Rikaz Mohamed

We had a truly wonderful and unique experience in Sri Lanka. This is largely thanks to the country’s inherent beauty, rich culture, and remarkable charm. However, we feel that the planning of the trip did not fully align with our preferences and expectations, which required some on-the-spot adjustments during our journey.

Roshan, our guide and driver, was exceptional. He consistently went above and beyond to ensure we enjoyed our trip. His flexibility and willingness to adapt plans were a significant reason why our experience turned out as well as it did. However, it seems that the information and guidance we provided to Rikaz during the planning stage were not fully communicated to Roshan, leading to an itinerary that didn’t fully match what we were looking for.

We had made it clear during the planning process that we were not interested in spending time relaxing in hotels, no matter how lovely they were. Instead, we wanted to immerse ourselves in the culture and explore the country with activities that felt authentic and avoided commercialized, "hop-on-a-bus" experiences.

That being said, the hotels selected for our trip were all very good and comfortable. However, the service at the hotel in Ella was inefficient and slow. For instance, when we asked if it was possible to have a yoga mat brought to the room, the staff assured us they could, but it was never delivered, nor did they follow up to inform us it wasn’t available. Upon arrival, we were also promised a welcome drink, but after waiting for 30 minutes, we decided to forego it and head out to explore Ella instead of waiting any longer.

In contrast, our best hotel experience was at Ginganga Lodge. Both the place and the service were exceptional, and it was a real highlight of the trip!

As for the itinerary, there were moments where the planning fell short of our expectations. For example, the plan to visit Rawana Falls as the only activity after a long drive to Ella did not align with what we had asked for. The itinerary described it as a place where we could bathe or climb the rocks in the dry season. However, upon arrival, we found clear signage prohibiting both activities due to safety concerns, and Roshan had already informed us these were not possible. The stop ended up being little more than a photo opportunity crowded with tourists—exactly the type of experience we were hoping to avoid.

In hindsight, there were more fitting options nearby, such as walking to the Nine Arches Bridge from Ella or visiting hidden waterfalls in the area, which Roshan suggested after understanding what we were looking for. Unfortunately, by then, there wasn’t enough time to adjust.

To salvage the day, Roshan suggested taking the train to Bandarwela, which turned out to be a highlight. In addition, he made thoughtful adjustments to the plans for the last three days, optimizing the itinerary to give us more meaningful experiences and less time on the road. He also included special stops, such as visits to local markets and less touristy spots, which made a huge difference for us. These efforts reinforced how committed he was to ensuring we had the best possible experience.

That said, we believe his level of English, while sufficient for general communication, was not quite strong enough for tasks like giving a detailed guided tour of Galle. As a result, we opted to explore on our own, which worked out well for everyone.

In summary, while the planning stage left much to be desired, Roshan’s exceptional efforts and flexibility, along with the quality of most of the accommodations, ensured that we left Sri Lanka with incredible memories. We hope this feedback helps improve the planning process so future visitors can have an even smoother experience.

Hotel Reviews

Koragaha Lodge

Tissamaharama

The service was wonderful, but breakfast was limited selections

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hide Ella

Ella

Service was slow and felt they didn't really care

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ginganga Lodge

Bope

If I could give them more than 5 stars I would

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Jetwing Lake

Dambulla

Even though it is a big hotel and part of a chain, it had it's charm and the service was lovely. The best was that on our last day they allowed us to stay until 18:00 in our room as our flight from Colombo was at midnight, which was a life saver

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Tour of Galle

Sri Lanka

Visit the Ravana Falls

Sri Lanka

It's a tourist trap!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Afternoon Safari at Yala National Park

Sri Lanka

It was a typical safari, but it felt too crowded. There was a traffic jam of nearly 40 jeeps to see one leopard (sleeping) and each time there was sighting fo elephants the first jeeps could get a good look at it, but all the Instegram people created a traffic jam and didn't move to give a chance to others. Not the best experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ritigala Forest Monastery

Sri Lanka

Explore the Nine arch bridge

Sri Lanka

Village Tour at Hiriwadunna followed by cooking demo and lunch

Sri Lanka

Hike to Little Adam’s Peak

Sri Lanka

It's a touristic walk and you'll find many people on this trail

Whale Watching Tour in Mirissa - Shared Boat

Sri Lanka

Explore the Dambulla Cave Temples

Sri Lanka

We were lucky to do it on a Full Moon so teh experience was special

Afternoon Safari at Minneriya National Park

Sri Lanka

After Yala - this was redundant even though the scenary was different

Visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress (F)

Sri Lanka

Amazing trip to the Maldives - Radisson Blu property was beautiful and serene while the service was incredibly kind. And the dive shop Ocean on site made seeing all the wildlife possible while also being knowledgeable and full of good people. Highly recommend.

