23D/22N – Searching for wildlife

Kandy City Tour

Nestled in the heart of lush green hills, Kandy is the cultural capital par excellence of the island.

It is home to the famous Temple of the Tooth, the most important religious shrine in the country.

With its buildings dating from the colonial and Kandyan eras and its picturesque setting on the surrounding mountains, it enjoys a pleasantly temperate climate.

Visit to the Temple of the Tooth

The Tooth Relic Temple, named Sri Dalada Maligawa, is a world-renowned place of worship, venerated daily by thousands of devotees and local and foreign visitors.

The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

At certain times, an offering ceremony allows participants to have a glimpse at the golden pagoda that enshrines Buddha’s left canine tooth.

Visit to a food forest garden

Let your local guide tell you the story of this abandoned tea plantation transformed into a verdant food forest.

You will be guided through the garden of the ecolodge’s organic agroforestry project, and will be able to enjoy the beauty and calm of the place while learning to recognize the different spices present, the flowers and the kithul trees…

Lunch on site prepared with garden products.

Train journey from Nanu Oya to Ella

This approximately 3-hour train journey is ranked by many travel magazines as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world.

Between Nanu Oya and Haputale, you will experience the most picturesque scenery as the train slowly glides from hillside tea plantations to patches of forest, from dark tunnels to sun-drenched vegetable gardens, passing villages and busy tea pickers.

Day 05: Local Transfers

Immersion in an organic plantation

The ecolodge where you are staying is home to an organic coffee plantation, tea plants, a hill covered with sandalwood and a vegetable garden that we invite you to discover.

After a guided walk in the estate, you can also visit the coffee factory. Coffee tasting.

Visit to an organic tea plantation

A tea specialist will take you on a one-hour tour of the plantation and the artisanal factory, where you can observe dryers and machines polished by time.

You are indeed more in the heart of a traditional workshop than in a modern factory, favoring quality over quantity, embodied by its workers patiently preparing, manually, the artistic star tea.

You will then be cordially invited to taste many teas and herbal teas, and probably amazed by the rainbow colors they might display.

Walk to the river and river bath

A short walk will take you to the river’s edge, where monkeys perched in the trees will watch with shameless curiosity as your little tribe offers your tired bodies a refreshing swim in a secluded natural pool.

Trekking in a village in the middle of rice fields

This trekking day allows you to discover the lifestyle of the inhabitants of a rural village and the different trades that are practiced there.

By visiting traditional industries such as carpentry or rice processing, or meeting a beekeeper and his Asian bees, here you are immersed in the ecosystem of the village, also nestled in magnificent nature.

Rice terraces, waterfall and forest trails, here is the green scene of your day.

Your lunch, a tasty village meal, will be served by a local family. Here the warmth of the people, the simplicity of daily life and the beauty of tradition come together to create an authentic and unforgettable experience.

Wildlife on the way

The beautiful road that leads you to your next destination passes along ponds where wild elephants come to drink… If luck is on your side, you will be able to observe them, from afar, in their natural environment…

Lagoon Safari

The hours before sunset are the ideal time for bird watching and observing the other inhabitants of the lagoon.

You can discover the ecosystem of the mangrove and the lagoon by traditional boat, during a slow and serene ride in the magical light of the sun that leaves to other lands.

Jeep Safari in Kumana National Park

Kumana National Park, with an area of ​​approximately 18,000 hectares, is the northeastern part of Yala Park, accessible from the east coast.

Due to its geographical location, it is off the beaten track and does not suffer from the overtourism present in other more visited parks.

Its mangrove is home to many birds such as pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, egrets and cormorants.

Many mammals such as elephants and leopards inhabit the park’s different ecosystems.

Crocodiles and sloth bears have also taken up residence there. This morning, at dawn, you set off to meet them…

Gal Oya National Park Boat Safari

The children have gone silent. So has the engine of our boat. “What’s going on?” their mother’s eyes seem to ask. Without a word, our boatman slowly points his arm towards the lake shore in front of us. Barely hidden behind the branches, stands a huge elephant.

