I've booked a few adventures for Di and Clive over the years, and this time they wanted something a little different from the norm. They were keen to explore the wonderful destination of Sri Lanka, and my suggestions combined adventure, nature and relaxation, all into one fantastic trip…
Visiting Sri Lanka had been high on our wish list for a while. Several friends, including our son, had raved about its beauty, so when the opportunity arose, we contacted Elaine, who had previously booked some fantastic holidays for us.
She recommended the best times and places to visit and organised an amazing trip. She covered every detail: the itinerary was fabulous, the guides and hotels were top-class and everything ran like clockwork.
The airport experiences, flights and transfers were excellent. We enjoyed a couple of delightful nights at the JA Ocean View in Dubai en route to Sri Lanka. Upon arrival in Colombo, we transferred straight to The Paradise Resort Hotel in Sigiriya.
Our private guided 8-day tour began with the ancient wonders of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, Dambulla and the incredible Sigiriya Rock Fortress. We then moved on to Kandy, the tea-growing hillsides of Nuwara Eliya, Yala National Park, and finally back to Colombo with a stop in the historical city of Galle.
We visited markets, temples and shrines, cultural dance shows, botanical gardens, and a tea factory, enjoying every moment except for a couple of times when we were taken to a wood carver, spice garden and jewellery shop, where we got the hard touristy sell.
The scenery as we travelled from place to place was spectacular, and our guide was engaging, informative and friendly.
The wildlife was a real highlight. It was our first time on safari, and besides the brilliant elephant safari, we managed to see the elusive leopard in Yala National Park, which apparently doesn’t happen very often. We also enjoyed the monkeys and saw some beautiful birds.
Each hotel that Elaine had chosen was excellent, with attentive staff and good service. A couple had minor issues which we passed on to Elaine for future bookings, but nothing that impacted our holiday experience.
Our favourite ones were the Topaz Hotel Kandy and the Jetwing properties - St. Andrews in Nuwara Eliya and Yala.
The food was good with a wide choice in the hotels, and the people everywhere were lovely. We managed to see everything that we set out to and would definitely return to visit the other side of the island. It is a special place and one we would highly recommend.
Elaine was excellent; she listened to exactly what we wanted and was always happy to tweak things until we were satisfied. She is very professional and gives us total confidence to book with her. She is also very knowledgeable about many destinations that interest us, and we look forward to our next trip.
Dianne & Clive