The Ultimate Adventure in Sri Lanka and the Maldives

I had an amazing time with a fantastic group, a lovely break from day to day life. Be ready to share your room with nature, and don't forget your big spray or hand sanitiser to despatch hungry leeches!

Our guide and driver took great care of us in Sri Lanka. We saw loads of beautiful animals and plants, and it was a privilege to be shown the national park by the Vedda people.

Bring your padded cycling shorts as the bikes were fairly basic and you're on them for a while. They also didn't have a helmet big enough for my head (only a UK medium) which was disappointing as I'm quite safety conscious.

There wasn't much to do in the Maldives and island time is very slow, but I did try diving with Fulidhoo Dive and Water Sports who were very professional and took great care of us.

Bit of context info about me - I’m 35 with a desk job, I like walking and have done an MBA trip before and can walk Snowdon in 5. 5hours.

The activities like yoga, cycling and surfing on the trip are optional and our guide can make some routes easier if you struggle so don’t be put off booking if you’re worried it might be too tough for you or you’re not keen on every activity.

Sri Lanka:

The arrival hotel is great with a pool and amazing food including live cooking stations, over 50 options on the buffet including salad, hot and cold mains and fresh bread with a huge selection of desserts - this set the tone for the trip as all the food was great!

We headed out on our first adventure which was climbing a massive rocky viewpoint. The climb itself involved some scrambling over boulders and squeezing through gaps at the top and the views were well worth it! Our accommodation was lodge style with a nice plunge pool and delicious dinner à la carte which included fresh tuna and lots of options.

Next day we climbed the lions foot which was 1200 steps and includes lots of historical and cultural info from our fantastic guide Nilaa. This is quite tough in the heat and humidity so take your time. Afterwards was cycling but I found the bumpy terrain uncomfy so got into the jeep and followed along instead.

We headed to the glamping spot which was so peaceful and serene, again with a lovely pool and great food. This was our base for the Vedda tribesman experience which was great! The Vedda performed their traditional good luck ceremony for us before dinner then early the next morning we hiked into the national park to see the caves they lived in and enjoy a lunch cooked by the river. The start of this hike was really challenging and the decent/general terrain is very uneven underfoot.

After another days transfer on the bus we made it to the eco lodge - yes there were bugs and we expected them from previous reviews. The food was another buffet with curry options and veg and rice, all tasting great. There’s a chill out games area here and it’s nice even in the rain to listen to the sounds of the jungle.

The next day we meandered through a local village at an easy leisurely pace, looking at how the villagers made and grew traditional foods then did a short walk to a waterfall for a swim! There are leaches, one bit me and everyone in the group got at least one bite, you are provided leach socks. It sounds worse than it is!

Next was supposed to be the train journey but the route is still closed after the cyclone so back onto the bus we went, stopping at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic where we placed fresh flowers and saw amazing designs and architecture. The next stop was a tea plantation where we saw the manufacture process, had a tea tasting and had the chance to pick fresh tea leaves. This was a long day on the bus so we were happy to get to the next hotel that had laundry/clothes drying services and the beds were super comfy.

Next day was the Pictue trail which was a 4. 30am start, 1 hour drive to the national park. Our overnight rucksacks were shuttled to the accommodation for us so we only needed water for the walks as they are broken down into 2 walks with a lunch at 9k. I would advise bringing a smaller bumbag or rucksack just for water and a rain jacket as well as the bigger 30 litre rucksack as your overnight bag. The weather up here is much cooler and wetter, full waterproofs are very useful as it can get torrential and also bring a jumper/hoodie. After the first 9k in the mist and rain with poor visibility we decided to abandon the rest of the walking and headed to the hotel in a fun jeep ride! It’s dead picturesque! The lodge accom is very basic and damp, happy to be there only 1 night. Nothing dries as it’s super humid and dinner was curry again….

We trekked to a train station through a misty wood - think Harry Potter Forbidden Forest with dementors - and reached a railway station where we jumped on the train for Ella. The train is comfy if you can get a seat, the views are great and it’s a fab photo opportunity to catch yourself hanging out of the train door. There are some vendors walking up and down for samosas, chai tea and hot peanuts so keep some change available.

