Detailed Wildlife Photography Tour
Day 1
Day 01 - Airport – Colombo ( 35 Kms / Approx. 45 min )
SCHEDULE
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Meet and greet at the Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to Colombo.
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Check in to the hotel in Colombo.
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Spend a relaxing afternoon after the long journey.
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Overnight stay at the hotel in Colombo (BB).
Colombo is Sri Lanka’s commercial capital. It's been an important port in the Indian Ocean since ancient times. Traders from the middle-east used Sri Lanka as an exchange center while Arab traders came to gather the ivory, precious stones and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and pepper, which were highly priced in Europe. There are many locations relating to the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times in Colombo.
Day 2
Day 02 - Colombo - Deniyaya ( 190 Kms / Approx. 3h30 )
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel.
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Transfer to Deniyaya.
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Check in to a hotel by the borders of the Sinharaja Nature Reserve.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel (HB).
Sinharaja rainforest has been designated as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site, UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and also a Biodiversity Hotspot by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). All these titles are highlighting the importance of the forest reserve in terms of its exceptional biodiversity as well as its fragility. Birding in Sinharaja is particularly interesting since it is home to 95% of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka!
Day 3
Day 03 - Sinharaja – Udawalawe (70 Kms / Approx. 2h)
SCHEDULE
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Early breakfast at the hotel.
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Nature trail in the Sinharaja Rainforest.
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Transfer to Udawalawe.
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Check in to the Big Game safari camp.
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Lunch at the campsite.
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Evening safari (from 2:30 to 6:30 pm) at Udawalawe National Park.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the Big Game Safari Campsite (FB).
Located on the boundary of Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones, Udawalawe National Park, is one of the best places in the world to see wild elephants. With approximately 400 elephants residing within the area of 31,000 hectares, it is not unusual to see big herds gathering to feed and bath by the waterholes. In addition to this main attraction, Udawalawe is home to many water buffalo, water monitor lizards, sambar deer and monkeys. The bird enthusiasts shall be in their own winged paradise with not only the variety, but the quantity of bird species in the park.
Day 4
Day 04 - Udawalawe – Bundala – Yala (125 Kms / Approx. 3h)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the the campsite
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Transfer to Bundala.
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Birding safari at Bundala National Park.
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Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel near Yala National Park (HB).
Bundala National Park, with 6216 hectares of lagoons, scrub jungles, saltpans and marshes, is the most important wetland sanctuary in Southern Sri Lanka, and famous for its impressive biodiversity and prolific birdlife. It is here that the migratory birds are wintering - resting and feeding by the picturesque lagoons and intertidal mudflats.
In addition to abundant birdlife, the wetlands are inhabited by 32 mammal species (out of which 5 are classified as threatened). The park is home to a small population of elephants too. Roaming the open wetlands and secluded beaches, they are easy to spot. In Bundala, you'll have a good chance of spotting leopards, spotted deers, sambars, crocodiles, wild boar, mongooses, monitor lizards and monkeys too. Also, both marsh and estuarine crocodiles are found in Bundala, and four out of Sri Lanka's five species of sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs in its coastal areas.
Day 5
Day 05 - Yala
SCHEDULE
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Full day safari at Yala National Park with packed breakfast and lunch.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Yala National Park, situated in the southeast region of the country, covers almost 1000 square kilometers and is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, along with Wilpattu, it is one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka. Leopards are the stars here, but the park is also home to the large herds of elephants as well as to the spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, wild buffaloes, sloth bear, jackal and mongoose. The birdlife is fantastic too. Over 215 species of birds have been recorded in Yala, with six being endemic to Sri Lanka.
Your best chance to see a leopard is generally early in the morning. Especially, the young males are very confident, and often they are seen walking on the tracks.
Day 6
Day 06 - Yala – Nuwara Eliya (150 Kms / Approx. 4h)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel.
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Transfer to Nuwara Eliya via Haputale.
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En route visit a tea factory.
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Check in to a hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
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Free time in the evening to take stroll in Victoria Park and explore the centre of town.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Nuwara Eliya (HB).
Set in the heart of the Tea Country, Nuwara Eliya has a climate unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. Situated 1890 meters above sea level, it offers a cooler and more invigorating climate than lower regions. Colonized by the British, and often referred to as ‘Little England’, Nuwara Eliya still retains the feel of the ‘old world’. Famous for horse racing, the town also boasts an impressive Golf Club which dates back to 1889 and several hotels with grandiose colonial style.
