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Sri Lanka's wild side, from national parks to the ocean in this tropical paradise
The group flight arrives into Colombo Airport today where our local guide will be waiting to meet us. Land Only clients should be at the airport ready to join the group transfer to Ahangama on the south coast of the island - please refer to the joining instructions for further information. Sri Lanka's road network has improved greatly over the last few years, and the 'deep south' (as it is often known) is now accessible within around 3 hours from Colombo. The coastline's coconut groves and tall palms give way to magnificent views of the sea as we approach Ahangama. Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
Shortly after sunrise we depart for the harbour, where we board a small, privately chartered boat for today's whale watching excursion. Accompanied by excellent crew and a naturalist guide, we spend the morning searching the Indian Ocean for whales and other cetaceans. The vessel is fitted with radar and GPS which helps to increase our chance of success. Blue whales, the largest animals that have ever lived, typically frequent these waters between November and April. They are huge, reaching up to 30 metres in length and weighing as much as 160 tonnes. We may also be lucky enough to encounter Sperm whales, Brydes whales and large pods of Spinner or Bottlenose dolphins in the surrounding waters. After spending the morning at sea, we return to the harbour and our hotel in Ahangama. Later this afternoon we have a guided visit to Galle to discover the historical fort, a fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by the Dutch in 1663, the fort is a maze of cobbled streets crammed with cafes, boutique shops and beautifully restored colonial houses. Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
This morning we transfer to Sinharaja Rainforest, the last undisturbed area of rainforest in Sri Lanka. This biodiversity hotspot harbours a number of endemic species. Canopy trees reach heights of up to 45 metres and bird species number 160 and counting. Amongst the insects, amphibians and reptiles are mammals such as Sambar, Barking deer and Wild boar. Purple-faced langurs usually congregate in groups of 10 or more and are fairly common to see amongst the trees. Around 15 leopards are known in this area but sightings are very difficult to come by due to the dense vegetation. This afternoon we take a walk to discover Sinharaja and its many inhabitants, accompanied by our naturalist guide. Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
Wake up to birdsong and get ready for another day in the forest. Sinharaja covers a narrow sliver of land 21km long and 3.7km wide, covering an area of roughly 11,187 hectares. Within this area 43% of all the species recorded in Sri Lanka can be found. Our naturalist guide will take us on a wildlife walk to discover the many trails and abundant diversity here. Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
This morning we leave the rainforest and travel further inland to Udawalawe National Park, which lies on the boundary between Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones. Udawalawe is one of the best parks in Sri Lanka to see elephants with around 600 animals in the park who can be seen roaming in herds of up to 50 - the highest concentration of wild elephants anywhere in Sri Lanka. The Udawalawe Reservoir is at the centre of the park and makes a stunning backdrop amongst the otherwise lightly vegetated area. For this reason wildlife watching in the national park is relatively easy. Aside from elephant families feeding in the grasslands, we may encounter Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Water buffalo, Wild boar, jackal and mongoose on this afternoon's game drive. Accommodation: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
This morning our 4WD safari vehicles are waiting to take us back into Udawalawe for a second game drive within the park. Game drives typically last for 3 hours, depending on sightings, and are always accompanied by a naturalist guide. In the afternoon we visit Udawalawe's famous Elephant Transit Home (ETH), situated just 5km from the park entrance. The transit home is run by the department of Wildlife Conservation and supported by the Born Free Foundation. It provides a safe environment for orphaned elephants, who are typically looked after at the home until they reach the age of 4, at which point they are old enough to be released back into the wild. Our visit will coincide with feeding time at ETH, where the juveniles are given bottled milk by a team of park rangers and the noisy spectacle can be witnessed from the viewing platform. Accommodation: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
