Sri Lankan Wildlife | 10 Days Elite Tour

Upon your arrival in Colombo, rendezvous with your personal chauffeur/guide for a private transfer to the Wilpattu National Park to begin the first part of your adventure. Meals and refreshments will await you at the campsite depending on your time of arrival. You can meet your designated naturalist to discuss a suitable plan for the rest of the day, as well as the rest of your two-day stay at the Park. You can even do a wilderness walk with your naturalist if time permits before an overnight stay at the Mahoora Tented Safari Camp.

Enjoy a Full-day Safari at the Wilpattu National Park which is the oldest and largest national wildlife Park in Sri Lanka and home to an array of unique species of flora and fauna including the famed Sri Lankan Leopard and Sloth Bear. We will serve a fully-serviced lunch within the Park premises after which you can relax in the comfy hammocks that we have set up for you or have a detailed discussion with your naturalist to learn more about the wildlife that you encounter. In the afternoon, we will take you on another Safari within the Park before you head back to the comfort of the campsite.

You will start your adventure at the break of day with an early Safari inclusive of a charming picnic breakfast. The Wilpattu National Park offers you the opportunity to film and photograph the Sri Lankan Leopard, the largest species of leopard living in Asia. These glorious beasts are often seen lying beside the Park’s many villus. You may even catch a glimpse of the endangered Sloth Bear, most commonly seen during the fruiting season of the Palu Tree between June and July. After that, will be time for you to enjoy another fully-serviced lunch at the Park. We have also organised an optional night walk with the resident naturalist of the camp where we will attempt to seek out owls, Gray Slender Loris, Ring-Tailed Civet Cats, Rusty Spotted Cats, Golden Palm Civet Cats, chameleons and many other nocturnal species.

Following breakfast at the campsite, you will be transferred to Kandy. Kandy was the last stronghold to the colonial invasion. Kandy highlights many magnificent monuments, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic as well. Its architectural monuments date mainly from the 19th century, when King Vikrama Rajasinha went on a building spree -the cost of which hastened the downfall and eventual surrender to the British forces in 1815. In the evening, relax with your overnight stay at a tranquil and luxurious villa.

You will get an early start on Day 5 with a transfer to Udawalawe where you will first visit the Elephant Transit Home, a project that has proven vital in the conservation of elephants, some of which are orphaned or separated from their herds. Later on in the day, you can anticipate enjoying an Evening Safari at the Udawalawe National Park before dinner and then an overnight stay at the Mahoora Tented Camp in Udawalawe.

Bird watching in Sri Lanka is quite a rewarding experience and the camp’s resident naturalist will take you on a morning birding trail, which will culminate just in time for breakfast. Then you’ll head to the famous Kataragama Temple for a pooja.

The drive to Yala is quite short, so after a brief exploration of the campgrounds you’ll have your lunch!

Then you will be taken on your evening safari of Yala National Park. A delicious dinner by a roaring campfire awaits your return from the safari, and your adventures on this day are capped off with a night walk along the borders of the Park, to meet some of the nocturnal residents of the jungle.

A full-day Safari is scheduled to enable you to see the variety of habitats that this unique Park has to offer, with a host of endemic plant and animal species on display. Yala boasts 44 species of recorded mammals, 215 species of birds, 46 species of reptiles and 21 species of amphibians. Lunch will be served in a suitable location within the Park. After dinner, a walk with your resident naturalist along the Park borders, will open the doors for you to catch a glimpse of the Yala’s nightlife. Then return to the comfort and luxury of your camp to recharge your batteries.

We have two Safaris lined up for you on this day and you can decide how you wish to spend them. You may either spend the whole day in Yala or spend half of the day at the Bundala National Park. Bundala has been acknowledged as an Important Bird Area (IBA) for its 197 recorded bird species and is also the only National Park where you can see both the Mugger and Saltwater Crocodiles on the same Safari drive.

Galle is your next stop. This prominent port city is richly influenced by colonial architecture having being one of the most important strategic locations fortified by the colonists. Explore the multi-cultural and historic attractions of the city including the Galle Fort which was first built by the Portuguese and then extensively fortified in the 17th century by the Dutch. It is considered to be the largest remaining fortress built by European occupiers in the Asian region. At the end of the day, relax at a luxury resort, where you will be staying overnight.

An optional early-morning whale watching tour is also available in the world’s best waters for Blue Whales (November to March). After breakfast on the final day, or after your optional whale watching tour, you will be transferred to the Katunayake International Airport for your flight back to bring your lavish adventure to an end. You can also choose our suggested tour extensions or a custom extension to suit your needs.