Plan your tour

Making a real difference to your tour of Sri Lanka

When planning your tour of Sri Lanka you need to consider what others don't tell you - mountain roads, busy towns, rural roads and the volume of traffic. Trying to cover everything in a short space of time will leave you spending more time in the vehicle than enjoying Sri Lanka.

Mountain roads, rural roads and busy towns
Winding hill country road from Ambuluwawa towards Kurunegala with lakes and mountains
View along the coast to Colombo from the balcony of the Mount Lavinia Hotel
Slow down

Give yourself quality time to experience each view

Instead of changing hotels every night stay at least 2 or 3 nights so you can engage and explore the vicinity without rushing and packing again!

Stop at places that catch your attention, try the local food, enjoy a slower beach day between destinations, enjoy a safari without worrying about the next destination.

Doing less can mean experiencing much more!

Tea pickers with baskets harvesting leaves on a hillside tea estate
View over palm trees and the river from a hotel balcony in Kurunegala
2 - 3nights in each place
Worth slowing down for

Places to take your time

View over Kandy Lake and the city surrounded by green hills
Kandy
Visitors at the foot of the giant Sigiriya Rock
Sigiriya Rock
Traditional outrigger fishing boat with a sail on Negombo Beach
Negombo Beach
Rows of tea bushes at Damro Tea Estate near Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya
Hill country view from Ambuluwawa Tower over forests and mountains
Ambuluwawa
Every tour includes

What Peter Buckell Travel offers you

Stone steps and pillars at the Polonnaruwa Ancient City
Polonnaruwa
Realistic driving times
A guide and driver who is a partner in the business and has your real interests at heart
Realistic order of destinations
Essential time for sightseeing
Rest days
Weather and seasonal considerations
Activities tailored for your enjoyment
Estimated travel times each day
Personal and professional advice and recommendations
Transfers to and from airport and accommodations
Example prices

Prices start from

£435 per person

Based on 2 persons sharing a quality air conditioned car on a 9 day tour.

  • All our tours include airport transfers to and from your accommodation.
  • Deposits start from £250 per person with the balance due on commencement of your tour. This offers you total peace of mind and no risk.
  • We offer a range of air conditioned vehicles from cars to mini buses, all fully insured.

Ask us for a specific quotation based on your exact requirements.

Call UsEmail Us

Not included in your tour price

  • Guest accommodation and all meals - we can make recommendations so that you can source the best prices.
  • Attraction tickets and National Park entrance fees.
  • Hot air balloons and domestic flights.
  • Safari jeep and boat tours.
Where to go

A quick look at Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka tourist map showing the main regions and destinations
Climbing the Lion steps at Sigiriya Rock

Culture and History

Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Colombo, Galle, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Polonnaruwa.

Nine Arches Bridge in the hill country at Ella

Hill Country

Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale, Horton Plains, Ambuluwawa.

Elephants beside the lake in Minneriya National Park

Wildlife

Yala, Udawalawe, Minneriya, Kaudulla, Wilpattu, Pinnawala.

Galle lighthouse and the southern coast of Sri Lanka

Southern Coast

Mirissa, Weligama, Unawatuna, Galle, Hikkaduwa, Matara, Tangalle.

Fishing boats on Arugam Bay beach on the East coast

East and North Coast

Jaffna, Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Pasikudah, Arugam Bay.

Travel Sri Lanka at your own pace with freedom and flexibility with Peter Buckell Travel.

Wildlife and safaris

Sri Lanka's amazing wildlife

Sri Lanka packs an amazing range of wildlife into a small island, from leopards and wild elephants to sloth bears, water buffalo, crocodiles, monitor lizards, chameleons and monkeys. Your guide will help you choose the national parks that suit your route and the time of year.

Sri Lankan leopard resting in the grass

Sri Lankan leopard

Yala National Park is famous for its leopards and is one of the best places in the world to see them.

Safari jeep beside a wild elephant at Minneriya National Park

Asian elephants

See wild herds up close at Minneriya, Kaudulla and Udawalawe.

Sloth bear crossing a forest track in front of a safari jeep

Sloth bears

Shy and rare - keep watch for them in Yala and Wilpattu.

Crocodile basking on the bank of a lake

Crocodiles

Basking beside the lakes and rivers of the national parks.

Grey langur monkey sitting on a wall

Grey langur monkeys

Often seen at ancient sites and in the national parks.

Water buffalo with long curved horns wallowing in a lake

Water buffalo

Often seen wallowing in lakes and paddy fields to keep cool.

Monitor lizard walking across the sand

Monitor lizards

Large lizards found across the island, from national parks to riverbanks.

Colourful lizard with a long curled tail resting on a rock

Chameleons

Look out for colourful lizards changing colour in the trees and gardens.

Entrance sign to Minneriya National Park decorated with elephants

Planning your safari

  • Choose from Yala, Udawalawe, Minneriya, Kaudulla, Wilpattu and more - we will recommend the parks that suit your route.
  • Early morning and late afternoon drives are usually the best times to spot animals.
  • Safari jeeps and National Park entrance fees are not included in the tour price.
Birdwatching

The birds of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a paradise for birdwatchers. More than 400 species have been recorded on the island, and over 30 of them are found nowhere else in the world, including the Sri Lanka junglefowl, the national bird.

  • Sinharaja Forest Reserve is the best place to see many of the island's endemic birds.
  • Wetlands such as Bundala and Kumana attract huge numbers of water birds and winter visitors.
  • Colourful kingfishers, parakeets, bee-eaters and peacocks are easy to spot on safari.
Ask us about birdwatching
Illustrated chart of the birds of Sri Lanka, showing native and non-native species and the Sri Lanka junglefowl, the national bird
Enhance your tour

Highly recommended visits to Ayurvedic Villages

Sri Lanka is famous for spices and herbs which provided the ideal grounds for traditional Ayurveda which is an ancient form of medicine, the science of long life, using natural remedies to achieve physical and mental well being.

Herbs, spices and their natural oils figure prominently in Ayurveda massage and alternative therapies.

Explore Tours and Sample Custom Itineraries
Thatched buildings and a traditional ox cart at an Ayurvedic village
Bowls of Sri Lankan spices used in Ayurveda
Traditional Ayurveda oil massage treatment