Travel Risk Notice

1. Why we publish this

You cannot consent to a risk you have not been told about. We would rather tell you plainly what a safari vehicle, a wet mountain trail or the Indian Ocean actually involves than leave you to discover it on the day.

• Read this notice before you confirm your booking.
• Share it with everyone travelling with you.
• Tell us if anything here makes an element of your trip unsuitable, so we can change it.
• Check your own government's current travel advice for Sri Lanka before you travel and again shortly before departure.

2. General travel risks

• Medical facilities, emergency response times and road rescue services differ from those in Europe, and are more limited outside Colombo and the main towns.
• Buildings, walkways, steps, pool areas and viewpoints may not meet the safety standards you are used to. Handrails, lighting and signage are often absent.
• Not all staff speak fluent English, and important instructions may be given through a guide.
• Power cuts and interruptions to water and mobile coverage occur, particularly in rural and coastal areas.
• Standards of accessibility for wheelchair users and travellers with limited mobility are limited. Tell us your requirements before booking so we can advise honestly.

3. Road travel

Most of a Sri Lankan itinerary is spent on the road, and this is statistically the most significant everyday risk of the trip.

• Road conditions, driving standards and traffic behaviour differ substantially from Europe. Overtaking, lane discipline and the mix of buses, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, pedestrians and animals require constant attention.
• Journey times are long relative to distance. A 150 kilometre transfer can take four hours or more.
• Mountain roads are narrow, winding and can be affected by mist, heavy rain and landslides.
• Night driving carries higher risk because of poor lighting, unlit vehicles and animals on the road.
• Wear a seat belt where one is fitted. Ask your driver to slow down if you are uncomfortable, at any time, without hesitation.
• Do not distract the driver, and allow rest breaks on long transfers.
• Tuk-tuks, motorcycles and scooters carry a materially higher risk of serious injury. If you hire or ride one, check that your travel insurance covers it, because many policies do not, and helmet and licence requirements apply.

4. Wildlife

Sri Lanka's wildlife is genuinely wild. Animals are not managed, fenced or predictable.

• Elephants are the most dangerous animal you are likely to encounter. Wild elephants can charge vehicles and people, and fatalities occur in Sri Lanka every year, most often on roads and near villages at dusk.
• Leopards, sloth bears and wild buffalo are dangerous if approached, cornered or surprised.
• Monkeys are common around hotels and temples. They bite and scratch, they steal food and belongings, and any bite or scratch requires immediate medical attention.
• Crocodiles inhabit lagoons, tanks, rivers and estuaries, including places that look calm and safe. Do not enter or stand at the edge of fresh water unless a guide confirms it is safe.
• Snakes, including venomous species, are present in scrub, grassland, gardens and rocky areas. Wear closed shoes on trails, watch where you place hands and feet, and use a torch after dark.
• Mosquitoes, ticks, leeches, hornets and wasps are common. Leeches are harmless. Hornet and wasp disturbance is a real hazard on some rock and forest sites and can force a site to close.
• Marine life including jellyfish, sea urchins, stonefish and, rarely, sharks may be encountered in the ocean.

Never feed, touch, chase or attempt to photograph an animal at close range. Follow your guide's instruction immediately and without discussion, particularly where elephants are involved.

5. Safari and national parks

• Safari takes place in open or partly open four-wheel drive vehicles on rough, unmade tracks. Expect heavy jolting, dust and sun exposure.
• Remain seated while the vehicle is moving. Do not stand on seats or lean out.
• Never leave the vehicle except where the ranger or guide expressly permits it.
• Keep noise down, and do not use flash photography near animals.
• Parks may close in whole or in part at short notice for drought, flooding, animal management or the authorities' own reasons.
• Safari is physically demanding for travellers with back, neck or joint problems, and for those in later stages of pregnancy. Tell us in advance.
• Wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed. A drive without a leopard is a normal outcome, not a failure of the service.

6. Hiking, trekking and rock climbs

• Trails including Sigiriya, Pidurangala, Adam's Peak, Ella Rock, Little Adam's Peak, Horton Plains and Knuckles range involve uneven ground, exposed drops, steep steps and slippery rock.
• Many stairways and viewpoints have limited or no railings, and drops are unfenced.
• Rain makes rock and clay trails genuinely slippery. Most trail injuries are slips.
• Heat and humidity cause dehydration and heat exhaustion quickly, especially between 10am and 3pm.
• Higher elevations at Horton Plains and the central highlands are cold before dawn, and temperatures can approach freezing.
• Mobile coverage on trails is unreliable, evacuation from remote sections is slow, and there is no mountain rescue service comparable to Europe.
• Wear proper footwear, carry water, start early and turn back if conditions deteriorate.

