people, but it can accompany larger groups by taking a minibus.
Remark: He is a driver, not a guide ! Fees are reasonable.
Planning of our trip
- day 1: arrival and night at Negombo / Binnacle Hotel (very nice, tv, AC, swimming pool, price competitive)
- day 2-3: Anuradhapura / Rajarata hotel (simple hotel but quite nice and good price, TV, AC)
Mihintale - Anuradhapora temples
- day 4: Polonnaruwa / Rice Hotel (not so nice as expected)
archeologic site: wonderful
- day 5-6 : Sigiriya / Sigiri Saman home stay (comfortable, well located, srilankan breakfast, AC, no tv)
Lion Rock, museum, Pidurangala rock
Elephant safari Kaudulla parc
- day 7: Habarana / Elephants watch hut (house in the tree ! a bit expensive but quite original)
Dambulla : troglodytes temples
Birds watch with a naturalist (contact at "The other corner" hotel)
night elephant safari with guide of the hotel (surprisning !)
- day 8: Kandy / Viyana boutique hotel (very and too much expensive )
spicy gardens in Matale
gems fabrik, kandyan dancings, Buddha tooth temple ceremony
- day 9: Digana / Tamarind gardens (a couple of english-srilankan who have several rooms, in a project including local people: wonderful food, and a great experience to understand the life in a small willage)
Kandy botanical garden
- day 10: Nuwara Elya / Villa de Roshe (very nice, TV, AC, price competitive)
walk in the village of Digana, and on the lake on a small local boat
road among the tea plantations, visit of a tea factory on the road
- day 11-12 : Ella / Sita's heave guesthouse (nice place in a quiet area with a wonderful view, and not far from the center)
walk of 3h in horton plains ( 1h from Nuwara Elya)
train from Oya to Ella (2hours)
Ellas's rock (4 hours walk with a guide)
we liked 360° restaurant in Ella !
- day 13: Uda Walawe / Nil Diya Mankada hotel (nice hotel with a pleasant swimming pool)
Buduruwagala temple (in the middle of nowhere)
Bombarrakanda waterfalls
Elephants orfonage
- day 14- 15-16-17-18: Mirissa / Palm Villa (simple but nice hotel on the beach in a quiet area and surfer spot, AC)
Galle town visit
wales watch by boat
snorkling
Colombo: museum, Pettah area
I hope these descriptions will help other people to organize their trip in SriLanka.
We have liked very much the people and the country. Perhaps we will come again to discover other places we have missed !