Sri Lanka Eco Tours
OVERVIEW
Partake in over a week of exciting exploration around the island, centring on Sri Lanka’s amazing wildlife mysteries. Visits to a natural rain forest with indigenous species, national parks located deep inside the isle for a close-up and personal observation of spotted leopards, wild elephants, exotic birds and crocodiles, as well as a quick stop at the Kandy Temple of Tooth Relic to witness a cultural show.
This is an exquisitely detailed and eco-friendly package for tourists, students, and families interested in the island’s amazing wildlife locations.
TOUR PLAN
In the evening, visit Muthurajawela.
Muthurajawela is located south of Negombo in the Colombo district. Visit the vast area of marshland and mangrove vegetation with an extent of 3100 hectares, of which one-third is declared as a sanctuary. This important wetland habitat is home to 85 resident bird species.
Overnight stay at hotel in Waikkal.
(Airport / Waikkal – approximately 30 minutes)
Kithulgala is one of the most scenic locations on the island and also a centre for many nature and adventure related activities, including white water rafting, rainforests, and the Belilena prehistoric cave. It is also one of the gateways to the hill country.
Overnight stay at hotel in Kithulgala.
(Waikkal / Kithulgala – approximately 3 ½ hours)
In the morning, do some birdwatching in the remnant wet zone forests close to Kithulgala in the morning and, after breakfast, glide across the Kelani River in a canoe to visit the Kelani Valley Forest Reserve, a lowland tropical rainforest with a high diversity of native fauna and flora.
Afterward transfer to Rathnapura.
Evening at leisure or visits around area.
Overnight stay at hotel in Rathnapura.
(Kithulgala / Rathnapura – approximately 2 ½ hours)
Sinharaja is the only Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO World Heritage Site rain forest in Sri Lanka, with a very high rate of biodiversity. The tropical evergreen forest and the area under the reserve are 11,187 hectares. Out of the 331 woody trees and lianas identified, 192 (60%) are endemic to Sinharaja. Regarding fauna species: 141 bird (28 endemic); 65 butterfly (1 endemic); fish 10 (7 endemic); 19 amphibious (8 endemic); 29 reptiles & snakes (14 endemic), and 40 mammals (07 endemic). Sinharaja is the only relatively undisturbed rain forest of any considerable size and home to many of the exclusive, very rare plants in a large area.
Overnight stay at hotel in Rathnapura.
(Rathnapura / Sinharaja – approximately 1½ hours)
Check in to the hotel and relax.
In the afternoon, go on a Udawalawe National Park safari.
Sri Lanka’s Udawalawe National Park is renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty and wealth of faunal species, particularly mammals and birds. It is a famous tourist attraction throughout the year for its unique fauna and flora. The park is situated in the arid zone and conditions of the physical features are characterized by an annual dry season coinciding with the southwest monsoon. The predominant ecosystem of the park area is the forest area with scattered grasslands and thorny shrubs. There are herds of elephants and the populations of sambhar, spotted deer, barking deer, wild boar, and water buffalo are gradually re-establishing themselves.
(Rathnapura / Embilipitiya – approximately 2 hours)
After a hotel breakfast, transfer to Yala.
En route, visit Bundala National Park.
Bundala National Park is the latest addition to Sri Lanka’s national parks, which is situated 250 km from Colombo. All water bird species reside in the country and migrant birds also inhabit this park.
Overnight stay at hotel in Yala
(Embilipitiya / Yala – approximately 2 ½ hours)
Take a picnic breakfast to your safari in Yala National Park.
Yala is the largest national park in Sri Lanka, home to wild elephants, wild boars, wild buffaloes, leopards, bears, deer, and crocodiles. Large flocks of migratory and indigenous birds are also found here.
Transfer to Nuwara Eliya.
Because of its invigorating mountain climate and scenery, Nuwara Eliya is Sri Lanka’s most popular hill resort. It is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country, producing a significant share of the world’s best tea. At 2.5-km high, see Sri Lanka’s highest mountain, Pidurutalagala. Nuwara Eliya also has one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in South Asia.
Overnight stay at hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
(Yala / Nuwara Eliya – approximately 4 hours)
Haggala Botanical Gardens was founded in 1860 by eminent British botanist, Dr. G.H.K. Thwaites, who was superintendent of the more famous gardens at Peradeniya. Haggala Botanical Gardens were once the pleasure garden of Ravana of the Ramayana epic and, according to many; it was one of the places where the beautiful Sitha was hidden by the demon king.
Transfer to Kandy.
In the afternoon visit Udawatte Kele Forest Reserve.
Udawatta Kele is a Buddhist sanctuary with an impressive temple. Vegetation boasts of fairly dense forest, mostly plantation and secondary formations. About 80 bird species have been recorded in the area.
In the evening, visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Afterwards, witness the cultural show.
Overnight stay at hotel in Kandy.
(Nuwara Eliya / Kandy – approximately 2 ½ hours)
After a hotel breakfast, transfer to the airport for the departure flight home.
(Kandy / Airport – approximately 2 ½ hours)
