Sri Lanka by private car with your own driver
Your own car and experienced driver for as many days as you like. You choose the route and hotels, or we suggest them.
In Sri Lanka most visitors do not drive themselves. They travel with a private car and driver, often called a chauffeur guide. It costs less than you might think, it is safer, and you see far more because someone who knows the island does the driving.
With ABR Holidays you can book the car and driver on their own, or as part of a full round trip with hotels.
What you get
- A clean, air-conditioned car, usually a Toyota hybrid, for one to three travellers. Vans for families and groups.
- An experienced, licensed driver who speaks good English. German-speaking driver-guides are available on request, for an extra charge and subject to availability.
- Airport pick-up and drop-off.
- Fuel, parking, highway tolls, and your driver’s meals and room. Hotels in Sri Lanka have rooms for drivers, so you never need to look after this.
- Drinking water in the car.
- A contact person on WhatsApp, in English or German, for the whole trip.
How it works
- Tell us your idea. Your dates, how many people, and the places you want to see. If you are not sure yet, send us the month and your interests.
- We send a route and a price. You get a day-by-day plan with realistic driving times. You can change it as often as you like.
- You book your hotels, or we do. You can book hotels yourself, or let us book them, often at better rates than online.
- Your driver meets you at the airport. From then on he takes care of the road, and you enjoy the trip.
Car only, or a full round trip?
| Car with driver | Full round trip | |
|---|---|---|
| Car, driver, fuel, tolls | Included | Included |
| Route planning | We help | Included |
| Hotels | You book them, or we do | Included, 3-star with breakfast as standard |
| Price | On request, per day | From US$100 per person per day |
Our full round trips start at US$700 per person for 7 days, based on two people sharing a room in good 3-star hotels with breakfast. See all round trips.
Why not rent a car and drive yourself?
You can, but there are good reasons why few visitors do:
- Traffic drives on the left, and roads are shared with buses, tuk-tuks, cyclists, dogs and sometimes elephants.
- Hill country roads are narrow and winding. A trip of 80 km can take three hours.
- Your home licence is not enough. You need an additional Sri Lankan permit before you may drive.
- A local driver knows when to leave to avoid the heat and the crowds, where the clean toilets are, and which lunch places are good.
We explain the details in our article on car with driver or self-drive.
Questions
How many hours does the driver work each day? Your driver adapts to your plan. Long drives are usually done in the morning so you have the afternoon free. Early starts for a safari or a sunrise climb are normal.
Does the driver also guide us? Drivers explain a lot along the way and will take you to the right entrance and ticket counter. Inside big sites such as Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa or the Temple of the Tooth, a licensed site guide is worth it; we can arrange one.
How much should we tip the driver? Tips are not included and are up to you, but they are usual in Sri Lanka. Our practical tips give a guideline.
Can we travel with children? Yes. We provide child seats on request. Tell us the age and weight of each child.
Want to see this yourself?
Tell us your dates and what you like. Ravindu or one of our team will send you a personal route and price, usually within 24 hours.
Private round trips from US$700 per person for 7 days