7. Water, ocean and river activities

• Sri Lanka's coastline has strong currents and rip currents. Drownings involving visitors occur every year.
• Most beaches have no lifeguard. The absence of a warning flag does not mean the water is safe.
• Sea conditions change with the monsoon. A beach that is calm in January can be dangerous in July, and the safe coast shifts between the south west and the east depending on the season.
• Surfing, diving, snorkelling, kitesurfing, white water rafting, canyoning and boat trips carry inherent risks including injury, decompression illness, collision, capsize and drowning.
• Whale and dolphin watching takes place in open ocean with swell. Sea sickness is common.
• Do not enter the sea after drinking alcohol, and do not swim alone.
• Check that your travel insurance covers each water activity you intend to do, including diving to the depth you plan.
• Water quality in rivers, lagoons and tanks varies. Follow your guide on where it is safe to enter.

8. Climate and natural hazards

• Sri Lanka is hot and humid year round at sea level. Heat exhaustion and sunburn happen quickly.
• Two monsoons affect different coasts at different times, so the country has no single dry season.
• Heavy rain causes flash flooding, road closures and landslides, particularly in the hill country.
• Cyclones and severe storms affect the region, mainly between October and December.
• Sri Lanka lies in a region affected by earthquakes and tsunami. Coastal properties display evacuation information and you should note it on arrival.
• Wildfires occur in dry areas during drought periods.

9. Health

We are not medical professionals and we do not give medical advice. Consult a qualified doctor or a travel health clinic well before you travel, ideally six to eight weeks ahead.

Discuss with them at least:

• vaccinations and any prophylaxis appropriate to your itinerary and medical history;
• mosquito-borne illness, including dengue, which is present throughout Sri Lanka and is a genuine and significant risk in urban and coastal areas;
• food and water-borne illness, and safe eating and drinking practices;
• heat-related illness and dehydration;
• any pre-existing medical condition, including cardiac, respiratory, mobility and mental health conditions, and how travel and heat may affect it;
• allergies, including food allergies, and the fact that ingredient labelling and staff awareness of allergens are limited in Sri Lanka;
• adequate supplies of prescription medication, carried in original packaging with a doctor's letter; and
• pregnancy, if relevant, and the suitability of specific activities.

Tell us at the time of booking about anything that could affect your safety or the suitability of the arrangements. We treat that information confidentially, as set out in our Privacy Policy, and we use it only to arrange your trip safely.

Ayurveda and wellness treatments are traditional practices. They are not a substitute for medical treatment, they may not be suitable alongside certain conditions or medications, and you should discuss any treatment with your own doctor before booking a programme.

10. Food, water and alcohol

• Drink bottled or properly treated water, and avoid ice where you are unsure of the source.
• Sri Lankan food is often much spicier than visitors expect. Ask for mild if you need it.
• Alcohol is not served everywhere, is restricted on Poya (full moon) days and public holidays, and combines badly with heat, sun and swimming.

11. Security, crime and local law

Sri Lanka is generally welcoming to visitors and serious crime against tourists is uncommon, but ordinary precautions apply.

• Petty theft occurs at beaches, on public transport and in crowded places. Use hotel safes and do not leave valuables unattended.
• Take normal care after dark, particularly on unlit beaches and when alone.
• Scams involving gem sales, unofficial guides and inflated transport fares occur.
• Sri Lankan law applies to you. Drug offences carry severe penalties. Photographing military installations is prohibited.
• Behaviour considered disrespectful to Buddhism is taken very seriously and can result in arrest, including tattoos of the Buddha that are visible in public and photographs taken with your back to a Buddha statue.
• Dress modestly at religious sites, cover shoulders and knees, and remove shoes and hats.
• Do not photograph or film military installations, checkpoints or government buildings.
• Drones are subject to registration and permission requirements set by the Sri Lankan authorities, and flying one without authorisation can lead to confiscation and prosecution. Tell us before you travel if you intend to bring one.
• Conditions can change. Follow your own government's current travel advice, and follow the instructions of the Sri Lankan authorities.

12. Emergencies

If you are in immediate danger, contact the local emergency services first. Then contact us.

• Police emergency: 119 (118 is also in use)
• Ambulance and fire and rescue: 110
• Fire and rescue: 111
• Suwa Seriya free ambulance service: 1990
• Accident Service, National Hospital Colombo: 011 269 1111
• Tourist Police, Colombo: 011 242 1052
• Government Information Centre: 1919
• Zelenso, by telephone or WhatsApp: +94 70 552 2299. We aim to answer quickly at any hour, but we are a small team and cannot promise an immediate reply overnight.
• Your travel insurer's 24 hour emergency assistance line: carry it with you.
• Your embassy or consulate in Sri Lanka: consular assistance covers documents, contacting family and lists of local lawyers and doctors, but it does not pay medical bills.

13. Your acknowledgement

By confirming a booking you acknowledge that:

• you have read this notice and made it available to everyone in your party;
• you understand that travel, and in particular wildlife, water and mountain activities, carries risks that cannot be eliminated;
• you have disclosed anything about your health, fitness or requirements that could affect your safety or the suitability of the arrangements;
• you will follow the safety instructions of guides, drivers, rangers and operators; and
• you have arranged, or will arrange, travel insurance appropriate to the activities in your itinerary.

This acknowledgement does not remove any legal right you have, and it does not exclude our responsibility for our own negligence. It records that the risks have been disclosed to you and that you have accepted the ones inherent in the activities you have chosen.