Lunch was a Homestay lunch cooked in a traditional Sri Lankan home which was, you guessed it, more curry. After a quick photo stop at Ella waterfall we were in the van again for 4 hours to our final accommodation in Sri Lanka - Talalla Retreat. The rooms are comfy but without aircon so it’s pretty hot.

We had our surf lesson the next day, the instructor was good and a couple of the group nailed it however I found the waves too big and hurt my foot in a wipe out so I retreated to the beach to chill. We had free choice for dinner and ate at The Treehouse and Funny Banana which are both beach spots with a mix of traditional and western food.

Another early start for the airport, arrived over 3 hours early and said goodbye to our amazing guide Nila and our driver.

Maldives:

The arrival day is lots of hanging about, pretty boring especially as there’s no alcohol not even at the airport and there’s not time to leave the airport and check out Male.

The accommodation is a/c with direct beach access and the beaches and sea are absolutely stunning. Without alcohol does affect the location if you like a couple of drinks with the sunsets and there’s no pool here.

We tried organising a resort day but it was really hard to do and super expensive so ended up staying on the island, eating icecream and checking out coffee and cake spots. The food I found to be better and cheaper in Sri Lanka.

The snorkelling is excellent, the sandbank however was packed with tourists. It’s very normal here to see drones flying about your head when you’re doing any activity and the locals will put bait in the water to lure in the sharks and rays so tourists can get photos with them by drone - very frustrating.

Due to the lack of things to do in the Maldives on the tiny island we were on I would recommend this part have some form of resort built in to the trip.

Overall I give a 4. 5/5 and wouldn’t hesitate to travel with MBA again as the group were amazing and I had a great time overall!

Too many 4:30am alarm calls 3/4hrs sat on a mini bus and a poor hotel choice at the end lead to not a great experience. Also no alcohol on the Maldives- who doesn’t want a holiday cocktail or a glass of wine with their meal? Some good bits - the safari glamping and elephants but overshadowed by the bad and a bout of food poisoning Take plenty of money for tips - it’s never ending.

Overall a great trip. Sri Lanka is a stunning country. Great mix of sights and activities. Fantastic experience trekking through the jungle with the Vedda.

We’ve just returned from Much Better Adventures’ “Ultimate Adventure in Sri Lanka and the Maldives,” and it’s a trip we won’t soon forget. The Sri Lanka portion was the standout – hiking through the jungle with the Vedda people and exploring the Pekoe Trail in the highlands were genuine highlights. We were also fortunate to see wild elephants in Gal Oya. Our guide Jagath was exceptional; he went above and beyond to share his country’s culture, answer our questions and keep the logistics running smoothly. Each activity felt thoughtfully organised and offered insight into Sri Lanka’s incredible diversity.

Be prepared for a range of accommodation. Some lodges and glamping sites were basic with plenty of harmless bugs – something we expected after reading other reviews. The bus, driver and crew were excellent, and overall logistics (transfers, meals, entry fees) were handled very well. A practical tip: Much Better Adventures’ website suggests US dollars are widely accepted in Sri Lanka, but Sri Lankan rupees are essential in many places.

The Maldives extension was a welcome change of pace after the busy schedule in Sri Lanka. While Fulidhoo Island wasn’t quite as pristine as postcard images – there was some rubbish and ongoing building – the marine life was incredible and our guide Kamey’s enthusiasm was infectious. Overall, we felt the trip offered good value for money and would recommend it to adventurous travellers seeking a mix of culture, wildlife and beach time, with the caveat that some accommodation could be improved and the Maldives island may not match “luxury-resort” expectations.

It was a great experience travelling in a group, all of the other travellers were lovely and we all got on really well. This added a really fun dynamic to the holiday, a holiday we will never forget.

This trip was phenomenal!! The Sri Lanka section had lots of amazing hikes, views and food. The Maldives was a perfect way to relax at the end of the tour. Everything was so easy, well organied and the guides were lovely.

Plentiful manageable hiking in gorgeous scenery, when the clouds cleared, occasional rain and bugs!! Attentive educating knowledgeable hosts, fabulous food and local contact. Maldives was truly relaxing with close ray and shark encounters - sunscreen reapplication recommended.

