Wildlife and Walking

Overnight on a direct flight to Colombo.  

Upon arrival into Colombo you will be met by our representative and transferred to Horathapola Estate,. a lovely guests house and workign coconut plantation, surrounded by extensive gardens. A perfect location for a soft landing. (Dinner). 

This morning drive to the Cultural Triangle, stopping en route to visit the Cave Temples at Dambulla. Continue to Giritale and stay 3 nights at the Deer Park Resort. (Breakfast).

Today visit the ancient city at Polonnaruwa - a great way to explore the site is by bicycle which you can rent at the entrance. For those lookign for a less energetic way to explore the site the driver can take you to various key locations, including the giant recling Buddha, the various stupas, royal pavilions and relic houses. (Breakfast).

Today take a private jeep safarei into nearby Minneriya National Park . In 1997, this area was declared a National Park to protect the fauna and flora within the reservoir. The many watrebodies attracts great herds of elephants. The park is also home to over a 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 75 species of butterflies. (Breakfast).

Today continue by road to Kandy, the old capital of Ceylon and the seat of the last Singhalese Kingdom. Visit the Temple of the Tooth where the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha is enshrined. Stay 2 nights at Villa Rosa which has beautiful views overlooking the Mahaweli River. (Breakfast).

Today visit the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peredeniya which were planted by the British and are considered to have one of the most valuable collections of plants in the world. It's easy to spend a good half day or more here, and you can ask the chef at Villa Rosa to pack you a nice picnic for the day. There are plenty of birds, butterflies and a colony of fruit bats within the gardens. (Breakfast). 

This afternoon travel by the scenic hill country train from Kandy towards Nanu Oya. The views from the observation car are spectacular and is a great alternative way to travel and meet locals. On arrival in Nanu Oya your driver will be waiting to transfer you the rest of the way to Bandarawela. Stay 3 nights at Kirchhayn Bungalow, an estate bungalow dating back to the 1920's and now operated as a small boutique guest house. (Breakfast).

This is an ideal base for walking, with several picturesque walks and offers a good opporunity for exploring the surrounding tea plantations directly from the door of the bungalow. Your hosts will be happy to recommend various routes to explore. (Breakfast).

Today visit Horton Plains National Park where there is some great walking trails. An easy three hour round trip is the walk to World's End, where a 1000 meter precipice plunges down into the valley below.  It is advisable to depart early as the mist can build up towards the early afternoon. This is also one of the top destinations for birders who visit the area to look for several of Sri Lanka's endemic species which include the Yellow Eared Bulbul, the Ceylon Hill White Eye, Ceylon Whistling Thrush and the Ceylon Blue Magpie. (Breakfast).

Today travel down to the plains to Uda Walawe National Park where you will stay 2 nights with Kulu Safaris who organise luxury safari camping expeditions inside the national park. Uda Walawe has the largest population of wild elephants in Sri Lanka, and often herds consist of as many as fifty elephants. For birders the park is great in particular for raptors such as crested serpent eagles and grey headed fishign eagles. Today you 'll have an afternoon game drive followed by a sumptuous dinner under the stars. (Full Board and Game Drive).

An early game drive just as the sun rises means you can hear the park coming to life - this is the best time to possibly spot the elusive leopards that inhabit the park and who usually rest on rocky outcrops enjoying the warming rays of the sun. Return to camp for breakfast. Later in the afternoon take another game driver - you will accompanied at all time by an expert naturalist. (Full Board and Game Drives)

There's time for one final game drive this morning before breakfast and departure from the park. Your driver will meet you at the park gates and transfer you south to Yala National Park. Stay 2 nights at Yala Village Resort. Yala is recognised as one of the best parks in the world to observe and photograph leopards. This evening take a jeep safari in the hope of catching a glimpse one of these beautiful creatures. (Breakfast and Game Drive).

Today visit nearby Bundala National Park in the morning - the park's lagoons are amongst the most important wintering areas for migratory waders in Sri Lanka. Return to Yala Village in time for another evening game drive. (Breakfast).

This morning a long drive up to Sinharaja National Park. Stay 3 nights at Boulder Garden, which is an eco-lodge nestled in tropical surroundings. It is the last extensive primary lowland tropical rainforest in Sri Lanka Rest of the day at leisure. (Half Board). 

Today you will accompanied by a local naturalist on a guided walk of Sinharaja. Visiting Sinharaja is a must for a Sri Lanka birding trip. This is the natural habitat of a majority of the country's endemic birds. The reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. (Half Board).

There are plenty of local trails from Boulder Gardens which you can take for a full day walk - if you want something a little more active then mountain biking or kayaking on the Wewa Ganga, which flows through Sinharaja, can be arranged locally. (Half Board). 

Today travel back up north to Horathapola Estate - enjoy your final evening in Sri Lanka in a wonderfully peaceful environement. (Half Board).