Galle Day Tour from Bentota: Turtle Release & Fort

Release baby turtles into the ocean, then walk an ancient fortress by the sea.

A seven-hour private tour departing from Bentota, Beruwala, Kosgoda or Ahungalla that reaches Galle Fort, the colonial stronghold built by the Portuguese in 1588. The itinerary centers on the Turtle Conservation Project where you can release baby turtles after 6pm, a 1.5-hour Madu River boat safari through 64 islands where crocodiles, water monitors and mangroves line the banks, the only natural moonstone mine in Sri Lanka, and Galle Fort itself with its clock tower, bastions and lighthouse. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. A live English-speaking guide leads the group, and the tour requires a minimum of two people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Galle and surrounding attractions

• Visit Turtle Conservation Project
• Tour the Herbal Spice Garden
• Enjoy Madu River Boat Safari
• See Natural Moonstone Mine and Factory
• Visit Tsunami Museum and Memorial
• View Buddha Statue on the Coast
• Explore Galle Fortress after lunch

The experience

The day starts with a stop at the Turtle Conservation Project, where you watch hatchlings in their tanks and, if the timing works, release baby turtles into the ocean after 6pm: a moment most travelers come back to when they describe the tour. From there you move through a spice garden where cinnamon, pepper, cardamom and nutmeg grow, then board a boat for the Madu River safari. The river holds 64 islands, and the 1.5-hour trip passes mangrove channels, Buddhist temples on small islands, and if you're patient, crocodiles and water monitors in the shallows.

After lunch you visit the moonstone mine and factory, Sri Lanka's only natural source of the stone, then the Tsunami Museum if you choose: a sobering record of the 2004 disaster that struck the southern coast. The tour ends at Galle Fort, the main event: a walled fortress built by the Portuguese in 1588 and later expanded by the Dutch, perched on the coast with a working lighthouse, bastions and a clock tower still standing. You walk the ramparts and explore the old streets inside before the drive back to your hotel.

The tour runs seven hours total and moves by private air-conditioned car. Bottled water is provided. Meals are not. A live guide speaks English, and guides in Russian, German, French, Italian, Arabic, Tamil or Hindi can be arranged for an extra cost. The experience requires decent weather. If conditions turn, you get a different date or a full refund.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your accommodation.
• private air-conditioned car for the full seven hours.
• live English-speaking guide.
• entry to the Turtle Conservation Project, spice garden, Madu River boat safari, moonstone mine and factory, and Galle Fort.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all government taxes and fuel surcharge.

Options for this experience

5 options

From Bentota/AluthgamaGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Pickup is included

Kosgoda/Ahungalla/BalapitiyaGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Pickup is included

Kaluthara/BeruwalaGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Pickup is included

See 2 more options

Hikkaduwa/Galle/UnawatunaGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Pickup is included

Colombo/Mt LaviniaGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Pickup is included

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Dimtours Srilanka

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Bentota, Beruwala, Kosgoda, or Ahungalla and prefer a private car for the day: your group travels alone with hotel pickup, rather than joining a shared group departing from a fixed meeting point.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Can I actually release baby turtles on this tour?

Yes, the Turtle Conservation Project lets visitors release hatchlings into the ocean, but only after 6pm when the babies are ready. The timing depends on the day's breeding cycle, so it's not guaranteed on every departure, but it's the centerpiece of the stop when it happens.

What is the Madu River boat safari like?

The Madu River safari lasts 1.5 hours and winds through 64 islands lined with mangroves. You'll see crocodiles, water monitors, monkeys and cormorants, plus small Buddhist temples built on some of the islands. The river is narrow and slow-moving, so it's a calm boat ride, not a speedboat tour.

Is Galle Fort worth the drive from Bentota?

Galle Fort is a working 400-year-old walled city on the coast with a lighthouse, clock tower and bastions still intact. It's the largest single attraction on the tour and the reason most travelers book this itinerary: the walk around the ramparts and through the old streets takes up the final hours of the day.

How far is Galle from Bentota, and how much time is spent driving?

Galle is roughly 40 kilometers south of Bentota. The tour is seven hours total, so driving takes up a significant portion of the day, with stops built in between. Most of the afternoon is spent at Galle Fort itself.

Does this tour include meals?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are not included in the tour price. You'll need to arrange or purchase meals separately, though the operator can recommend stops along the route.

Which pickup location is closest to where I'm staying?

The tour offers hotel pickup from five zones: Bentota and Aluthgama; Kosgoda, Ahungalla and Balapitiya; Beruwala and Kaluthara; Hikkaduwa, Galle and Unawatuna; or Colombo and Mt. Lavinia. Choose the zone that matches your accommodation when you book.