Negombo

Colombo

WILDLIFE TOUR

9 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS

Galle

Weligama Thalpe

Yala

Whale watching

On this wildlife tour , experience the wealth of nature that Sri Lanka has to offer and go in search of its Big Five – the blue whale , sperm whale , Asian elephant , leopard , and sloth bear . Please note that this is a seasonal tour running throughout the whale-watching season from December to April .

Day 1 Arrive Colombo You will be met on arrival and driven by your Englishspeaking chauffeur guide who will accompany you throughout your tour of Sri Lanka . You will be driven to your hotel in Colombo , approximately 1.5 hours ’ away .

Day 2 Colombo to Weligama Bay After breakfast , head south along the coast road to Galle ( approximately 3 hours ). Take a walk around the Dutch Fort ( UNESCO world heritage site ) with its myriad narrow streets within the city walls . Then , continue to Weligama , a small fishing town with a beautiful bay . Weligama Bay stretches all the way from Weligama to Mirissa , and is blessed with incredibly soft , sandy beaches . There are both good waves for surfing and more sheltered waters for snorkelling , and scuba divers can even discover some old shipwrecks offshore . The nearby Dondra lighthouse is Sri Lanka ’ s most southerly point . You will be driven to your hotel for a three-night stay .

Days 3 and 4 Weligama Bay In the mornings , drive with your naturalist to Mirissa and embark on a sea journey in a spacious and comfortable boat . Mirissa is the main point for deep sea fishing and whale watching trips between December and April . Look out for blue whales , spinner dolphins and sperm whales . In the afternoons , relax by the beach or enjoy a dip in the swimming pool .

Days 6 and 7 Yala National Park Enjoy morning and afternoon jeep safaris in Yala National Park . You will see that Sri Lanka is blessed to have the opportunity to showcase a huge amount of fascinating wildlife , all of which you will experience during your safaris . Because of the high density of leopards in Yala and the lack of other carnivores , the leopard is the top predator , so adults and cubs can be remarkably relaxed during the day . Young males in particular seem to have no fear of the jeep , which can lead to some excellent photographic opportunities . Yala is also the best place in Asia for sighting the shy and usually nocturnal sloth bear . It is usually cooler in the early mornings and late afternoons , just in time for your safaris .

Day 8 Yala to Thalpe or Koggala ( near Galle ) After breakfast , leave to travel along the coast to Thalpe or Koggala ( approximately 4 to 5 hours ) for one night at the Frangipani Tree on a divine secluded stretch of sandy beach , or the stylish eco-resort TRI on the secluded Lake Koggala . Just 8km from Galle Fort , Thalpe is blessed with a long stretch of palm fringed golden sand , and , in season , sea turtles return to the beach here to lay their eggs . The coast is lined with many boutique hotels , created under the influence of Geoffrey Bawa . Bawa is a world renowned architect , often considered to be the father of contemporary Sri Lankan architecture , so it is not uncommon to see villas and hotels in this style .

Day 5 Weligama to Yala After breakfast , head eastwards to Jetwing Yala or stay in a luxury tented camp for three nights ( approximately 3.5 hours ). This nature resort is located in ten acres of jungle bordering the entrance of Yala National Park and the Indian Ocean . Yala National Park covers an area of 965 sq kilometres and was declared a Game Park in 1938 . According to research , the park has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world and therefore offers one of the best chances throughout Asia to see these animals . You may also see elephant , sloth bear , sambhur , spotted deer , wild boar , stripe necked , brown , and ruddy mongooses , black-naped hare , and several species of civet . In the water holes you may see mugger crocodile , painted stork , lesser whistling teal , black-headed Ibis , Eurasian spoonbill , egrets and the rare Black-necked stork .

Day 9 Thalpe of Koggala to Negombo Depart for Negombo ( approximately 4 hours drive ) for a relaxing afternoon and evening at your hotel . Negombo is actually an important fishing town with Portuguese and Dutch colonial heritage . The Dutch legacy is seen in the remains of the grand Dutch Fort and the Dutch canal ( now called Hamilton Canal ) which runs from Colombo to Chilaw via Negombo . The canal is being revived and you can see galley-painted boats using it as a waterway . The beaches at Negombo are wide and good for beach walking . It is fascinating to see how the fishing industry dominates life in coastal Negombo - the fish market , the auctions , the stalls along the beach . As a tourist resort , Negombo caters to a wide spectrum of holidaymakers on a range of budgets . It ’ s lively at night and has tourist shops and restaurants .

Day 10 Departure from Colombo Transfer to the airport for your departure ( approximately 20 minutes drive ).

Whale watching

Herd of elephants

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