Wild Sri Lanka Tailor-Made Tour

Wild Sri Lanka

15 days from £3400 per person

Sri Lanka is a wildlife enthusiast’s paradise. This tiny tropical island harbours an incredible selection of flora and fauna and is home to some of the finest national parks of the subcontinent. Starting in Kandy, where visits will be made to the Udawattekele Sanctuary and stunning Peradeniya Botanical Gardens then travel on to Gal Oya National Park – one of the finest reserves in the country. From here continue south and spend ample time in famous Yala National Park, Udawalawe National Park and the little visited Sinharaja Forest Reserve before ending the journey in Galle to spot whale and dolphin.

Route: Colombo – Makandura – Kandy – Gal Oya National Park – Yala National Park – Udawalawe National Park – Sinharaja Forest Reserve – Galle – Colombo

Itinerary Highlights

Sri Lanka is famous for its wildlife and Gal Oya is one of the island’s finest reserves. Set on Senanayake Samudraya Lake, there are few better places in which to see Asian elephant in the wild.

Bordering Sri Lanka’s south east coast, the leopard population of Yala National Park is known the world over. The reserve is also home to elephant, fishing cat, buffalo and over 100 species of bird.

The tropical rainforest of the Sinharaja Reserve offers a different wildlife experience to the island’s other parks. Home to rare reptiles, insects and amphibians the bird watching is also excellent.

Itinerary: Wild Sri Lanka

Day 1 Depart UK

Today depart the UK on the SriLankan Airlines flight to Colombo. (N)

Day 2 Arrive Colombo / Colombo to Makandura – 35kms

Arrive in Colombo where you will be met by your driver-guide and driven north by car to Makandura and The Notary's House where you will stay overnight. This small six bedroom boutique hotel is surrounded by large gardens, has spacious bedrooms and an enticing outdoor swimming pool. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to relax after your flight. (N)
Accommodation in Makandura: The Notary's House
Upgrade option: Horathapola Estate

Day 3 Makandura to Kandy – 100kms

This morning drive to Kandy. Capital of the highlands, Kandy is best known for the opulent Temple of Tooth and later visit the temple where Buddha’s tooth relic is housed. With its palaces, parks and gardens, Kandy is an attractive city. The centre of town is known for its early 19th century architecture and time is well worth spent exploring the colourful bazaar and interesting Kandy National Museum. (B)
Accommodation in Kandy: Cinnamon Citadel Hotel (or similar)
Upgrade option: The Kandy House (or similar)

Day 4 Kandy

After breakfast visit the Udawattekele Sanctuary. This forest sanctuary was once the reserve of the kings of Kandy and today is home to several endemic species of flora and fauna and over 150 different species of birds. In the afternoon travel outside of Kandy to the magnificent Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, a former royal pleasure garden but converted into its current form in 1821. With over 4,000 labelled species, Peradeniya is one of the finest botanical gardens in the subcontinent. (B)
Accommodation in Kandy: Cinnamon Citadel Hotel (or similar)
Upgrade option: The Kandy House (or similar)

Day 5 Kandy to Gal Oya – 150kms

This morning leave Kandy and drive west to Gal Oya National Park. Sri Lanka’s forgotten national park, Gal Oya was established in 1954. Relatively untouched and little-visited, the reserve consists of lush evergreen forest and open savanna and surrounds Senanayake Samudraya Lake which is dotted with islands and the country’s largest inland body of water. Gal Oya is the only place in Sri Lanka where safaris can be conducted by boat and is one of the best places in the world to see the Asian elephant in its natural habitat. (B/D)
Accommodation in Gal Oya National Park: Gal Oya Lodge (or similar)

Day 6 & 7 Gal Oya National Park

Over the next two days explore the reserve in the company of an expert naturalist. Gal Oya is home to elephant, leopard, wild boar, deer, jackal, sloth bear, water buffalo, marsh mugger crocodile and over 150 different species of bird. There is a large elephant population here and a highlight of the reserve is watching them swim from island to island across Senanayake Samudraya Lake. Safaris are by jeep, boat or on foot and it is also possible to visit one of the last remaining Vedda communities – the forest-dwelling, indigenous people of Sri Lanka. (B/L/D)

