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Private river safaris in Bentota
Bentota River Safari: packages and prices
Two private safaris on the Bentota River. Signature from US$40, Essential from US$30: the total for your whole group, not per person.
Going today? Start any hour from 6 AM: Signature until 4 PM, Essential until 5 PM. We confirm on WhatsApp.Compare the two safaris
Who’s coming? Infants (0–4) ride free, but they still count toward safe boat capacity.
Adults Age 12+
Children Age 5–11
Infants Age 0–4 · free
When?
| Most popular Signature Bentota River Safari US$48 total for 2 guests aged 5+ · US$24 each Check availability | Essential Mangrove Safari US$36 total for 2 guests aged 5+ · US$18 each · US$12 less than Signature Check availability | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 2–2.5 hours | 1–1.5 hours |
| Start times | Any hour from 6 AM to 4 PM | Any hour from 6 AM to 5 PM |
| Where you start | Free hotel pickup within 4 km, or meet us at our office | Meet us at our office |
| Mangrove tunnels | Yes | Yes, a scenic cruise |
| Wildlife spotting with your guide | Yes | No |
| King coconut | Included | Not included |
| Private boat and sailor-guide | Yes | Yes |
| Life jackets | Yes | Yes |
See prices for every group size
| Guests aged 5+ | Signature | Essential |
|---|---|---|
| 1 guest | US$40 US$40 each | US$30 US$30 each |
| 2 guests | US$48 US$24 each | US$36 US$18 each |
| 3 guests | US$54 US$18 each | US$42 US$14 each |
| 4 guests | US$60 US$15 each | US$44 US$11 each |
| 5 guests | US$65 US$13 each | US$50 US$10 each |
| 6 guests | US$72 US$12 each | US$54 US$9 each |
| 7 guests | US$77 US$11 each | US$56 US$8 each |
| 8 guests | US$80 US$10 each | US$64 US$8 each |
Children aged 0–4 ride free, but they take a seat on the boat, so please tell us all ages.
9 or more guests? Message us and we’ll check boats and safe capacity before we quote.
Free to ask. You only pay after we confirm your time.
We aim to reply within 15 minutes, 7 AM–10 PM Sri Lanka time.
Animals are wild, so sightings vary and can’t be guaranteed.
What guests say
1,200+ reviews on Google, Tripadvisor and Viator
“Organising this via WhatsApp was easy, and their transport was on time and efficient.” “We were able to book with them on same day just 2 hours before.” “They are very professional, don’t try to upsell you other items.” The two safaris in detail
Signature Bentota River Safari
Private boat · 2–2.5 h · wildlife spotting · king coconut · free hotel pickup within 4 km
From US$40 From US$10 each in a group of 8
Our fuller safari: more time on the river, with your guide watching for wildlife as you glide through the mangroves. A fresh king coconut is included, and we pick you up from your hotel for free within 4 km.
How your safari goes
- Hotel pickup, or meet usWe pick you up 5–15 minutes before your start time (free within 4 km), or you come to our office yourselves.
- Board your private boatMeet your sailor-guide and put on your life jackets.
- Into the mangrove tunnelsGlide slowly through narrow, shady channels under the mangroves.
- Wildlife spottingYour guide looks out for crocodiles, water monitors, monkeys and birds.
- King coconutEnjoy a fresh king coconut.
- Back to your hotelWe drop you back where we picked you up, or you head off from our office.
Is my hotel included?
Free pickup from hotels within 4 km of our office, including:
- Cinnamon Bentota Beach
- Taj Bentota
- Thaala Bentota
- Club Bentota
- EKHO Surf
- Pullman Ceysands
- Shandaru Blue Bentota
- Sea Rock Villa
- Cinnamon Bay
- Eden Resort Beruwala
- Temple Tree Resort
- Pandanus Beach Resort
…and many more nearby. Send us your hotel name and we’ll confirm.
What you may see
- Crocodiles
- Water monitors
- Monkeys
- Kingfishers and other birds
Our guests mention these in their reviews. Animals are wild, so sightings vary and can’t be guaranteed.
Included
- Private boat for your group only
- Trained sailor-guide
- Life jackets, including child sizes
- King coconut
- Hotel pickup and drop-off within 4 km
Good to know
- Start any hour from 6 AM to 4 PM, subject to availability and a safe return.
- With pickup and drop-off, plan about 2¼–2¾ hours in total.
- Staying farther away? Come to our office by your own transport, or ask us about transport for an extra fee.
- Insurance cover is subject to policy terms.
