Wild Sri Lanka

• Morning private whale watching excursions; Afternoon visit Galle fort

The group flight arrives at Colombo Airport today where our local guide will be waiting to meet us. Land Only clients should be at the airport ready to join the group transfer to Ahangama on the south coast of the island - please refer to the joining instructions for further information. Sri Lanka's road network has improved greatly over the last few years, and the 'deep south' (as it is often known) is now accessible within around 3 hours from Colombo. The coastline's coconut groves and tall palms give way to magnificent views of the sea as we approach Ahangama. Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• Transfer to Sinharaja rainforest; Afternoon walk

This morning we transfer to Sinharaja Rainforest, the last undisturbed area of rainforest in Sri Lanka. This biodiversity hotspot harbors a number of endemic species. Canopy trees reach heights of up to 45 meters and bird species number 160 and counting. Amongst the insects, amphibians and reptiles are mammals such as Sambar, Barking deer, and Wild boar. Purple-faced langurs usually congregate in groups of 10 or more and are fairly common to see amongst the trees. Around 15 leopards are known in this area but sightings are very difficult to come by 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)Comfortable Hotel

• Full day to discover Sinharaja Rain forest

Wake up to birdsong and get ready for another day in the forest. Sinharaja covers a narrow sliver of land 21km long and 3.7km wide, covering an area of roughly 11,187 hectares. Within this area, 43% of all the species recorded in Sri Lanka can be found. Our naturalist guide will take us on a wildlife walk to discover the many trails and abundant diversity here. Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• To Udawalawa; afternoon game drive in Udawalawa N.P

This morning we leave the rainforest and travel further inland to Udawalawe National Park, which lies on the boundary between Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones. Udawalawe is one of the best parks in Sri Lanka to see elephants with around 600 animals in the park who can be seen roaming in herds of up to 50 - the highest concentration of wild elephants anywhere in Sri Lanka. The Udawalawe Reservoir is at the center of the park and makes a stunning backdrop amongst 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 buffalo, Wild boar, jackal, and mongoose on this afternoon's game drive. Accommodation: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• Morning game drive in Udawalawa N.P; Visit Elephant transit home at feeding time.

This morning our 4WD safari vehicles are waiting to take us back into Udawalawe for a second game drive within the park. Game drives typically last for 3 hours, depending on sightings, and are always accompanied by a naturalist guide. In the afternoon we visit Udawalawe's famous Elephant Transit Home (ETH), situated just 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 the age of 4, at which point they are old enough to be released back into the wild. Our visit will coincide with feeding time at ETH, 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: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• Transfer to Tissamaharama; Afternoon game drive in yala N.P

After breakfast, we depart for Tissamaharama and Yala National Park, a drive of around 3 hours. On arrival in Yala, we check into our hotel and then around 3 pm head out in 4WD jeeps for our afternoon game drive. Yala is Sri Lanka's most well-known national park, famous for having a higher concentration of leopard per square kilometer than anywhere else in the world. Located in Sri Lanka's lowland dry zone in the southeastern corner of the country, Yala National Park is extensive, covering some 97,881 hectares across five 'blocks'. Yala's 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 elephant, Sloth bear, Spotted deer, Water buffalo, Sambar deer, Wild boar, langur, and macaque. Bird counts are also high, with over 215 species recorded, including thousands of migrating waterfowl. Our group will be split evenly between jeeps and will be joined by the tour leader, naturalist, and tracker who will each sit in a different vehicle. The drive this afternoon will last around 3 - 4 hours before we return to the hotel to freshen up and have dinner. Accommodation: Kithala Resort (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• Morning game drive in Yala N.P

Wildlife tends to be at its most active during the early morning and to take advantage of this we have a morning game drive in Yala, returning to our hotel for a rest and lunch afterward. Our naturalist guide will focus on Yala's diverse wildlife and birds, with our game drive lasting around 3 hours. After lunch, we transfer around 3.5 hours to Dickwella, a remarkable beach with clear waters and clean beaches. Traditional fishing boats rest on the sand in front of a backdrop of palm trees - this is postcard-worthy, and in our opinion, one of the most picturesque beaches in Sri Lanka. 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! We have marked this property as a 'comfortable hotel' with air-conditioned rooms. You will be able to relax under swaying palms by the pool while enjoying long walks along the beach. The rooms are fitted with 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)Comfortable Hotel

• Relax by the beach in Dikwella; Optional whales watchin excursion.

Today is free to enjoy all facilities at Dickwella Resort & Spa where you could swim in the sea, walk along the beach, or even have a dip in the pool. Alternatively, if there are enough people interested, we can organize a second whale-watching excursion to take place this morning. By having the opportunity to go whale watching again we maximize our chances of having the most favorable weather and sea conditions. Please note that this optional excursion will involve transfers to/from Mirissa where all of the whale watching boats depart. Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar)Comfortable Hotel

• To Colombo; End Colombo

This morning we check out and make our way to Colombo airport where our holiday comes to an end. Land Only clients should check with our customer operations team before booking their own flights to ensure they can be dropped at the airport in time. Alternatively, an additional night's accommodation can be organized near Colombo Airport if you would like to fly home the following day.