Review Author: EiraP_12, United Kingdom

Review Date: 28 Jan 2019

Review Body: Our holiday was booked through a tour company, but there was a chunk in the middle where we wanted to do our own thing - a bit of train travel and some tours that we had organised ourselves. I found D&D tours on Tripadvisor with great reviews and we were not disappointed. Nil, Gayan's brother met us off the train at Nanuoya, it was all really easy and the vehicle was clean and huge - lots of space for two 6 footers like us. He dropped at us our hotel high above Nuwara Eliya, then arranged to pick us up at 5 am the next day. We were only in the area for one whole day so we were keen to fit as much in as we could. We went to Horton Plains national park stopping on the way to see the sunrise. We arrived at the park and Nil told us everything we needed to know to gain access. We did a lovely walk through the park, featuring the amazing Worlds End with the best views in the world! We saw Elk, lizards, jungle fowl and flycatchers, it was wonderful. At 2000m it was the highest that I've ever been and the views were spectacular. It was quite busy but big enough to get away from people and not feel crowded. The viewing spot at Worlds End is always going to be busy though - selfie central :-( We then visited a few beautiful waterfalls in the tea plantations, and did a factory tour at Oak Ray Tea Factory. We did a tea tasting and bought some black and green tea - I'm drinking some now, delicious. Then Nil took us back to the hotel for about 4pm. It was an AMAZING day and he was really knowledgable about the wildlife, the architecture, the history and culture of the area. I would thoroughly and wholeheartedly recommend D&D tours. We had a brilliant day, we did exactly what WE wanted without pressure to do touristy things, and the service was amazing. Thank you.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: jgosal82, Canada

Review Date: 16 Jan 2017

Review Body: i only booked a tour the night before as i was short on time, I set it up with ease over whatsapp and a phone call. Gayan was easy to deal with and also fair in their prices. I got picked up at 6am from colombo and it was with Chamindra who had van and it was only me which was nice i could lay down if i wanted to nap, his brother did my tour as gayan was on another tour. I wanted to go to Ella, and on the way we stopped at tea plantation, drive through nuwara eliya, stopped for lunch at a local spot and also stopped at a couple waterfalls to view and mini Adams peak before i got dropped at my hotel at 5pm. he picked me up the next morning at 1130am and we stopped for quick lunch in Ella village and carried on back to colombo a different way back so i could see different scenery. we stopped at a tea factory, more waterfalls and some viewpoints on the way back to colombo. Overall this tour was catered to my liking and wants, he did no take me anywhere i did not want to go and was always making sure I was happy and enjoying the trip. he makes you feel safe and is very professional but also could chat to him as a friend! I had such a great trip to ella and the ease of booking and seeing places was perfect!! and the private waterfall swim was a nice spot! cold, but really cool!! I highly recommend these tour guides for anyone wanting to see sri Lanka in a pleasant positive way!! i will book again when i am back next year! :)

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Axel S, Norway

Review Date: 25 Mar 2019

Review Body: 1. time with service from this company was March 2016 - with Sampath Rathnayaka as guide and driver. Now this year he made for us most of the arrangements for coming around to the east coast and south, with hotel bookings, getting train tickets for us, recommended restaurants + reservations and div. shopping stops. The start was Colombo to Pasikudah ,7 hours trip. Pick up one week later for Nuwara Eliya by the owner himself. From N.E. Sampath arranged tickets and even seats!! for our train trip to Ella!! Sampath followed the train to Ella by car with our luggage!. In Ella he followed us as guide to Adams P. - the tea factory, the Arch bridge and introduced 2 restaurants, everything perfect. 2 days Ella, than nonstop by car to Yala and goodby. ;) Even here he cut arrange pick up with a safari car ( a friend of him) with 25 % off. - instead to give it to the hotel ( for one phone call)! We like Sampath very much and once again we have been very happy with his company. He is a safe driver, he has very good knowledge about all turist routes and places. It's easy to fix contact with Sampath Rathnayaka, even before going to Sri Lanka. It's best by WhatsApp or Messenger or FB. We wish to give a highly recommendation to "D&D Services" and the fair prices they will give you! They all are honest, friendly and on time every day!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Natallinka_M, Slovakia

