Best of Sri Lankan Nature & Wildlife

Katunayake - Colombo

Tag 1: Halō and Welcome!

Welcome to Colombo, a modern city with ancient style. At the airport, you'll meet your cheerful local agent and driver for the coming adventure. On your way to the hotel, you'll drive through the hustle and bustle of this historically rich city. Having once been controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch, and British at different times, evidence of it's rough colonial history lies in it's architecture, clothing, food and even people's attitudes.

After checking into your hotel, you can either relax or hit the streets and start exploring a little bit of the city. If you choose to wander the streets, keep your eyes open for the ever-changing style of architecture as colonial buildings exist besides Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic, Indian and contemporary styles of architecture.

Colombo - Pinnawala - Kandy

Tag 2: The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

You'll enjoy a siteseeing tour of the historic city of Kandy. Known for it's scenic beauty and rich culture, you'll be able to find a variety of locally crafted gems and jewelery, handicrafts, batiks, and silks as you wander through the streets. As you venture through this UNESCO world heritage site, you'll be sure to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places fo workship in the Buddhist world. Later that evening, you'll watch an amazing Kandyan dance performance. You'll be amazed as you witness the variety of skills, of which amongst is the incredible firewalking.

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya

Tag 3: Nuwara Eliya Tea Plantations

Head for the hills of Sri Lanka towards Nuwara Eliya, where the finest tea in the world, Ceylon tea, is grown. Traveling through the region, you'll experience amazing landscapes covered in rolling green hills with dreamy waterfalls and lakes backed by a gorgeous mountain background. While en-route, you'll have a chance to walk through Peadenuya Botanical Gardens, which will delight your senses as you are surrounded by the smells and colors of the large variety of ornamental and culinary plants that are grown and used to produce the many spices in Sri Lanka.

After this peaceful nature walk, continue your journey to Nuwara Eliya enjoying the scenic beauty as tea plantations roll by you. Once there, you'll visit a tea factory where you can see the tea production process, and even buy and taste a selection of fresh teas to take home.

Finally, if time allows, you can visit the Hanuman Temple, which contains a 16 foot statue of Hanuman.

Nuwara Eliya - Ella

Tag 4: Horton Plains National Park

Grab your breakfast to go as we start with a very early morning excursion to the Horton Plains National Park, which is the island's highest plateau. Famous for it's wildlife and magnificent views, we head out early to ensure we arrive there before it becomes shrouded in mist. Often said to resemble the highlands of Scotland this area of Sri Lanka's hill country offers amazing walking opportunities and is an absolute haven for bird enthusiasts and is the natural habitat of twenty one of Sri Lanka's endemic birds, with four species being endemic only in Horton Plains itself. If you are extremely lucky, you'll catch sight of the very shy purple faced leaf-monkey, which is listed as one of the most 25 critically endangered primates in the world.

Then, live on the edge as you walk along the gentle trek to World's End, a sheer precipice with a 1050 meter sheer drop into the valleys below. Approach the ledge carefully as the wind gently blows around you; it is said that on a clear day you can see over 81km away, all the way to the Indian Ocean. 

Ella - Yala

Tag 5: Elephants and leopards galore

We head back down to the lower areas as we head into the enormous Yala National Park, home to an impressive range of wild animals. This park is highlighted by a strong effort towards elephant preservation, the abundant leopards, and 215 different species of birds. Additionally, as we tour the area, you'll catch glimpses of ancient civilizations that once made this habitat home.

Yala

Tag 6: Among the leopards of Yala

In most parts of world, leopards are pretty sneaky characters, lurking around at night to avoid their predators. In Yala leopards rule the roost, and they're pretty cocky about it. You'll see leopards strolling all over the place, apparently unperturbed by the cameras pointed their way. Here in Yala, the population density of these graceful big cats is higher here than anywhere else in the world, and today is your chance to watch them as they strut. Another amazing sight to watch out for are the herds of elephants wandering about the place, on their way to have a bath at one of the park's many watering holes. Needless to say, today offers endless amazing photo opportunities, so make sure your batteries are charged!

Yala - Galle

Tag 7: Coastal colonial reminders at Galle Fort

Grab your flip-flops; it's time to get on a beach. Today your chauffeur-guide is whisking you away to Galle, a coastal town full of echoes of colonial times. When you get there in the afternoon, you'll take a tour of the Fort, which the Portuguese, Dutch, and British have all had turns at occupying. Walk along the beautiful old, Dutch-built ramparts jutting out to sea; where you'll be more than likely to be treated to a beautiful sunset. Throughout the day, you'll have more than enough time to feel the sand between your toes and relax on the pleasant beaches.

Galle - Katunayaka

Tag 8: Back to home

Wake up alongside the ocean before heading out to Katunayaka and the airport for your trip home. Your Sri Lankan seven night adventure has come to an end, but only so the memories can begin.

Safe travels!