Essential Mangrove Safari
Private boat · 1–1.5 h · scenic mangrove cruise · meet us at our office
From US$30 From US$8 each in a group of 8
A shorter, lower-priced private cruise through the mangrove tunnels, ideal when you’re short on time. You come to our office; there’s no dedicated wildlife spotting, transport or king coconut.
How your cruise goes
- Meet us at our officeCome to our office at your confirmed start time.
- Board your private boatMeet your sailor-guide and put on your life jackets.
- Scenic mangrove cruiseA relaxed, slow cruise through the mangroves.
- Back at our officeYour cruise ends where it started.
Included
- Private boat for your group only
- Trained sailor-guide
- Life jackets, including child sizes
Not included
- Hotel transport
- King coconut
- Dedicated wildlife spotting
Good to know
- Start any hour from 6 AM to 5 PM, each subject to confirmation.
- Come by tuk-tuk, taxi or your own transport. Our office is easy to find (see below).
- Insurance cover is subject to policy terms.
Safety first. Respect for the river.
Safety first
- Life jackets for every guest, including child sizes
- Guides trained in boat safety
- A first-aid kit on every boat
- Boats serviced regularly
- We check the weather and the river before every trip, and never go out when it isn’t safe
Responsible tourism
- We watch wildlife quietly, from a respectful distance
- We go slowly through the mangrove tunnels
- Local guides from Bentota
- No single-use plastic on board
- We bring all our waste back to shore
- No compulsory shopping stops
Booking, payment and cancellation
How booking works
- Tap Check availability, choose your group, day and start time, and send it on WhatsApp.
- We check the boat, your time and the river, and aim to reply within 15 minutes (7 AM–10 PM). Nothing is booked until we confirm.
- We send you our booking link or a secure payment link.
- Pay 40% or the full amount to book. If you pay 40%, the rest is paid on arrival.
If you need to cancel
- 72 hours or more before your safari: we refund 90% of what you paid. The other 10% covers transaction and handling fees.
- Less than 72 hours before: we keep 40% of the safari price and refund anything you paid above that.
- No-show: no refund.
- If we cancel because of the weather or river conditions: choose a new time at no extra cost, or a refund of what you paid minus a 5% transaction fee.
Our office
Bentota
Next to Aida Gems & Jewellery
- Essential: please come here at your confirmed start time.
- Signature: we can pick you up from your hotel (free within 4 km), or you come here yourselves.
- We only meet here. There are no shopping stops on our safaris.
Show this to your tuk-tuk driver
වාඩිය, බෙන්තොට
Aida Gems & Jewellery අසල
River Safari · Aida Gems & Jewellery, Bentota
Safari questions
Which safari should we choose?
Choose Signature if you’d like more time on the river, wildlife spotting with your guide, a king coconut and free hotel pickup. Choose Essential for a shorter, lower-priced cruise through the mangroves.
Can we go today?
Often, yes: many guests book on the same day. Send us your group size and preferred time on WhatsApp. We aim to reply within 15 minutes (7 AM–10 PM) and confirm once we’ve checked the boat and the river.
Is my hotel included in the free pickup?
Signature includes free pickup from hotels within 4 km, such as Taj Bentota, Cinnamon Bentota Beach, Club Bentota, Cinnamon Bay and many more. Send us your hotel name and we’ll confirm. You can also come to our office yourselves.
Our hotel is more than 4 km away. What can we do?
Come to our office by tuk-tuk, taxi or your own transport (most guests from farther away do), or ask us about transport for an extra fee, which we confirm before you book (Signature only).
Is it safe for children?
Yes. We have life jackets for everyone, including child sizes, guides trained in boat safety and a first-aid kit on every boat. Children aged 0–4 ride free. Please tell us everyone’s age, because every passenger counts toward the boat’s safe capacity.
Who can join?
Guests of any age are welcome, including people with medical conditions, as long as you can step into and out of the boat. Our boats aren’t suitable for wheelchairs.
What is the boat like?
Your private boat has two benches facing each other, with room for four guests on each side, and a shade we can put up for sun or rain. We have life jackets for everyone, including small children.
Which languages do your guides speak?
English, French, German and Russian. Tell us your language when you book.
What should we bring?
A hat, sunscreen, water and your camera. Light, comfortable clothes are best.
What if it rains?
Departures depend on the weather and safe river conditions, and we won’t confirm a departure until it’s safe. If it starts to rain during your safari and it’s still safe to sail, we carry on or head back, depending on the conditions. If it gets windy, we wait at a safe spot until it passes. The boat has a shade we can put up.
How do we pay?
Once we’ve confirmed availability, we send you our booking link or a secure payment link. Pay 40% or the full amount to book; if you pay 40%, the rest is paid on arrival.
Check availability on WhatsApp Check availability
Free to ask. You only pay after we confirm your time.