Review Date: 02 Apr 2018

Review Body: Based on Tripadvisor reviews we booked Gayan for 3 days of our stay in Nuwara Eliya and it was definitely a very good deal. He is a friendly and funny guy, who easily becomes your best friend on your trip in the foreign country. Suddenly, with his friendliness, patience and cheerful nature you may feel you explore the places with your friend and not with the tour guide. He knows the country well, so can give you a lot of information also about the culture, great places to visit etc. We can only recommend his service. As many tourists, we visited Hortons Plain starting the tour at 5:00am from the hotel, some watterfalls in surrounding areas, tea factories. The next day we went to Ela to see the Little Adams Peak and the other day Gayan draw us to Bentota for our next stay on the beach side. He drives safely on the narrow roads while you can enjoy the views from his comfortable van. One day we asked if there is any wine produced in SriLanka and the next day we got a bottle from him as a present! It was very kind and made our evening even better. So thank you for a great time Gayan.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: 978valentinak

Review Date: 06 Feb 2017

Review Body: Reliable, safe and a really friendly driver! We were going with Dhanushka’s brother since he is expanding his business and he showed us some pretty amazing stuff. In advance we gave him a rough schedule what we want to see and how much time we have, but during the trip it was really easy to adjust it according to our extra wishes and his insider tips. He grew up in the area and knows it really good so we had an amazing local guide for the trip. In 3 days we visited Tea Castle, Adam’s peak, different landscapes and waterfalls in Nuwara Eliya region (+ swimming under a somewhat hidden waterfall mainly only known to locals), Horton Plains, spice gardens and Cave Temple in Dambulla (he offered transport to our next accommodation in Dambulla as part of the tour). During the day he gave us nice recommendations for restaurants; moreover, passion fruits and strawberry juice that he suggested were perfect refreshments during our drive around the tea plantations. Will recommend D&D Tours as an authentic experience for travelling in the Nuwara Eliya region! :)

Review rating: 5

Review Author: 502tessak

Review Date: 22 Jan 2019

Review Body: We came across D&D Tours on Trip Advisor and arranged for them to take us on various drives/tours over the three days we were in Nuwara Eliya. This included a transfer from the train station to our hotel - Heritance Tea Factory (which was outside Nuwara Eliya), on a tour around Nuwara Eliya and local tea plantations and for the long drive from Nuwara Eliya to Weligama (7 hour drive). Communication was great and very easy via WhatsApp and their prices were reasonable. Our driver was an incredibly safe and cautious driver so we felt comfortable even during the long drive. They were also very flexible and willing to change our booking and tour length at short notice. The driver was knowledgeable and very helpful, always offering to stop at different attractions etc. We highly recommend D&D Tours and thank them for the wonderful service, we will certainly pass their details on to our friends.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: HannahC839, United Kingdom

Review Date: 31 Oct 2018

Review Body: My husband and I booked two tuk tuk tours with D&D Tours - one was a tea factory and waterfalls tour around Nuwara Eliya, and the other was a trip to Horton Plains National Park so that we could hike to World’s End. Both were fantastic! From start to finish Dhanushka was professional and kind, and looked after us really well. We initially contacted him via WhatsApp (his number is on his website) and he was very quick to respond. He was a careful and safe driver, and encouraged us to take as much time as we liked each time we stopped. He was very knowledgeable about the area, and took us to two great tea factories - Damro and Blue Field (Blue Field was my favourite!). He also gave us lots of tips about other things we could see and do in the area, and even picked us up from the train station for free! I’d definitely recommend D&D tours to anyone visiting Nuwara Eliya.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Dian612, Singapore

Review Date: 04 Nov 2016

Review Body: I took a short trip out to Nuwara Eliya last weekend and decided to engage Dhanushka's services. The plan was to go to Horton Plains and back to the hotel (and train station), but he suggested an additional side trip to the Labookellie Tea Estate too. And both trips were fantastic! Dhanushka grew up and lives in NE so he knows the place very well (and everyone in the town seems to know him!). He's friendly, courteous, punctual, and knowledgeable. He is also very flexible -- he'll design the tour to best fit your schedule & he's ever so willing stop for great photo ops (and he'll help you take great photos too!). I travelled alone this time around and he generously accompanied me on the Horton Plains hike. 5/5 for Dhanushka. Very highly recommended and you'll enjoy your trip with this guy. He has a great personality. Thank you Dhanushka!!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Danny L, United Kingdom

