Island-based specialists · Colombo
Luxury Sri Lanka holidays,
planned where they happen.
Private, chauffeur-driven luxury Sri Lanka holidays designed from our office outside Colombo — the island's best hotels, honest drive times, prices in pounds.
Direct from LHR
~10h 45m non-stop
Time difference
GMT + 5h 30m
Visa
ETA online · ~£40
Pricing
Quoted in £ GBP
Plan from your country
A Sri Lanka specialist, based in Sri Lanka
Serendib & Co plans from Maharagama, half an hour outside Colombo and forty minutes from the international airport. We have stayed in the hotels we sell, we have driven every route we quote, and our chauffeur-guides are people we know personally rather than names from an agency list.
Office: Level 2, 206 Old Road, Maharagama 10230, Sri Lanka
Phone / WhatsApp: +94 77 962 3879
Email: hello@serendibandco.com
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (Sri Lanka time, UTC+5:30)
What a luxury Sri Lanka holiday includes
Private chauffeur-guide and air-conditioned vehicle for the duration · every hotel booked directly, at rates we hold ourselves · reserved first-class observation seats on the Kandy–Ella train · private safari jeeps with a naturalist · daily breakfast · 24/7 concierge on WhatsApp in your time zone · ATOL and TOPP protection.
Where people go, and how long it takes
Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa) — 4 hrs from Colombo, 2–3 nights.
Kandy — 3 hrs from Colombo, 1–2 nights.
Tea country (Nuwara Eliya, Hatton, Ella) — 2–3 hrs from Kandy, 3 nights.
Yala or Wilpattu safari — 3 hrs from Ella, 2 nights.
South coast (Galle, Mirissa, Tangalle) — 1–3 hrs along the coast, 3–5 nights.
Indicative 2026 pricing (per person, land-only)
7 nights, luxury: £2,400–£4,200. 10 nights, luxury: £3,400–£6,000. 12 nights with safari and a villa finish: £4,200–£7,500. Ultra-luxury (Aman properties, villa buyouts, helicopter hops): £9,000 upwards.
How we work
Send us dates and a rough budget. A senior planner replies within 24 hours with a costed outline itinerary — no obligation, no deposit. We refine it with you, hold the hotels, then take a deposit only when you are happy. On the ground you have your driver and a concierge on WhatsApp for the whole trip.
Plan with us
A senior planner will reply within 24 hours.
Personalised itinerary, indicative pricing in £, no obligation.
Begin your bespoke journeyCompare at a glance
Which Sri Lankan destination is right for you?
The short answer: pair one cultural stop, one hill-country stop and one coast. This table compares what each place is best for, when to go, how long to stay and how far it is from Colombo.
Cultural Triangle
- Best for
- First-timers, history, the iconic rock climb
- Best months
- Jan–Sep (driest Feb–Aug)
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car · 30 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Habarana safaris
Central Highlands
- Best for
- Culture, temple ritual, a soft landing before the hills
- Best months
- Jan–Apr, Jul–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 3–3.5 hrs by car · 2.5 hrs by train
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya
Tea Country
- Best for
- Tea bungalows, cool air, Horton Plains
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Kandy, Ella
Hill Country
- Best for
- The train ride, walks, relaxed hill romance
- Best months
- Jan–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 6 hrs by car · 45 mins by helicopter
- Pairs with
- Nuwara Eliya, Yala
South-east
- Best for
- Leopards and private dawn game drives
- Best months
- Feb–Jul
- Ideal stay
- 2 nights (4 drives)
- From Colombo
- 5 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Ella, Tangalle
South
- Best for
- Guaranteed elephants, families with children
- Best months
- Year-round
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- From Colombo
- 4 hrs by car
- Pairs with
- Yala, the south coast
South-west Coast
- Best for
- Colonial fort, boutiques, villa living
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 1.5 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Mirissa, Ahangama
South Coast
- Best for
- Blue whales, easy beach days
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (whales)
- Ideal stay
- 2–3 nights
- From Colombo
- 2 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Galle, Tangalle
Far South Coast
- Best for
- Privacy, staffed villas, uncrowded sand
- Best months
- Dec–Apr
- Ideal stay
- 3–5 nights
- From Colombo
- 3 hrs via expressway
- Pairs with
- Yala, Galle
East Coast
- Best for
- Summer beaches when the south-west is wet
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- From Colombo
- 5.5 hrs by car · 1 hr by seaplane
- Pairs with
- Sigiriya, Pasikuda
Step 1 of 2 · takes a minute
Design your Sri Lanka journey
Tell us how you like to travel. We turn it into a written brief and a senior planner replies within 24 hours.
What matters most?
Itineraries to consider
Answers
Common questions
What is a luxury Sri Lanka holiday, and what does it cost?+
A private, chauffeur-driven trip staying at the island's best twenty or so properties — Amangalla, Amanwella, Ceylon Tea Trails, Cape Weligama, Wild Coast. Budget £3,400–£6,000 per person for 10 nights land-only, based on two sharing, plus £600–£1,000 per person for flights from London.
Why book with a Sri Lanka-based company rather than a UK operator?+
We are based in Maharagama, just outside Colombo, so we know the hotels, the drivers and the roads first-hand and hold direct rates rather than reselling a wholesaler's package. If something goes wrong at 2am, the person fixing it is in the same time zone as you.
Where are you based, and can I visit the office?+
Our planning office is at Level 2, 206 Old Road, Maharagama 10230, Sri Lanka, about 40 minutes from Bandaranaike International Airport. Visits are by appointment, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (Sri Lanka time, UTC+5:30). Most clients simply call +94 77 962 3879 or email hello@serendibandco.com.
How long should a luxury Sri Lanka holiday be?+
Ten to twelve nights is the sweet spot: Cultural Triangle, tea country, a safari and the south coast, without a rushed drive every morning. Seven nights works if you pick two regions. Fourteen nights lets you add the east coast or the Maldives.
When is the best time to go?+
December to April for the south and west coasts and the hill country — the classic luxury season. May to September suits the east coast (Trincomalee, Pasikuda). The island always has a dry coast; it is simply a question of which one.
Is everything private?+
Yes. Your own chauffeur-guide and vehicle for the whole trip, your own safari jeep, your own dates. We never run group departures or pooled transfers.
Which airport do I fly into?+
Bandaranaike International (CMB) near Negombo, served by SriLankan direct from Heathrow and by Emirates, Qatar and Etihad with one stop. Mattala (HRI) is useful for the deep south. Your driver meets you inside arrivals.
Do I need a visa?+
UK, EU and Australian passport holders need an ETA, applied for online before travel. It takes minutes and we send you the direct government link — never a paid third-party site.
Is your money protected?+
Yes. Trips are ATOL protected and TOPP insured, so your deposit and your holiday are financially safeguarded from the moment you confirm.
How quickly will I hear back?+
A senior planner replies within 24 hours on working days (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm (Sri Lanka time, UTC+5:30)). Urgent queries go to WhatsApp on +94 77 962 3879.