After breakfast we depart for Tissamaharama and Yala National Park, a drive of around 3 hours. On arrival in Yala we check into our hotel and then around 3pm head out in 4WD jeeps for our afternoon game drive. Yala is Sri Lanka's most well known national park, famous for having a higher concentration of leopard per square kilometre than anywhere else in the world. Located in Sri Lanka's lowland dry zone in the south eastern corner of the country, Yala National Park is extensive, covering some 97,881 hectares across five 'blocks'. Yala's vegetation primarily consists of dense secondary forest, semi-arid thorny scrub, brackish lagoons and mangroves since the park borders the coastline. With this diverse habitat comes a huge array of wildlife, including elephant, Sloth bear, Spotted deer, Water buffalo, Sambar deer, Wild boar, langur and macaque. Bird counts are also high, with over 215 species recorded, including thousands of migrating waterfowl. Our group will be split evenly between jeeps and will be joined by the tour leader, naturalist and tracker who will each sit in a different vehicle. The drive this afternoon will last around 3 - 4 hours, before we return to the hotel to freshen up and have dinner. Accommodation: Kithala Resort (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
Wildlife tends to be at its most active during the early morning and to take advantage of this we have a morning game drive in Yala, returning to our hotel for a rest and lunch afterwards. Our naturalist guide will focus on Yala's diverse wildlife and birds, with our game drive lasting around 3 hours. After lunch we transfer around 3.5 hours to Dickwella, a remarkable beach with clear waters and clean beaches. Traditional fishing boats rest on the sand in front of a backdrop of palm trees - this is postcard worthy, and in our opinion, one of the most picturesque beaches in Sri Lanka. Accommodation for our two night's here is at a lovely resort with direct access to the beach. The resort is set on tropical grounds and is among the top beach hotels in Sri Lanka! We have marked this property as a 'comfortable hotel' with air-conditioned rooms. You will be able to relax under swaying palms by the pool while enjoying long walks along the beach. The rooms are fitted with contemporary amenities and you could simply surrender yourself to healing Balinese rituals at the spa during your seaside getaway in paradise. Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
Today is free to enjoy all facilities at Dickwella Resort & Spa where you could swim in the sea, walk along the beach or even have a dip in the pool. Alternatively, if there are enough people interested, we can organize a second whale watching excursion to take place this morning. By having the opportunity to go whale watching again we maximize our chances of having the most favorable weather and sea conditions. Please note that this optional excursion will involve transfers to/from Mirissa where all of the whale watching boats depart. Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar) *Comfortable Hotel*
This morning we check out and make our way to Colombo airport where our holiday comes to an end. Flight inclusive clients travelling with Sri Lankan airlines will usually leave Sri Lanka in the early afternoon, arriving into London this evening. Flights with Etihad Airlines tend to depart much later in the evening and won't arrive back into London until Day 12 of this itinerary. Land Only clients should check with our customer operations team before booking their own flights to ensure they can be dropped at the airport in time. Alternatively, an additional nights accommodation can be organised near to Colombo Airport if you would like to fly home on Day 12 of the itinerary. **
* 10 days land only / 11 days flight inclusive
* Travel by private bus, boat and 4WD
* 9 nights in comfortable hotels and eco lodges
* All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included
* Whale watching season: November to April
All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included.
These are provided at the hotels we are staying in and usually consist of a
buffet with local and international options. Sri Lankan cuisine is a
fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion
of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries
by Malays, Arabs, Indians as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Sri
Lankan cuisine is often referred to simply as ‘Rice and Curry’; this is
the staple dish in most restaurants and usually consists of assorted meat and
vegetable curries as well as various pickles, ‘sambols,’ and a handful of
tiny poppadum’s – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli,
curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic. The abundance of fresh seafood and fish
will ensure that cuisine is a highlight of the trip.
Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any
special dietary requests. Please note that in Sri Lanka the availability of
certain products is minimal or non-existent, for example wheat/gluten or
dairy-free. Please be prepared for this as you may need to bring such
supplies from home. Spicier food can be avoided and lots of the hotels will
serve Western options alongside local cuisine.
* 10 days land only / 11 days flight inclusive
* Travel by private bus, boat and 4WD
* 9 nights in comfortable hotels and eco lodges
* All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included
* Whale watching season: November to April
Activity Level: 1 (Leisurely) with a Safari Rating of 4.