Review Date: 17 Nov 2017

Review Body: Gayan was booked through our Hotel for a trip to Horton Plains at the very end of October. He picked us up at 5am and we were the first to arrive at Horton Plains and therefore the first to World's End which was great for taking photos. He then convinced us to make the trip to the tea plantations and waterfalls (something we had already planned on doing but were going to do later that day after a rest). We're glad we did it all in one go. He also organised seats on the bus to Tissa for us the next day – very kind Gayan also mentioned he had a Toyota van and that he's booked for 2 trips already in December. Gayan is a safe driver and a really nice guy, someone you can get along with well, which is important if you want to book him for a few days' trip – I'd definitely recommend him.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: KellyG925

Review Date: 31 Aug 2019

Review Body: I had an incredible experience with Gayan as a driver and as a guide. I am an anxious traveler, but that was all put aside from the moment he collected me from the railway station. The following day he took me on the most beautiful and interesting Tuk Tuk tour over the city. Taking photos of me, sharing insights into the town and with the friendliest & safest service. He showed me many waterfalls and the top tea plantations - though he’s done the tour before with many tourist, he was as enthusiastic about showing me everything as a new guide. Was a great experience, very grateful to have had this company take care of me during my stay. Don’t think it would’ve been the same without Gayan. Highly recommend a tour or for any transport needs at a great price.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lemax34, Australia

Review Date: 20 Jan 2017

Review Body: It makes such a difference to connect with the right people to enable you to enjoy a day's exploration of a new place. Gayan met us with a smile at the train station and took us to his very comfortable van. We had communicated previously with many emails so had already made an itinerary, he willingly changed it just the day before at my suggestion. We saw the old colonial buildings of Nuwara Eliya and various other sights in the town before heading out to tea plantations and waterfalls. We called in at a rotti hut for a delicious and very cheap lunch and then drove to the impressive Botanical Gardens in Kandy. We highly recommend D&D Tours for an enjoyable and interesting tour. Gayan is a careful driver and a delightful young man.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: 64paulined, France

Review Date: 29 Aug 2017

Review Body: Dhanushka was our guide during our first 3 days in Sri Lanka when we arrived in Nuwara Eliya. Dhanushka perfectly knows Sri Lanka and gave us the opportunity to visit a lot of places within 3 days. We visited tea plantations, spicy gardens, temples and waterfalls. We also went to Ella and then to Kandy and Dambulla. He also gave us a lot of address of nice restaurants etc. During each journey by car, Dhanushka always proposed us to stop when there was nice view for pictures etc. Dhanushka had a lot of useful advice and adapted his tours when we wanted to do something different. During the next days, we didn't find another guide like him and we will recommend Dhanushka to our friends who want to visit Sri Lanka.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: GeraldineGer, Singapore

Review Date: 05 Feb 2017

Review Body: We are very glad to have Gayan, as he was easy to talk to and has a very good sense of humour, making our trip very enjoyable. The van was also very comfortable. We travelled from Colombo to Ella and Nuwara Eliya and back. Gayan is very well familiar with Nuwara Eliya, more so than Colombo city. Along our journey, he recommended places to visit and pointed out different landmark locations and stopped for us to take photos when we wanted to. Gayan is always very punctual, and was on time in fetching me at 6am from Ella to go to Horton Plains. Highly recommended if you are looking for a good driver and guide in Nuwara Eliya and Ella as he will make your trip very enjoyable! All the best to you Gayan!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Ereeri

Review Date: 08 Dec 2019

Review Body: 2 days sightseeing in Nuwara Eliya and transport to bus station. I found Gayan through earlier TripAdvisor reviews and he did not disappoint. He responded quickly on WhatsApp and was punctual, something of a rarity in Sri Lanka, and good humoured as well as knowledgeable about the area, where to go and what we could do with time we had there. One thing that really struck me was that while this is his income he wasn't over focussed on the money but on us experiencing the wonderful city and area that Nuwara Eliya is. We went to Damro tea factory - great and Ramboda Falls - again loved it and a strawberry farm. Couldn't ask for better and have already recommended Gayan to others.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: thefoodology, Singapore