Accommodation in Gal Oya National Park: Gal Oya Lodge (or similar)

Day 8 Gal Oya to Yala National Park – 170kms

This morning leave Gal Oya and drive south to the famous Yala National Park. Established as a protected area in 1938, Yala is a large reserve with a mixture of habitats ranging from open parkland and dense jungle, to a myriad of flooded lagoons and high coastal sand dunes. This varied terrain supports a wide range of animal life and vegetation. Yala is also a base for visiting the ancient, and now abandoned, royal city of Tissamaharama. (B/D)

Accommodation in Yala National Park: Cinnamon Wild Resort (or similar)

Day 9 Yala National Park

At Yala there is an impressive variety of flora and fauna and today explore the reserve with your naturalist on morning and evening jeep safaris. The park is known throughout Sri Lanka for its elephant population and, naturalists believe, it supports the highest concentration of leopards in the world although sightings of this elusive animal remain rare. Other animals here include sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, jackal, monkey, sloth bear and crocodile. Birdlife is also abundant with over 130 species recorded. (B/L/D)

Accommodation in Yala National Park: Cinnamon Wild Resort (or similar)

Day 10 Yala National Park to Udawalawe National Park – 80kms

Today leave Yala and continue by road to Udawalawe National Park. Mainly open parkland, the park is famous for its elephants which can be seen in herds of over one hundred. Udawalawe is also home to spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, wild boar, water buffalo and jackal whilst the birding is excellent with nearly 200 species recorded. In the afternoon take a jeep safari in the national park in the company of an expert naturalist. Also visit the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home which houses injured elephants before releasing them back into the wild.(B/D)

Accommodation in Udawalawe National Park: Kalu’s Hideaway (or similar)

Day 11 Udawalawe National Park to Sinharaja – 75kms

Take a final early morning jeep safari before leaving Udawalawe and continuing to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Sinharaja is the last viable area of primary tropical rainforest in the country and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The vegetation here is dense and later enter the reserve and undertake a guided trek with an emphasis on bird-watching. (B/D)

Accommodation in Sinharaja Forest Reserve: Rainforest Eco Lodge (or similar)

Day 12 Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Today explore Sinharaja on morning and afternoon guided walks. Astonishingly over two-thirds of the reserve’s trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is also much endemic wildlife, especially birdlife where the reserve supports over 80% of the island’s bird species, as well as numerous butterflies, insects, reptiles and amphibians. Mammals, including the rarely seen leopard and more common purple-faced langur also call Sinharaja home. (B/L/D)
Accommodation in Sinharaja Forest Reserve: Rainforest Eco Lodge (or similar)

Day 13 Sinharaja to Galle – 185kms

After breakfast leave Sinharaja and drive to the coastal city of Galle. Once the chief port of British Ceylon, today the city of Galle is divided into two parts – the modern, bustling centre and the historic, colonial fort. The charming old town was visited by Ibn Batuta during the 14th century and was subsequently controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British who finally captured the city in 1796. (B)
Accommodation in Galle: The Fort Printers (or similar)
Upgrade option: Amangalla Hotel (or similar)

Day 14 Galle to Colombo – 125kms

Spend the morning whale and dolphin watching by boat from Galle harbour where it is possible to see the great blue whale, the largest mammal on earth. Whales and dolphins are most frequently seen from November to early April. Later return to Colombo. A former Portuguese trading outpost, the city grew under both the Dutch and British to become the commercial hub of the country and today is home to numerous colonial remnants and colourful bazaars. (B)

Accommodation in Colombo: Cinnamon Lakeside (or similar)

Day 15 Colombo to UK

Today transfer back to Colombo Airport to catch the SriLankan Airlines flight non-stop to the UK. (B)

**KEY: N = No meals, B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

What's included

International flights from the UK
Private car with English speaking driver-guide
Wildlife viewing with local naturalist
Hotel accommodation and taxes

What's not included

Any Domestic flights
Cost of visas
Travel Insurance
Expenses of a personal nature

Guide to Price

The above price is based on two people travelling together and sharing accommodation in low season. The price is only a guide and can vary according to selected airlines, hotels and date of travel. If you wish to travel with your family, friends or on your own we will be very happy to assist you with your arrangements.

