Awesome 14 day tour around Sri Lanka We had an incredible experience with Darshana. He is very on top of things, friendly, very communicative and flexible with our planning. He helped us create a custom 14 day tour around the island and accommodated every suggestion and idea we had for the tour, even after we had already made the booking! The trip itself was absolutely incredible, Sri Lanka is an amazing country! Our driver Heshan was friendly, helpful, professional and a great driver, never once arrived late, kept the car in pristine condition. Heshan was also super patient and flexible with us, we're kind of picky eaters and he always made sure we were happy with the restaurant we chose, and gave great recommendations as well. Sometimes we made some last minute decisions to our planning and Heshan was always happy to see it happen, so I highly recommend him as a driver! As possible points of improvement: - we were taken to a turtle hatchery place near Mirissa that looked like an absolute scam. They obviously imprisoned the turtles there and ran a for-profit business exploiting and abusing new born turtles. I suggest you find a better place for this activity, there are plenty of hatcheries in that area with better practices. - we were also taken to a store where you could buy handmade traditional masks. The place is also clearly a scam for tourists, they sell overpriced, crappy products. At a certain point the store lady even broke the mask we had bought while packaging (that's how bad the masks were), and still tried to sell it to us saying she would "fix it". Eventually on the last day we went to a much better store near Hikkaduwa and bought another mask that we are really happy with (although still very expensive). In general I still highly recommend Darshana and Heshan, they made our holiday very memorable!

Awesome 4 day tour - Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Colombo My mom and I had an amazing 4 day tour of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella and Colombo with Darshana Tours. Darshana was so easy to reach via WhatsApp and he built an itinerary based on our availability. He was able to secure air conditioned seats on the train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella and was able to book all the hotels that were listed on the itinerary once we confirmed our booking. It was such an easy and seamless process. Now, a moment for our driver, Hesham. He arrived on time with a spotless vehicle accommodated all our requests to make pit stops for coconut water and bathroom breaks. Finally, it is so important to mention that he is a very attentive and safe driver. Some of our hotel locations require him to drive up some steep and narrow streets which would have made me uneasy, but he did it which such confidence and ease. Thank you for being so flexible and making it so memorable!

Dear Darshana-Team, at the end of february we came back from a wonderful vacation in Sri Lanka, we would like to thank you all for the good organisation. Having you Kali as our guide was a great pleasure, you show us this beautiful country and let us taste great local food, beautiful temple, lots of animals and relaxing nature. We liked your pit stops to catch some local sweets to taste during our bus transfer. Everything was top organised and the guide and driver had always a smile on their faces. Kali was always caring about our group and the children loved you too, we felt save and protected, you always had a good recommendation for us. It was really sad to let him go as we arrived at Talalla Retreat, it was a great experience for all of us. Many thanks also to our friendly driver Ajid, it was a great pleasure to be with you on the bus. Togheter you are a great team! I recommend Darshana Tours if you want travel to Sri Lanka with children!

We've recently returned from a 22 day holiday in Sri Lanka. Wow what a fabulous experience, it is the first time we have hired a private driver. We booked this with Darshana Tours. We had our own itinerary which I sent to Darshana, he looked it over and organised everything from airport pickup to hotels and excursion tickets. Everything went like clockwork. Our driver Yudi was brilliant, he went above and beyond our expectations. By the end of the fortnight he had become a friend. He added extra visits to places not on our itinerary, so much time was saved having Yudi take us everywhere. We couldn't possibly have done everything we did on our own. Nothing was too much trouble even when we were setting off at 4am for certain trips he was there with a smile on his face. At the end of the fortnight Yudi dropped us off at our beach hotel, we were sorry to see him go.We liked the fact that Darshana kept in touch by WhatsApp throughout the 14 days making sure we were happy with everything. If you are thinking of going to Sri Lanka we would definitely recommend you speak to Darshana. He will be happy to accommodate you with whatever you want.

