Ceylon in the Wild

Upon your arrival at the Colombo International Airport, meet your guide and depart in the direction of the Mudhouse (3-hr drive). You will arrive at your resort deep in the forest off the beaten track, surrounded by the beauty of nature, the Sri Lankan wilderness, and animals. The mudhouse is a resort based on sustainability and nature. Here you can fully depart from the everyday grind and rekindle your love for natural serenity. If you landed early, you will have the afternoon to go for a ride by bicycle or Tuk Tuk to explore Paramakanda. If you check-in late, we recommend upon sunset a walk around the huge vicinity to spot numerous of birds and after your dinner, it is possible (if you like and ask the staff) for the staff to escort you for another 1hr night walk to spot Slender Loris or even the giant Squirrel. Dinner at the property.

Wake up this morning and enjoy breakfast in the mudhouse. After breakfast, a driver will take you to Wilpattu National Park, the oldest national park in Sri Lanka. Where you will spend the full day exploring and exploring the rare wildlife in the humongous park. Here you might be able to catch sights of Asian Elephants, The Sri Lanka Leopard, the sloth bear and so much more. Explore the park and really take in the mystery and beauty of nature. In the evening head back to the resort to rest and enjoy some dinner after a long day of expedition.

After your breakfast, around 8am, you will depart to Sigiriya/Dambulla Region. On the way, we head 2h30 drive to Yapahuwa Ruins is one of Sri Lanka’s best preserved and least visited ancient capitals. Dating from the 13th century, Yapahuwa was built in the style of Sigirya and stands resplendently above a 90 metre tall rock. Yapahuwa was a royal palace and a military fortress, originally constructed by King Buvanekabahu in 1273. However, Yapahuwa’s most distinguishable and striking feature is the giant stone staircase and carved lion statues (easily recognisable from their prominent appearance on the current 10 rupee bank note). This staircase was purpose built to access the shrine room where the relic was housed. It is possible to climb all the way to the summit and appreciate the spectacular 360 degree views. Vertigo sufferers may find this a bit of a challenge though! A couple of hours is usually enough to explore the site and small museum. After this history stop-over, you will take your final destination Sigiriya/Dambulla, where upon check in to your property enjoy the rest of your day and relax.

Very early in the morning, you will head to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and eighth wonder of the world, the 5th century Sigiriya Lion’s Rock Fortress, or Sri Lanka’s famed Lion Rock as it is more commonly known. Rising 200 meters above the surrounding jungle and topped by a flat plateau, it was formed over 200 billion years ago from the magma of an extinct volcano. Climb the 1,200steps to the top of Lion Rock to visit one of the best examples in the world to explore extant ancient urbanism. The earlier you start the climb the better as it will be both cooler and less crowded – although during the time of your visit it is very unlikely to be crowded. During the climb to the top you will pass the mirror wall (now tinted orange) which was a highly polished white wall that wraps around the edge of the rock.
On the north side, where the main entrance to the palace is, you will pass the huge lion's paws carved out of the rock and the reason for the moniker, ‘Lion Rock’. Aside from the endless wonder provided by exploring the ruins on the top, the views of the surrounding plains are also breath-taking. After your descent, back to your hotel to enjoy breakfast.
Later in the morning (or after lunch), we will to take the direction of Polonnaruwa Ancient City (about 1-2h drive per way), from where we will get the historical theory in visiting the museum before walking 2-3hrs wandering between the ruins of palaces, temples amongst enormous statues and idols of Buddha cut into rock, crossing by astonishing forest keeping the feeling of the past. Polonnaruwa was the capital from the 10th to the 13th century, until the Sinhalese kings abandoned it in favour of Yapahuwa, and as we ride freely through two centuries of ruins, we imagined what the city might’ve once been like. Such an extraordinary step back into Sri Lanka royalty memories.
After the walking exploration, you will get back to your property to enjoy the rest of the evening.