Review Date: 27 Apr 2019

Review Body: D&D Tours came highly recommended by our friends. It was easy communicating with Gayan prior to the trip, he was very helpful with suggestions and helped us secured train tickets from Nuwaraya eliya to Ella. Our driver was Sarath (SK) who was friendly, reliable and flexible with our requests. He drove us around for 5 days where we visited Kandy, Sigiriya, Nuwaraya eliya, Ella and Galle. Some of the highlights include Udawala safari tour, tea plantation @ Nuwaraya Eliya, Moonplains, Dambulla cave temple and Galle Dutch fort. SK helped us arranged the tours, through him we were able to meet many nice locals. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, we’ll definitely visit again.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Jeeenz, Germany

Review Date: 19 May 2018

Review Body: On our first tour with Gayan we visited the horton plains,tea factories and waterfalls. We can really recommend doing that with Gayan as he knows all the best places and people. He is always friendly and makes spontaneous stops at special sites (landscapes, monkeys, buffalos etc), so you really get the full experience on that trip After that we booked another tour with him from ella to tangalle. On the way we tried some sri lankan curd with honey (delicious - we would have missed that without him :) ), mangos and saw lots of nice landscapes. Thank you again for the trip and experience gayan :) it was really a pleasure to meet you Best regard Jens & Sarah from Germany

Review rating: 5

Review Author: MichalSVK123, Slovakia

Review Date: 19 Jan 2017

Review Body: We spent three days with Gayan: 2 days around Nuwara Eliya (Tea factories, waterfalls, Horton plains, etc.) + 1 day of transfer to south ( with multiple stops on the way). We are really satisfied with his services. He showed us a lot of nice places, answered every question and provided information regarding Sri Lanka and its people. We really really recommend him (and his tours). Not just he is a very skilled driver but he is a funny guy to spend time with as well. He is very flexible (can adjust to your requirements) and we think his prices are reasonable. Totally recommended. A highlight of our trip to Sri Lanka.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: MartinRX47, United Kingdom

Review Date: 21 Nov 2017

Review Body: We used Gayan over a period of 3 days while on holiday in Sri Lanka. Our hotel recommended him and we are glad they did. Gayan took us to the Tea factories around Nuwara Eliya, then to Horton Plains and also drove us to Ella. He turned up on time each day, including the 5am start to Horton Plains, he was relaxed, not pushy, and very polite. His English is good, so he was able to explain things to us and also recommend places to stop for photo opportunities. He offers both an air conditioned van and a TukTuk for shorter trips. He drove carefully and safely. Overall a great guy. Review by Julie and Martin October 2017.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: diieuw93, Netherlands

Review Date: 14 Oct 2018

Review Body: We spent two days in Nuwara Eliya and had the two most lovely days! Gayan picked us up at the trainsstation, took us on a tour to a tea factory and Nuwara Eliya city. The next day we had a tour to the Horton plains and he drove us to Ella and Udawalawe. Gayan was by far one of my favorite drivers in Sri Lanka, because he was very friendly and took al the time we needed. His price are also very fair. He also arranged another private taxi later on in our tour, after I contacted him via Whatsapp. He quickly responded and arranged this for us. I would highly recommend Gayan and D&D tours! Thank you for everything!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lisewysr

Review Date: 01 Aug 2019

Review Body: We had contact with d&d tours via WhatsApp. He responded really quickly with all the info we needed. We planned the tour to Horton Plains with him for the next morning. The ride was good with stops to take pictures and good information. He arranged everything at Horton Plains what made the entrance and walk perfect. Afterwords he dropped us of at a place to eat in Nuwara Eliya so we could eat a nice lunch. Nothing is too much for him. He takes his time, will talk about everything and makes it a perfect day. Pleas get in touch with him for a tour, daytrips or longer arranged tours.

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Today you will ride on a tuk-tuk, visit waterfall, tea plantation and a tea factory

Itinerary Description: 09:00 am - Start your tuk-tuk ride in the town of Nuwara Eliya which is also called as Little England as it enjoys spring-like weather throughout the year. You will be taken to visit a take tea plantation and a tea factory which nestled in the hills to sample some of Ceylon’s finest. This will give you an opportunity to know how the tea workers’ life and share their knowledge of tea plucking & and tea production. You will also see Ramboda Falls, feel free to take a dip if the weather permits. 12.30 pm - Return to your hotel