Sri Lankan Discovery

Visiting Sigiriya.

No hotel booked for first night. Arriving at 2:30am to find no room was not good. 
Hotels generally were good but frequently too far from local community/shops.
The guide was poor, very pleasant etc but not a good tour leader. He did not provide us with essential information - programme/timings etc but provided too much on his favourite topics. (Suffered from verbal diarrhea)
The bus used was OK for the number on the trip but would have been very cramped if even one more added. Our bags were stored across the back seat and nowhere to store backpacks.

The intinerary provided with the tickets was not correct - the downloaded version was more correct but not entirely accurate.
We never did visit a tea plantation.

Hotels generally too far from local community.

Lovely guy but poor leader.
Didn't socialise with the group but left us to find our own meals in the evening.
Didn't provide essentail information on programme or items we would need.

Mr P - Travelled in February 2012

Our holiday was exactly as described and more. We had a new interest to look forward to on a daily basis, which at times challenged our fitness or fears. Getting to the top of Adams Peak was very exhilarating and we could not look down while climbing the steps on Sigiriya. Then there was the fantastic Temples and rituals entwined with encounters with the local wild life . Our Guide, Thilantha was very knowledgeable about his country and if he did not know an answer to our questions he would find out and come back to us.  He was friendly and approachable to all of our group and managed  individual expectations with tact and composure. A truly wonderful holiday.

Our Guide provided details of extra trips and assistance in organising transport etc. during out stay at Tangalle, these were very much appreciated.

The accommodation was largely as expected and as described in the itinerary but we were a little disappointed with the Nuwara Eliya stay. The room had been used by smokers and the service at dinner rather slow, dinner took three hours for a set meal after a very long day. The outward impression of the establishment did not fit with the actual content.

A fantastic Guide and managed the 'difficult' member of the group amicably. see previous comments

Mr H - Travelled in January 2012

Walking Adam's Peak especially wth my new hip!
Our EXCELLENT local guide Thilantha Abeysinghe,
Seeing a bear on our safari.
Seeing the turtle coming out of the sea to lay her eggs.
The VARIETY of culture and activity.

Our holiday was made by our guide just as our Jordan one was spoiled by the guide. We all learned so much and his organisation and logistics were perfect.

Perfect locations, great we stayed 2 and 3 nights in some...fewer one nighters that we expected. Thila made sure we always had mosquito plug-ins in our rooms.

Excellent...what more can I say...an amazing chap...a caring sensitive guy (I was poorly one night and he was v attentive .

Mrs B - Travelled in January 2012

Dolphin trip
Meeting and talking with the children and the local people. They were warm and friendly.

Exceptional knowledge of history, archaeology and wildlife.
Had no knowledge of any towns we stayed as, we weren't given town maps, told of anywhere good to eat or what was good to see in the towns. We were always encouraged to eat and stay in the hotels during any free time.
His time and distance awareness was non existent. Absolutely no point in asking how far somewhere was or how long it would take to get there.
Whilst he [Saman] was able to talk at the group he wasn't able to hold a conversation and his lack of understanding at our questions and request meant we often came away with incorrect and conflicting information.
Overall a lovely caring person but definitely not my type of group leader.