Frequently Asked Questions
How can I best contact you ?
Adventure Lanka Tours is an Internet based company providing a wide range and flexible tour itineraries with great prices. This generally means that we prefer to communicate via email whenever possible. This mode of communication enables us to communicate with our clients very quickly. In the unlikely event you need to call us you can do so by calling the numbers below.
From the UK : 020 7193 3193
Rest of the World : + 94 777 366925
Do you have a brochure ?
Adventure Lanka relies on its web site to sell its holidays. We do not have printed brochures but rely on our web site to provide as much information as possible. In essence our web site is our brochure. This approach has quite a few advantages. Firstly in almost all cases our holidays are customised to suit each booking. Therefore having a printed brochure rarely achieves its purpose. Furthermore the fact that we don’t use printed brochures keeps our costs to a minimum and this is directly passed onto our customers.
Thirdly by visiting our web site you can keep up-to-date on any special offers and late availability bargains.
How should I prepare before I contact you ?
Please browse our web site and get an idea of what interests you would like in your holiday. This would considerably speed up the entire process and help us offer you an itinerary that best suits you within a relatively short period of time.
Do I need a visa in Sri Lanka ?
Holders of passports from the vast majority of countries, including UK, Ireland, United States, Germany, France, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and India, can holiday in Sri Lanka and the Maldives as bona fide tourists for up to 30 days. If you are travelling for longer, or on business, or wish to check further, visa forms and full information are available from the Sri Lankan High Commission, London, at http://www.slhclondon.org/ or tel +44 020 7262 1841 or your nearest Sri Lankan High Commission.
In all cases, it is advisable to have six months left on your passport at time of travel.
Is my personal and credit card information that I provide to you safe ?
We do not divulge your personal information to any third parties except when required by law.
All credit card information you submit is directly through the Sampath Bank Servers which are protected by Verisign technology utilizing the very best in security. Therefore all your data is safe.
Many companies talk of imagining their 'perfect client'. What's yours ?
Somebody who shares our affection for Sri Lanka, or who is enthusiastic about discovering its many attractions. Somebody who trusts us and believes that anything we do is in their best interests. Who believes in working with us to devise a suitable and satisfying holiday and to solve together any difficulties that may arise from time to time.
I notice you do not have ATOL bonding, Should I be worried ?
ATOL protection only applies to passengers who purchase tickets in the UK. Our holidays are sold directly from Sri Lanka and our packages do not include airfare. Therefore we do not need ATOL bonding. Furthermore we cannot apply for ATOL since we currently do not have a UK registered office.
We do however offer UK clients a airline booking engine via our web site. The booking engine is operated by onlinetravel.com and is ATOL bonded.
When is my holiday actually confirmed ?
Once you receive our confirmation invoice and made the deposit payment your holiday is confirmed. We will send you additional information on receipt of the deposit.
How can I pay for my holiday ?
Adventure Lanka Tours offers payment by the following methods:
- On-line credit card payments: We are currently implementing our Internet Payment Gateway which will be able to accept Visa and Mastercard.
- Bank transfers: For payment by bank transfer, the sender must pay all charges. You will require the following information:
Bank name: Sampath Bank
Address :
145, Havelock Road 00500, Sri Lanka
A/C no: 0034 1000 2530
A/C Name: Adventure Lanka Tours (Pvt) Ltd.
SWIFT: BSAMLKLX
Bank Code: 7278
Please note that IBAN numbers are not required when remitting to Sri Lankan banks
Note: Customer should pay all bank charges.
Note: In all these cases, we levy no hidden charges such as booking fees.
What if I have to cancel my holiday ?
Please let us know as soon as possible. We expect our customers to take their holiday bookings as seriously as we do.
We however recognise that holidays are occasionally cancelled for valid reasons. Our cancellation charges in our booking conditions apply, at our discretion, in case we cannot recover payments and admin costs committed on your behalf. In most cases it would be possible to postpone your travel dates and reschedule your holiday with little or no charge.
Do you promote only certain hotels ?
We have our choices based on character, level or service and the prices offered.We also constantly evaluate newer properties and add them to our choice of hotels from time to time.
We also endeavour to rotate our choice of hotels so that all those concerned get bookings from us.
However if you have a choice of hotel we have no problems booking you in. In all cases we will negotiate the best rates for you.
Do you pre-book accommodation, in the way that many package-holiday companies do ?
Since we primarily deal with independent travellers we do not pre book accommodation. We however set to make reservations no sooner we receive word from you.
We only send you the confirmation invoice once we receive confirmation from all of the hotels.
Why do you advise 'book early' ?
During the Peak Season which is during Christmas and New Year it is nearly impossible to find rooms. Therefore we advice all our clients to make bookings at least 4 – 6 months prior to arrival for these particular seasons.
In almost all cases the earlier you book the better rate you will get for your holiday.
I have a medical condition that may need special assistance during my stay. What should I do ?
Please inform us of any condition you may have any specific information from your doctor. We will then advice you accordingly and make the necessary arrangements for your holiday.
Please note that we cannot be held responsible for any medical condition that may hinder your enjoyment on tour.
Why have we not received any hotel vouchers? Is our booking confirmed ?
Adventure Lanka Tours doesn’t offer hotel vouchers but your booking invoice would specify what hotels have been booked.
Can I drive my own car in Sri Lanka ?
In general we don’t recommend you drive in Sri Lanka unless you have previous experience driving in this part of the world.
Will we be met at the airport ?
You will be met by our chauffeur guides at any time of the day or night.
If I book a car and driver, will I be hassled to make excursions or shopping trips ?
Our chauffeurs have agreed to a code of conduct document which outlines the conduct during the tour. While they may offer you additional excursions and visits to shops, they will respect your decision to say no. In the unlikely event that these guidelines are not adhered to please call our Colombo office.
Can Adventure Lanka Tours recommend any shopping outlets ?
We generally do not recommend any shops or outlets but our chauffeurs generally will take you to shops that are registered with the Sri Lanka Tourist Board. Please retain all receipts of purchase as this is the only document you have if you need to make a claim of any sort.
Can I change my itinerary when I am in Sri Lanka ?
Changes to the itinerary can be made while on tour but in almost all cases the change will incur a surcharge.
I have heard that return flights have to be reconfirmed when we are in Sri Lanka ? Is this true ?
The majority of airlines including Sri Lankan airlines do not need reconfirmation.
What if people need to contact me in an emergency when I’m in Sri Lanka ?
Most of our chauffeurs can be reached via mobile phone. Most of the hotels you will be staying at too will have telephone facilities. We advice you to leave a copy of our contact numbers with your family prior to departure. Any messages we receive from them we will forward to you as soon as possible.
I’m looking for a low-season holiday to obtain the best prices. At what time of year can I find the best deals ?
May, June and early July are the best times to travel to make maximum use of the off season rates. November can offer good value for the West and South. Avoid Christmas, Easter and school summer holidays.
What do you advise about money ?
Credit cards are accepted island wide in most hotels and supermarkets. The country also has a very good ATM network with Cirrus, Maestro and Plus debit cards usable at almost all ATM’s. The general withdrawal limit per day is USD.200.00 per day with some ATM’s offering upto USD.400.00 per day.
All currency that is legal tender is readily accepted and can be changed in most money changers. Travellers’ cheques can only be encashed at banks but the process is time consuming and some may also have an upper limit to the amount you can encash in one day.
Our personal advice is to carry a small amount of cash and use your debit and credit cards for all transactions.
We took some fantastic photographs in Sri Lanka. Should I send you some ?
Yes please!
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