Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival at Manampitiya Bridge
You will begin your 4 day expedition by first arriving at the Manampitiya bridge. There you will meet your Eco Team river guide and begin your rafting or canoeing tour along the Mahaweli River while our staff will follow you either by boat or vehicle carrying your camping equipment and clothing. After a few hours of canoeing, you will enjoy a packed lunch in a suitable spot; a river bank and continue forward. You will end your day with an overnight stay at a participatory campsite* in the banks of the Mahaweli River close to the Somawathi National Park and retreat back to your tents after a delicious dinner.
Day 2 & 3 - River expedition down the Mahaweli River
After an early breakfast on both days, you will begin continuing your rafting or canoeing expedition. You will be passing Somawathiya National Park, which lies in a deltaic floodplain of the Mahaweli River that has a tributary that forks into two branches. We will be taking the branch which is the Mahaweli River that flows north into Koddiyar Bay. The other branch is the Verugal Oya that flows north east into the sea. On both days you will stop for lunch again at a suitable place down your river expedition and end the day with dinner and an overnight stay at a participatory campsite in the banks of the Mahaweli River.
Day 4 - Ending your expedition at Koddiyar Bar
After an early breakfast on your fourth and final day, you will continue your final stretch of the rafting expedition and end it at the Koddiyar Bay in Trincomalee. Your transfer vehicle will be ready at the ending point of the expedition for your departure to your next destination.
Important notes
This river expedition is not for the faint hearted, but for individuals with a reasonable physical fitness level.
During the expedition, due to the changing landscape, in some areas you would have to use your best skills to conquer the rapids which are graded from 1 to 2, whilst in some stretches you will have to carry your own canoe/kayak or raft as you will encounter sandy patches that do not have enough depth for you to sit and paddle.
*Participatory campsite – After your water expeditions, you will have to be willing to work with the supporting staff to put up your own tents, help prepare meals and clean utensils with the staff and pack up to get ready for the following day’s stretch.
All participants will be given a safety briefing, and canoeing equipment including oars, life jackets and helmets. It is encouraged to bring your own towel and a change of clothing.
Our guides will lead the way and all participants are expected to follow their instructions for their own safety. As Eco Team we adhere to a high level of environmental and responsible travel practices. We urge our valued participants to adhere to our environmental and safety policies too.
