How was your Explore Tour Leader?

Very knowledgable - Sarath

Do you have anything else to add?

I would ask that you remove the Yala National Park trip from the itinerary.  It was extremely upsetting to see the amount of vehicles chasing the elephants.  Our driver was extremely young and decided to follow an elephant which was being followed by many other. We asked him not to follow. Despite our requests, he followed and the elephant came up to our vehicle and put is head inside, luckily nothing happened but it could easily have been different.  The management of this Park should be managing this park very differently and it is not surprising that they were saying that the wildlife sightings were down.  Given the noise, number of vehicles and harrassment of the elephants in particular, I know what I would do!  Unfortunately this was a dreadful experience.

What tips would you give to someone else booking this tour?

Cycle helmets are optional. Most people brought them but by the end only 5 of the 18 were wearing them as the roads/paths were generally quiet, the mountain bikes sound and the weather hot and humid making staying cool a priority. Some handlebar grips were made of nobly plastic which became uncomfortable so bring cycling gloves or improvise, as I did, by tying a thick sock around each grip. There's no need to bring a cycling water bottle as the bottled water you buy fits nicely into the holders on the bike. Sports sandals or trainers are best for the cycling. For all other activities, sports sandals are good (trainers, once wet, are hard to dry in the tropical humidity). Wearing leech socks with sports sandals for the optional jungle walk on Day 7 allows you to relax and enjoy the jungle.

Do you have anything else to add?

The weather has become unpredictable in recent years so come prepared for some rain.  Don't bother bringing waterproofs as you'll only sweat buckets.  Instead bring a collapsible umbrella, easy-to-dry clothing, and small plastic bags to keep the contents of your money belt and your camera dry.  Then you can enjoy any tropical downpours.  They can be spectacular!  And unlike in the UK, you don't get cold when it rains, just wet and then, if you dress lightly, only for a short while given the heat.

This was an absolutely amazing trip and our guide and the Sri Lankan people were so friendly, helpful and always smiling. The mix of culture and trekking/cycling is perfect and if you're of a normal standard of fitness then you should be fine - just be prepared to sweat. A LOT. The humidity took some adjusting to!

In the guide notes it says that the tips money is £25 but actually it's more like £40 so be prepared for that when your guide asks you. It's easy to change money over there but the airport (Sri Lankan side) has the best rate of exchange. If you can buy leech socks, they're also a good thing to have for the wet zone eco-lodge.    

If you're thinking about this trip, I can't recommend it enough!! (ASL -29th July 2011)