Wild Sri Lanka
Wild Sri Lanka
Wild Sri Lanka
10 Days Starting in Ahangama and ending in Colombo
Visiting: Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka
Tour operator:
Tour code:
WIYA
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Tour Overview
Sri Lanka is well known for its cultural heritage and picture perfect beaches, but perhaps less known is that it is also one of the best locations in Asia for wildlife. The wide range of altitudes found in this small island results in a variation of climate and diversity normal only found across a whole continent. Blue whales congregate off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, elephant herds gather in Udawalawe and the elusive leopard rules in Yala. As well as game drives in Sri Lanka’s most famous national parks we visit the steamy Sinharaja Rainforest and relax on the south coast, where the warm waters of the Indian Ocean lap the shore and days can easily drift by from the shade of a palm tree.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Colombo; Transfer To Ahangama Beach Hotel
Meals Included: Dinner
Our Sri Lankan adventure begins. It’s a 2hr 30min transfer to Ahangama on the south coast – please refer to the Joining Instructions for further information. As we approach the seaside suburb of Galle, we see coastal coconut groves and tall palms giving way to magnificent views of the ocean.
Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)
Day 2 : Morning Private Whale-Watching Excursion; Afternoon Visit To Galle Fort
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We depart for the harbour shortly after sunrise, where we board a small, privately chartered boat for a whale-watching excursion. Accompanied by excellent crew and a naturalist guide, we spend the morning searching the Indian Ocean for whales and other cetaceans. The vessel is fitted with radar and GPS, which increases our chance of success. Blue whales, the largest animals that have ever lived, typically frequent these waters between November and April. They are huge, reaching up to 100ft (30m) long and weighing about the same as 30 elephants. We may also be lucky enough to encounter sperm whales, bryde’s whales and large pods of spinner or bottlenose dolphins. After spending the morning at sea, we return to the harbour and our hotel in Ahangama. Later this afternoon, we have a guided visit to Galle to discover the historic fort, a fabulous Unesco World Heritage site. Built by the Dutch in 1663, it is a maze of cobbled streets crammed with cafes, boutique shops and beautifully restored colonial houses.
Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)
Day 3 : Transfer To Sinharaja Rainforest; Afternoon Walk
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, we transfer to Sinharaja Rainforest, the last undisturbed rainforest area in Sri Lanka. This biodiversity hotspot harbours several endemic species. Canopy trees reach heights of up to 145ft (45m) and bird species number 160 and counting. Among the insects, amphibians and reptiles are mammals such as sambar deer, marking deer and wild boars. Purple-faced langurs usually congregate in groups of 10 or more and are fairly common to see among the trees. Around 15 leopards are known in this area but sightings are very difficult due to the dense vegetation. This afternoon, we take a walk to discover Sinharaja and its many inhabitants, accompanied by our naturalist guide.
Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar)
Day 4 : Full Day To Discover Sinharaja Rainforest
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Wake up to birdsong and get ready for another day in the forest. Sinharaja covers a narrow sliver of land, covering roughly 27,643 acres (11,187ha). Within this area live 43 percent of all species recorded in Sri Lanka. Our naturalist guide takes us on a wildlife walk to discover the many trails and abundant diversity here.
Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar)
Day 5 : To Udawalawe; Afternoon Game Drive In Udawalawe National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, we leave the rainforest and travel further inland to Udawalawe National Park, which lies on the boundary between the wet and dry zones of Sri Lanka. Udawalawe is one of the best parks in Sri Lanka to see elephants with around 600 in the park roaming in herds of up to 50 – the highest concentration of wild elephants in Sri Lanka. The Udawalawe Reservoir is at the centre of the park and makes a stunning backdrop among the otherwise lightly vegetated area. For this reason, wildlife watching in the national park is relatively easy. Aside from elephant families feeding in the grasslands, we may encounter sambar deer, spotted deer, water buffalos, wild boars, jackals and mongoose on this afternoon game drive.
Accommodation: Centauria Wild (or similar)
Day 6 : Morning Game Drive In Udawalawe National Park; Visit Elephant Transit Home At Feeding Time
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
This morning, our 4x4 safari vehicles are waiting to take us back into Udawalawe for a second game drive. Game drives typically last for three hours, depending on sightings, and are always accompanied by a naturalist guide. In the afternoon, we visit the Elephant Transit Home, just 3mi (5km) from the park entrance. The transit home is run by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and supported by the Born Free Foundation. It provides a safe environment for orphaned elephants, who are typically looked after at the home until they reach four years’ old, at which point they are old enough to be released back into the wild. Our visit coincides with feeding time, where the juveniles are given bottled milk by a team of park rangers and the noisy spectacle can be witnessed from the viewing platform.
Accommodation: Centauria Wild (or similar)
Day 7 : Dawn Village Walk; Transfer To Tissamaharama; Afternoon Game Drive In Yala National Park
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
We start our day before breakfast and head out on a walk to a nearby village (approximately 3kms), a chance to observe and interact with the locals starting their day as well as spot the wide variety of wildlife en route. The early walk takes us alongside an irrigation canal, rich in bird life such as Ibis, Kingfishers, Cormorants and Storks. The canal feeds into the banana, mango, guava, peanut trees and many more crops grown alongside it. This area is also home to eagles, kites, horn bills, lapwings, sun birds, mongooses, monitor lizards and chameleons. Midway through our walk, we stop at the village shop for tea and a piece of fruit to snack on.
During our walk, we have a local initiative in place which distributes a variety of fruit trees to the families in the village. These fruit trees hold a sustainable and commercial value to the villagers, in time they can be cultivated and sold to generate income for the families as well as provided for the community. We finish our walk at a farm where our breakfast will be served close to the river.