What a magical moment to be able to observe it while it doesn’t even seem to notice our silent presence. Quietly eating a lunch of green leaves plucked from the nearby trees. All aboard are fascinated by the serene scene, and for the next fifteen minutes we feel connected to the mighty animal, without noise, just delighted to be the privileged spectators of this fascinating spectacle.

Later, we observe a larger herd of elephants at the edge of the lake, mothers with their calves, entering the forest.

A variety of birds also offer us a spectacle of aerobatics and songs, from solitary kites flying high over our heads to flocks of cormorants gathering on the surrounding rocks.

Shy but fearsome crocodiles will disappear into the water as we approach.

To our untrained eyes, any dark shape in the distance looks like an elephant, and the naturalist accompanying us will have to gently convince us that they are in fact water buffalo grazing peacefully.

Excursion “Palamunai Colors”

In Palamunai Colours, you will explore the southern part of Batticaloa, riding along the beach, visiting the fish market.

You will meet handloom weavers, making colourful sarees and sarongs.

You will discreetly observe the midday prayer at the local mosque and interact with the believers.

Your lunch will be prepared by a local family, and will reflect the typical food of the community.

After a tasty meal and a relaxing chat with your host family, you will go through Kattankudy, a bustling Muslim town famous for its history and numerous businesses, visit its Heritage Museum, and the beautiful Al-Aqsa mosque.

Bicycle ride “Towards Mylambaveli”

Here, the slow pace of travelling by bicycle will enable you to discover the villages and nature paths surrounding Batticaloa.

After a quiet visit of the bird sanctuary, you will participate in an offering ceremony at the Hindu temple, while your lunch is prepared by a local family.

After a healthy village lunch and a funny chat with your host family, you will visit the nearby organic farm, its fruit trees, coconut estate and cattle.

You will then ride back to Batticaloa along a stunning deserted beach and observe birds, wildlife and fishermen as you peacefully move along our gorgeous lagoon.

Relaxation in Batticaloa

Looking for a truly authentic destination that truly showcases what life is like in Eastern Sri Lanka?

If so, look no further than the “City of Singing Fish”. Batticaloa has much to offer both first-timers and world explorers interested in the island’s vast cultural diversity.

Before you hit the road again for more adventures, we suggest you take some time out for yourself to discover the pretty Batticaloa, its historic centre and do some shopping in its authentic and colourful boutiques.

Meeting and walking with a Veddha leader

The afternoon is dedicated to meeting a Veddha chief, who will introduce you to the lifestyle of his community and the tools used by his ancestors, at a time when this indigenous Sri Lankan community used to live by hunting and gathering in the thick jungles around.

With his contagious sense of humor, our Veddha chief will take you into the forest, teach you his hunting techniques and show you the caves where his ancestors used to live.

Jeep Safari in Maduru Oya National Park

The journey starts around 6am, reaching the entrance of Maduru Oya Park around 7am. A red dirt track takes you into the heart of this wild natural habitat.

For 2.5 hours, you will see different inhabitants of the forest: a herd of shy deer, many species of birds, from the wild rooster, the emblematic bird of Sri Lanka, to the powerful eagles perched silently in the trees looking for their next prey…

You may have the privilege of observing a herd of wild elephants, enjoying a breakfast of leaves. With the engine running, safety first in this wild nature…

After many other water monitors, lizards, buffaloes, woodpeckers and kingfishers competing in beauty in their brightly colored costumes, a peacock might bid you farewell by performing an elegant wheel, while you return to the park entrance for a hearty breakfast under the trees.

Visit to an ancient Buddhist temple

Before reaching busier roads, we invite you to discover an ancient temple and its nearby caves, which served as a refuge for Buddhist monks retreating since the advent of Buddhism, in the forests of the neighboring mountain range.

