On this service you are accompanied by a Sri Lankan guide who is fluent in Spanish. They travel with you to the places on your itinerary and explain what you are looking at: the history of a site, the meaning of a carving or a festival, the way people live in the town where you have stopped. When you want to speak with the people around you, who are speaking Sinhala or Tamil, your guide translates for you in both directions, so a real exchange can take place rather than a few gestures.
Religious life, explained in Spanish
Much of what a first-time visitor meets in Sri Lanka is religious practice. Theravada Buddhist temples stand close to Hindu kovils, mosques and churches, and each has its own etiquette: shoulders and knees covered, shoes and hats removed at the entrance, and never turning your back to a Buddha image for a photograph. Written down, these rules are easy to find and easy to misread. A guide explains the why behind each one in Spanish, so you understand what is being asked of you as a visitor rather than a worshipper. At the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy and the rock temple at Dambulla, two of the island's most visited religious sites, that difference between following a rule and understanding it changes the whole visit.
What your guide does for you
- Explains a site as you walk through it, from the cave paintings at Dambulla to the ruins of the ancient cities, at the pace you prefer.
- Prepares you for temple etiquette before you go in: what to wear, where to leave your shoes, how to move around a shrine.
- Translates in a market or a shop, so you can ask what a fruit is called or how a dish is made.
- Turns brief encounters into conversations, with a stallholder, a tea picker or a family at a village kovil.
- Answers the practical questions that come up along the way, including what a sign says and how spicy a dish is likely to be.
Book your guide for as many days as the trip needs, from a single day up to four weeks, choosing the number of days when you book. Tell us your itinerary as well, so Lakpura can match you with a guide who knows the places you plan to visit.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Spanish-speaking tour guide do?
Your guide is a Sri Lankan who is fluent in Spanish and travels with you to the places on your itinerary. At each stop they explain what you are looking at, from the history of a site to the meaning of a carving or a custom, tell you the temple etiquette before you go in, and answer the practical questions that come up along the way, such as what a sign says or how spicy a dish is likely to be.
Is a vehicle included?
No. This is a guide-only service: the price covers the guide, and no vehicle or driver is included. Your guide travels with you in the transport you arrange. If you need a car with a driver as well, Lakpura can arrange one as a separate booking.
How much does the guide cost?
The guide costs USD 100 per day, and the rate is the same whichever language you choose. You pay for the number of days you book, so a seven-day booking is USD 700.
How many hours a day does the guide work?
Each guiding day covers up to 8 hours with you.
Are the guide's meals and accommodation included?
No. The daily rate covers the guide's services only, and does not include meals or accommodation for the guide.
Are entrance fees included?
No. Entrance fees to sites, temples, parks and other attractions are not included in the price.
Can I cancel my booking?
Yes. Cancellation is free up to 48 hours before the start of your booking.
For how many days can I book a guide?
From a single day up to 28 days (four weeks). You choose the number of days when you book.
Can the guide follow my own itinerary?
Yes. Tell Lakpura your itinerary when you book, and we match you with a Spanish-speaking guide who knows the places you plan to visit.
Will the guide translate when I talk with local people?
Yes. When the people you meet are speaking Sinhala or Tamil, your guide translates between them and you in Spanish, in both directions, so a real conversation can take place rather than a few gestures.
Also available in other languages
Your service advisor
Mewan Manager
Have questions about this service or want it arranged around your dates? Reach Mewan directly — replies usually within a few hours during Sri Lanka business hours.