This was my first trip with MBA, and it exceeded all my expectations! The Sri Lanka part of the trip is really varied and jam-packed. I thought the standard of the accommodation was much better and more unique than other tour companies I've used. Our Ecolodge room was lovely, but it sounds like from other group members that experiences varied. The hikes were not difficult - the difficulty came from negotiating the humidity and heat and, if it had rained, watching your feet on some slippery rocks on certain parts. Walking poles are helpful to assist with these bits. The hiking was never an end in itself though - for our biggest hikes we had naturalists with us, who were absolutely excellent, and amazing at spotting lizards, birds and snakes along the way. Be prepared for exceptionally early starts most days, but this enables you to make the most of the day and get a head start on the heat and the intense sun. That's why it's such a good idea to have the three full days in the Maldives at the end, so you can slow down and relax a bit. The train ride was a real highlight for me - the views were breathtaking! On the Pekoe trail, we walked for 2 hours on the first day in torrential rain, so really make sure you have good rain gear with you, including a cover for your rucksack, and pack an extra pair of walking socks in your overnight bag. The attention to detail on the trip was excellent - plenty of snacks provided on excursion days and during activities such as the boat safari, so you never go hungry. The local island of Fulidhoo in the Maldives was authentic and beautiful. I couldn't believe that you could step out of the hotel onto the beach and then find incredible reefs bursting with sealife as soon as you got in the water. I have no hesitation recommending this trip and I'll definitely be booking another MBA trip.

Sri Lanka had been on my list for a while and it certainly didn't disappoint. The itinerary was well thought out, and it was nice to mostly get off the beaten track and do things unique for the MBA tour. There were some very early starts but the hikes made it worthwhile, particularly with the wildlife we got to see coupled with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the guides.

The accommodation was mostly very good - the glamping at Gal Oya was absolutely incredible, one of the best places we stayed at on the whole trip. The ecolodge environment was stunning, unfortunately I and some others had rooms that weren't great. The dinners included were typically buffet, was was of very good quality and had lots of choice. Where we had early starts and were unable to have breakfast at the accommodation, a packed breakfast was made for us.

Fulidhoo in the Maldives is an incredible island, with some amazing snorkelling and incredible beaches. The food was very reasonably priced, and some of the sea food was incredible. Being a local island with no alcohol, I'd definitely recommend using the free day as we did to go to a resort island and enjoy some well deserved cocktails!

If you're looking to experience Sri Lanka with a few days rest at the end, this is definitely a trip worth doing.

One of the benefits of an MBA trip is an off the beaten track experience with very limited other tourist interaction and this trip does exactly that.

Sri Lanka. . . . . They called us the 'lucky group'! We saw a swimming elephant (highlight!), three jackals, multiple different lizards, a few snakes and lots of birds - the wildlife specialists were extremely knowledgeable. The forest hike is challenging, mainly due to the humidity, but a great experience with the Vedda people. The rest of the hikes are relatively easy, non technical and slow as you're looking out for wildlife.

The accommodation in general was good - with the exception of the ecolodge. Speaking to others in the group, it looks like some of the rooms have been renovated whilst others haven't. The location is exceptional, food great and waterfall hikes can be done from the lodge, however, it was mixed with the rooms that the group had. The glamping site on the other hand was amazing - room, facilities, service and food could not have been better.

All dinner meals included are buffets and usually had meat, fish plus 3-4 vegetable dishes, plus naan / roti and were all delicious. The home cooking, especially was fantastic. Not too spicy!

Now for Maldives. . . ! Fulidhoo is a local island - this makes it cheaper for food (very reasonable for some incredible seafood) but also means alcohol is banned. We knew this from a previous review so it wasn't a surprise to us but MBA should make this clearer in the description. The reef around Fulidhoo is amazing - snorkelling from the beach we saw sharks, stingray, turtles, lots of fish. Four of us took the optional beginners dive which was a great experience. On the final day (free day), we chose to go to a resort island ($100 for all inclusive day pass pp + $300 return speedboat which was split between the group) to experience a bit of luxury which I'd highly recommend.

Our Maldives guide, Shark was great at organising all the extra bits for us and was really knowledgeable about the country.

Overall, different experiences like tea picking and making your own roti in the middle of a hike, and unforgettable wildlife encounters made this a fantastic trip, plus we met some new friends! Thanks MBA, I'll be back for my 4th trip soon!

