Find out the captivating tales of Asia's largest trading hub during the colonial era, where the exchange of goods, cultures, and ideas shaped the course of history.
Discover the true story of how Asia's first lighthouse was tragically burned down.
Get the opportunity to explore Queen Victoria's palace and uncover the rich history behind it.
Hear the fascinating story behind the construction of this church and discover why it took over 50 years to complete.
Uncover the reasons this fortress was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and learn why this port served as a key hub during the colonial era.
Explore the intricate planning of this small village within the fortress and discover the purpose behind each and every street.
Uncover the fascinating stories of the vast quantities of goods, gems, and herbs that were exported from Sri Lanka.
The whole family really enjoyed our tour, the depth of knowledge Yasiru had was unparalleled, he seemed to know everyone in Galle and had some great stories to share.
I'm Yale, a 13-year-old from China. My English isn't very good, but our tour guide Mr. Epsa speaks English fluently. He is incredibly knowledgeable and knows Galle Fort inside and out. Thanks to him, our tour was truly memorable. I will definitely visit again and I recommend his service—he is such a patient and wise gentleman.( 1 pic is CHATGPT, guess which it is)
If you are in the south of Sri Lanka and want to know about the history of Galle, Galle Fort, and the part that it played in influencing world history, via herbs and spices, then this is a tour that you shouldn't miss. The fully qualified guide has lived in the area since he was a small boy. He can tell you about the history of just about every building within the fort walls, not just the historic churches and Government buildings, but also the houses and hotels etc. I started the tour early to try and avoid the heat of the day, and the guide Yasiru was prepared to walk and stop when needed for several refreshment breaks around the town.
Really great way to spend a morning in Galle Fort. You see heaps of interesting buildings and learn about the history of the fort.
We met this guide at the gate.He explained so well to my kids.
Wonderful tour, so interesting and Yasiru is very knowledgeable, the tour exceeded expectations. Covered so much and would highly recommend this tour
We had an amazing time on this historic heritage walk with our guide Yasiru. Not only was he extremely knowledgeable about the Galle Fort, broader Galle area and history of Sri Lanka, but he also has a deep passion for these subjects as well. It was a privilege to be able to hear him talk and be able to ask him questions. The walk itself was beautiful, scenic, interesting and informative. It gave us a comprehensive look at Galle.
We had such an amazing walking tour of Galle Fort with Yasiru. He is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the history of the area and took us to both well known and hidden away places. Thank you! 🙏
Epsa was great - this is much more than a tourist trip - he us very knowledgable about the history of Sri Lanka and Galle and brought the Galle fort area to life. Brilliant tou!
The galle fort walking tour was a very interesting one, exploring the rich history of the area , walking down the narrow lanes , stopping at the most unexpected places . Our guide Epsa was knowledgeable and made the ~3 hours worth the while .
A very interesting guided tour with a good mix of history, community and current situation. Guide was also very knowledgeable and able to respond to our queries.
Had a great tour of Galle Fort that helped us really understand the City, its architecture and history. Yasiru Epsa was our guide and he had great expertise and enthusiasm - really devoted to the subject with a passion for Galle Fort. He also was a great resource for figuring out the best places to eat!
Epsa is a passionate and knowledgeable guide that takes you on a journey to the colonial past of the Portuguese, Dutch and British that had a major impact in this area and the country. A must do for history buffs and those that appreciate colonial architecture. I highly recommend this!
Excellent visit to Galle with a helpful and well informed guide. He showed us the old fort and historic parts of Galle. His English was excellent and he was able to answer questions on a range of subjects.
Yasiru was a fantastic guide. It was easy to arrange the tour with him with clear instructions on price and meeting time. He was there to meet us as planned , was exceptionally knowledgeable about the history of Galle and made sure to show us the historic sights as well as places that tourists normally miss. He speak excellent English and it was a pleasure to meet him. I would thoroughly recommend a tour with Yasiru - he is worth it.
We found Yasiru to be an extremely knowledgable and passionate guide. He had a deep knowledge of the economic, architectural , political & cultural history of the Fort. He shared the stories of the people and events that shaped the history of the area in a measured and easy fashion. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience.
Our guide was so knowledgeable and keen to share his enthusiasm for Galle Fort Heritage. He truly made an impression on us. I can’t recommend this tour enough!
I've been to Galle Fort many times over the past 20 years.....and saw many things on this tour that I hadn't seen before, let alone known the context of. Yasiru does an excellent job on providing insights on the different colonial periods and the evolution of Galle Fort, from the perspective of someone who grew up there. The ice cream stop AND the post-tour drinks were especially appreciated. I wholeheartedly recommend this tour.