Darshana was prepared to let us book our own hotels, which we prefer. Most operators do not allow this. He provided a comfortable minibus (even though there were only 2 of us) with a driver/ guide and suggested extra visits to add to our planned itinerary Roshan our driver/guide added so much to the enjoyment of our holiday. He was friendly, enthusiastic and always cheerful. He copied well with the wishes of a couple in their 60 's, no doubt different from his usual younger guests! He proved excellent at spotting birds and animals, and has kept us well supplied with photos and videos of our trip We would definitely recommend this company The dropdown has given 7 days and i can't amend this. We actually spent 16 days: cultural triangle, Sigirya rock, Kandy and the hill contry, Bundala NP beach, Galle and Colombo

I cant recommend this company highly enough! I selected Darshana Tours through Tripadvisor reviews. Darshana was always efficient and answered all my questions quickly. we were in communication for quite a long time before we actually committed to book the tour as we were a little unsure of which country to travel to; whether to go via a Uk agent or to take a gamble, but hopefully get a more individualised experience with a local operator. I am so glad we chose the latter option. On arrival, our driver, Hashu was waiting for us at the airport with flower garlands, and took us to our hotel. Our adventure started the next day, with the itinerary suggested by Darshana. We visited some amazing places (Negombo, Dambulla, Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Yala) and the hotels (booked by Darshana) met our expectations. Hashu, our driver, was a lovely young man, who drove slowly and safely, and by the end of the trip, he felt part of our family. He was always polite and with a good sense of humour. He took lots of photos and videos which he then sent to us (which meant we could concentrate on the experiences). He showed us his beautiful country with pride and made sure that we saw something of the real Sri Lanka and not just tourist places. Hashu was a credit to his company. I will definitely use again if we are lucky enough to be able to return to this beautiful country.

We arrived on march 1st, the next day Heshan (our driver for the week) picked us up in Negombo. Heshan has listened very well to our ideas and how to make the most of our trip. He is very polite, friendly, knows a lot about places to visit. We enjoyed the stories about life in Sri Lanka, tasting food at a local foodhall. Visiting the vegetable market, buying some fruits for us to taste,makes the trip more special. He kept an eye on us in a very nice way so we always felt save. We could always text him asking questions and always showed us which way to go. He even arranged train tickets even though this was after our 1 week tour. One day he suggested by the end of the day just to check if maybe the wild elephants were crossing the road. We were lucky to see them. So we recommend Darshana Tours and especially Heshan as your driver. You will have a great tour for sure!

The BEST trip we've ever had. Apr 2023 If I could leave more stars I would - the BEST way to see Sri Lanka. I can honestly say that booking Darshana tours was one of the biggest factors that made our time in Sri Lanka so special. I found Darshana Tours through Trip Advisor and could already see they had great reviews with people rating their friendliness, excellent transport vehicles and overall service. The excellent reviews weren’t wrong.The next thing I knew we had a full itinerary planned, and every day was jammed with things to do / places to see. Hotels were all booked & transport taken care of. Not only had Darshana included everything we wanted to do, he added in so much more which is exactly why using a local company has so many benefits. They know the best routes, times to visit certain places & the best lunch spots (more on that in a minute). Which brings me on to Suneth - our incredible driver who I can’t speak highly enough of. From the moment we met Suneth he was so warm and welcoming. His English was excellent and as I’ve said above he would always go the extra mile to do anything at all to enhance our trip. Suneth was always so accommodating, constantly checking if we were ok or if we needed to stop for water / snacks etc. Whatever we needed Suneth had usually already thought of it or he would sort it for us instantly. He strikes the perfect balance between being a total professional but also making you feel relaxed and welcome. Suneth was also a great driver on our trip - I’m a nervous passenger at the best of times & Sri Lanka’s roads are a ‘little different’ to the UK. It was a bit of a shock at first seeing how people drive - but I felt completely safe & relaxed enough that I slept for large parts of the journeys between hotels or activities. That may not sound like much to some but trust me - I never sleep in the car unless I feel truly comfortable. We were also really happy with the car itself - fully air conditioned and super comfortable to be transported in. Again it may sound like a small detail but the air con made a huge difference to our comfort. Sri Lanka is so hot and humid, it was often a much welcomed relief when we got back to the car from an activity to cool down. Cannot recommend Darshana Tours enough. We are already planning our next trip and we won't be using anyone else.

