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What other guests say
4.9
|
14 reviews
Praveen is the best. We have traveled countries with guides and drivers and Praveen is up there with the very best. Driving on Sri Lankan roads would be challenging for overseas drivers but you feel very safe with Praveen. He is very considerate and careful and we felt safe at all times.
Praveen helped with the planning of the trip and was very responsive to our e-mails and endless questions.
I will start with the only negative as it turned out as a positive. My wife and I were very worried about security in Sri Lanka after what happened at Easter and nearly cancelled our trip in June. We are so glad we didn't. We had a wonderful time and felt safe. There is security in a number of places but that is what made us feel safe. If you are having second thoughts don't it is a great time to go.
Now on to all the other positives.
It was hard to decide on an itinerary and I can say that the two weeks we planned was ideal. Our itinerary and hotels are as follows. We would not change the itinerary but would change the hotel we stayed at in Anuradhapura (Rajarata Hotel) as the bathroom had a bad odour, and air conditioner did not function properly, we are probably being picky. Also you could stay in accommodation that is a lot cheaper but we went for accommodation that had pools and in most places air conditioning and did not regret our choices. In fact they enhanced the experience. For the trip it generally takes between 3 to 4 hours to drive between the following towns.
Day 1 and 2 Negombo - Negombo Heritance (Deluxe King Room with sea view)
Day 3 Anuradhapura - Rajarata Hotel (Standard Room)
Day 4 and 5 Sigiriya - Aliya Resort and Spa (Deluxe Family Room)
Day 5 Kandy - Elegant Hotel (Presidential Suite) top room and hotel and only NZD 130 per night with breakfast amazing.
Day 6 and 7 Nuwara Eliya - Heritance Tea Factory (Superior King Room)
Day 8 and 9 Ella - 98 Acres Spa and Resort (Standard Room) you have to stay here.
Days 10 to 13 Marissa - Sri Sharavi Beach Villas and Spa (Palm Room)
Tip in Sigiriya most people climb to the top of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress but also do the climb to the top of the hill opposite Sigiriya Rock Fortress called Piduraangala. Praveen will probably shudder that I'm recommending this as it is a harder climb than the rock fortress but Praveen and i did this for sunset and it was amazing. I'm not fit and if you can take it slowly you will be able to do it. A torch is necessary as its dark when you come down.
This review would be three times longer than any review i Have done but I think it shows how happy and appreciative we were of Praveen and the wonderful tour he took us on.
Definitely try the Sri Lankan curries.
I would be more than happy to answer any questions the Tripadvisor community has in relation to this review.
Praveen from Karen and myself thank you very much for a fantastic experience and your company which we will never forget.
Mark C, New Zealand
this was our first family trip to Sri Lanka and we enjoyed it thoroughly! I am glad we didn't cancel the booking after the terrorist attacks happened, otherwise we will have missed out greatly on this fantastic experience. It is safe to travel - people there are warm and friendly and there are security checks at strategic roads, airport, and major hotels.
Liaising with Praveen prior to arrival was a breeze, he was responsive and flexible in changes and answered my questions patiently. During the actual trip, Binal was our assigned guide and we have nothing but high praises for him. He was always on time from our very first meeting at the airport to early morning trips, to a point where we felt bad for making him wait when a member of our group was late. He is very friendly, knowledgeable, and goes the extra mile to make sure we are comfortable and happy. He also has amazing navigation skills through winding roads - a very important skill to have for a guide in Sri Lanka as the roads can be bendy and narrow.
We had to skip a couple of places due to bad weather - since it's the monsoon season - but Binal made up for it by bringing us to other places. He also pointed out interesting sights along the way and brought us to great food places for local food! We loved getting up close with the wildlife during our sightseeing trip to the national park, enjoying the cool weather in Nuwara-Eliya, climbing up the Sigiriya rock etc. During the roadtrip, we had a lot of fun sharing jokes together and exchanging stories about our lives. In the end, Binal felt more like a friend travelling with us than just our guide :)
My only regret was that our itinerary was rather tight as we only had time to stay in each town for 1 night. The next time we will be back again with more days to spare!
davis lee, Singapore
I highly recommend Praveen as a professional, experienced and knowledgeable guide in Sri Lanka. This was the our trip to Sri Lanka, I have contacted Praveen and he helped me a lot with organizing the whole trip, including itinerary, transportation, hotel booking etc. Unfortunately, Praveen was busy during our trip so he arranged another good chaffeur Dinesh. We had only 4 days and it was a tough but very interesting trip: in such a short time we have visited plenty beautiful places like Negombo, Nuwaraeliya, Kandy, Dambulla and Sigiriya. Overall we enjoyed a lot visiting Sri Lanka. Praveen, thank you for your help and see you next time.
Sakenus
I visited Srilanka with my wife. Firstly, I must say I was amazed to see the natural beauty in Srilanka. Special thanks to Mr. Praveen for the service he provided to me. Chaffeur Mr. Gamini was highly professional, we accolade the affable nature. Though we feel that our stay was quite brief but still we managed to visit the main locations within 5 days I.e. Dambulla, Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwareliya and Negomba. I highly recommend his services.
