Recently Viewed
Best of Colombo: Private Guided City Tour with Experienced Local Guides
4.6
67 Ratings
Colombo
This meticulously designed city tour is an excellent avenue to discover Colombo & gain insights into the local customs & traditions. Our seasoned & amicable tour guides will add great value to your exploration. We always accommodate your needs & schedule, ensuring that your tour of this bustling city is easy-going, secure & enjoyable.
This meticulously designed city tour is an excellent avenue to discover Colombo & gain insights into the local customs & traditions. Our seasoned & amicable tour guides will add great value to your exploration. We always accommodate your needs & schedule, ensuring that your tour of this bustling city is easy-going, secure & enjoyable.
Duration:
4 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Old Parliament Building - you will be able to admire the architecture of this beautiful building & take photos from a distance as it is a high-security zone.
- Colombo Port Old Lighthouse - You will be able to get to the lighthouse base platform to take photos
- Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct - From here you will be taken on a short…
- Old Parliament Building - you will be able to admire the architecture of this beautiful building & take photos from a distance as it is a high-security zone.
- Colombo Port Old Lighthouse - You will be able to get to the lighthouse base platform to take photos
- Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct - From here you will be taken on a short walking tour to explore some of the hidden sights & beautiful colonial buildings around.
- Cargills (Ceylon) PLC - A quick stop to admire this beautiful building and a few others around.
- Grand Oriental Hotel - Located right next to Colombo harbor, this was the most popular hotel during the British colonial era. It is possible to stop for photos.
- Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque - This beautiful building is one of the main highlights of Colombo & you will be able to admire and take photos here.
-
Lotus Tower Road - This iconic tower is a must-visit place in Colombo. You will stop here for a quick photo.
*Please note the tower is yet to be open for the public. - Gangaramaya (Vihara) Buddhist Temple - Here you will learn about Buddhism, Sinhalese Buddhist culture and be able to explore in and out of this amazing Buddhist Temple. Also, you will see Lord Buddha’s hair relics.
- Old Town Hall - You will be able to stop here and admire the beauty and also to get a glimpse of Viharamahadevi Park.
- Independence Square - This is the main highlight of the tour. Here you will learn how Sri Lanka got its Independence from the British Empire. You can also visit the adjoining Arcade square and the park for a short walk.
- Colombo - You will be exploring some of the other sights of this area and after will stop for a local Lunch / Dinner.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Entrance ticket to Gangaramaya Temple
- Private transportation
- Bottled water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Entrance ticket to Gangaramaya Temple
What's Not Included
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Pick up from, BIA Airport, Negombo, Katunayake
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Pick up from, BIA Airport, Negombo, Katunayake
Location
Old Parliament Building
Fort
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(67 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Dorinda_w
May 1, 2025
Very good general tour... - Very good general tour around the city. Guide was hielpful and knowledgeable. Good way to see the city sights.
Review provided by Viator
Magtab
Apr 30, 2025
Great Tour with great Guide - We had a beautiful day with a great guide in Columbo. We saw a lot of interesting things and got a good impression of the local culture. The Tour company was very helpful when i forgot my sunglasses in the car.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anonymous
Mar 23, 2025
Excellent Tour of Colombo! - This tour is an awesome option for anyone looking to explore a bit more of Colombo. Bandara was a phenomenal and knowledgeable guide and safe and careful driver. Really enjoyed seeing the memorial to Sri Lankan independence, stopping at the main port, seeing several gorgeous Hindu and Buddhist temples, the red mosque, as well as going to the Lotus Flower tower. The Lotus Flower is a 20 USD entrance fee so be prepared to pay that should you opt to go there for the fabulous view. Bandara was very accommodating in bringing me to the speciality shops I wanted to see, including for gemstones and tea. This tour can be tailored to your interests and timeframe - great way to see Colombo!
Review provided by Viator
Sightseer52279674530
Mar 21, 2025
A wonderful Day in Colombo - Maleen was prompt and picked us up right on time as scheduled, his vehicle was clean and was air conditioned, he did a fabulous job of showing us around Colombo, his commentary was informative and not overbearing, he took us to all the key sites on the tour and paid for parking usually right in front of the attraction so there were no long walks in the stifling heat like the tour bus passengers, he bought flowers and incense at the temples so we could make offerings. He stopped at a locals restaurant and purchased about 12 curry’s for us to try, my wife said she had a great day which is better than a 5 star review
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ken_w
Mar 21, 2025
Great Day on Sri Lanka - Maleen was a great guide who was waiting for us at the pier main gate about 15 mins early, took us on a wonderful tour making sure he met our interests, he took us to all the major sites, parking where tour buses couldn’t go, saving a lot of walking, he paid our entry into the Buddhist and Hindu temples, bought flowers and incense for us to donate in the temples, he even had a Shaman give us a personal blessing, he stopped at a local restaurant and bought us lunch, we had about 10 different curry’s, we were able to stop at a gem store where my wife bought a royal blue Sri Lankan Saphire ring, he also stopped at a souvenir store on the way back to the port where we bought cinnamon and White tea, all and all a great day
Review provided by Viator
Rebecca_h
Mar 15, 2025
Excellent! - Our guide and driver Nirshantha was very friendly & we had a great day! The communication with the company was very prompt & they were at the cruise gate waiting on us upon arrival. Comfy aircon car & we saw many great sites - including some elephants! Definitely recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Juanc_p
Mar 11, 2025
Great Day in Colombo - Naura, our guide, spoke English very well. She was very accommodating, waited for us until we finished at the museum, and gave us information about the sites. We visited Colombo during Ramadan, so most restaurants were closed during the a day, and Maura showed us to a restaurant that was open. All in all, an enjoyable visit.
Review provided by Viator
Backpacker368882
Feb 16, 2025
Good tour - Bandana was friendly and informative and took us round all the interesting sites. He was happy to take us at our pace and stop for as long as we needed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
251ulrikag
Mar 14, 2025
Will not use again - Not impressed! The driver must have been a stand in for someone else, because ir was a holiday. The driver was not used to driving in traffic. He was horrible. His English was very nasal and difficult to understand. The car was old and had no air conditioning, which was guaranteed with the reservation. We had to ask him for water, which was another guarantee. He provided 2 small lukewarm waters. We did get to see all important sights of Colombo, so that's why we gave it a 2 and not a 1.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
David
Mar 1, 2025
Expensive taxi ride with little information to impart - Poor English and a self proclaimed "taxi not tour guide" means wasted 3 hours and £77 driving around in a tinted windowed can between Buddhist temples. No ability to explain history or about the buildings we passed.
Can't recommend this acclaimed " Best of Colombo - Private Guided City Tour". It wasn't much more than an expensive taxi with a chatting cabbie. Rubbish.
Review provided by Tripadvisor