We experienced a sightseeing tour of Sri Lanka at the turn of February and March 2020. We were very
pleasantly surprised, this trip exceeded our expectations in terms of experiences, organization, food and
accommodation. The greatest credit for our experience goes to our guide Chaminda Jagath Wijesiri, who
took very active care of us all the time, was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, was able to explain
everything to us clearly, guided us through the sights beautifully and was also funny and very nice.
Jagath speaks very good English and has a history degree, so he can answer a lot of questions about
history, politics, but also religion and lifestyle in Sri Lanka. We would like to take this opportunity to
thank him very much. We can definitely recommend it with a clear conscience to anyone interested in a
guide to Sri Lanka, he is trusted and will arrange everything that is needed. He is simply a man in his
place.
Regards
I have known Jagath for many years and travelled with him on several occasions. He is the founder of a
well-established tour company in Sri Lanka, offering professional and highly personalized travel services
across the island.
Jagath is always professional, punctual, and extremely attentive to his guests’ needs. He speaks very
good English and is excellent at explaining global culture, as well as local traditions, history, and
everyday life in Sri Lanka. His broad outlook and natural curiosity allow him to connect with people from
all over the world and make every traveler feel truly understood.
From the very first contact, Jagath assists with detailed trip planning, recommends accommodation, and
helps to create tailor-made itineraries. He and his team operate a modern fleet of comfortable, air-
conditioned vehicles. Throughout the journey, he remains attentive yet respectful, offering insightful
explanations while giving guests the freedom to enjoy their own space.
Travelling with Jagath and his company means being in the best possible hands — safe, well-informed,
and genuinely cared for. I can wholeheartedly recommend his services to anyone wishing to discover Sri
Lanka in an authentic, organized, and truly personal way.
Before going to Sri Lanka - my every trip was looking similar - buying flight tickets, renting a
car(and driving on my own), going with plan with getting some news from internet and guide
books and was OK.
But when I came to Sri Lanka I decided for first time to hire guide/driver. My main reason (in
moment of making this decision) was common opinion, that driving on Sri Lanka's roads is
nightmare. Basing on my many reviews I decided to contact and hire Jagath and it was my best
decision during this trip and here is many reasons of it:
1. Driving there would be nightmare for me(so it is truth) - I think, that I would deal with it, but
for sure it would be really stressful for me and for sure I wouldn't rest. And driving with Jagath is
a pleasure - his Van is really spacey and comfortable, and Jagath style of driving is really calm
and safe
2. Guiding - if we would go alone, then we wouldn't know half of things of visiting places, and
most of these info we would quickly forget. With Jagath - we knew all important things and if
we had doubts or wanted to know something more - he was always able to answer our questions.
Also his English is very good - speaking really fluently.
3. Planning - I had my initial plans for Sri Lanka, and after talking with Jagath we little adjusted
it. Also during trip I requested few changes and all was done without issues. And finally I
believe, that I've seen all things, that I wanted and I did quite full trip around Sri Lanka
4. Other infos - during our trip I had a lot of additional questions about Sri Lanka, Buddhism and
life here and Jagath is real ' ;repository of knowledge' - he was sharing with us all needed info
and
thanks to this I have much bigger/deeper knowledge about these topics
I can highly recommend Jagath and his services. He is really professional, experience,
knowledgeable guide and driver and this time with him was real pleasure.
Jagath has twenty years of experience of guiding tours around Sri Lanka. This means that he
understands the needs of different groups of people and knows exactly what they will like and
not like. So for our group aged from 1 to 75 with a range of specific needs from car seats to
mobility issues, he was great.
Sri Lanka although small it can take time to get from place to place. Jagath was great at planning
our journeys and stopping at great places and restaurants on the way. He is incredibly patient ,
even when the toddler was screaming and the 4 year old was making a mess in his pristine van.
We have been to Sri Lanka many times and Jagath was by far the the most reliable and safe
driver we’ve had. You will very safe in his hands.
I would like to wholeheartedly recommend our amazing tour guide Jagath from Sri Lanka, who made our
entire journey truly unforgettable. From the very beginning to the end of the trip, everything was
perfectly organized — the itinerary was well planned, the timing was ideal, and we never had to worry
about a single thing.
Jagath took care of every detail with great professionalism and kindness, making us feel completely safe
and comfortable throughout the whole journey. Thanks to his deep knowledge, we not only saw the
most beautiful places in Sri Lanka, but also learned a lot about the country’s rich culture, history, and
traditions.
