Dilshan Gunawardhana is the Founder and Director of Tira Travels, bringing a professional background spanning hospitality management, tourism operations, guest services, and transportation management across Sri Lanka. His career in tourism began through direct guest hosting and accommodation management, during which he welcomed hundreds of international visitors and developed a deep understanding of traveller expectations across different markets including Europe, North America, Australia, and Asia.
This hands-on experience across all aspects of the visitor journey informed the founding of Tira Travels, built on the principle that every traveller deserves a carefully planned, personally managed experience rather than a generic group tour. Dilshan works directly with clients during the planning process to ensure every itinerary reflects the specific interests, pace, and budget of each guest. His areas of expertise include tailor-made Sri Lanka itineraries, cultural and heritage experiences, wildlife and nature tours, family and group travel planning, beach and wellness holidays, and long-stay travel experiences.
Tira Travels operates from Galle, the UNESCO-listed colonial port city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, giving the company direct access to the southern beach resorts, the Cultural Triangle, the central highlands, and the east coast wildlife destinations that form the core of most Sri Lanka itineraries.
“Every traveller deserves more than just a holiday. They deserve experiences that inspire, connect, and create lifelong memories. That is the philosophy behind Tira Travels.”
— Dilshan Gunawardhana, Director, Tira Travels (Pvt) Ltd.
Nishantha Jayakodi is the senior guide at Tira Travels, bringing over 15 years of professional guiding experience across Sri Lanka combined with 12 years of international work experience in Switzerland, where he worked as a male nurse from 1987 onward. This extended period of living and working in Europe gave Nishantha exceptional insight into European cultural expectations, communication standards, and the travel preferences of visitors from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.
Nishantha began his guiding career in Sri Lanka in 1999 and obtained his official professional tourist guide licence in 2008, issued by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. His guiding specialisations cover all major travel zones of Sri Lanka including the Cultural Triangle (Sigiriya, Dambulla, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa), the hill country (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella), the southern coast (Galle, Mirissa, Bentota), the wildlife reserves (Yala, Udawalawe, Minneriya), and the east coast (Trincomalee, Arugam Bay).
Nishantha conducts tours in English and German, making Tira Travels one of the few Sri Lanka tour operators with a German-speaking licensed guide on staff. For visitors from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, this means historical explanations, cultural context, and logistical guidance delivered in their first language throughout the tour.
Tira Travels operates exclusively private tours. Every itinerary is designed for a single travel party, with no shared vehicles or group departure schedules. This approach allows the pace of each tour to be adjusted to the interests of the guests, with additional time at sites that resonate and flexibility to modify the route based on conditions, preferences, or weather. Private touring also enables Nishantha to share local knowledge and context that would not be possible in a large group setting, including introductions to local families, visits to working tea estates and spice gardens run by small-scale producers, and access to sites that are less visited by the mainstream tourist circuit.
Every Tira Travels tour package includes private air-conditioned transport, accommodation for all nights of the tour, daily breakfast, all entrance fees to listed attractions, and the services of a licensed English or German-speaking guide. International flights, travel insurance, and personal expenses are not included in the package price.
Tira Travels (Private) Limited is a legally incorporated Sri Lankan private limited company, registered under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007.
Tira Travels is operated by people who live in Sri Lanka, know the island in detail, and have spent years working directly with international visitors. Dilshan’s background in hospitality and guest services means the operational side of every tour is managed with attention to detail and direct communication. Nishantha’s 15 years of licensed guiding experience and fluency in German means the on-ground experience is led by a knowledgeable professional who understands the expectations of European travellers.
Every tour package listed on the Tira Travels website reflects real routes operated by our team, priced accurately, and supported by direct communication from booking through to departure. We do not use third-party operators or subcontracted guides for our standard tour programmes.
Our team is based in Galle, Sri Lanka and is available to answer enquiries about tour packages, tailor-made itineraries, visa requirements, and travel planning. We respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.