I pray that your journey leads you to Sri Lanka and that Darshana shows you the way "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain I hope your journey leads to Sri Lanka, and I hope that you have the good fortune of having Darshana show you his amazing country. No review can possibly do any justice to the experience that you will have if you book a tour with Darshana. There is good reason why Darshana has the five star reviews he does. When I met Darshana, it wasn't as though I was meeting a stranger, but it was if I was reuniting with an old friend. This sentiment was only further solidified over the course of the following week. Darshana planned a trip for my wife and I after some email exchange about what we wanted to do (experience the culture, food, and see historical sites). We appreciated that Darshana crafted the tour for us because we have busy work schedules. When we landed in Negombo, Darshana met us at 2 am with a big smile and leis in hand, and he took us to our hotel to get some rest before we officially started our adventure. Darshana dutifully drove us around the country over the next week from Negombo to Sigirya to Dambulla to Kandy to Nuwara Eliya to Ella to Yala National Park and then back to Negombo. During the trip, Darshana was our tour guide, translator, photographer, driver, encyclopedia for all things Sri Lankan, overall road trip buddy, and certainly by the end of our trip, family. We shared a lot of laughs with Darshana as we shared our lives with him and he shared his life with us. I could not imagine a better way to see Sri Lanka. We also enjoyed sharing meals with Darshana and having drinks with him at the end of a long day. There is also ample time along the way where everyone gets their own individual time. I hope my journey leads me back to Sri Lanka soon, and I am looking forward to the day when Darshana comes to visit me. I plan to tell everyone I can to visit Sri Lanka and to hire Darshana. If you are reading this review and considering hiring Darshana, I am excited for you because I know you will share my sentiments once you share your journey with Darshana. Ayubowan. James

The best driver/guide and the best experience you can get in Sri Lanka If you are planning trip to Sri Lanka and you want to relax and have a great time with no worries about transportation and where to go just pick Darshana Tour! We had the best time and we saw everything we wanted! Darshana is the best host, he is very welcome, funny and helpful! I was visiting Sri Lanka with my parents and friend and all of us had the best time with Darshana! Darshana will book for you all accommodation upon request and he will take you to nice restaurants in each location. He was waiting for us on the airport with welcome sign and flowers (so cute)! You can take his prepared trip plan or you can ask for any changes or add what you wish to visit. Very comfortable and clean car make the trip even better! After that trip I recommend all my friends and family to go there and of course take Darshana company as a guide. Darshana became our friend and family! :) If you are planning trip to Sri Lanka and you want to relax and have a great time with no worries about transportation and where to go just pick Darshana Tour! We had the best time and we saw everything we wanted! Darshana is the best host, he is very welcome, funny and helpful! I was visiting Sri Lanka with my parents and friend and all of us had the best time with Darshana! Darshana will book for you all accommodation upon request and he will take you to nice restaurants in each location. He was waiting for us on the airport with welcome sign and flowers (so cute)! You can take his prepared trip plan or you can ask for any changes or add what you wish to visit. Very comfortable and clean car make the trip even better! After that trip I recommend all my friends and family to go there and of course take Darshana company as a guide. Darshana became our friend and family! :)

We planned as part of a longer trip to stay 7 days in Sri Lanka. We were not sure whether to rent a car and drive ourselves or to book a car including driver. We contacted some companies and Darshana was the most reactive. He made us different offers including and without accommodation and updated the itinerary several times until it fully matched our ideas. We booked in the end an almost all inclusive trip and were a bit nervous how it will work out as we usually travel independently. Our driver Dushan picked us up at the airport late in the evening with flowers and stayed with us the whole week. It was a great pleasure to travel with him. He was always in good mood, very attentive to our needs, provided information and tipps while ensuring also our privacy. He is knowledgeable of the country and showed us the most interesting places and brought us to nice restaurants for lunch to enjoy the excellent Sri Lanka cuisine. The itinerary was executed exactly as agreed with the necessary flexibility to adapt at times to our wishes or circumstances. We can highly recommend Darshana Tours in general and in particular Dushan as a driver. Many thanks for the great week !!

Darshana tours came highly recommended to us. And we were not disappointed. We made contact and stayed in contact with Darshana throughout the planning of our tour. We told him what we wanted to do and he planned everything and more. From our hotels to our sightseeing tours. Darshana made sure we saw everything, we had a couple of early morning starts but little did we know this was to beat the Sri Lankan heat. Nothing was to much trouble. He took us to places that were hidden little gems. Booked our train tickets and even took me shopping for gifts to take home. Darshana is knowledgable and friendly with his cheeky smile. Darshana booked all our hotels and even rang ahead so lunch was ready when we arrived. Nothing is to much for Darshana. As a private driver, his car is clean and comfortable even providing usb charges during your journey. He even managed to get us to some of the sites before the coaches of tourists arrived. Darshana Tours is a must if you want to see Sri Lanka and more. We had such an amazing time we are planning to use Darshana Tours next year when we return

I contacted Darshana from New Zealand before my trip to Sri Lanka and he was great with prompt replies and quick to get everything sorted out in advance - prior my arrival to Sri Lanka. I did 9 days tour from Negombo to Bentota and Kandy, i found this guy was very reliable, trust worthy, good driving skills and most importantly informative and knowledgeable. Also very good value for money, given this level of personal attention and excellent service. The best thing about travelling with Darshana Tours was Darshana himself. I highly recommend Darshana Tours without a doubt for sure. Thank you Darshana for your 1st class service.