His friendly personality, patience, and genuine passion for sharing his country made the experience even
more special. Traveling with Jagath felt like being guided by a good friend who truly loves what he does.
We are deeply grateful for this wonderful experience and would highly recommend Jagath to anyone
planning to visit Sri Lanka. You will be in excellent hands!
With warmest regards,
Sigita and family
This was an incredible experience we are grateful for Jagath tours and Jagath himself! We
visited Sri Lanka in the beginning of December - the weather was fantastic and the tour we were
proposed by this travel agent was very good - well balanced, adapted to our needs and
expectations. As birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts we were provided with the best
recommendations, amazing safari guides (Yala, Bundala NPs) that were experts of nature and
birds. Hotels proposed by the guide were so cozy and clean! Our best choice was Jagath tours
for this journey that made our vacation easy, relaxing and also the guide provided us with many
interesting facts of the country, its history, culture, religion, people. True expert in this field.
Highly recommended!
Dear Jagath,
It's good to hear from you. I hope that now, with the war over, more tourists are coming to Sri
Lanka and giving you more business.
Here is my testimonial:
I have known Jagath since he was a teenager, when he was the personal attendant to my dear
friend, the late Swiss Buddhist monk, Ven. Bhikkhu Sumedha, who lived in a cave near Jagath's
village.
I can testify that Jagath is an upright and honest young man who has been trained well in
Buddhist ethical principles. I have recommended several of my American friends and students
who traveled to Sri Lanka to employ Jagath as a tour guide. They were highly pleased with his
services.
I joined one such group for part of their tour in 2006. In addition to being knowledgeable about
the history of Sri Lanka, its monuments and art, Jagath is also a careful driver. This is important
in Sri Lanka where many drivers tend to drive recklessly and too fast.
I attach a photo of the two of us together when we were on tour in Sri Lanka.
Did you write to Marcie, Jane, George, Ester, and Deena for recommendations? They could
happily provide them to you.
With metta,
Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi
Dear Jagath, My boyfriend and I took a tour of Sri Lanka with Jagath as our
guide in 2009. It was one of the most fantastic adventures of my life! Jagath
could not be a friendlier, more knowledgeable guide. He also translates and
drives very well. We always felt safe and comfortable. I highly recommend him
and trust that he does his best to please his clients. Sri Lanka is one of the
most beautiful, lovely places in the world I have visited! Bibi Tucker California,
USA
Dear Jagath:,
I am writing to you to thank you for the marvelous tour of Sri Lanka you gave us. Thanks to you
we have come to love the country.
Your knowledge of the history and culture of the island nation was extraordinary; your car was
as comfortable as our living room couch. You took us to the country, to the city, to the farms, to
the magnificent beaches, and you knew all the best places to eat, sleep, and shop. It was a perfect
trip thanks to you. Who knew you could get great pizza at the top of a mountain in Sri Lanka. I
would return for the pizza alone.
I also want to thank you for finding us a reasonably priced hotel in the center of Kandy. The staff
there became our friends, their food was excellent, and as I mentioned, you could not beat the
price.
While we were in Sri Lanka we spoke to you often (even when you were not guiding us) to get
your advice on a variety of issues, you were always so kind and understanding, never impatient).
The trip to the tea plantations was especially interesting and it was fun touring around them. I
will never forget that place.
I would not hesitate to recommend your services to anyone seeking to understand and travel
around Sri Lanka. Your price was reasonable and your extensive knowledge of the country was a
bonus. Your English was great and we really appreciated that. Much Love,
Dear Jagath,
I traveled with a group of friends on a pilgrimage to Buddhist historical sites a few years back.
Jagath was recommended to be our guide throughout our stay. I cannot say enough good things
about Jagath. He was professional, knowledgeable, personable and made every effort to
accommodate and answer our questions whether it was about our travel itinerary or personal
needs. We started our journey from Colombo and weaved all the way up to Anuradhapura where
we attended Vesak ceremonies. Besides visiting Buddhist historical sites, Jagath also took us to
shows, markets, restaurants and the countryside showcasing and sharing his Sri Lankan heritage
and country’s history which were both educational and enchanting. My travel mates and I were
very happy with Jagath’s personalized travel service. Speaking for myself, my trip is one of my
most memorable trips to date and if given a chance to return, I would definitely hire Jagath as
tour guide and driver again.
