Private Sri Lanka tours with a local driver-guide
Tell us your dates and what you like. We plan the route, meet you at the airport, and drive and guide you for the whole trip. Just your group, no strangers.
- Airport pickup and drop-off
- English-speaking driver-guide
- From $65 per person per day
- Change the plan as you go
Sri Lanka tour packages
Ready-made routes from 4 to 10 days. Prices are per person for your private vehicle and driver-guide, and every route can be changed.
Cultural Triangle Tour
Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Dambulla in 5 days
Hill Country Tour
Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains and Ella in 6 days
South Coast Tour
Galle Fort, Unawatuna and Mirissa in 4 days
Wildlife Safari Tour
Udawalawe and Yala national parks in 5 days
Complete Sri Lanka Tour
Culture, tea country, safari and beaches in 10 days
Seasonal offers
Save up to 20% on the daily rate depending on when you travel. The discount is applied automatically when you choose your start date.
Shoulder season
October–November 2026 and April 2027
Quieter sites and lower hotel prices in the months between the two monsoons.
Details →
Early booking for peak season
December 2026 – March 2027, booked by 15 November 2026
The driest months for the south coast, Kandy and the hill country. Book early to lock in the best hotels too.
Details →
Green season
May – September 2027
Our biggest discount. The south-west gets the monsoon, but the east coast, north and Cultural Triangle are dry.
Details →
Long stay
Tours of 14+ days, any time
Tours of 14 days or more get an extra 10% off, on top of the seasonal offer for your dates.
Details →What our guests say
Reviews from guests who toured with us. You can read more on TripAdvisor, or leave your own if you have travelled with us.
“Shen was nothing short of brilliant!! My mum and I did a 16 day tour with Shen around Sri Lanka and he made our trip so memorable. Shen was always on time and gave us lots of tips/tricks as well as suggestions to do during the day. If we did not want to do an activity Shen was very chill and accomodating. As two female tourists we always felt extremely safe with Shen. He has such a beautiful/funny personality, and it was tears of both happiness and sadness when we parted ways. Hiring a private driver is very convenient and helpful navigating your way around Sri Lanka, and we always felt safe with Shens driving and he knew all the good spots to go. I can not recommend Shen enough if I tried, what an absolute privilege it was 😊🫶🏼”
Samantha Allen“We hired Shashen for 15 days. He was fantastic. He recommended the most amazing tours and Restaurants to suit what we liked. We had both Western and local foods. His knowledge of Sr Lanka is fantastic. He allowed us to change our days itinerary when we wanted to. He’s driving skills were great and knows the roads and drives accordingly. We had so much fun and had many laughs along the way . I would definitely use him again if given the chance to return. Thanks again Shashen x”
TrishWhere to go in Sri Lanka
Short guides to the places most of our guests visit, with the best months to go and how long to stay. Sri Lanka is small, but roads are slow, so plan 3–4 hours between most stops.
Colombo
Arrival city, markets and temples
Sri Lanka's largest city and the usual first or last stop of a trip. Worth a day for its markets, temples and seafront, especially if you have a late flight.
Kandy
The last royal capital
The last royal capital of Sri Lanka and home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. A good base between the Cultural Triangle and the tea country.
Galle
Dutch fort town on the south coast
A 17th-century Dutch fort town on the south coast and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with beaches like Unawatuna a few minutes away.
Sigiriya
The Lion Rock fortress
A 5th-century palace on top of a 200 m rock, with frescoes, a mirror wall and water gardens at its base. The best-known sight in the Cultural Triangle.
Ella
Tea country, hikes and the famous train
A small hill town surrounded by tea estates, known for the Nine Arch Bridge, easy hikes like Little Adam's Peak and the train ride from Kandy.
Mirissa
Whale watching and a quiet bay
A small beach town on the south coast and the main base for blue whale and dolphin watching between November and April.
Jaffna
Temples, food and culture of the Tamil north
The cultural centre of Sri Lanka's Tamil north, with Hindu temples, a Dutch fort, island beaches and its own cuisine. Far fewer tourists than the south.
Arugam Bay
Surf Capital of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's best-known surf spot on the east coast, with breaks for beginners and experienced surfers, plus lagoon and elephant safaris nearby.
Plan a tailor-made tour
Choose how many days you have and how many people are travelling. You'll see an estimated price straight away, and we'll reply with a suggested day-by-day route and a firm quote.
Custom Tour Request
Fill in the details below and get a personalized quote within 2 - 3 hours
Your route, your pace
Add, drop or swap stops during the trip
Local driver-guides
English-speaking, licensed and based in Sri Lanka
Clear pricing
Per-day rate agreed before you travel
Sri Lanka travel basics
The things our guests most often ask before they arrive. Sri Lanka is a little smaller than Ireland, with eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, tea country, national parks and beaches all within a few hours of each other.