This was my third visit to Sri Lanka and the first time using Darshana Tours. I wish I had known about a Darshana Tours on the previous visits as his knowledge of his country is excellent. I used Darshana Tours several times, several days Tours and also a two day tour. The hotel that was booked in Kandy was excellent as was the food. On the day Tours we stopped at excellent restaurants. Nothing was too much for Darshana, we could stay as long as we liked when we visited the places, we were never rushed as on previous tours with other companies. The Tours were very competivly priced and provided excellent value for money. Darshana looks after his clients very well and goes the extra mile to provide a wonderful experience with Tours that are tailor made to suit. I would recommend Darshana Tours as you will get an experience of a lifetime with a wonderful tour guide/driver. I will definitely use his services again.

With only 2 weeks short notice to have a driver in Sri Lanka, Darshana helped us put together our plan and the sites we wanted to see along our 4 days in there. We used WhatsApp to stay in touch prior to the tour with all our questions. Darshana took the time also to listen to what we wanted to do and see and tailored our plans accordingly. Our driver dushan was very accomodating and did his best to make sure everyone is comfortable. Even when we changed our plans, he was quick to come up with an alternative plan. The best thing about travelling with Darshana Tours, they have a comprehensive knowledge of Sri Lanka. We learned a lot, laughed constantly and helped us experience Sri Lanka. We definitely will come again to explore more sites of Sri Lanka.

If you visiting Sri Lanka and are looking for an excellent tour guide to see this beautiful country then look no further. We were based in Negombo which is just a 20 minute drive from the Colombo airport and is coastal town in the centre of the country. We were recommended Darshana Tours by a friend and we are so pleased that we used them. From the minute we were collected from our hotel to when our tour ended we were looked after so well and had first class service. The car was air conditioned and very comfortable, our guide was very knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble. We did the 8 day highlight tour and saw so many places it was wonderful!! We visited temples and ancient sights beautiful and diverse countryside and my favourite elephants!!!. All hotels and stopovers were arranged by the tour so all we had to do was sit back and relax! In my opinion the tour was very reasonable and I would most definitely recommend this to my family and friends and to anyone who is considering a tour when they visit Sri Lanka. Please visit their website http://www.darshanatours.com. Thanks again Darshana for making our trip so special and for giving us such beautiful memories.

Haben mit Darshana eine Zweitagetour gemacht . Kannten ihn schon von unserem ersten Besuch in Sri Lanka von vor drei Jahren . Hätten uns keinen besseren Guide wünschen können . Von Negombo aus führte die Tour uns ins Kulturdreieck von Sri Lanka . In Sigiria erklommen wir den Lionsrock als anerkanntes Unesco Weltkulturerbe . 1200 Stufen bis in die Höhe um eine atemberaubende Aussicht zu geniessen . Am Nachmittag ging es in den Kaudella Nationalpark . Offene Jeepfahrt und überall freilebende Elefanten . Wunderschön . Am Tag darauf fuhren wir nach Dambulla in den Golden Temple mit seinen 5 Höhlentempeln . In Kandy ging es in den Temple of Buddhas Tooth . Sehr eindrucksvoll . Am Nachnittag besuchten wir den Botanical Garden in Kandy. Nach anstrengendem Aufenthalt fuhren wir zurück nach Negombo .Darshana überzeugte mit seine guten Fahtweise , Ortskenntnissen und mit den Randgeschichten der besuchten Orte. Am nächsten Tag in Negombo machten wir eine Lagunenfahrt auf den alten holländischen Kanälen bis in die Dämmerung . Einfach fantastisch . Danke Darshana . Immer wieder nur mit ihm .

