After my recent trip through the North Central province of Sri Lanka, I joined Walkers Tours to explore the southern region of the country.

Before going, I didn’t realize how spread out destinations were and how much driving was necessary to get around the country. There were days while traveling the northern region that we’d be in the car for four hours just to see one site.

While it was totally worth it, I realized that there’s a lot of planning and driving that has to go into a trip through Sri Lanka, and that’s why I think that a tour company is a great way to do that.

Thanks to Walkers Tours, I was able to see so many things in southern Sri Lanka in just a few days. Insider tips from the guides, reliable and knowledgeable drivers, and the ability to experience things that are off the beaten path really can make all the difference.

If you are going to do a Sri Lanka tour, Walkers Tours is a company you should check out!

About Walkers Tours

This Sri Lankan-owned-and-operated company knows the country inside out. It has been at the top of its game for nearly five decades and it knows exactly what travelers are looking for in Sri Lanka.

From adventure travel to lazy beach getaways, these guys are always ready to lead the way.

Walkers Tours is different from conventional tour companies because they offer totally customized, private excursions in Sri Lanka and a wide range of different packages to inspire you. It took me ages to decide among all of the amazing options.

A cool thing about Walkers Tours is its focus on sustainability. The company has the only carbon-neutral vehicle fleet in Asia and invests heavily in eco-friendly practices in Sri Lanka.

Another thing I liked is their dedication to teaching travelers about Sri Lankan culture. Admittedly, I hadn’t known much about the country before I arrived so I was really looking forward to exploring.

There are cultural and religious festivals going on pretty much all year round in Sri Lanka and having a local at your side makes the celebrations so much more engaging. Not only did I get to see modern life, I also got some insight into Sri Lanka’s long history.

They take you through all of the stunning sites that make up Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage!

My Itinerary

While Sri Lanka is often overlooked for more popular destinations like India and the Maldives, I definitely recommend taking the time to explore this gorgeous tropical nation.

So, I chose to explore the Southern Province and hit the highlights there! In three days, I was able to see:

Galle Fort

Unawatuna Beaches

White Tea Plantation

Safari in Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home

Madu River

Cinnamon Island

Check out our full itinerary here!

My Experience

Walkers Tour has been awarded countless prestigious titles and I can see why. We had a great experience with Walkers Tours from the planning stages all the way to our drop off at the Colombo Airport.

My driver and guide was incredibly knowledgeable, had many stories and lots of information to share, which added to my experience.

Now that it’s all said and done, I can’t wait to return to Sri Lanka!

SHOP my favorite travel essentials!

Thank you to Walkers Tours for hosting me in Sri Lanka. As always, opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18380851606081524

A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#2025wrapped

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18083248064243187

My favorite smart features of my old home! 🏠
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
I put a lot of thought and design into my home, so I knew I had to get curated, high-tech window shades to match.

Enter @rollishades — sleek, custom motorized shades that actually elevate the space while solving the very real sunlight problem. From light-filtering to blackout options, everything is tailored to fit perfectly and controlled with the touch of a button (or app). It’s the kind of smart, intentional design that makes a home feel finished. 🪟🤍

I easily installed these in my guest bedroom and let me just say, when guests come over, they’re getting what feels like a hotel experience in my home (minus the room service).
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••⁠
#gifted #homedesign #interiorinspo #smarthome #rollishades

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Leah

Love this website. <3 Thanks for sharing the lovely post! These photos are really amazing ^_^

November 13, 2017 at 9:41 pm · Reply

Lanka Inora Travel

Yes Unawatuna is a great beach to enjoy.There are other beaches here such as bentota mirissa.Glad to know that you had a very interesting time in sri lanka.You got the very benefit of joining with a professional tour agent.There are many tour agents in sri lanka, when you are choosing a travel agent visit their websites check third party reviews from the other websites,That will lead you to a perfect holiday

May 21, 2018 at 3:05 am · Reply

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If you are going to do a Sri Lanka tour, Walkers Tours is a company you should check out!

About Walkers Tours

From adventure travel to lazy beach getaways, these guys are always ready to lead the way.

They take you through all of the stunning sites that make up Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage!

My Itinerary

My Experience

Now that it’s all said and done, I can’t wait to return to Sri Lanka!

READ NEXT: A Guide to Southern Sri Lanka

Read More

SHOP my favorite travel essentials!

Thank you to Walkers Tours for hosting me in Sri Lanka. As always, opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

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