Exciting Wild Life – 15 Days

Today, head out to experience a taste of Sri Lankan wildlife at Minneriya national park. Minneriya national park is a dry zone protected area with beautiful panoramic views, which is known for its high density of Asian elephants.

Minneriya national park is a national park in Sri Lanka which covers an area of 8889 ha. It was declared a protected area in 1938 in the hope of preserving the catchment area of Minneriya reservoir. The Minneriya reservoir is situated in the middle of the park. It is a vital water source for wildlife in the area. The famous “Gathering” of wild elephants occur here annually between June and September. It is the largest known Asian wild elephant gathering in the world. Despite being a dry zone park, Minneriya national park is pleasantly green because of the water source at the heart of it.  The park is an important habitat that is home to purple faced langurs, toque macaques, sambar deer, axis deer, grey slender loris, leopards and sloth bears. It is also one of the “Important Bird Areas” (IBAs) in the island. Lesser adjutants, painted stork, spot billed pelicans, grey heron, jungle fowl, brown capped babbler, grey hornbills and many rare bird species have been sighted in the park as well.

Today, head out to experience Sri Lankan wildlife at Horton Plains national park. Horton Plains is a national park, located in the central highlands at an altitude of 2100 – 2300 metres. Montane grasslands and cloud forests cover most of the park, which is a haven for thousands of rare wildlife.

Horton Plains national park is a bio diversity hotspot with a high rate of endemicity. It belongs to the central highlands UNESCO world heritage site and is recognized as a super-hot-spot for biodiversity along with the Western Ghats in South India. Mean annual temperature is 13⁰C and mean annual rainfall is 79 inches. Frequent cloud cover limits sunlight to the plants. Many natural pools, streams and waterfalls flow through the park and it is the only national park in Sri Lanka where trekking is allowed. In fact, trekking is the only possible way because of the steep inclines through which visitors will have to climb. A patch of relict forest can be seen along the track. Sambar deer are easily spotted around vast grasslands that dominate the park landscape. Some important wildlife recorded inside the park are Horton Plains red slender loris, Sri Lankan leopard, rusty spotted cat, giant squirrels, purple faced langurs, toque macaque, spotted chevrotains and rhino horned lizard. It is also an IBA with rare endemic birds such as Sri Lanka spurfowl, Sri Lanka jungle fowl, dull blue flycatcher, Sri Lanka white eye, Sri Lanka wood pigeon and etc. The world’s end is a popular attraction inside the park. It is 1200-metre cliff, on top of which is an observation platform. The baker’s falls is also a 20 metre high waterfall frequented by visitors.

Udawalawe national park is an important protected area in Sri Lanka, which covers 30,821 hectares. It was declared as a national park in 1972 as a sanctuary for the displaced wildlife during the construction of Udawalawe reservoir. The park also protects the catchment area of Udawalawe reservoir. It is one of the best places to spot herds of Asian wild elephants in Sri Lanka. A herd no less than 250 is believed to be permanent residents. The Udawalawe elephant transit home (Ath athuru sevana) is an important facility that cares for abandoned calves and injured elephants until they are fit enough to survive in the wild. Many species of birds can be seen inside the park as well. Some of them are red faced malkoha, brown capped babbler, black capped kingfisher, Asian open bill, black headed ibis and lesser pied kingfisher.

The Galle Dutch Fort is a seventeenth-century colonial fort in Sri Lanka. It stands on a rocky promontory facing the Indian Ocean. Rocky shores and an imposing landside rampart defend it on all four directions. Most of its main features are miraculously preserved. A rare Portuguese fortalice and thirteen Dutch bastions dot the original ramparts, each with a different story belonging to a different time.Its exotic blend of European and Asian architecture attracts many local and foreign visitors. Artists, photographers, writers, and architects own many restored colonial buildings inside the fort. Trendy cafes, boutique shops, and hotels add a unique character to the atmosphere of the fort’s colonial streets. However, the real energy of Galle fort comes from its active colonial court complexes, government offices, public schools, trading companies, and beautiful churches, harking back to a thriving European colony.

Unawatuna bay near galle fort is a paradise beach. Its circular beach sports panoramic views often blessed with spectacular sunsets. The best time to visit is from November to April. The water temperature never falls below 27^o. A string of trendy restaurants and sunbed hotels dot the palm groves bordering the beach. Unawatuna beach is a cool place to chill out with some good food and drinks. It is a family vacation destination and there is something for everyone at Unawatuna. The beach is only five kilometers away from Galle city.

After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to Colombo for the city tour. Once finishes the Colombo city tour Your guide will take you back to the international airport for a safe journey. We hope and wish that you will visit this beautiful country again.

• Luxury hotel or resort with Breakfast and Dinner
• Transfers by an Air-conditioned car
• Sightseeing tours with service of an English-speaking chauffeur guide
• Parking and toll
• GST/VAT/ Service Charges
• Price per person on Double sharing basis