Visited Sri Lanka with a few friends from india , wanted to hire a car to see Sri Lanka , Darshana and his tour company arranged everything , darshana became our guide driver for the trip , his local knowledge and his knowledge of Sri Lanka made the trip a enjoyable and a safe trip , we covered most of the island in a 10 day trip taking in many places and a safari . Tip make sure you tell Darshana your preference before travel , in accommodation , food , and what you are looking for , nature , beach or a religious experience or Sri Lanka land marks . Columbo by night is a must , Dutch hospital quarters restaurants are a treat .

We had an amazing Time with great insiders tips. He showed us the Sri Lankan Lifestyle and we was every time fascinated. He is the reason why we came back to Sri Lanka again and again ....AGAIN ! Thank you so much Darshana!

It was very pleasant to be guided by Darshana. As a young gay couple who were having their honeymoon in Sri Lanka, and being aware that the cultural differences are huge, Darshana showed so well how can people, across cultures, understand and deal with each other in respect for differences and values. We had a great tour, where he showed us all sort of hidden details that don't come in the book. He explained the historical and cultural background of each place we visited himself, and he contributed for a very pleasant visit to this beautiful island.

With only 3 weeks notice, Darshana helped us put together a fantastic 13 day comprehensive tour of Sri Lanka from Jaffna to Galle and almost everywhere in between. We took in all the sites we wanted to see along with countless others that were gratefully suggested by Darashana. We used WhatsApp and Viber to stay in touch prior to the tour with all our questions answered quickly and accurately - every time. Darshana took the time to listen to what we wanted to do and see and learn what type of travellers we were, and tailored our plans accordingly. He suggested some great hotels and ensured that we received the very best rooms, and service, everywhere we went. Even when we changed our plans mid journey for our final 2 days he was quick to come up with an alternative plan. Nothing was too hard, nothing was impossible. The best thing about travelling with Darshana Tours was Darshana himself! He has a comprehensive knowledge of Sri Lanka, contacts everywhere and he can get things done (like getting us 1st class seats on a sold out train service). We leaned a lot, laughed constantly and he helped us experience Sri Lanka, not just see it. Oh, and he's a great driver too. For what it is worth, like another reviewer, we are a gay couple, albeit a little older. Despite our "cultural" concerns we did not experience any issues at all in Sri Lanka, and especially not with Darshana. It was a complete non issue. You know, like it should be. Do we recommend Darshana Tours? Without a doubt! Will we be back? For sure! Will we book with Darshana Tours when we do? Absolutely! TIP: Western Union is the most common way to transfer funds in Sri Lanka. Do not be put off by this requirement (if needed), we can vouch beyond doubt for Darshana's integrity and credibility.

Ich habe mit Darshana Tours einen wundervollen Tagesausflug gemacht. 2015 im März genau . Wir sind zum Lövenfelsen gefahren . Sind aber nicht rauf Gegangen. Sonder zum Nachbarfelsen keine Menschen- Schlange die an steht Sondern relax mit privat Führer umsonst hoch geklettert. Die Aussicht ist wunderschön und man sieht den LLövenfelsen in seiner Pracht. Ich kann nur Entfehlen das mit Darshana Tours zu machen weil es Familier und die Freundlichkeit übertrifft. Wir haben auf dem Rückweg Einheimische Köstlichkeiten genossen und sind entspannt nach hause gefahren. Einfach nur Super toll . Auch habe ich ein Tag eine Kannaltour gemacht ganz entspannt mit privaten stopp und köstlichkeiten aus dem Land . Der Chef kennt sich super aus und kann alles arangieren für den Gast . Nochmal vielen Dank für die tolle Zeit.

Darshana took us on a tour of the Dutch canal in Negombo and we loved it! We got a little bit of history and got to see lots of nature - I just wish I had a better camera because the trip is a photographers dream!

On the very last day of our 3 week trip to Sri Lanka we met up with Darshana for a tour of the Dutch canals around Negombo. We were caught in the rain, because the Monsoon season was just beginning, but we saw many animals and the place was very beautiful. Darshana was just getting started with his own company and we wish him all the best in building his business. We will be back in Sri Lanka and will definitely do a tour with him again!

Darshana and his friend really out of the ordinary to create a memorable trip for my girlfriend and me. We were informed about the country and the culture and saw the rich diversity of the beautiful Sri Lanka. If we ever come back, we will take our next tour with Darshana!

It was very interesting experience for me. The guide was very kind. I could enjoy to talk wit him. If you join the tours you'll able to spend fun days in Sri Lanka