Overview
Sri Lanka’s Big Five. leopard, elephant, sloth bear, blue whale, and sperm whale – are known as the country’s great wildlife attractions. These species are just some of the country’s plethora of wild species of fauna.
Trip Highlights
- Colombo city
- Gangarama temple
- Old parliment
- Lotus tower
- Yala national park
- kataragama pooja
- safari at udawalawa
- whale and dolphin watching
Itinerary
Day 1 :
Colombo
Soon after you touchdown in Sri Lanka, an ECO TRAVELS representative will welcome you at the airport.
Here’s to an exciting tour ahead, and your first destination is Colombo – the commercial hub of Sri Lanka
where you will check in to your hotel and relax. In the evening you will engage in an exciting Colombo
city tour.
The Colombo city tour from Fort and Pettah will cover all the commercial and residential areas of the
city whilst sighting the key landmarks – Galle Face Green, old parliament, the lighthouse clock tower,
Colombo harbour, Gangarama Temple in the Beira lake, Independence Square and the Viharamahadevi
Park, Lotus Tower. After admiring the developing urban skyline with iconic skyscrapers, you can treat
yourself with shopping at Colomo city where you could purchase branded items dues to minor error at
next to price,
Upon reaching your hotel followed by a delectable dinner, you will enjoy a relaxing stay at the hotel in
Colombo.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo.
Day 2 :
Yala
You will begin your day with an early breakfast before proceeding to Yala
To make the drive fast easy and comfortable you would take the southern highway that takes only 03
Hours to Yala.
Driving down the highway you would run through picturesque landscape and will pass through all
traditional Sri Lankan cultivations such as paddy fields, rubber, spice, tea plantation, oil palm, banana as
well as coconut cultivations.
You will exit in Mattala and drive via Lunugamvehera to the Campsite
Afternoon seat in your safari jeep… Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to enter the holy land of Sri
Lankan wildlife! Enter the park and head inside through its bumpy roads and wide open plains to witness
an abundance of peacock, crocodiles, wild boar and spotted deer grazing across the scrub forest.
But, keep your eyes wide open as a roaring leopard, a fuzzy sloth bear or a colossal tusker may be just
few feet away. Spanning across 978km2 Yala is home to a large number of mammals and birds. So, do
not be surprised even if you are presented with a spine-tingling cry of a deer, as A Hunt may be just
seconds away!
After an exciting day, you will check-in at the safari camp for a BBQ dinner under the night skies,
followed by a comfortable overnight stay under the tents.
Enjoy your BBQ dinner at the safari camp.
After a delicious BBQ dinner and bonfire, an exciting bush stroll awaits you in the night where you will
witness birds, reptiles and other wildlife creatures resting on trees and in their respective habitats after
an active day. This will be an unforgettable experience for you amidst the stillness of the night. You will
then return to camp for an overnight stay.
Overnight stay at a safari camp in Yala.
Day 3 :
Udawalawe
Kick start today with an early morning visit to the Kataragama temple to witness the morning ‘Pooja’.
The pooja is a colourful and enigmatic prayer done amidst chanting worshippers. The legendary worship
place has mysterious legends about the Kataragama god and is an example of Sri Lanka’s racial unity and
has mysterious legends about the god residing in Kataragama. Thereafter continue the drive to
Udawalawe via Buduruwagala, whilst enjoying the picturesque views of sprawling lush green paddy
fields on your way. You will also get to quench your thirst with a freshly cut king coconut, a warm
gesture of pure Sri Lankan hospitality.
En-route you will stop at Buduruwagala to witness the majestic buddha statue.
It is a prominent Buddhist heritage site, and a unique temple with its seven rock carved sculptures that
belong to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Buduruwagala statues are believed to be belonging to the
10th century, and the main Buddha statue is 51 feet high and you can still you can see some remaining
colours on the sculptures.
Next, you will visit the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home.
Since inception in 1995, the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home has helped care for injured, sick and
orphaned baby elephants from all over Sri Lanka. You will be able to observe a lively group of 20-30
young and teenage elephants who are fed four times a day. The resident animals are looked after until
they are considered fit enough to be released back into the wild. After an eventful day, you will head
back to your campsite. Upon reaching the safari camp in Udawalawa, enjoy the night with a BBQ dinner
by the campfire and unwind in the tents under the serene night skies dotted with stars.
Thereafter visit Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home.
Check into the safari camp and relax.
Enjoy your BBQ dinner at the safari camp.
Overnight stay at a safari camp in Udawalawe.
Day 4 :
Ahangama
Your day starts early today with an early breakfast, as you will embark on an adrenaline-packed jeep
safari at the Udawalawe National Park – a famous tourist attraction, renowned for its outstanding scenic
beauty and wealth of faunal and floral species, predominantly mammals and birds.
Situated in the dry zone with unique vegetation and outstanding geographical features, the key
ecosystem of the park is made up of forests with scattered grasslands and thorny shrubs. Capture as
many pictures you can of the rare wildlife sightings and cherish each moment in the wilderness.
The elephant in Udawelawa is believed to be fierce when in comparison to Yala
After an exhilarating safari in the wild, you will take a much-needed beach break in Ahangama.
En-route you will stop by to visit the Dondara Head lighthouse, which is located on the southernmost
point of Sri Lanka and is the tallest in the country. It is also one of the tallest lighthouses in South East
Asia.
You will then reach Ahangama and check-in at the Insight Resort and refresh yourself for the rest of the
day. The resort is blessed with a beautiful beach frontage offering you the perfect island getaway from
the busy city life. It is the ideal place to unwind, relax, refresh and experience the heritage, culture,
nature and the way of life in southern Sri Lanka. You can indulge in a spa treatment or take a dip in the
azure pool if you wish. You will then enjoy a delicious spread for dinner followed by an overnight stay in
Ahangama.
Thereafter proceed to Beach.
Check into the hotel and relax.
Overnight stay at a beach hotel Ahangama.
Day 5 :
Mirissa
You will be transferred to Mirissa for whale watching at 5.30 AM with breakfast packets. Mirissa is on
the south coast of Sri Lanka and is a key whale and dolphin watching spot in the country with the most
stunning sunrises and sunsets to be enjoyed. Sperm whales, Bryde’s whales are some of the most
common whales that you will encounter, and if you are really lucky, you will be able to catch a glimpse
of the killer whales (also known as orcas). Among the species of dolphins, you may see the Bottlenose
dolphins, Spinner dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, and Striped dolphins. These playful creatures would swim
alongside your boat and jumping out of the water much to your delight!
You will then enjoy dinner followed by an overnight stay at the resort in Ahangama. If weather permits
you could have lovely dinner by the beach.
Overnight stay at a beach hotel Ahangama.
Day 6 :
Colombo
Today is your last day on the paradise isle.
Indulge in a lavish spread of breakfast before proceeding to the airport for departure.
This brings you to the end of an exciting, fun-filled and memorable adventure in Sri Lanka!
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- Accommodation on Double or Triple Sharing
- Accommodation on BB Basis.
- Transportation by Air-Conditioned Vehicle with an English-Speaking Chauffeur Guide.
- Government Tax and Service Charge at all the Hotels
Cost Excludes
- Peak Period Supplements at the Hotels, Lunch & Dinner throughout the Tour, Video Camera and Still Camera permits at the visiting places, Entrance fees to sites not mentioned above, Cost of beverage throughout the tour, Expenses of a personal nature, Any other services not specified above and Entrance & Activity Fees