Fabulous tour with Epsa, really brought the history of Galle alive in a very 3D way though historical and more prosaic storytelling. Guides can be very variable, Epsa we Highly recommend
Excellent overview of history, architecture and cultural evolution. Visited key spots in the fort and hade appropriate stops for hydration. Bring a hat.
Fantastic tour - learned all about the history of this wonderful place, The guide was so knowledgeable and answered all our questions. There are a few refreshment stops all included - great value.
We really enjoyed and recommend the Heritage Walk - Galle Fortress is such an historically interesting place to visit and our guide was very knowledgable, friendly and spoke clearly, welcoming any questions. It was also good to hear stories of contemporary Galle.
Yasiru is a very nice, chill guy who know everything about Galle Fort and the history of Sri Lanka in general. We had a coconut drink break in between and finished the tour off with a drink at a beautiful hotel bar. Would absolutely recommend!
I choose this guided visit reading the past reviews and many saying what a highlight it has been. So that was true!! A truly remarkable visit!! Yasiru is so knowledgeable and passionate! He will never cease to maintain your attention will his deep knowledge not only abiut the history but the life of the community in Galle Fort. This is really a walk not to be missed for those who want a vibrant visit of Galle that you will not find in your travel guide!!
Highly recommend this walk! We learned so much about the history of Galle Fort but also a lot about the architecture and cultural significance of the place. A great way to immerse yourself in the history of Sri Lanka whilst also getting your steps in!
This was one of our favourite things we did in Sri Lanka, it was brilliant value for money considering Yasir’s depth of knowledge and enthusiasm. And he’s a really nice guy to just hang out with! We turned up quite tired and not sure what to expect but we had such a good time, the whole tour was really interesting and it flew by. We did a tour that started at 4pm and it was so lovely and atmospheric to walk around Galle in the evening light, I’ll remember it for a long time.
Epsa was a wonderful guide for our family. He was very knowledgeable and was very welcoming. A true culture ambassador for Galle.
Epsa's depth of historical knowledge of Galle Fort and the area is second to none. He took the time to explain the history of the local people before diving into fascinating stories about Portuguese, Dutch, and English colonisation. Epsa's style is very conversational and easy to listen to. Epsa also had some fascinating insights into the local real estate market!
My husband and I did the tour of Galle with Epsa in Dec 2025. Truly one of the highlights of our stay - Epsa was knowledgeable, kind, funny and took the time to answer all kinds of questions about Galle and Sri Lanka. It felt like we made a friend. 100% must book!
Fantastic tour with Yasiru! It was detailed and he was very knowledgeable — a member of our party enjoys history and had lots of questions, all of which he answered. I learned so much! I also appreciated that Yasiru does not take you on a mini shopping tour etc. This is absolutely worth the money and I will be recommending this to other friends in the future.
Yasiru took us on an amazing walk about in the Galle Fort and introduced the many layers of local history and culture. He knew all the hidden stories behind each building and went far beyond the regular tourist info one can expect from usual tours. It was a privilege to hang out all morning with him and pick his immense wealth of knowledge about anything & everything about this amazing town & its people. Thank you Yasiru!
We had a splendid time during the tour. Our guide, Yesiru Epsa, was phenomenal. He was informative, accessible and made the tour fun and engaging. If you are looking for an indepth and diverse tour on Galle fort, this is the one to choose!
We had a wonderful private small group (3x people) walking tour of Galle Fort with Yasiru. He's super friendly, very knowledgeable and patient answering all our questions! Taught us lots of interesting things about Galle's history, heritage and architecture. At no point did Yasiru take us to any shops to get commission, it was purely a jovial wander around different sites within the fort and a fun and interesting chat! Hugely recommend for anyone keen to learn a bit more about the Fort.
We highly recommend this tour of Galle with Epsa. He brought the history of the old town to life with his detailed knowledge of the fort and various prominent buildings from Portuguese, Dutch and British era of Galle. To top it off Yasiru concluded the 2.5 hour tour with drinks at the beautiful Galle Fort hotel which he paid for! If you want to know everything about Galle you’ll regret missing this tour!
Had the most informative walk around the Fort with Epsa such a great experience. We only wished we had more time as while it was supposed to be 2-2.5hrs I think if wanted to it would have been 4hours of great information
We had a wonderful time. Yasiru is an extremely knowledgeable and hospitable guide. He painted us a wonderfully detailed picture about the history of the fort including archeological detail as well as myth and stories. He was extremely patient with our questions and went above and beyond to make it a memorable experience for us. The tour allowed us to transform our view of the Galle fort from a popular vacation destination with colonial aesthetics into an actual living breathing place rich in history. For people looking for a more genuine experience than cafe hopping and shopping, I cannot recommend the tour enough.