This was a really well organised trip - in Sri Lanka Jagath our guide and Rohana our driver took care of everything an Ub in the Maldives did the same.

The itinerary was mostly well paced but you do need to be prepared for a lot of travelling and some very early starts.

The quality of the accommodation was mixed - usually good but the eco lodge was poor. This eco-lodge accommodation is basically a shed with a tin roof, and with torrential rain it was impossible to sleep as the noise was unbearable and one of the party had a Rat in her bathroom! The whole group refused to stay for the 2nd night and the nickname The Naughty Mutineers was born… We paid for a luxury hotel in Kandy and had a day seeing the cultural sights including the Sacred Tooth temple which is a UNESCO world heritage site and shouldn’t be missed. The benefit of this was the other location was close to Kandy station for the train so a much less early start was needed.

The Glamping was a real highlight and exceeded expectations as was the walk from that location. The climb on that walk was very hard and despite the high probability of seeing wild elephants, we unfortunately didn’t see them.

The train from Kandy was brilliant - but expect much colder weather when you get off - it was 32° in Kandy but only 12° at Galway Heights (which is another beautiful hotel).

Horton Plains, Worlds End and the Pekoe Trail were excellent trekking and the guides who accompany us on this were so knowledgeable about the plants, birds and animals encountered.

Throughout the trip in Sri Lanka the food was excellent at all accommodation but be prepared for it to be similar and there are limited options - daal is a regular.

The hotel at the beach for the last 2 nights was a long way to go for not a lot there - more than 4 hours in the van and then 3 hours to the Airport with the day starting at 04:30h this for me was an unnecessary part of the itinerary and would be better more local to the Airport.

On arrival in the Maldives expect a lot of hanging about waiting for the speedboat and that’s pretty much a wasted day of travel.

The island of Fulidhoo is a small atoll with limited dining options, but the guest house is clean and comfortable and thankfully air-conditioned. As a local island, alcohol is banned - something we had not fully appreciated until we arrived. The snorkelling is beautiful and make sure you see sunrise and sunset which are stunning.

On our free day our guide Ub organised a day pass at a local resort island for $100 so we could get a beer and cocktail on the last day.

Arrived home having a wonderful time but feeling like I need a holiday!

The trip takes you through the central highlands and to the Southern coast. Itinerary was jam packed with quite a few 5 AM starts but worth it. Jagath was great and the local guides were very knowledgeable as well. The accommodation was carefully chosen, with the glampsite in Gal Oya being a group favorite. Prepare for a long travel day to the Maldives (3 AM start and arrive at Fulidhoo around 5 PM).

I loved the variety of vistas and experiences this trip offered. I highly recommend with a few tips: The fish market is closed on Sundays (the day the group visits), so go a day before if you arrive early; the kit list is accurate but take quick dry clothes and more outfits than you think you will need for hiking and changes for dinner wear; the six hour hike is foot time (on tired legs in the heat/humidity), but the day spans from 5:30 am to 5:30 pm - it is a very challenging hike and hard to get enough water (consider a rest day by the pool?); there wasn't a lot of downtime until the end of the trip as we arrived late and left early (no need to bring extra books!); the surf beach is packed with newbies jetting all over; I took trail runners but wish I had my boots for jungle hikes (glad I had poles); take weather proofs as we got caught in downpours in the highlands (take your dry bag on the bus to hold something dry and store your wet stuff); Jageth was a soft spoken, eager, and caring guide - I would have liked to hear a bit more about Sri Lanka, but we were rocking our tunes on the bus, so he kept mostly to the logistics; and if you leave the Maldives on a late flight, book a day stay at a posh resort! I wish the lunches and dinners that weren't included in Sri Lanka would be added - typically there is only one place and it would save time on fiddling with the bill (a lunch took over two hours and we nearly missed yoga). The Maldives was relaxing - even with all the wind we encountered. If you flight out leaves late, book a day stay at a posh resort. This is a most excellent adventure and the minor niggles won't phase an adventurer. This shared experience will be a fond memory forever.

Had a brilliant trip with MBA to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The guides were brilliant, the accommodation fantastic, the range of activities were great fun, and the group got on really well. Will be back for sure!