After breakfast, we return to the hotel by 4x4 vehicles and get ready to depart for Tissamaharama and Yala National Park, a drive of around three hours. On arrival in Yala, we check into our hotel; around 3pm, we head out in 4x4s for our afternoon game drive. Yala is famous for having one of the highest concentration of leopards in the world. In the lowland dry zone in the southeastern corner of the country, Yala is extensive, covering some 242,000 acres (97,880ha). The vegetation primarily consists of dense secondary forest, semi-arid thorny scrub, brackish lagoons and mangroves since the park borders the coastline. With this diverse habitat comes a huge array of wildlife, including elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer, water buffalos, sambar deer, wild boars, langurs and macaques. Bird counts are also high, with more than 215 recorded species, including thousands of migrating waterfowl. Our group is split evenly between 4x4s and is joined by the tour leader, naturalist and tracker who each sit in a different vehicle. The game drive this afternoon lasts around three to four hours, before we return to the hotel to freshen up and have dinner.
Accommodation: Kithala Resort (or similar)
Day 8 : Morning Game Drive In Yala National Park; To Dickwella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Wildlife tends to be at its most active in the early morning, so we have a morning game drive in Yala, returning to our hotel for a rest and lunch afterwards. Our naturalist guide will focus on the diverse wildlife and birds of Yala, with our game drive lasting around three hours.
After lunch, we transfer (around 3hr 30min) to Dickwella – in our opinion, one of the most picturesque beaches in Sri Lanka – where traditional fishing boats rest on the sand in front of palm trees. Accommodation for our two nights here is at a lovely resort with direct access to the beach. The resort is set on tropical grounds and is among the top beach hotels in Sri Lanka! Relax under swaying palms by the pool and enjoy long beach walks. The rooms have contemporary amenities and you could simply surrender yourself to healing Balinese rituals at the spa during your seaside getaway in paradise.
Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar)
Day 9 : Relax By The Beach In Dickwella
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Today is free to enjoy all the facilities at Dickwella Resort & Spa. Why not stroll over to Turtle Cove, true to it's name you're almost certain to see turtles swimming around by your feet. Alternatively, just relax within the hotel grounds, enjoying the sea view while taking a dip in the pool.
Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar)
Day 10 : To Colombo; End Colombo
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, we check out and make our way to Colombo Airport where our adventure comes to an end. Alternatively, an additional night’s accommodation can be organised near to Colombo Airport if you would like fly home the following day.
What's Included
-
Meals
9 breakfasts, 0 lunches, 9 dinners.
* All breakfasts and 9 dinners included
* All accommodation
* All transport and listed activities
* Tour leader throughout
* Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
* Arrival and departure transfers (if booking incl. flights)
What's Not Included
-
Visas or vaccinations
-
Single accommodation (available on request)
-
Travel insurance
Food
All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included.
These are provided at the hotels we are staying in and usually consist of a
buffet with local and international options. Sri Lankan cuisine is a
fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion
of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries
by Malays, Arabs, Indians as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Sri
Lankan cuisine is often referred to simply as ‘Rice and Curry’; this is
the staple dish in most restaurants and usually consists of assorted meat and
vegetable curries as well as various pickles, ‘sambols,’ and a handful of
tiny poppadum’s – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli,
curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic. The abundance of fresh seafood and fish
will ensure that cuisine is a highlight of the trip.
Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any
special dietary requests. Please note that in Sri Lanka the availability of
certain products is minimal or non-existent, for example wheat/gluten or
dairy-free. Please be prepared for this as you may need to bring such
supplies from home. Spicier food can be avoided and lots of the hotels will
serve Western options alongside local cuisine.
Accommodation
We have nine nights in comfortable hotels and lodges, several of the hotels have swimming pools. We have four nights at the coast, two at the Insight Resort in Ahangama and two at Dickwella Resort & Spa on the south coast. Dickwella Resort & Spa will no doubt be a highlight – set in tropical grounds with a freshwater swimming pool, comfortable rooms, three different dining options, a spa and fitness centre that makes for a memorable and fantastic island getaway.
Single accommodation (available on request).
Please note, paying the single supplement may not mean that you receive a double or twin room for sole use. The room you are allocated may differ from hotel to hotel and on some nights a smaller room for one person may be allocated.
Check out our Q&As
-
Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, our local guides are English speaking.
-
Are flights included in this tour?
International flights are not included with this tour.
-
Can you assist with pre or post tour accommodation?
We are happy to assist with pre and post tour accommodation. Please enquire for detailed information.
-
Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
If you would like to be paired with a tour member of the same gender, there is no additional charge. A single supplement can be requested if you would like your own room.
-
Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
The minimum age for this tour is 16 years old.
-
Who is Exodus Travels?
At Exodus Travels, we've been exploring the world for nearly 50 years. From Walking and Trekking, Cultural and Cycling, Responsible Wildlife, to Polar and our new Premium Adventures, we are proud to offer award-winning small group and self-guided tours to 100+ countries worldwide.
-
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
-
How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
-
What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
-
Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
-
Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
Reviews from travellers on this tour
1 Select your preferred date
Thursday - Saturday
Oct 10, 2024 - Oct 19, 2024Thursday - Saturday
Nov 14, 2024 - Nov 23, 2024Thursday - Saturday
Nov 21, 2024 - Nov 30, 2024Thursday - Saturday
Dec 19, 2024 - Dec 28, 2024Thursday - Saturday
Jan 30, 2025 - Feb 08, 2025Thursday - Saturday
Feb 13, 2025 - Feb 22, 2025Book with Confidence
-
Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
-
Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
-
Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.