Ranjith Sudasingha, our Guide/Driver in Sri Lanka (mid-Feb 2020 for 20 days) was excellent. We just cannot say enough good things about him and we highly recommend him. He drove effortlessly around the country covering a large circular route that we had preplanned, through traffic of all kinds, and took bumpy roads ever so gently. FYI, we are two older women (retired Geography professors), 72 and 77 years young, with some minor mobility and dietary problems, so perhaps some of you can relate/appreciate our comments below. We hope they will help you to plan your Sri Lanka adventure with Ranjith.

In excellent English, Ranjith patiently described the significant history of the nation’s archaeological and historical sites. He had lots of very interestinginformation and “stories” to tell, even sharing his personal life, so there was rarely ever a quiet moment, even in the car. He has a strong and loud voice so he could easily be heard even from the back seat. He would tap on his window to indicate when we needed to look to the right to see a given building etc. He used his cell phone to call in advance to confirm our arrival at a given place and to make sure the trip ran smoothly, which it did.

Ranjith was very attentive to our dietary needs; he made sure that the folks at each restaurant or lodging knew that we could not eat hot spicy foods or curries as one of us is allergic to some of the ingredients. Most places serve buffets with many hot spicy dishes, but with his help we were able to order a la carte. There was a good selection of western style and/or plain non-spicy foods available so we were able to get the protein that we needed (fish, chicken, prawns, calamari, etc), rice, potatoes, and many delicious freshly cooked vegetables and fruits. Plus I carried nuts with me for off times. FYI, excellent and large cashews were available for purchase too, and Ranjith always offered us bananas (they have many delicious types) and coconut water.

Furthermore, he was attentive to our physical needs for assistance up and down various uneven steps—especially where hand rails were absent. This was of enormous help as one of us has poor depth perception, and both have some knee problems. He helped each of us, sometimes singularly, and sometimes with one person on each hand, and was always patient. At many locations, especially museums, he was able to convince the guards to let us park close or to be let out right at the door. Many times he drove us up close to things to get photos without getting out of the car or having to walk very far.

Our day trip to Horton Plains was memorable; we were lucky to have perfect weather and the countryside was beautiful. We had an excellent local guide who knew all the plants and animals. In addition, always concerned for our welfare, Ranjith decided to join us so that we would each have help as needed along the trail, which we certainly did. We made it far enough to get a good view and were appreciative of Ranjith’s concern, attentiveness and help.

Likewise he kept his car (which had great AC) very clean including the windows, provided plenty of bottled water, lot of wipes, and a basket of mints (mentos) on the back seat. In retrospect, I would get a larger car (SUV)next time. With my bad knees, the smaller sedan (Toyota hybrid) was hard for me to get in and out of especially when making many stops for photos. I should have known, since I drive an SUV at home.

Our trip represented the longest time Ranjith had been away from his family. He said most of his trips with clients are of 10 days duration, ours was double that. During that time we all became good friends and shared many stories and laughter. We felt that we could ask him anything and we did. There were many times during our drives that we all laughed about how Sri Lankan dogs seem to know how close the traffic is coming to them, and whether they have to move!

By the way, Ranjith has also been very helpful with some follow up to my trip. While on my trip, I had purchased and paid for shipping of some masks (I collect them from around the world), but with the Coronavirus they have been delayed and he has been graciously checking on this for me.

Ranjith was our tour guide for our honeymoon and we spent 9 nights touring the beautiful country of Sri Lanka. I can not stress how lovely Ranjith was as our tour guide. He showed us so much and taught us everything there was to know about the history of the country, Buddhism and all the amazing wildlife! He made some great suggestions including temples and stops that we would never have thought to do, even stopping to buy us all the types of banana for us to try! We had so much fun exploring the country and would definitely recommend him to anyone that was planning a similar trip.

Ranjith was my wife and I's guide during our first trip to Sri Lanka where we spent four days exploring the cultural triangle in the north of the country. 

In short, we could not have asked for a more pleasant, knowledgable and welcoming guide.  Ranjith is an absolute credit to the tourism in Sri Lanka and a excellent ambassador for tourism in his country.  Without a doubt we will be returning to Sri Lanka  in the future and  a large part of that is down to sights,  culture and knowledge that Ranjith shared with us during our brief visit.  

I could not recommend Ranjith enough if you are considering traveling to this wonderful country. The conversation was as interesting as it was enjoyable throughout and we both left having made a new friend.  He takes care of everything, gives you great insight into to whatever you see or wherever you go and makes a genuine effort to make you holiday as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. 

 The attention to detail was second to none. To be welcomed after an 11 hour flight by an emaculately dressed professional with a bottle of water,  taken to local restaurants off the beaten track and shown fantantastic wildlife most people would completely miss are just a few examples (of many)  why Ranjith really is the go to guide. 

To conclude- if you are going anywhere in Sri Lanka  I would recommend Ranjith in the strongest possible terms-you will be missing out if you don't.  I have traveled the world and Ranjith is the best guide i have had the pleasure of meeting. 

Best

Calum & Caroline

Ranjith drove us from Mirissa to Colombo and he was so good that we booked him to take us from our hotel in Colombo to the airport the following day.

His car is immaculate with great aircon, he is a safe and skilled driver who speaks excellent English and he is very fairly priced. He is also very friendly and  knows everything there is to know about Sri Lanka.

It was a shame we met him on our final day and a half in the country as we would have loved to have gone on a tour with him.

My partner and I have had the greatest pleasure of being chauffeured and guided by Ranjith for the last six days around the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka. He is an excellent guide, with an intimate and in depth knowledge on all aspects of his country, culture, wildlife, resources and history, which he obviously loves passionately. I cannot think of a better guide to show anyone around the country.

He is one of the most polite and considerate men we have ever met, with a great sense of humour and a beautiful smile. He offers information about his country, culture and wildlife all the time on the journey, always suggesting places to see things and pointing them out on the route.

Nothing was too much trouble for him including unscheduled stops to toilets, ATM machines, pharmacies and even a shop to purchase my first sarong.

As an advanced trained driver I consider his driving skills to be exceptionally good, especially on the often challenging Sri Lankan roads. He was always in control and his perception of other drivers actions was very good. The vehicle was kept spotlessly clean each day and I am sure that it was maintained daily to the same standard. He was always aware of the route and never had to consult a map or Sat Nav system. He was considerate enough to give advanced warnings of any upcoming adverse road conditions and always drove through these areas with the greatest care for the car and its passengers. Never once did we feel that our safety was compromised.

We will visit Sri Lanka again and Ranjith will be our first point of call - we would strongly recommend him to anyone looking to travel the country, we can't imagine anyone else to be any better than him.