• > How Strenuous are these Trips?
• > Group Participants and Tour Leader
• > Private Tours and Custom Dates
• > Local Transportation
• > Accommodations
• > Meals
• > Climate
• > Travel Documents
• > Flights
• > Airline Tickets
• > Money
• > Health
• > Luggage & Clothing
• > Resources
• > Communication

How Strenuous are these Trips?

Djoser participants enjoy an active style of travel. On a Djoser tour, we do lots of walking. Our hotels are often located so that you can walk to the nearby sites. Once in a city, we will only take transport to sites that are far away.  You must be capable and willing to carry your own luggage from the bus to the hotel, as usually, there is no porter.

Group Participants and Tour Leader

Participants

This trip is available to be booked on a private basis for two or more travelers. Price reductions apply if you have a group of four or more.  If you book Land & Air with us, you may select the departure date of your choice, however, please be aware that there is an additional charge for flights departing Friday, Saturday or Sunday.

Guides

Our guides are knowledgeable about the area we travel and will willingly share their information. However, these are not lecture tours. The guides will handle logistics for travel and lodgings. The guide organizes many meals and activities. He/she will will accompany many of them, but not all (on most days a 1/2 day activity and a lunch or dinner). The element of freedom is important on all Djoser trips. Your guide will recommend safe activities and restaurants for free time and exploration. You can generally expect a free day if you are spending a second day in a city. Again, the guide will outline options. For very small groups, you will have different guides for different cities. We also have experienced land agents stationed in each country who work with the tour leader and who can assist in case of an emergency.

Private Tours and Custom Dates

Local Transportation

Our privately hired bus offers comfortable seating and is equipped with air-conditioning. We have use of the bus throughout the trip. Because the distances in Sri Lanka are not great, we can stop when and where we want to. On most travel days, you will not spend more than five hours on the road (excluding stops). On the travel day from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, we do a portion of the trip by train and drive slowly through tea plantations to an altitude of approximately 6,000 ft.

Use the following link to view slides of the transportation we use:
http://www.djoserusa.com/transportation

Accommodations

In Sri Lanka we spend the night in comfortable rest houses and colonial-style hotels, some with swimming pools. You can really take in the colonial atmosphere at the tropical rest house at Anuradhapura. In the Thanamalwilla jungle camp, awaits a unique camping spot in the forest where we spend the night in tents. Each hotel room and even each tent has its own shower and toilet. At the end of the trip you can relax by the pool at our hotel in Colombo, situated near the boulevard. It is also possible to book a single room with the exception of the jungle camp.

Use the following link to view some of our lodgings:
http://www.djoserusa.com/hotels

Unless you request a single room, you will be matched with a roommate of the same sex. If you request a roommate, due to the limited number of participants on these trips, it may be difficult to match you with one. If we cannot match you, the single room charge, which is listed in the price summary, will apply. On our group trips with international groups, due to the greater number of participants, if we request a roommate but cannot match you, there will be no additional charge for the single room.

Meals

The main ingredient in Sri Lankan cuisine is rice. A traditional meal consists of rice, a selection of curries, and large variety of flavors, from very spicy pickles to cool, refreshing coconut shavings. There are fish curries, meat curries, and of course many different vegetarian curries. Be sure to try an extensive curry meal. This flavor cannot be compared with the brown, Indian curry. In Sri Lanka, the concept is much more comprehensive. In almost every place you can find restaurants with a diverse menu so everyone can eat what they like. Sri Lanka is also known for its delicious and diverse fish dishes varying from shrimp to shark.

Climate

Because Sri Lanka is located so close to the equator the differences in temperature in the lowlands between winter and summer are minimal. Be aware that because of the high altitude in the central mountain region in places such as Kandy and Nuwara Eliya it can cool off substantially at nighttime. This is also true in the summer. During a trip the temperatures during the day can vary between 50º F (in Nuwara Eliya) to 88º F (in Colombo). Sri Lanka knows two rainy seasons. In the south and west this period ranges from May to October. From October to January it rains in the north and the east. This means that is always dry somewhere on the island. The rain showers are often short and heavy and usually happen at the end of the day. We recommend that you take a light rain jacket along for the wet periods. It never rains the whole day in Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka a tropical rain shower is usually interspersed with beautiful weather. A shower clears the air and guarantees the island’s beautiful flora. The temperature of the ocean is always pleasant; around 78º F.

