Luxury Tour in Sri Lanka

Planet

As with all of our luxury vacations, this itinerary has been crafted to ensure that it positively effects the local communities and environments visited.

Whilst on game drives in Sri Lanka’s national parks please do not encourage your driver to get too close to the animals or depart from the usual track. You should be as quiet as possible and do not make any noises to attract or frighten the wildlife. Of course you’ll be excited if you spot a leopard in Yala National Park or a herd of elephants in Gal Oya National Park, but you should try to express your excitement quietly.

Whilst visiting national parks please ensure that you don’t leave any litter – everything you carry in you must carry out. Aside from the environmental damage, litter can be harmful to the wildlife.

Entrance fees to Sri Lanka’s national parks are quite high, however this is an essential way for them to protect their incredible landscapes and wildlife (note: national park entrance fees are included in your vacation cost).

By including a visit to a national park in your itinerary, you are showing the Sri Lankan government that tourism within protected areas is thriving, thus encouraging more funding, employment opportunities etc.

People

Sri Lankan’s are renowned for their warmth and friendliness and you can expect to be touched by their warm welcome and genuine hospitality. On your tailor-made vacation there will be opportunities for you to interact with local people and this can often be the highlight of your trip!

On selected itineraries you can trek to a rural village in the northeast called Hiriwadunna where you’ll gain a glimpse into rural Sri Lankan life.

In Hiriwadunna you’ll get to meet and observe people working and simply going around their daily lives and you’ll also learn about Human/Elephant Conflict and the methods farmers use to try to keep elephants from destroying their crops. We’re sure that a visit to Hiriwadunna village will be one of the most memorable days of your Sri Lankan adventure!

Please ensure that you are respectful when taking photos, especially of women and children. It is polite to ask for permission first and if they indicate that they do not want you to, please respect this. Do not offer money or push the issue.

If you’re visiting religious sites please ensure that you do not take photos of sacred statues – selfies with Buddha are not likely to go down well.

Sri Lanka is a very religious country - Theravada Buddhism is the main religion and about 70% of the population follow Buddhism. It is important to respect the religious beliefs whilst traveling in Sri Lanka.

Images of Buddha are strictly regulated and any perceived insults of Buddha or Buddhism are taken very seriously. In recent years at least two tourists have been deported for having tattoos of Buddha, and three tourists were charged with kissing a Buddha statue and given suspended prison sentences.

You should ensure that you dress modestly and behave respectfully when visiting temples and religious sites. You should wear long trousers, a skirt or a sarong to cover your knees and shoulders, and ideally you should wear white (you can buy white clothing in the local markets). You’ll have to remove your shoes, sandals or flip flops when entering temples and other religious sites.