Epsa was a knowledgeable and fun tour guide, who was very generous with his time and in answering our many questions. We gained a historical appreciation for the Galle Fort and also some fantastic tips for the rest of our time in Sri Lanka. This tour is well worth it.
Highly recommend, this Tour was such a treat! It makes Galle forts History come alive, Loved all the Insights and Chats and i feel Like its the perfect way to understand what makes Galle a heritage Site and an important place to get to know Sri Lankas History and all its hardships.
We had an amazing experience with this tour! The guide was absolutely fantastic, he truly took his time to answer all our questions. In fact, the tour ended up lasting 1.5 hours longer than planned because he made sure we could ask anything we wanted, and he had an answer for everything. Such a kind and friendly man! He even drove us back home afterward, and treated us to an ice cream and a beer. Honestly, it’s worth a solid 5 stars and is an absolute must-do if you’re in Galle. In one word: fantastic!
We had an excellent time with Epsa. Epsa brought a great deal of history knowledge, not only about the Galle fort but also Sri Lanka in general. He is a very passionate tour guide, and also the best English speaker we met during our 4 week trip. Moreover, Epsa takes great care of you during the tour. Making sure you are safe and comfortable. Highly recommended!
We had Epsa as our guide and boy was the tour worth it. We learnt so much about the culture and history of Galle fort area, not to mention so much useful info about Galle and Sri Lanka in general. Epsa was super patient and informative with us the whole time, never felt rushed. To cap it all we had a lovely cocktail with local arrack at a lovely bar recommended by him. Definitely recommend this tour especially with Epsa.
Epsa was very friendly, knowledgable and interesting and happy to share insights not only about the tour itself but Sri Lanka culture in general as well as providing advice on where to eat and go etc
I highly recommend this tour. Yasiru was very knowledgeable about Galle Fort having grown up in Galle and was very enthusiastic about sharing that knowledge. His English is excellent. I really enjoyed learning about the history of Sri Lanka while viewing the Fort and the old city. He was also very approachable with any questions we had. He invited us for a drink at Galle Fort Hotel which was an excellent opportunity both to experience the hotel and to chat more about Sri Lanka in general. I wish I had done this tour closer to the start of my Sri Lanka rather than the end but on the other hand I had the opportunity to ask Yasiru all the questions I had accumulated. Don’t miss this this tour if you are in Galle!
Visiting Sri Lanka from Portugal and standing where the Portuguese first arrived was an unforgettable experience. Seeing the Fortaleza, the first fortress they built in Sri Lanka, really brought history to life. Epsa did a great job explaining how everything began in Galle Fort and how Portuguese influence spread from there. With his deep knowledge and engaging storytelling, Epsa guided us through the city’s history from its early days to the present, making the experience both interesting and enjoyable. You’ll see everything from 400-year-old churches to gunpowder magazines. As a certified heritage interpreter, he shares history in a way that’s easy to follow and truly brings the past to life. If you’re visiting Galle Fort, we highly recommend this heritage walk.
Excellent trip, focusing mostly on history of Galle Fort and with access to the Black Fort, the oldest part of the fortifications that remain today, which was a particular highlight. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and explained things clearly. We were very pleased we had chosen this tour.
We had an amazing time on the Galle Fort Heritage Walk! Yasiru gave us a complete rundown of how the fort came to be, not just from a Sri Lankan perspective but also in the bigger world context. The stories about the Portuguese and Dutch eras were super detailed and made us appreciate just how much history is packed into these walls. The walk itself was at a really good pace relaxed but informative and yasiru was more than happy to answer all our questions about Sri Lankan history. Ending the walk with a refreshing drinks at Galle Fort Hotel was the perfect touch. Definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to truly experience Galle fort past!
Yasiru’s walking tour brought Galle Fort alive and emphasised the importance of the port in the history of Sri Lanka. Took us places ignored by others including Black Fort. Even made architecture more interesting. Left Galle Fort much the wiser.
Really interesting and enjoyable tour with Yasiru - he is great company for a walk around the beautiful Galle fort. Like being shown round his home city by one of your friends, who also happens to be an expert in the history and culture of the area. Thank you Yasiru
Our visit to Galle Fort in Sri Lanka was elevated by the exceptional guidance of Yasiru. His profound understanding of the fort's rich history and architecture was impressive. Yasiru's storytelling brought the site to life, making our exploration both informative and engaging. If you're heading to Galle Fort, I highly recommend booking a tour with Yasiru for an enriching experience!
During our visit to the iconic Galle Fort in Sri Lanka, we had the pleasure of being guided by Yasiru. His expertise and passion for the fort’s history were truly remarkable. Thanks to him, we gained a deep understanding of its significance and was captivated by the wealth of information he shared. If you’re planning a trip to Galle Fort, I highly recommend seeking out Yasiru for an unforgettable experience!
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