Sri Lanka - Happiness in the Wilderness
Duration: 11 Days
Location: From Horathapola to the National Parks of Yalla and Gal Oya and south to Galle
This is a safari focus itinerary that will give you the opportunity for sightings of herds of elephants, wild boar, four species of deer, jackals, sloth bears, marsh mugger crocodiles and an array of rare exotic birds. This is a great alternative to an African safari
Highlights of the tour
See sloth bears and gigantic crocodiles at Wilpattu
See the elephant herds at Minneriya
Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Spot Kingfishers, Eagles and Kites at Gal Oya
Day 1 - Horathapola
On arrival at Colombo airport you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred to your hotel in Horathapola, which is about 1 and a quarter hours. You will have chance to settle in and then a Horathapola member of staff will take you for a guided village walk. The walk is an ideal opportunity for meeting and chatting with friendly locals, bird watching and visiting an organic coconut oil manufacturing plant. And if you want some exercise at your own pace, grab one of the bicycles and take a ride around the village.
Day 2 - Wilpattu
Today after a relaxed breakfast, proceed towards Wilpattu for an unforgettable experience in the wild.
Later in the afternoon, set out on a nature trail along the borders of the national park together with a naturalist from your campsite. As you go along, learn more about different species of fauna and flora in the area.
Day 3 - Wilpattu National Park
This morning has an early start at Wilpattu National Park is the largest national park in Sri Lanka. It is popular for its sightings of majestic elephants, lithe leopards, spotted deer, sloth bears and gigantic crocodiles. The park also bear witness to striking flocks of peacocks, painted storks, jungle fowls as well as mongooses. Thick foliage interwoven with shrubbery, streamlets and tanks that expand during the monsoons and contract during the dry season - the landscapes of the Wilpattu National Park reflect an ideal hideout for the varied wildlife species. The lower volume of visitors in Wilpattu make sightings all the more exclusive.
Day 4 - Minneriya
After experiencing one last early morning safari, you will make the journey towards Minneriya.
In the afternoon, set out on a jeep safari at either of Minneriya, Hurulu Eco Park or Kaudulla National Parks. All of these national parks located close by are famous for observing Elephants in their natural habitat.
The elephants in the area keep transferring from one park to another depending on the time of year and according to the availability of food and water, hence the ideal National Park to visit would depend on the Elephant herds’ movements at the particular time period. Apart from the jumbos, Minneriya and Kaudulla at times present sightings of bird-flocks such as painted storks, pelicans and little cormorants.
Day 5 - Gal Oya
Head out early this morning to climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress. You can set the pace for this walk with your guide. After your decent continue to Gal Oya, the heaven in the earth. Gal Oya is an unexplored treasure in Sri Lanka. A National Park surrounded by water and Islands. Later in the afternoon join a resident naturalist for a walk around the lodge, enjoying the abundant birdlife and beautiful surroundings. During the walk it will be possible to see a wide range of bird species such as Kingfishers, Eagles, Kites and many aquatic birds.
Day 6 - Gal Oya National Park
Today enjoy a boat safari at the Gal Oya National park which is a truly unique experience. You will also have the privilege to have a picnic breakfast at a remote island within the park itself. The park is home to crocodiles, deer, elephants and many rare and endemic species of birds. You may also see the elephants bathing in the water.
In the afternoon a Veddha Chief can take you on a tour of the village.
Day 7 - Gal Oya
After a relaxed breakfast, it’s time for the wildlife jeep safari at Gal Oya. Within the park exist herds of elephants, wild boar, four species of deer, jackals, sloth bears, marsh mugger crocodiles and an array of rare exotic birds. We offer a jeep ride into the forgotten Nilgala section of the park, once protected by ancient royalty for the abundant medicinal plants and endemic birdlife in this unique ecosystem. Our more intrepid guests can couple the drive with a safari on foot. Our hike through the park with our expert naturalists offers a chance to see wildlife close up and to explore hidden corners of the park.
Day 8 - Yala
Today you will head to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka's most famous National Park and with good reason it is home to an amazing range of wildlife. After the safari you can also partake in a number of other activities, including hopping into a kayak and getting out on the water, setting out on a jungle walk with one of the in house naturalists, or taking a walk good for photography
Day 9 - Yala
Today your safari will take you to the more remote parts of the National Park. Its magnificent sights of majestic elephants, fine-feathered peacocks, great black bears and agile leopards that steal away into the shadows of the thick foliage are unparalleled to any of the national parks in the country.
Day 10 - Galle
Today you will proceed to Galle along the southern coastline and in the afternoon, engage in a walk around the Galle Fort with your guide.
There are places in the world that speak of another era of times gone by, the Galle Fort is one them. Imagine cobbled streets that have seen four hundred years of history from Arab merchants to the adventurous Portuguese and the industrious Dutch, with colonial homes complete with their red tiled roofs, an impressive rampart surrounding a small peninsula jutting out to the Indian Ocean and you begin to get an idea of the Fort in Galle.
Day 11 - Return to the airport
Today you will transferred back to the airport ready for your international flight home.
If you’re ready to start exploring your next fabulous family holiday, we’d love to help. And perhaps inspire you, with new ideas you might not even know are possible yet.
Call us on 0118 336 0363 or click here now to reach us personally & talk more about your plans.