This is a relatively leisurely itinerary, staying in comfortable
accommodation throughout and travelling on air-conditioned buses, private
boats and 4WD game vehicles. There are some long drives and early starts, and
if you're prone to sea sickness you may wish to take medication for the whale
watching excursions. Temperatures are typically hot although the early
mornings can be cool.
There are some important things to note about wildlife watching in Sri Lanka:
Yala is Sri Lanka's most popular national park, and in peak season attracts a
large number of both international and local visitors. Game drives in Yala
are a very different experience to being in Africa; geographically the area
is much smaller and wildlife tourism is a relatively new thing, which means
that the number of vehicles in parks and communication between vehicles is
not being controlled by the authorities at this time. In peak times there can
be many vehicles in the park at one time and this can result in 'traffic
jams' where a number of vehicles are present at the same sighting. The
naturalist guides and drivers that Exodus works with will do their best to
avoid such sightings, and although we always try to make sure you see
leopard, we ensure this is done in a safe and sensible way away from the
crowds as much as possible. Our preference is to focus on the quieter areas
of the park to enhance the quality of the wildlife encounters, as and when
they occur, and we believe this is the most responsible way to operate game
drives in Yala.
Whale watching is becoming an increasingly popular activity and as yet there
are very few regulations on the industry in Sri Lanka. Exodus have chosen a
responsible operator and our boat trips will always be accompanied by a
naturalist guide, with a focus on education. We are careful to use small,
private boats for our groups and will ensure that wildlife is approached at a
minimum boat speed and only ever from a sideways angle, as approaching
head-on can be threatening for cetaceans. In addition we adhere by
responsible tourism guidelines to spend no more than 20 minutes at any
sightings.
Enforcing these regulations on ourselves, and educating our clients in best
practice, is the most simple way of encouraging responsible behaviour around
marine life and we hope to see such behaviour adopted by other boats in Sri
Lanka.
Hotels and eco lodges
On this holiday we have 9 nights in comfortable hotels and eco lodges, all
rooms with en suite facilities. Several hotels have swimming pools. We have
a total of four nights at the coast, two at the Insight Resort in Ahangama
and two at Dickwella Resort & Spa on the south coast. Dickwella Resort & Spa
will no doubt be a highlight of this holiday - set in tropical grounds with a
freshwater swimming pool, comfortable rooms, three different dining options,
a spa and fitness center that will simply spell out a memorable and fantastic
island getaway!
Single accommodation (available on request).
*Please note paying the single supplement may not mean that you receive a
double or twin room for sole use. The room you are allocated may differ from
hotel to hotel , and on some nights a smaller room for ‘one person’ may
well be allocated.*
Our Sri Lankan team of leaders have proved very popular with their incredible
knowledge, passion and hospitality adding greatly to the experience. There is
no better way to experience Sri Lankan culture than letting a local leader
show you around their country.
All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included.
These are provided at the hotels we are staying in and usually consist of a
buffet with local and international options. Sri Lankan cuisine is a
fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion
of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries
by Malays, Arabs, Indians as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Sri
Lankan cuisine is often referred to simply as ‘Rice and Curry’; this is
the staple dish in most restaurants and usually consists of assorted meat and
vegetable curries as well as various pickles, ‘sambols,’ and a handful of
tiny poppadum’s – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli,
curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic. The abundance of fresh seafood and fish
will ensure that cuisine is a highlight of the trip.
Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any
special dietary requests. Please note that in Sri Lanka the availability of
certain products is minimal or non-existent, for example wheat/gluten or
dairy-free. Please be prepared for this as you may need to bring such
supplies from home. Spicier food can be avoided and lots of the hotels will
serve Western options alongside local cuisine.
We use an air-conditioned minibus or coach depending on the size of the
group. In Udawalawe and Yala National Park 4WD jeeps are used for our game
drives, and whilst whale watching we use a small, private boat for a maximum
of 16 people, which has an overhead canopy for shade.