Your Holiday In Sri Lanka

Our holidays to Sri Lanka are completely tailor-made with all arrangements made to fit your exact requirements and interests. Pettitts Travel have organised bespoke tours to Sri Lanka for over 30 years so, whether a first time visitor or a return traveller, you can be assured that we can design an itinerary unique to you that can cover all four corners of the island. All of our itineraries, whether those featured on our website or quoted following an enquiry, include hotels and transport, guided sightseeing and entrance fees. When travelling in Sri Lanka you will have a private car with driver-guide at your disposal throughout your holiday. In Sri Lanka your driver is also your guide so they will accompany you on all sightseeing visits. In most national parks and wildlife reserves you will have the additional services of a naturalist. Whilst you are on holiday you will also have round the clock support and assistance from our both from our partners in Sri Lanka and our UK office.

Most clients use the tours featured on our website as inspiration – a starting point for discussion or a series of ideas to be adapted to meet specific requirements, adding or removing days, including places of interest or adjusting the accommodation. Sri Lanka: A Tropical Jewel is ideal for the first time visitor to Sri Lanka with a focus on the cultural triangle, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya before ending with a few days of relaxation beside the beach in Bentota. A Journey through Ceylon builds on this journey with extra time spent in and around the cultural triangle as well as two days in historic Galle. Sri Lanka is also a fabulous summer family destination with the itinerary Sri Lanka: A Summer Family Adventure mixing both adventure and wildlife with relaxation and snorkelling. Wild Sri Lanka is a comprehensive itinerary featuring the island’s premier national parks and wildlife reserves whilst Hidden Treasures of Sri Lanka showcases the underexplored northern and eastern coasts. For those looking for culture followed by pure relaxation, our two-centre journey linking Sri Lanka with the Maldives is the perfect combination.

Ancient Sites of Sri Lanka

Despite its diminutive size, Sri Lanka is blessed with an astonishing number of cultural and historic treasures so there is plenty to see and do wherever you are on the island. Highlights include the 1,500 year-old cliff-top fortress at Sigiriya with its colourful frescoes and spectacular views, the Dambulla Cave Temple complex which has been a place of worship since the 1st century BC and the UNESCO protected ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura – the former famed for its mammoth standing and reclining Buddhas, the latter for its well-preserved ruins including the towering terracotta stupa of Abhayagiri vihara. The bustling hill capital of Kandy is the home of the Temple of the Tooth. Located in the Royal Palace complex, the heart of the temple houses one of the most important relics in the country, the Buddha’s tooth. This temple, as well as the mountain-top shrine of Mihintale and the spectacular standing Buddha at Aukana, are significant pilgrimage sites and draw devotees from far and wide.

Wildlife in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka harbours an incredible diversity of flora and fauna and offers some of the finest wildlife viewing in Asia. Yala, a substantial reserve in the south-east of the island, is Sri Lanka’s best known national park. Although elusive, Yala is believed to have the world’s highest concentration of leopards, whilst its range of habitats supports a range of animals from deer and monkey to bear and crocodile. The national parks of Udawalawe, Minneriya and Gal Oya are all associated with elephant – Udawalawe and Minneriya have significant populations whilst Gal Oya, which is centred on Senanayake Samudraya Lake, has the unique spectacle of ‘swimming’ elephants. Wilpattu, the country’s largest reserve, remains little-visited due to its inaccessibility and, consequently offers a truly wild wildlife experience. Wilpattu is home to leopard, crocodile and deer and has excellent birdwatching. For something completely different, the primary rainforest of the UNESCO protected biosphere reserve of Sinharaja not only has fine birdwatching but is also the best place on the island to see butterflies, insects, amphibians and reptiles.

Wild Sri Lanka

15 days from £3400 per person

Itinerary Highlights

Itinerary: Wild Sri Lanka

What To Do Next?

What's included

What's not included

Guide to Price

What Is A Tailor-Made Holiday?

View On The Map

When to Visit

Your Holiday In Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Holiday Review

Ancient Sites of Sri Lanka

Wildlife in Sri Lanka

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