Ester Barias-Wolf
I cannot emphasize enough what an excellent decision it was to choose Jagath as our driver. I usually
plan my vacations myself and we picked Jagath because one of his itineraries looked very similar to what
I had in mind, covering so many different places in two weeks. As soon as we matched he sent me all his
details and he is a certified tourist guide of Sri Lanka which proved really helpful on our trip. I shared my
initial travel plan with him and he helped to suggest some changes that better accounted for the time it
takes at each site, as well as suggesting amazing other things that we could fit into the itinerary. I did not
even have to pull up my guidebooks or notes at historical sights as we was thoroughly knowledgeable on
every place we visited and was able to select the best specific places to visit in huge sights like
Anuradhapura which we otherwise would have missed. He was able to recommend the best other tours,
like the National Spice Garden that is run by the government over private ones that take commission,
and made the Botanical Gardens much more enjoyable with his extensive knowledge of plants and
wildlife. By following his suggestions, we are able to see hundreds of elephants up close on safari at a
lower price than most recommended tours, while still following guidelines for animal welfare. When I
mentioned wanting to see traditional Kandyan dance, he got us front row seats to a performance. He
quickly noticed that I am much more into history than my friends, and suggested white water rafting for
them which they absolutely loved. At no point did he ever take us to some commission-based shop and
we always felt like communication was easy and clear, and that our desires for our trip were completely
heard. Still, he managed to make our trip even better than we thought possible. After our time with him,
he kept in touch and answered all of our questions, big and small, and it was so helpful to feel like we
have a local friend to guide us. Overall, we were actually able to have more fantastic experiences than
we planned for less money than we originally budgeted. I absolutely recommend hiring. His prices are
beyond reasonable and his services consistently go above and beyond expectations.
My traveling partner and I greatly enjoyed touring Sri Lanka with Jagath as our guide. He was very
knowledgeable about Sri Lankan history and culture, and took us from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, Yala, and
on to Marissa. He was expert in selecting suitable places for us to stay, driving and navigating, and
answering our many many questions. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. He's a really nice guy.
Hi Jagath:,
It is very nice to hear from you. Below is a testimonial. Attached are pictures:
In June of 2012 four of us from Zen Community of Oregon took a wonderful trip to Sri Lanka.
Jagath Tours made the trip easy, interesting and worry free. Jagath is a great driver and a
wonderful guide. He has in depth knowledge of his country and was able to recommended and
take us to some of the the most amazing ancient Buddhist sites along with cultural and wildlife
interests. Jagath was very sensitive to our interests and made our stay one that we will not forget.
We hope to return to explore more of this delightful and varied country.
I highly recommend Jagath's Tours and would definitely use his services again whenever I return
to Sri Lanka.
Nancy Kodo Conover
Hi Jagath, It is very nice to hear from you. Below is a testimonial. Attached are
pictures: In June us from the Zen Community of Oregon took a wonderful trip
to Sri Lanka. Jagath Tours made the trip easy, interesting, and worry-free.
Jagath is a great driver and a wonderful guide. He has in-depth knowledge of
his country and was able to recommend and take us to some of the most
amazing ancient Buddhist sites along with cultural and wildlife interests.
Jagath was very sensitive to our interests and made the stay one that we will
not forget. We hope to return to explore more of this delightful and varied
country. I highly recommend Jagath's Tours and would definitely use his
services again whenever I return to Sri Lanka. Nancy Kodo Conover Portland,
Oregon USA
Hi Jagath:
We will travel to Sri Lanka only when Jagath is available for a tour. He kept our group informed,
safe, and comfortable during our entire 7 day trip. His services were the most important part of
our incredible visit to Sri Lanka. We are looking forward to our next vacation with Jagath! *.
Dear Jagath:,
If you're thinking of touring magical Sri Lanka and need a professional and licensed guide, look
no further than Jagath Tours. From the moment we reached out to him we felt at ease with his
demeanor and flexible touring approach.
He's quick to reply on preliminary tour email questions and always has solid suggestions on how
to get the most out of your trip. When we set up our tour he was willing to work with our
itinerary, but also added to it so we were able to see so much more than we originally planned
on. As a guide he's very approachable, patient, and knowledgeable on the varying areas that Sri
Lanka has to offer. He's a small business owner running his tours personally and passionately.
From the plethora of temples, to the thick of the safaris, he knew the ins-and-outs of the land and
we always felt safe with the areas he took us to. Also important to note, he's an excellent driver
who doesn't take unnecessary risks on the road.
From a characteristic viewpoint on Jagath I'd describe him as honest, caring, and gentle. A
family man who loves his country and genuinely wants to share what it has to offer.
We felt fortunate to have Jagath as our personal Sri Lankan guide. If you have any questions
please feel free to email us at gkata1@gmail.com
Yen & Gary
New York, New York