Sri Lanka Wildlife, Culture and Beach Safari
Sri Lanka Wildife, Culture and Beach Safari - From £1,900 per person sharing excluding international flights
Day 1
On your arrival into Colombo you will be met by one of our representatives who will welcome you to Sri Lanka before heading off to Habarana which will take roughly 5 ½ hours. The rest of the day is yours at leisure.
Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge – has individual ensuite rooms on the ground or first floor, overlooking the lake
Day 2
This morning after breakfast you head to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, which has been declared a World Heritage site. Here you will be able to see the well preserved ruins constructed by Parakramabahu the Great, the last in a sequence of warrior-kings, who developed the city on a lavish scale. In the afternoon you return to the lodge where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure.
Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge (B/D)
Day 3
Today you have a morning excursion to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, which consists of a sheer cliff that rises 200 meters with the ruins of the palace on the top and impressive gardens at the foot. This afternoon you will visit the Minneriya National Park. August is the dry season in Sri Lanka and so the area is parched with most of the water sources drying up. The main lake in the park is therefore the main source of water for the animals and so during this time it is possible to have large herds of elephants congregating on the shores of the lake making for some spectacular wildlife viewing.
Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge (B/L/D)
Day 4
After breakfast you leave the lodge and head to Kandy with a lunch stop at the Chaaya Citadel Hotel. After you have checked into the hotel you will head off for a visit of the Temple of the Tooth. This is a must see temple which houses the tooth of the Buddha which was allegedly snatched from his funeral pyre and smuggled into Sri Lanka where it is now on display.
Overnight: Chaaya Citadel Hotel – has Deluxe and Luxury rooms with ensuite facilities as well as balconies overlooking the river (B/D)
Day 5
About 2 hours from Kandy is the tea plantation town of Nuwara Eliya which is the highest town in Sri Lanka. The afternoon is yours at leisure or to explore the town or nearby tea plantations.
Overnight: Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya (B/D)
Day 6
After breakfast at the hotel you depart the hills and head south to Yala National Park where you will meet your leopard tr
acking team. After you have settled into the lodge and had lunch you will go on your first afternoon game drive in search of the Asian Leopard.
Overnight: Yala Village – is just 3 km from the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary, making it an ideal base from which to explore the area. There are beach and jungle chalets with balconies, ensuite facilities and air conditioning (B/L/D)
Days 7, 8, 9 and 10
You have 4 full days of morning and afternoon game drives inside the national park as you search for leopards, elephant, bears, deer, crocodiles, buffalo and much more. You will have a second vehicle that will search the national park for leopards. They will be in radio contact with and so can alert you of any leopards they have spotted. This obviously gives you a better chance of seeing them. On one of the days you will have a bush breakfast inside the park, on another day you will have a bush dinner with the team and then another night a private dinner on the observation deck with one of your guides.
Overnight: Yala Village (B/L/D)
Day 11
From Yala you head to the coast for the last few days. Here you have the chance to relax after the last few days’ adventure. Hikkaduwa beach is a tranquil location with sandy beaches and coconut groves.
Overnight: Aditya Hotel – is a boutique hotel with 12 suites, individually decorated (B/D)
Days 12 and 13
You have 2 days to relax on the beaches and reflect on the last few days.
Overnight: Aditya Hotel (B/L/D)
Day 14
Today you will be transferred back to Colombo in time for your flight back to the UK (B)
