Quick answer
A luxury 7-day Sri Lanka itinerary normally includes six nights of accommodation with a stated meal plan, a private chauffeur-guide and vehicle with fuel, tolls and parking, airport transfers, and government taxes. Entrance fees, train tickets and named activities are included by some operators and listed as extras by others. International flights, the Electronic Travel Authorisation, insurance, most lunches, drinks, tips and festive gala dinners are usually excluded. Ask for inclusions and exclusions in writing.
Key takeaways
- A luxury tour quotation should name every hotel, room category and meal plan.
- Entrance fees for the classic week total roughly US$60 to US$80 a person and are not always included.
- Tips for a chauffeur-guide, hotel staff and trackers typically add US$120 to US$250 to a couple's week.
- A deposit of 20 to 30 per cent is usual at booking, with the balance due 30 to 45 days before arrival.
- Festive gala dinners and peak supplements are commonly quoted separately.
What is nearly always included
What is included in a luxury 7-day Sri Lanka itinerary starts with three things. Accommodation for six nights, in the hotels and room categories named. A private vehicle with a chauffeur-guide for all seven days. And transfers to and from Bandaranaike International Airport.
Within the vehicle cost, fuel, expressway tolls, parking and the guide's own meals and lodging should be covered. Government taxes and service charges on the hotel rooms should be in the price. If any of these is listed as extra, ask why.
- →Six nights of accommodation, as named.
- →Chauffeur-guide and vehicle, with fuel, tolls and parking.
- →Airport transfers and hotel taxes.
Meals: check each stop
Meals are the first place quotations diverge. Breakfast is included everywhere. Dinner may be included at some hotels and not others, and lunch rarely is except in tea bungalows and safari camps, which are full board.
Look for the two-letter codes: BB, HB, FB or AI. A week quoted at half board throughout costs more than one at bed and breakfast and may still be better value. Drinks are almost never included outside all-inclusive stays.
- →BB: bed and breakfast.
- →HB: half board, with breakfast and dinner.
- →FB: full board, with three meals.
- →AI: all-inclusive, with meals and a defined list of drinks.
Tickets and activities
Entrance fees are the second. Some operators include every ticket on the route. Others list them as payable locally, which makes the quotation look cheaper by US$60 to US$80 a person. Neither is wrong, as long as it is stated.
The same applies to activities. A jeep safari, a cooking class, a whale-watching charter and reserved train seats may be included, optional or simply suggested. Each should appear on the quotation with a price or the word included.
- →Sigiriya, Dambulla, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic: included or local payment?
- →Train seats: which class, and are they confirmed?
- →Private experiences: listed individually with prices.
What is normally excluded
Certain costs sit outside almost every Sri Lankan tour price. International flights are booked separately. The Electronic Travel Authorisation is the traveller's responsibility. Travel insurance is essential and never part of the package.
Tips are excluded and matter. Budget roughly US$10 to US$20 a day for the chauffeur-guide and smaller amounts for hotel staff, jeep drivers and trackers. Camera fees at a few sites, laundry, spa treatments and minibar charges complete the usual list.
- →Flights, travel authorisation and insurance.
- →Lunches, drinks and dinners not on the plan.
- →Tips, spa, laundry and personal spending.
Supplements to watch for
Three supplements catch travellers out. Over Christmas and New Year, hotels add compulsory gala dinners at roughly US$80 to US$250 a person. Peak-season surcharges may apply per night. And during the Kandy Esala Perahera, hotels in the city add festival supplements.
Air transfers are another. A helicopter or seaplane leg is sometimes shown as an option without a price. Ask for the figure, and for what happens to the cost if weather cancels the flight.
Payment and cancellation
Terms are part of what you are buying. A deposit of 20 to 30 per cent at booking is usual, with the balance due 30 to 45 days before arrival. Festive bookings often require full payment earlier and are non-refundable.
Lankan Stays & Trails sets out inclusions, exclusions and cancellation terms on a single page of the quotation, in US dollars. Read it before paying the deposit, and ask about anything not mentioned. A cost that nobody listed is a cost that somebody will raise later.
- →Ask which currency the price is fixed in, and whether card payments carry a fee.
- →Check the cancellation charges at 60, 30 and 14 days before arrival.
- →Confirm what is refunded if a flight, train or boat is cancelled by weather.
Frequently asked questions
Are entrance fees included in Sri Lanka tour packages?
Sometimes. Many operators include them, and others list them as payable on the spot. For the classic week, tickets for Sigiriya, Dambulla Cave Temple and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic total roughly US$60 to US$80 a person. Check the quotation.
Are meals included on a private tour of Sri Lanka?
Breakfast is normally included at every hotel. Dinner is included where the quotation says half board, and lunch only with full board, which is standard in tea bungalows and safari camps. Drinks are usually extra. Check the plan for each stop.
Do I need to tip on an all-inclusive Sri Lanka tour?
Yes, tips are separate. Allow roughly US$10 to US$20 a day for the chauffeur-guide, US$5 to US$10 for a safari driver and tracker, and small amounts for porters and housekeeping. Hotel bills include a service charge shared among staff.
What deposit is required for a Sri Lanka tour?
Typically 20 to 30 per cent of the tour price at booking, with the balance due 30 to 45 days before arrival. Bookings for Christmas, New Year and the Esala Perahera often need larger deposits or full prepayment under stricter cancellation terms.
Are international flights included in Sri Lanka tour prices?
Usually not. Ground operators in Sri Lanka quote for arrangements within the country, from arrival at the airport to departure. Flights are booked separately, which lets you choose your own airline, class and dates.
Is travel insurance included in a luxury tour of Sri Lanka?
No. You need your own policy covering medical treatment, evacuation, cancellation and baggage. Buy it when you pay the deposit, so that cancellation cover starts immediately. Private hospitals in Sri Lanka expect payment or an insurer's guarantee.