We had heard great things about Sri Lanka from friends, but our trip was still full of surprises! The planning was smooth, with Rikaz helping us make changes when we realized we had a bit more time. When we were actually on the ground, Dan helped with everything, and the whole trip went off without a hitch. The whole family enjoyed the mix of adventure and relaxation, from hiking up the fortress of Sigiriya to walking the southern beaches... to having to maneuver the van when a wild elephant decided to cross the road. It's a must-do!

Had a wonderful experience in Sri Lanka thanks to Rikaz’s help with planning the itinerary. The cost was also very reasonable considering it took the stress off researching and booking our own hotels and tourist sites to visit.

The trip to Yala National Park was so memorable - we saw elephants, so many bird species, crocs, deer and the elusive leopard. The safari lodge that was booked for us was also wonderful. Beautifully designed, nice pool to swim in after long rides on the safari jeep and with all the amenities we needed. Service was top notch and the food was so yummy!

Our stay in Mirissa was great too - the beachfront Lantern Boutique Hotel had beautiful crashing waves at its doorstep 24/7 and the beach was a short drive away. There were local family owned eateries where we had authentic Sri Lankan food and a delicious grilled seafood dinner by the beach.

The itinerary was well thought out and our amazing driver Aruna also took the initiative to bring us to additional places on request. We went to a turtle hatchery, elephant sanctuary, wood carving demo, snorkeling with turtles, whale watching and more!

I would definitely recommend Kim Kim for your next vacation!

We are particularly grateful to our guide, Aruna, for his professionalism and his kindness. By leading us on this journey, he helped us discover a magnificent and endearing country, making this experience a memorable one. A perfectly organized and easy stay with unique hotels.
Our best visits/activities: Dambulla cave temples. treks in nature, breathtaking landscapes, flying Ravana, cooking a curry in a village garden, train journey between Kandy and Ella, elephant orphanage, crossing paths with wild elephants in different places.

Hotel Reviews

Jetwing Lake

Dambulla

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Centara Ras Fushi

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Kandyan Manor Homestay

Kandy

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hide Ella

Ella

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Ginganga Lodge

Bope

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Explore the Dambulla Cave Temples

Sri Lanka

My wife and I spent a wonderful six days on tour across Sri Lanka with Dami (Daminda Bandara). I think we drove a little under 700 miles. Everything went very well: we saw lots of magical sites, ate delicious food, and engaged in exciting activities. The tour was very well planned.

Dami was a fantastic tour guide and driver. He is outgoing and friendly, and a very enjoyable travel companion. A proud Sri Lankan, Dami provided us a good history of his native country and of the various sites we visited including Sigiriya Rock, various temples, and a game drive. He is also an expert on native birds and could identify even the smallest birds from a distance. Impressive!

Throughout our tour Dami was an attentive guide and a good listener. On his advice we switched things up on the tour agenda so that we could climb Sigiriya in the cooler morning rather than the heat of the day. Dami learned we liked various foods, e.g., beetroot and chocolate, and he made sure we got to try some Sri Lankan beetroot curry and chocolate. Dami also pulled over on our drive to show us various sites and locals at work. For example, we stopped to see how coconut oil is made.

During our climb and descent of Sigiriya Rock Dami was very helpful to my wife who was leery of the uneven and gravel-covered steps.

Dami ensured we were well fed with high-quality food throughout the trip. All the lunch sites at which we stopped were delicious. One lunch might well be the best meal we will have had this year, at the Old Palm House in Galle.

Importantly, Dami is a careful driver and ensured that we were safe throughout the trip.

Overall, we give Dami the highest rating and would whole heartedly recommend him to others as a top-notch tour guide.