JehanzaibM2, Saudi Arabia
Firstly let me say if you read no more of this review rest assured Praveen has to be one of the best tour guides we have come across on our travels, he is a consummate professional who clearly puts customer satisfaction very high on his excellent work ethic, nothing was too much trouble, he was only to keen to Impart his extensive knowledge of his native country and the full tour he organised for us was exactly what we had requested.
My wife and I booked Praveen purely on his TripAdvisor feedback which is nothing short of exemplary and I am pleased to say that it was an excellent choice. We had eight days in Sri Lanka, and we gave Praveen a list of things that were a must for us, these included Sigiriya Rock, a Safari, Whale watching, tea planation and some traditional Sri Lankan culture.
Praveen organised and sent us a full itinerary of a trip that he had organised to cover out stay, this included hotels which through consultation he organised fully for us including the exact level of room that we had selected, for information we stayed in four hotels during our stay, these were: Sigiriya – Water Garde, Superior Deluxe room with plunge pool; Kithulgala – Palmstone Retreat Arliya Room with Pool; Yala – Cinnamon Wild, Beach Chalet and Ahungalla hotel Riu, Suite. In the Itenary there was a full breakdown of the activities that he recommended we do at each location and I have to say these were so good we did pretty much them all and some others that were not mentioned but Praveen recommended on route, I have to say we were not disappointed with a single thing that we did on our trip
We were met at the airport by Praveen who had a clearly marked professional sign with our name, he took us and got us a local sim card which was valid for a month and provided plenty of roaming internet, this cost 1299 LKR, ($7.50, £5.70); with a mobile hotspot this was more than adequate for the two of us for our stay.
With regards to the trips I won’t go into these here, but rest assured they were all first class and Praveen ensured that we saw everything we requested and more. Praveen ensures that at each of the trips you are fully briefed and will give you an idea of the prices you should be paying for souvenirs, tips, guides and in many cases he will accompany you on your trip, this is most welcome, I have mentioned it before but his knowledge really is superb and it is clear he has fully researched everything he does and everywhere he takes you.
To sum up I have to say book Praveen and you will be delighted with his services, his professionalism, knowledge, bearing and easy nature are a true credit to him and his ratings on TripAdvisor do not lie.
A first-class service provided by a first class professional tour guide, with a deep understanding and knowledge of his country and more importantly you needs as his customer.
Craig H, Kuwait
Ranjan was our driver/guide for our two week trip around Sri Lanka. He picked us up from our hotel in Negombo at the start of our tour - Negombo/Sigiriya/Kandy - train to Haputale - Yala/Galle/Negombo.
A great driver amidst the manic driving around the country roads, we always felt safe with him. Very attentive and always ready to go out of his way to make our trip so memorable.
He arranged some very special events including lunch and dinner with local Sri Lankan families that offered a real insight into 'normal' Sri Lankan life.
When my wife was unwell he could not have been more considerate in helping us through the hospital procedures and ensuring she was looked after.
We cannot praise him too highly for his friendly and helpful service throughout the two weeks. and would absolutely recommend him as your travel and tour guide.
He will arrange all bookings at hotels and organise your full itinerary so you can relax and enjoy the wonders of Sri Lanka
E Mail him on: ranjanwij48@gmail.com
Clive L, United Kingdom
We went on a 5 days trip with our driver Isuru. He was always very nice an caring. Tried to make all our requests possible. He cared a lot about our safety is a great driver and totally involved in making his guests feel happy all the time. He takes his job very personal and was open for all change requests we had.
We went from Colombo to Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Tangalle as a last stop.
The car war very comfortable, always clean and staffed with perfect wifi.
When comparing to other driver we paid more money for our package but it was worth it.
Thank you so much, Isuru, for amazing 5 days!!!
L S, Switzerland
Driver Hemantha was a great guide, pleasant to ve around and a very safe driver. Managed to see quite a few attractions.
Paradise33884770874
Helpful Questions
What are some of the popular sightseeing spots in Sigiriya?
Sigiriya is home to various sightseeing spots, including the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Pidurangala Rock, Dambulla Cave Temple, and Minneriya National Park.
Are private sightseeing tours available in Sigiriya?
Yes, private sightseeing tours are available in Sigiriya. These tours offer personalized experiences and can be customized according to your preferences and interests.
Are guided sightseeing tours available in Sigiriya?
Yes, guided sightseeing tours are available in Sigiriya. These tours are led by knowledgeable and experienced guides, who provide information on the history, culture, and significance of each sightseeing spot.
What is the best time to take sightseeing tours in Sigiriya?
The best time to take sightseeing tours in Sigiriya is during the dry season, which runs from May to September. During this time, the weather is generally dry and sunny, making it ideal for sightseeing and outdoor activities.
What is included in a typical Sigiriya sightseeing tour?
A typical Sigiriya sightseeing tour includes transport to and from the sites, entrance fees, a knowledgeable guide, and refreshments. Some tours also include hotel pickups and drop-offs, lunch or dinner, and additional activities such as elephant safaris.
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