Wildlife – 9 Nights / 10 Days

At the airport you will be greeted by your Chauffer Guide who will take you into the capital city
of Colombo. If you have spare time, your chauffeur guide will introduce you to some of
Colombo’s curious sites such as the vibrant markets of Pettah, old city of Fort, the Hindu
Temple at Sea Street and the Dutch Church at Wolfendal or alternatively to indulge in some
shopping.

Today you will have an amazing opportunity to experience elephants in their wild sphere at the
Minneriya National park! Sri Lanka wild elephants make their annual Gathering here, and you
havent lived until you’ve sat in a herd of these majestic animals in the low lying trees and
expansive grass lands and heard their rumbling chatter in their natural habitat. The vast
sanctuary is also home to wild buffaloes, sambar deer, crocodiles, sloth bear and more.

The mesmerizing rock fortress of Sigiriya 5th Century Fortress in the Sky. Admire the
architectural marvel of how a kings fortress was carved from a massive rock in the 5th century
A.D. Continue your drive to the scenic hills of Nuwara Eliya – relish the drive through endless
views of tea carpeted valleys and the bright flash of female tea pluckers in their pimento,
fuchsia and cerise saris. Welcome to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lankas tea growing Region! Visit a tea
estate and factory to see how Ceylon tea is made.

Afterwards drive around the town to see the same. Often referred to as Little England, this
genteel highland community does have a rose-tinted, vaguely British-country-village feel to it,
with its colonial-era bungalows, Tudor-style hotels, well-tended hedgerows and pretty gardens.
Do also indulge in a guided stroll of the town; pass the 18-hole golf course, the colonial
members only Hill Club and English styled country homes.

From the hills of Nuwara Eliya descend to the jungles of Yala. One of the foremost places to visit in Sri Lanka, the Yala National Park is famous for the elusive leopard and has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. The sloth bear and Asian elephant that are also part of Sri Lankans Big Five can be spotted. With some good luck you will witness all the creatures over an afternoon safari (3.00pm 6.00pm) accompanied by a naturalist guide.

Begin your wildlife adventure by commencing a bird watching safari at the Bundala National Park! A popular reserve for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts alike, this thorny scrub jungle with its beaches, sand dunes and lagoons has become known for its varied biodiversity of 197 species of birds and 32 different mammal species!

Do a evening jeep safari to cover the other areas of the extensive Yala National Park. With some luck you will be able to witness three of the Big Five creatures; the elusive leopard, the sloth bear and the Asian elephant over an evening safari accompanied by a naturalist guide. This safari is also a unique opportunity to observe the rural agrarian life which revolves around the five lakes of the park. This visit will enlighten you on the traditional irrigation methods, including intricate canals, channels, locks, some of which are centuries old.

Udawalawe National Park! The Park covers an area of 30,821 hectares, and includes a large reservoir and the Udawalawe Tank. The park is also home to an estimated 500 elephants: best spotted by the river or streams and reservoirs, wild buffalo, sambar deer, mongooses, bandicoots, foxes, water monitors crocodiles, and even the occasional sloth bear and leopard.With some good luck you will witness all these creatures and more over an evening jeep safari (3.00pm 6.00pm) accompanied by a naturalist guide.

Begin your day, by dropping by the Elephant Transit Centre, where orphaned and injured elephants are cared for until they are able to return to the park.

Continue your journey to the green paradise of Sinharaja; Sri Lanka’s last surviving area of primary tropical rainforest. The rainforest will offer you a memorable opportunity to observe wildlife whilst trekking through its parts of which are still untouched and remain a virgin forest. Once in depth of the forestry, enjoy both a morning and evening private bird watching trek in the Forest led by a naturalist guide. More than sixty percent of the flora is endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over fifty percent of Sri Lankas endemic species of mammals and butterflies as well as many varieties of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians.

Whilst being caressed by the sun, listen to the concert played by the animal kingdom in the rainforest backed by the sound of the many small waterfalls.

Drive towards the Southern Coast. Galle is the country’s oldest living city and is sure to capture your interest, with its historic sites and its unique fusion of European and Arabic cultural and architectural influences. In the afternoon, explore the Galle Fort with its low lined streets and history behind its Rampart. The Fort remains a hive of activity and is one of the few World Heritage listed sites in which a bustling population continues to thrive. Walk through the alleys lined with stores and restaurants. After you have explored the city you could proceed to do some shopping in the very heart of Galle. You will come across shops with fine variety of gems and jewelries, antiques, art galleries and Design stores.

Do an expedition to encounter the activity of Whales and Dolphin watching; the Gentles Giants of the Ocean. As you set off on the boat cruise, listen to the cacophony of tunes created by spinner dolphins, travelling in pods. In the deeper waters, you will spot the blue whales travelling in groups. As you venture further out are the sperm whales that travel in solitude. This makes Sri Lanka unarguably the best place in the world to sight both blue and sperm whales together. Don’t forget your camera to catch their tails flip.

Retreat to the comforts of your hotel for a peaceful relaxation on the sand swept Beaches!