- Visa
- Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before arrival, and some nationalities can enter visa-free. Rules change often, so check the official site eta.gov.lk for your passport.
- When to go
- Two monsoons hit different coasts. The west, south and hill country are driest from December to April; the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay) from May to September. There is always somewhere dry.
- Getting around
- Distances look short on the map, but roads are slow away from the expressways. Plan on 3–4 hours between most stops. A private driver is the easiest way to see several regions.
- Money
- The currency is the Sri Lankan rupee (LKR). Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants; carry cash for small shops, temples and tuk-tuks. ATMs are easy to find in towns.
- Temples
- Cover shoulders and knees, take off shoes and hats, and never pose for photos with your back to a Buddha statue. A light scarf or sarong in your day bag helps.
- Practical bits
- Don't drink tap water. Plugs are type D and G (230V). A local SIM with data is cheap and sold at the airport. Tipping is appreciated but not expected.
What kind of trip are you planning?
Culture and history
Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Dambulla and Kandy.
Cultural Triangle tour →Tea country and hiking
Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Ella and the hill country train.
Hill Country tour →Wildlife
Leopards and sloth bears in Yala, elephant herds at Udawalawe.
Safari tour →Beaches
Galle Fort, Unawatuna and whale watching from Mirissa.
South Coast tour →Videos from our guests
Short clips recorded by guests from Germany, the UK, Australia, France, Canada and the US at the end of their tours.
"We recommend shashen because he's a good guy for a good service and a good cover"
"Sri lanka is a beautiful place and better with shashen"
"We love Sri lanka!"
"he's also a very good photographer.."
"❤️😍😍"
"We've been super lucky to have shashen with us in this amazing Sri Lanka"
"We recommend shashen because he's a good guy for a good service and a good cover"
"Sri lanka is a beautiful place and better with shashen"
"We love Sri lanka!"
"he's also a very good photographer.."
"❤️😍😍"
"We've been super lucky to have shashen with us in this amazing Sri Lanka"
Follow our trips on TikTok
Shashen posts short videos from the road almost every week: sunrise hikes, train rides, safari sightings, food stops and the places our guests love. It's the quickest way to see what a day on tour actually looks like.
Follow @shashenbanukaFrequently asked questions
Can't find your answer? Message us on WhatsApp and we'll reply as soon as we can.
How does a private tour work?
You get your own air-conditioned car or van with an English-speaking driver-guide for the whole trip — no other passengers. We agree the route with you before you arrive, meet you at the airport, and you can change plans day by day.
How much does a tour cost?
Tours are priced per person per day for the vehicle and driver-guide. For one to three people travelling by car it starts at $65 per person per day on tours of a week or longer; groups of four to twelve travel in a van. Children under 12 are free. Use the price estimator in the tour request form for your group size and dates — it also applies any seasonal offer automatically.
What is included, and what isn't?
Included: your private vehicle and driver-guide, fuel and parking, airport pickup and drop-off, and passenger insurance cover up to LKR 500,000. Not included: hotels, meals, entrance tickets, safari jeeps and flights. We will tell you the current ticket prices when we plan your route.
Can you book hotels for us?
Yes. Tell us your budget (budget, standard or luxury) and we will suggest and book hotels along your route, priced separately so you can see exactly what you pay for. You can also book your own hotels and we will plan around them.
Do you have any discounts?
Yes. Depending on your travel dates you can save 10–20% on the daily rate (early booking for peak season, shoulder season and green season), plus an extra 10% for tours of 14 days or more. See the Offers page for dates.
Are your tours suitable for families with children?
Yes. We plan shorter driving days and child-friendly stops such as the Elephant Transit Home, beaches and easy walks. Children under 12 are not charged for the vehicle and guide.
Do you do airport transfers only?
Yes. Transfers from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) start at $25, with meet-and-greet at arrivals. Day trips with a driver start at $45 per day. See the Transport page for details.
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
December to April is the dry season for the west and south coasts, Colombo, Kandy and the hill country. May to September is best for the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay). The Cultural Triangle is dry for most of the year apart from October to December.
How far in advance should we book?
For December to March, two to three months ahead is best, as good hotels and reserved train seats sell out. Outside peak season we can often arrange a tour within a few days.
Do I need a visa?
Most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling, and some nationalities can enter visa-free. Check the official site eta.gov.lk for your passport. We are happy to help if you have questions.
Get in touch
Questions about a tour, a transfer or anything else? Send a message here or on WhatsApp.
Contact Information
Address
152/5 Weliya NorthMinuwangoda, 11550
Sri Lanka