Some caves bear traces of painting dating back to prehistoric times.

Visit the Hindu temple of Koneswaram

The Hindu temple of Koneshwaram, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located in Trincomalee, atop a promontory overlooking the Indian Ocean.

It appears in the Hindu epic “Ramayana”, making it a major place of pilgrimage.

Relaxing at the beach

You have now arrived at the seaside, where you can relax, enjoy beautiful walks on the fine sandy beaches, swim in the Indian Ocean, take the time to take your time…

Visit to a former war zone

The civil war that raged in the North and East of Sri Lanka for several decades left deep scars in the Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi regions that you travel through to reach Jaffna.

It was here that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had declared their own state, known as Tamil Eelam.

Your guide tells you the poignant story of the populations trapped in the bloody clashes of the civil war, and shows you along the way touching vestiges of these years of conflict.

Free morning

After yesterday’s long drive, a short break is in order, to give you some time for personal exploration, or to allow yourself a lie-in at the hotel.

Jaffna City Tour

The city of Jaffna is home to many buildings that bear witness to its colonial past, especially its fort.

It was also the scene of the clash between the Tamil Tigers and the government armed forces for decades.

The Nallur temple is very important to the Hindu people who gather there in their thousands during its festival.

Delft Island

Delft Island, located off the coast of Jaffna, is accessible only by boat, making it a relatively unexplored place.

This beautiful island is known as much for its natural beauty and wild ponies as for its historical and cultural sites.

You spend the day there today.

Day 19: Jaffna – Wilpattu

Flamingo watching

The pink flamingos, migratory birds, pose their graceful silhouettes on the edges of the ponds of the Mannar region from around December to March.

On the way to your next destination, you can stop to observe these magnificent birds with flamboyant plumage.

Relaxation at the hotel

Your charming hotel is located in the jungle bordering the Puttalam lagoon, your closest neighbors will be the monkeys, frogs, birds and butterflies that live in this serene environment…

Welcome to a luxury island in the heart of lush vegetation…

Day 20: Wilpattu – Kalpitiya

Jeep Safari in Wilpattu National Park

In the North Western Province, extending to the sea, is the largest national park in Sri Lanka, named Wilpattu (Land of Lakes) and its more than 1000 km².

Its different ecosystems (coastal, wetlands, forest and their variants) are home to more than 600 varieties of trees and flowering plants.

This biodiversity allows Wilpattu National Park to shelter a large number of different species of mammals, reptiles, birds, butterflies, etc.

By embarking on a half-day jeep safari in the park, you may be able to spot a leopard relaxing or hunting, or silently observe the leaf meal of a majestic elephant.

Buffaloes and sloth bears may join the show.

Bird lovers will also enjoy finding many different winged friends, as the park is home to around 150 species of endemic and migratory birds.

Day 21: Local Transfers

Snorkeling

A motorboat takes you early in the morning to a coral reef for around 1 hour of snorkelling in warm, transparent waters where you are the privileged spectators of a colourful aquatic ballet.

Day 22: Local Transfers

Dolphin watching

Another ride in a small motorboat allows you to meet the dolphins that populate the ocean off Kalpitiya.

What a joy to be able to observe these marine clowns who compete in acrobatics near your boat…

Visit to Munneswaram Temple

Along the way, your guide will tell you the story of Rama and his wife Sita, kidnapped in India and brought to Sri Lanka by King Ravana, before visiting the Hindu temple of Munneswaram, linked to this captivating story called Ramayana, one of the two Sanskrit epics of ancient India, dear to Indian travelers on pilgrimage to Sri Lanka.

Transfer to the airport

Depending on your departure time, your chauffeur guide adapts the program of the day and drops you off at the airport 3 hours before your plane takes off.

There would be so many other beautiful places to discover though…

We wish you a good flight back home, and hope to see you again next time for new Sri Lankan adventures!

Thank you for travelling with us!