Sri LankaWith so many things we wanted to do and so many places we wanted to see in , we decided to speed up our trip. Quite widely used by tourists in Sri Lanka car rental with driverwe decided. The only price reference we had was Niko Guido's trip for 4 days where he paid 300usd for a much shorter route than ours.
We went to the Sri Lanka tourism bureau website and asked for a price quote by navigating to 5-6 different places. Different offers came in different price ranges.
Things to Consider When Renting a Chauffeured Car in Sri Lanka
1- Make sure to look at the mileage of your route, because when bidding, they set a fixed km and price it per km. The incoming offer may seem very appropriate to you, but when your route is 1200km, the offer may be 1000km + 0,40usd for each kilometer, you need to be careful.
2- Pay attention to whether the accommodation of the driver belongs to you or to him. Many hotels reserve a place for drivers, but as soon as they are full, the driver's accommodation money should not be added to your budget.
3- If you can get it, ask for the reference of the driver who will serve you, it's not a pear so you can smell it and get it.
4- Make sure to ask if you can get driver+guidance service, some drivers also provide guidance.
5- The driver will definitely want to take you somewhere to get an extra commission, there are shopping and other activities. Do not go to places that are not in your mind, and do not exceed your budget. Take it as advice of course but that's it.
6- You will spend all day with the driver, he will want to take you to tourist restaurants that serve open buffet for lunch, if you have local food or different plans, be sure to tell them from the beginning.
7- The road times are very long, you have found a ready local and you will want to chat on the way. Make sure her English is clear, maybe it's good to talk on the phone before confirming the budget.
8- When you get on the vehicle, note the mileage so that when your trip is over, you will not be surprised because of the 1st item.
9- When determining your budget, take into account that if you are satisfied with the driver, you will tip like 10%.
10- A German hotel we met on the way said that if your driver arranges it, it can be much cheaper.
Sri Lanka Car Rental Price
6 nights 7 days, 1250usd for 450km, we agreed not to interfere in accommodation and meals.
We did not exceed any mileage. We also tipped at 50 usd. We gave 2 usd for 500 people, that is 250 usd per person. Ours was a passenger car, there are minibuses for large groups, it can be much cheaper per person.
A good transportation solution if you want to see a lot of places in a short time like us. Trains and buses are both very crowded and quite old. It is very difficult to find air conditioners etc. Take this into account when planning your trip.
6 Comments
Hello. I came across your article while searching for the exact information I needed. We will make a 6-day trip with 2 adults + 5 children. Where did you rent the vehicle? Did you pay before you go? Did you settle for leaving?
If you have the information of the company you are renting, it would be better if you send it to us. Also, when you rent in this way, do they pick you up from the airport and drop you off at the airport again?
I found car rental online, but I do not recommend my company. The guide was bad, we even argued a lot because he came to the car drunk one day.
They asked for a deposit before leaving, but we did not send it, we paid half on the first day and the other half on the last day.
If you include the airport roundtrip in your bargain, they will give you a price accordingly. They already give the price over the day and km. Therefore, the airport may not create additional costs.
Also, if you arrange your hotels through the car rental company, they may be more convenient, I am a liar I heard.
You give people experience by providing this kind of information, thank you 🙂
I'm glad if it helps 🙂
Hello there ,
Srilankan's natural beauties are also abundant in the middle parts of the country. I wonder if I had a chance to go there? :)
I traveled most of it except the north. You can check out my Sri Lanka articles.