Ceylon Tea is undoubtedly the best tea in the world, and one of the main exports of Sri Lanka. When driving through the plantation you will see the colorfully dressed Tea-Pickers hard at work on the sloping hills abundantly lush with tea bushes. With incredible dexterity they fill several sacks of tea leaves each day. At the tea factory, you will see the entire process, from the tea bush to teapot.
Day 7
Day 07 - Nuwara Eliya – Horton Plains – Nuwara Eliya (60 Kms / Approx. 2h)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Horton Plains.
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Half day trek to Baker’s Falls and World’s End in Horton Plains National Park.
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Return to Nuwara Eliya.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Nuwara Eliya (HB).
The famous Horton Plains is a nature reserve characterized by a beautiful landscape of rolling hills, forests, and grassland. The highest plateau in the island, spanning approximately 10,000 hectares, is home to 24 species of mammal - such as elk, deer, giant squirrel, wild boar, wild hare, porcupine, and leopard. The park also hosts unique vegetation and offers a perfect ground to observe many rare and endemic highland birds (87 species, 14 of which are endemic). An impressive physical feature in Horton Plains is the escarpment that falls 880 meters to the lowlands of the southern region of the island. Aptly known as the "World’s End", the precipice boasts a fabulous view of the tea estates below and all the way out to the distant southern coastline.
Day 8
Day 08 - Nuwara Eliya – Kandy (100 Kms / Approx. 3h30)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Nanu Oya railway station.
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Scenic train ride to Kandy.
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Check in to a hotel.
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Visit the Temple of the Tooth in the evening.
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Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy (BB).
Kandy, the capital of the Central province is home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strategically nestled amidst three mountain ranges and known as the gateway to the hill country, Kandy was initially built in this location as a natural fortress against attack as it was not an easy target for the foreign invaders. Nowadays, the city of Kandy is well known as one of Sri Lanka’s best attractions among both local and international visitors.
Day 9
Day 09 -Kandy – Knuckles – Wasgamuwa (110 Kms / Approx. 4h)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel.
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Transfer to Wasgamuwa via Knuckles.
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Half day trek in Knuckles Mountain Range.
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Check in to a hotel/safari camp near Wasgamuwa National Park.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel/campsite (HB).
Falling within Kandy and Matale districts, the Knuckles Range covers an area of about 160 sq km. With its rugged mountains and spectacular sceneries, it is without a doubt one of the most scenic parts in the Sri Lankan Highlands and a real paradise for those who love hiking and mountain biking. The scenic trails will take you across the mountains, crystal clear rivers and dense forests to flowing waterfalls, lush tea plantations and traditional little villages, surrounded by colourful home gardens and terraced paddy fields, - a world away from the fast-paced city life. The Knuckles area represents also a great variety of different forest types and climate zones which makes it a perfect destination for nature enthusiasts, botanists and researchers.
Day 10
Day 10 - Wasgamuwa
SCHEDULE
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Full day safari at Wasgamuwa National Park with packed breakfast and lunch.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel/campsite (HB).
Situated in the Central Province, The Wasgamuwa National Park is home to incredibly diverse wildlife including 23 species of mammal and reptiles. Its main attraction is a majestic herd of over 150 elephants, that can be seen in their most natural feeding and roaming state. Wasgamuwa derives its name from the Sinhalese 'walas gamuwa’, ‘walaha’ alluding to the bear and ‘gamuwa’ to 'the woods'. However, these days sloth bears are rarely seen. On the banks of the rivers, you can spot mugger crocodiles, camouflaged in murky waters. The toque macaque “rilewa” and the purple-faced langur, both endemic species of monkey to Sri Lanka, can be spotted here also.
Day 11
Day 11 - Wasgamuwa – Negombo (220 Kms / Approx. 5h)
SCHEDULE
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Breakfast at the hotel/campsite.
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Transfer to Negombo.
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Check in to a hotel.
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Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Negombo (HB).
Negombo is a fishing town with a fascinating colonial past. British, Dutch, and Portuguese all fought over this town as it was a lucrative source of cinnamon. The spice trade impacted the future of this town, but so did the Catholic church too. Today, Negombo is alive in its own blend of culture and religions and colonial-style architecture, but local traditions appear to have outlived the colonizers. The lagoon has abundant with marine life, and fishermen have been harvesting lobsters, crabs, and prawns here for centuries.