After breakfast and check out, we will head to the Hill Country of the Knuckles Range, with a stopover along the way at the Dambulla Cave Shrines and Temple. The largest cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, the site has been a pilgrimage site for more than 2,000years. With more than 80caves cut into a rock that towers more than 160m above the surrounding countryside, the shrines and temple date from the 2nd century BC. Five main caves make up the temple complex with stunning murals and religious iconography depicting both images of the Buddha and Hindu deities filling each of these well-preserved caves. Once a refuge for Buddhist monks, over time the caves have also been inhabited by kings of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa who paid for renovations and added to the collection of artworks in different periods. The latest addition to the artwork within the caves was made in the Kandyian style, and dates from the 17th century. A place of hope and devotions for many centuries, walking from one cave to another you are also participating in a personal pilgrimage. Outside, enjoy captivating views of the landscape and the rocky fortress of Sigiriya in the distance. Leaving Dambulla we journey on, for about 2-3h drive through the mountain, its wilderness, tea plantations and its remoteness in the buffer zone of the Knuckles Range Forest Reserve. A soon as you reach your property within a huge tea, vanilla and much more fruits and spices estate. Settle down and enjoy the rest of your day.

Enjoy the morning mist, its freshness and the breeze.
No pre-arranged program today.
You can chill or join some of the activities proposed by the property (visit the plantation around the eco-lodge. From the Camellia sinensis assamica plant to the cup, all stages of tea cultivation and processing are reviewed. Explanations are given on the fields, but also in the factory and in the tasting room. Enough to renew at the source its conception of the art of infusing and awaken the curiosity. You can go also for a nature hike in the hills: fauna (deer, black eagles), flora.

Today you will enjoy breakfast and get ready to check out the sunny sandy beaches of Kalkudah. Where you will enjoy and be free to roam as you please at the Karpaha Sands Resort for seven full days. You get to enjoy all the activities and amenities that the property has to offer at your own expense. Walk around on fifteen kilometers of white sand. Sleep to the sound of the waves in your beachfront tented suite. Get a massage by the ocean. During your stay here, we can arrange special ventures for you, such as Ancestral Fishing, where you can learn how to fish like the fisherman has for generations. Take a bicycle tour and explore the hidden trails in the jungles nearby. Get a City Tour of the City of Trincomalee or Batticaloa. We can also organize an outing on a Catamaran so you can catch sight of whales and dolphins or you can use the chance to watersports on the oceans as the sunsets. Use the days to snorkel around at multiple sites, such as Pigeon island, or explore nearby Kalkudah Beach or even further near Trincomalee. We can help you arrange any activities you would like to fill your days with while you spend beautiful days by the ocean.

No arrangement. Enjoy the beach.

Wake up to the sounds of the ocean and have some breakfast before embarking out your next quest. Today you will be heading towards Galoya, where you will stay in a lodge next to the jungle. After arriving, checking in and relaxing. A guide will pick you up to go on a four-wheel drive to take a safari ride across Nilgaka National Park so that you may take a walk with the Veddah People, an indigenous ethnic group in Sri Lanka. You learn of their way of life, and traditions and experience how they truly live. As the sun sets you will be able to bird watch in the jungle. After your expedition into the jungle head back out to your lodge to relax and rest for the night.

Hear the birds chirp as you are having your early breakfast so that you can set out and take the Sunrise Boat Safari tour within Gal Oya Valley National Park which is said to have one of the most incredible views that Sri Lanka has to offer. Catch sights of the many animals that call this national park home. Relax and gaze into the heart of the jungle whilst floating deeper into the green national treasure of Sri Lanka. After an early start to the day, head back to the hotel to unwind and rest.

Eat breakfast and get ready to check out. A driver will be ready to take you to your next green paradise in Sri Lanka. You will drive further south to Yala National Park, a park filled with animals and wildlife. Yala is Sri Lanka's most renowned national park by the claim of the highest leopard density in the world. Forming a total area of 1,268 sq km of scrub, light forest, grassy plains and brackish lagoons divided in 5 zones. Extremely rich on wildlife, you will definitively encounter huge amount of bird’s life, also crocodiles, buffalos, primates and of course the Leopard. Yala is one of the biggest National Park which has been divided in block, we will try to avoid the block crowded (Block 1 which is also the most populated by Leopard) by 4x4 and going to those remote where also wildlife remind wild not yet used to 4x4.

