Wild and Wonderful Sri Lanka

Arrive at Colombo International Airport, where your guide will greet you and accompany you on the journey to Habarana. Travel in comfort with onboard WiFi and thoughtful amenities, easing into your Sri Lanka travel experience as the scenery shifts from the coast to the island’s cultural heart.

After checking in at your hotel, spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Relax after your journey or explore nearby sights at your own pace.

Today, you explore Hiriwadunna, often called “God’s Village,” a rural community with roots dating back to the reign of King Vasabha in the first century AD.

Walk through rice paddies with views toward distant Sigiriya Rock, visit small village plantations, and pause in a thatched-roof home to taste fresh fruit and fragrant local tea. Enjoy a traditional lunch of rice and vegetables prepared using time-honored methods.

Later, set out by jeep for a guided safari in Minneriya, Eco Park, or Kaudulla National Park, selected according to recent wildlife movements. Accompanied by a knowledgeable naturalist, look for elephants, deer, and other native species in their natural habitat.

Arrive at Gal Oya Lodge after breakfast and settle into your surroundings. The lodge supports ongoing conservation initiatives, and you may choose to join activities such as setting camera traps in the evening and reviewing the footage the following morning to discover which nocturnal visitors passed through.

At sunset, stroll beside the tranquil lake as the sky shifts in color, or simply relax at the lodge and shape the day around your own pace and interests.

Meet the Vedda community on a guided forest walk led by the Gal Oya Vedda chief, a meaningful highlight of any Sri Lanka itinerary. As you trek through the woodland, hear traditional chants, learn about medicinal plants, and discover ancestral methods of crop cultivation and food storage. In season, you may witness honey being harvested from combs high in the trees.

In the afternoon, set out on a boat trip across Senanayake Lake within Gal Oya National Park. Watch for elephants and birdlife along the shoreline as the light softens toward sunset. Pause on a quiet island for masala tea and homemade shortbread before returning to your lodge.

In the morning, you will be transferred to Yala National Park, widely regarded as one of the best places to visit in Sri Lanka for wildlife encounters. On arrival, settle into your campsite and take time to absorb the rugged beauty of the surrounding landscape.

As night falls, enjoy dinner beneath the stars and gather around the campfire with a drink, sharing stories from the day’s adventures. An optional evening safari into Yala National Park is available for those who wish to continue exploring after dusk.

In the afternoon, meet your guide for a jeep safari through Yala’s varied landscapes, from freshwater wetlands to dense monsoon forest. The park is known for one of the highest leopard densities in the world and is also home to elephants, wild boar, spotted deer, crocodiles, and jackals.

Your experienced guide will tailor the safari to your interests, positioning the vehicle for optimal viewing while tracking wildlife movements across the terrain.

Rise before dawn for an early safari in Yala National Park, as the first light reveals leopards on the move, elephants emerging from the bush, and an abundance of birdlife. Return to camp for a relaxed breakfast before departing on a scenic transfer to Udawalawe.

After settling into your campsite, take time to unwind and absorb the open landscapes. In the evening, set out on a guided safari in Udawalawe National Park.

Established to protect wildlife displaced by the reservoir, the park is renowned for its large elephant population and waterbirds. With golden light and the guidance of a knowledgeable naturalist, enjoy excellent opportunities for close sightings and photography.

Begin the morning with a visit to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, a rehabilitation center caring for orphaned and injured elephants since 1995. Observe the young elephants during feeding time, learn from the keepers about rescue, rehabilitation, and rewilding efforts, and gain insight into the careful process that prepares them for return to the wild.

In the afternoon, transfer to Mirissa and check into your hotel. Unpack and unwind on the beach, enjoying attentive service and a calm evening by the sea.

Wake early for a whale and dolphin watching excursion from Mirissa. After a short transfer to the harbor, board your boat and head into the Indian Ocean in search of dolphins and migrating whales.

Onboard guides help identify species and share insights into marine life, with dolphins often swimming close to the vessel and the possibility of spotting blue whales offshore.

Return to your hotel for a relaxed afternoon at leisure to unwind or explore the coastline at your own pace.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then check out for a guided, tailored transfer along the scenic one-hour coastal road to Galle.

On arrival, check in and relax at your new hotel. Spend the afternoon exploring Galle Fort, beach walks, or local shops. In the evening, sample fresh seafood and Sri Lankan flavours at Fortaleza's restaurant for a memorable end to the day.

Spend the morning at leisure, enjoying time around the campsite, taking short walks, or watching the rich birdlife nearby.

In the afternoon, join a guided walking tour of Galle Fort, first built by the Portuguese in 1588 and later fortified by the Dutch.

Discover its historic trading connections with Greece, China, and Arab merchants as you explore layered colonial architecture, temples, churches, mosques, and old prison cells. Your guide brings the fort’s maritime past and multicultural heritage vividly to life.

Begin the day with a transfer to Bentota for a river safari along the Madu Ganga. Cruise through a mangrove-lined lagoon dotted with small islands, navigate narrow waterways, and watch for wildlife such as purple-faced leaf monkeys, water monitors, and, with luck, the rare flap shell turtle.

This internationally recognized wetland plays an important role in biodiversity and natural flood control. After the cruise, continue to your hotel in Bentota and enjoy some time to relax.

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your hotel, with time for a final stroll or some last souvenir shopping to take home a taste of local flavors.

At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to Colombo International Airport for your departure flight, bringing your Sri Lanka trip to a close. Our team ensures a smooth, well-coordinated transfer and a warm farewell.