I am Sanjeewa, a licensed tourist driver based in Tangalle on the south coast. For more than twenty years I have driven visitors around this island. Tell me where you would like to go and I will take you there, at your own pace.
Available 24 hours · +94 77 197 3898
What I do
Colombo (CMB) and Mattala (HRI), at any hour. I wait at arrivals with your name. Times to each beach town
Yala and Udawalawe safaris, whale watching at Mirissa, Galle Fort, Ella and the south coast. Yala safari · Udawalawe safari · Whale watching · Galle day tour
Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya and the tea country, Anuradhapura, Arugam Bay.
Tell me how many days you have and what you enjoy. I will plan the days around you.
Plan your trip
Travel times, what to expect, and a quick way to ask me for a price.
Colombo airport transfersTo Galle, Weligama, Mirissa, Tangalle and the rest of the coast
Yala safariHotel pickup before dawn, jeep arranged for you
Udawalawe safariElephants on almost every visit, jeep arranged for you
Whale watching at MirissaNovember to April, boat arranged for you
Galle day tourTea, stilt fishermen and Galle Fort, from your hotel
Kandy to EllaHow to travel the route while the train line is closed
Guests
Prices
Prices are for the vehicle, not for each person, so a family pays the same as a couple. Choose the car for up to four people, or the van for up to seven or eight.
Every price below starts and ends in Tangalle. Staying somewhere else, or want a different route such as Colombo airport to Galle? Message me and I will give you a price for your own journey.
| Journey | Car (USD) | Van (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Colombo airport (CMB), pick up or drop off | $100 | $150 |
| Mattala airport (HRI), pick up or drop off | $40 | $50 |
| Mirissa whale watching, there and back | $65 | $80 |
| Udawalawe safari, there and back | $65 | $80 |
| Yala safari, there and back | $70 | $85 |
| Galle day tour | $90 | $120 |
| Ella day tour | $100 | $150 |
| Island tour, for each day | $90 | $120 |
| Long transfers, for each kilometre | LKR 180 | LKR 240 |
Fuel, parking, expressway tolls, waiting time, and my own meals and accommodation on longer trips. Nothing is added at the end.
Entrance tickets, safari jeep hire and whale watching boats. I can arrange all of these for you at extra cost, with insured and experienced operators.
Prices are shown in US dollars, apart from the per kilometre rate which is in Sri Lankan rupees. You can pay in US dollars, euros, pounds or rupees.
Day tours
Both start and finish in Tangalle, and both include fuel, parking and tolls. Entrance tickets are paid separately.
The vehicles
Up to four passengers with luggage.
Up to seven or eight passengers with luggage.
Air conditioning, full insurance for passengers and driver, a first aid kit, bottled water and tissues.
Where we can go
From the south coast you can reach the tea country in half a day and the ancient cities in one. Most guests take between five and fourteen days to see the island properly.
Reviews
“By pure luck, I had contacted my hotel asking for a transfer from the airport and Sanjeewa picked me up. Even before we made it to the hotel, I could tell we got along great. Not only was he super responsible, with a clean and nice air conditioned car, we had great chats about the country and his life.”
“By the end of this, we came up with an agreement for him to drive me the rest of the trip, over to Yala National Park, then to the interior and Ella. Sanjeewa never was late, was always early to arrive, and I enjoyed each one of our journeys.”
Alex U., Local Guide · Google review“Sanjeewa was an excellent driver, extremely kind and reliable. I would even give 6 stars.”
Wolfgang S. · Google review“He picked us up at the airport and gave us a first class welcome to Sri Lanka.”
Martin H. · Google review“Trustworthy, professional and always on time. Highly recommend.”
J. H. · Google review“The best driver of all time, and now a true friend. Thank you for everything, Sanjeewa.”
Branislav U. · Google reviewTravelled with me before? Leave a review, it helps me a great deal.
Planning your trip
You do not have to have one, but distances here are slow. The roads are narrow and winding, and a journey that looks like two hours on a map often takes four. Buses are very cheap but crowded, and driving yourself needs a local permit and some nerve. Most visitors with two weeks or less find that a private driver saves more time than it costs.
An island tour is 90 US dollars each day for the car, or 120 US dollars for the van, and that includes fuel, parking, expressway tolls and my own meals and accommodation. Because the price is for the vehicle, four people travelling together pay the same as two.
About one month ahead is ideal, especially between December and March when the south coast is busy. If your trip is sooner than that, message me on WhatsApp anyway and we will usually find a way to make it work.
The famous hill country train is only partly running. The scenic stretch between Nanu Oya, Ella and Badulla reopened on 20 June 2026, but the section above it from Kandy to Nanu Oya is still closed after the Cyclone Ditwah landslides, and no date has been announced for the rest of the line. I drive this route by road, stopping at tea factories, waterfalls and viewpoints, and I can drop you at Nanu Oya if you still want to ride the open section. Read the full guide.
My licence from Sri Lanka Tourism is a tourist driver licence, valid across the whole island. I drive you, help you plan the days, recommend places to eat and stay, and handle the practical things. At the big sites such as Sigiriya an official site guide is used, which is normal and costs a small amount at the entrance.
Yes. Jeeps for Yala and Udawalawe, and boats for whale watching at Mirissa, with insured and experienced operators. These are not included in my price, so you pay for them separately, but I will organise them and take you there.
In US dollars, euros, pounds or Sri Lankan rupees. Message me and we will agree what suits you best.
About me
Tourist Driver licence SLTDA/TD/CAVA/5554, issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, valid across the whole island until March 2028.
Sinhala and English spoken. Phone on 24 hours a day.
What I enjoy most are the longer trips. After four or five days with the same guests we are no longer a driver and a customer.
We talk about our countries, about Buddhism, about how life works here and how it works where you come from. Those conversations are my favourite part of this work.
Before I became a driver I spent twelve years in the Sri Lanka Army. That is where I learned to be early, to look after people, and to stay calm when the plan changes.
My own favourite places are the ancient cultural sites, and Pasikudah beach on the east coast, where the sea is calm and shallow and there are no big waves.
I live near Tangalle with my wife and our two sons, who are both at high school.
Whatever you would like to see, send me a message and we can plan it together.
Message me on WhatsApp