In the afternoon, we shall reach your camp, got a briefing from the team in charge about the camp, wildlife and the surrounding. Then you can enjoy the pool, read a book, or chill out at the common area until dinner is served, where you can mix with other guests if you like to share your experience. Relax and dinner served at the camp.

Wake up by 5:00am, enjoy a quick Tea, Coffee & small snack break before embarking back to your 4x4 for a 3hrs sunrise 4x4 drive into Yala or Lunugamvehera for you to explore another area who will offer you wonders to spot and observe, enjoy an original picnic breakfast in the jungle. By 10am, you will get back to camp from there you will have free time until lunch, you can spend by relaxing by the pool, reading a (wildlife) book, bird watching in the camp or even joining one of our Sri Lankan cooking classes. If you desire and following your energy, we can arrange before lunch or after lunch our naturalist on a walk through the nearby jungle, to look out for smaller wildlife, find footprints of the bigger one’s and learn about our local flora and fauna and leopard research programs.
Help us to reduce your Carbon Footprint by planting a tree, which will continue to grow and clear the air over many years to come. By 3pm, we will depart for your 2nd Sunset 4x4 3hrs Game Drive into the National Park in chess to spot of course the famous Leopard, as well as all other species can be spotted during these 3hrs of games. Back to the camp for dinner time.

An early morning wake up as by 5:00am again, you will embark for your last 4x4 for a 3hrs sunrise 4x4 drive into Yala or Lunugamvehera National Park where you will be able to immerse one more time into the wilderness of Sri Lanka and having a last possibility to encounter some astonishing wildlife and birds. By 9am, you will get back to camp for your breakfast from there you will proceed to a check out then take the direction to your beach property set up by the small bay of Weligama. (about 2h30 drive). As soon as you reach the property, check-in for 3 nights and enjoy the rest of your day by the pool or beach.

During your 2 days in Weligama no fix program. You can enjoy or your own, or you can select one or several of the options below and we will include in the final version. Let us know when you reconfirm the itinerary.

• Half Day - Catamaran Whale Watching Sailing - Discover the joy of sailing on a pure catamaran and experience some of the most beautiful day sea sceneries. Get the lush and luck to encounters giant cetaceans as various of whales, dolphins, swim in crystal clear waters, snorkel along reefs... you can also play stand up paddle.
  Additional charge
• Full Day - Sea Kayaking along Weligama Coastline - Weligama is a small beachside village on the road between Galle and Matara, famous for its ideal surf conditions for beginners and intermediates. It wraps itself around a large sunlit bay with a wide sandy beach. The town is close to where the iconic stilt fishermen cast their fishing lines. Weligama Bay was also home to an eccentric count, who, exiled from France, built a lavish villa on Tabrobane, which has been used as the setting for a couple of Western music videos. We take you out with your own guide for a Full day to explore stunning Weligama Bay. It is also the perfect place to get a taste of kayak surfing, and if you get lucky some marine mammals could appear!! –
  Additional charge
• Half or full Day- walk across the heritage & colonial city of Galle with a guide, explore Galle history and architecture and imagine the past.
  Extra charge for car/guide

After your breakfast, enjoy your morning until your check out. Then you take the road to the “gem” mining town of Ratnapura (3-4h), its mountainous area and its small village of Gileemale located at the foot of the Adam’s Peak. After you have settled into your historic mansion, you go for a walk around the estate, the village and the property to meet its inhabitants and have a first immersion in the local Sri Lankan communities. Return to the walawwa and the rest of the day you can relax.
Note: this is an old historic properties, bathrooms may be shared (if other guests in the property).

This morning, after your breakfast, you will head towards one of the precious stone mines and meet its miners. During your stay, get a

• guided tour to a local Gem Mine,
• Gem awareness session and an opportunity buy Cut and polished gemstones from the land of Gileemale Walawwa & Estate.
• Meal Preparation and Lunch with the Gem Miners
• A day tour in the World-famous Sapphire Market in the gem city of Rathnapura.
• Architectural Tour of the Gileemale Walawwa.
• Kayaking & Cycling on Site

After your breakfast, enjoy the morning at Gileemale Estate, and depening on your flight, you will embark for 3-4hrs transfer back to Colombo International Airport.

End of our services
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