*Travelling flight inclusive from London: 11 **days*
The group flight from London is an overnight flight departing the day before
Day 1 of the itinerary.
*Flights from London *
We normally use the scheduled services of Sri Lankan Airlines or Etihad
Airlines (depending on availability). As flight timings and schedules change
regularly we recommend you call one of our specialist sales staff or your
agent to confirm up‐to‐date timings. Please note timings may change at a
later date and cannot be confirmed until approximately two weeks before
departure.
*Travelling land only: 10** days starting and ending at Colombo Airport
*
Your trip starts at Colombo Airport on Day 1 of the itinerary listed below.
Airport transfers are included for those on the group flights. Please note
that transfers are not included for clients arriving on any other flight,
even if Exodus has booked it.
If you require airport transfers, you may (by prior arrangement only) be able
to join the group transfer. Transfers are arranged to coincide with the
arrival time of the group flight ‐ please check the group flight details 2
weeks before departure. If you do not take this transfer, or miss it, you
must make your own way to the joining point at your own expense.
*PLEASE NOTE* that if you are not travelling on the group flights you will
need to be at the airport when the group land, as the group will leave
Colombo Airport on Day 1 of the itinerary below and head straight to the
start hotel on the south coast of the island.
Sri Lanka has a tropical climate with two distinct wet seasons or monsoons.
The south-west monsoon brings rain to that area of the island between May and
August. The north-east monsoon takes place from October to January and only
really affects the north and east coastal regions. Generally you should
expect rain some of the time but with plenty of sunshine. On the plains, day
and night time temperatures are warm to hot with Colombo having an average
daytime temperature of 30ºC.
Sunhat
Sun cream and lip salve with sun protection
Sunglasses
Light cotton clothes (neutral colours)
Warm sweater/fleece
Torch
Trainers/Walking shoes
Sandels/Flip-flops
Anti-bacterial hand gel
Small personal first aid kit
In Sinharaja, leeches are common and so we recommend bringing leech socks for
the walks here. These can be borrowed from the accommodation if your would
prefer not to purchase your own.
Women especially should dress conservatively to avoid unwanted attention and
not to cause offence; vests, tight fitting trousers, short skirts and short
shorts are not recommended. If visiting any temples men and womens clothing
should cover shoulders and be on or below the knee.
Raincoat
Binoculars
Swimming costume
Spending money will be needed for lunches, drinks, souvenirs and tips.
*Optional Excursions (approximate costs, depending on group sizes) *
On this holiday there are two chances to go whale watching. One is included
in the itinerary, and the other is offered as an optional excursion, which we
try to offer on the same private charter boat. As a result the price is
dependent on how many people choose to take up this optional excursion.
We cannot pre‐book this optional activity and so availability can only be
checked whilst you're in Sri Lanka. Your tour leader will co‐ordinate this
after the included whale watching excursion. If for some reason the private
charter boat is not available, it may be possible to join one of the larger
boats that operate from Mirissa. We do not endorse these larger boats as
there have been reports of overcrowding and a lack of respect for the welfare
of the animals. Please ask your leader for further information.
The whale watching trip by private boat should cost between £40 and £80
(approx. US$50-100) per person depending on the number of participants.
Our leaders are fairly paid for the work they do, but we believe clients
should be able to reward exceptional performance if they wish to do so. If
you feel that your leader and support team have performed well over the
course of your trip, you may want to show your appreciation of their
services. The sum you choose to give is entirely personal, but as a
reasonable starting point, we suggest a contribution of around USD35 per
group member to be split between the driver and guide (approx. USD5 per day).
Smaller groups may wish to give a little more per person. In addition, your
leader may suggest tipping local guides or drivers during the trip, usually
at around USD3 – 5 each (given in local currency)
* Travel insurance
* Single accommodation (available on request)
* Visas or vaccinations
Ved skriftlig aksept av vårt tilbud bekrefter du/dere at våre betingelser er både lest og forstått og at evt kansellerings gebyrer kan tilkomme ved en evt. avbestilling av reisen.
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