Check the weather for your destination: Check temperature and rainfall for specific cities on your trip, during your month of travel at www.worldweather.org

Travel Documents

Neither Americans nor Canadians will need a visa for Sri Lanka. Upon arrival, you get a stamp which allows you to stay in the country for 30 days. Your passport must be valid for three months after departure from Sri Lanka. You will receive your flight ticket around 12 days prior to departure. If you are not a resident of the U.S. or Canada, you must check with the embassy to verify visa/entry requirements. Embassy of Sri Lanka, 2148 Wyoming Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008 (202/483-7954) or the Consulate in Los Angeles (323-634-0479 and 323-634-1079) or the nearest Honorary Consul General: GA (404-881-7164), LA (504-4557600), or NY (212/966-7040 to 7043). Internet: www.srilankaembassyusa.org.

If you need rush service on your passport, we recommend an expediting service called It’s Easy, located in New York. You can check their website http://www.itseasypassport.com for passport requirements and to download the current forms and rates and processing fees. Or you can call them to fax you forms if you do not have Internet. Please indicate you were referred by Djoser, Inc. They provide rush service. They also honor a 10% discount over the service portion of the fee for Djoser customers.

It’s Easy  (Passport & Visa Service)	Phone (212) 286-8500,
Satellite Airline Terminal	Fax (212)-490-3224
125 Park Avenue	Website  http://www.itseasypassport.com
New York, NY 10017	E-mail     mail@itseasypassport.com

Flights

It is recommended that you book your domestic Add-on (connecting) flights through Djoser in association with the international flight. To avoid penalties for flight changes, do not book your own domestic add-on (connecting flight) without first receiving a printed copy of your flight record from Djoser confirming your actual departure and return flight times. Flight times are subject to change. Add-on rates can be found on our website djoserusa.com on the homepage (see Add-Ons). Read more about flights and add-ons in the General Information section.

Depart NY	Return to NY
9:15 PM	10:45 AM
Depart LAX	Return to LAX
11:25 PM	7:25 PM

Usual flight schedule – Subject to change

There will be a stop in Singapore en route to Sri Lanka. As you can see the costs of our trips are listed for trips from New York or Los Angeles. We can provide flights from other cities within the United States at competitive prices. These “Add-on” cities and prices can be found on our website (www.djoserusa.com) within the destination section. The costs of these add-ons are added to the base price from either New York or Los Angeles. The flight routing will not necessarily go through that city, but the list price will serve as a baseline for your total cost.

The time difference with Sri Lanka is +10.5 hours from the East Coast and +7.5 hours from the West Coast.

Airline Tickets

You will receive your tickets or E-tickets 10-12 days prior to your departure date.
In case the airline uses E-tickets you will receive two documents:

•    A document that shows the E-ticket number & flight itinerary (sent by email & mail).
•    A receipt of the E-ticket (sent by mail).

The first document listed is needed to check in at the automated kiosks. If you check in at the E-ticket desk you don’t need any of the provided documents, you can simply show your passport and you’re good to go. Both the automated kiosk and the e-ticket desk insure a much faster check in than at the regular check in desks. Singapore  Airlines does not award mileage.

Money

The currency in Sri Lanka is the rupee, which was worth a little over .01 at the end of 2002. For one dollar you receive 96 rupees. But of course, the value of currency will change. It’s handy to take an updated currency chart, which you can find easily on the internet (www.exchangerate.com). In most places you will find ATM machines. In addition you can bring travelers checks or cash dollars. In Sri Lanka you need a minimum of $225 per week for meals, entry fees, tips, optional excursions and incidentals. It is custom in Sri Lanka to tip.

Tipping
To avoid constant tipping, the guide will generally organize a tip pot at the beginning of the trip to pay for tips for hotel personnel, drivers, guides and those along the way who assist us. The amount per person is usually $25, or a little more for smaller groups.

Health

Even though vaccinations for Sri Lanka are not mandatory, the Center for Disease Control recommends that you take the following immunizations: DTP, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Malaria tablets. You should check with the CDC for the latest recommendations at www.cdc.gov. 1-877-394-8747, Fax 1-888-232-3299.  Check early with your doctor regarding the recommended timing for these inoculations.  Even though the hygienic circumstances in Sri Lanka are reasonable to good, it is handy to bring something for your stomach, such as Immodium, and a salt solution for dehydration. The guide has a medical kit with sterile materials in case of an emergency.

Luggage & Clothing

Try to keep the weight of your luggage below 30 pounds. A duffle bag or frameless backpack are ideal for packing on the bus. Hard suitcases are difficult to load. Also in the summertime, bring along a warm sweater; because of the altitude it can get cool, particularly in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. The voltage in Sri Lanka is 220 V (a converter is required).

Resources

Communication

With all of the modern telecom equipment these days, it is easy to reach you in Sri Lanka. In most towns you will find internet cafes, where for a small fee, you can send and receive emails. Access by cell phone will depend on your phone instrument and carrier.