Sri Lankan Wildlife and Whales

Enjoy included UK airport lounge access before you board your overnight flight from London to Colombo.

On arrival at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport, you’ll be escorted to the Silk Route Lounge where you’re welcome to relax and enjoy some complimentary refreshments. Then, you’ll be transferred to your accommodation for the evening – an elegant boutique hotel set within an 18th-century manor house among lush tropical gardens. It’s set just north of Colombo and inland from Negombo, a bustling coastal town known for its golden beaches, fishing heritage, canals and colonial-era churches. Blending historic character with modern comforts, fabulous cuisine and warm Sri Lankan hospitality, it’s the perfect place to begin your adventure. 

After breakfast, you’ll travel north to Wilpattu National Park – the largest national park in Sri Lanka, renowned for its unique landscape of sand-rimmed lakes known as ‘villus’ . Your base here is a luxury tented camp nestled in the untamed wilderness, where you’ll be fully immersed in the sights and sounds of the surrounding forest. Once you’ve settled in, you’ll venture out on an afternoon jeep safari, offering the chance to spot a rich array of wildlife including leopards, elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer and crocodiles. In the evening, a delicious gourmet dinner will be served under the stars back at the lodge.

It’s an early start the following morning as you set off on another jeep safari as the sunlight slowly unfolds across Wilpattu’s golden plains, forests and lakes. This is a particularly optimal time of day for wildlife sightings, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled. After a relaxing afternoon back at the lodge, you’ll step back into the wilderness on a guided evening bush walk alongside an experienced naturalist, allowing you to explore the wonders of the forest in a completely different way to a jeep safari. It’s another superb opportunity to learn about this unique ecosystem and the rich variety of flora and fauna that inhabits it. Afterwards, return to camp and savour an outdoor dinner beside a roaring fire. 

Stay: Leopard Trails Wilpattu (Deluxe)

This morning, after breakfast, check out of your safari camp and meet your guide as you venture into the heart of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle – a region known for its ancient kingdoms, UNESCO World Heritage sites and timeless traditions. Explore majestic temples, ruins and sacred sites while travelling through scenic landscapes of lush forests and tranquil lakes. At the centre of the Cultural Triangle is the iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress, which you’ll have the opportunity to explore the following morning. This afternoon, you’ll arrive in Minneriya National Park, where hundreds of wild Asian elephants roam through the wide open grasslands. You’ll spend the night at a luxury eco-retreat among wetlands and paddy fields with splendid views towards Sigiriya. 

Start your day by visiting Sigiriya, a 200-metre rock column rising from the jungle, topped with the ruins of a fifth-century royal fortress. Also known as Lion’s Rock, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Sri Lanka’s most remarkable landmarks. After ascending gradually via a series of stone steps, you’ll find yourself immersed in Sigiriya’s historic aura as the landscape opens out beneath you, bathed in the soft morning sun. Afterwards, return to the hotel for breakfast.

You’ll then set off towards your next destination, Gal Oya, in Sri Lanka’s eastern wilderness. Dotted with lakes and surrounded by forests and mountains, this region is known for its pristine nature and abundant wildlife, with opportunities for boat safaris to spot elephants swimming between the islands. Your base is a secluded, luxury eco-retreat with stylish bungalows that blend seamlessly with the surrounding nature. A jungle night walk in the nearby forest offers the perfect introduction, with possibilities for wildlife sightings.

The following day, you’ll embark on a discovery walk with a local village chief from the forest-dwelling, indigenous Veddha community. As you wind through the jungle, you’ll learn about the tribe’s use of medicinal plants, ancient hunting grounds and cave dwellings, providing a fascinating insight into how hunter-gatherers have lived over the centuries in Gal Oya. This is followed by an afternoon jeep drive in Gal Oya National Park, which includes a chance to venture deeper into the jungle on foot with an expert naturalist. Along the way, your guide will prepare a delicious picnic lunch. Finally, return to the lodge for the remainder of the day. 

Stay: Gal Oya Lodge (Superior)

Start your morning by heading out on a boat safari on Gal Oya Lake, the largest lake in Sri Lanka. While floating through this pristine landscape, keep a lookout for elephants, crocodiles and all kinds of birdlife. The next leg of your Sri Lanka adventure then sees you continue south to Yala National Park, one of the country’s most iconic wildlife destinations, where you’ll be staying in a luxury safari camp.

Awake early the next morning for a safari, during which you may be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of Yala’s most renowned resident, the Sri Lankan leopard. Indeed, Yala National Park is home to one of the highest concentrations of leopards in the world. As you meander between grasslands, forests and lagoons, you might also spot the likes of elephants, buffalos, monkeys and crocodiles. In mid-morning, you’ll return to the lodge for breakfast and some free time to relax, perhaps with a refreshing dip in your private plunge pool. As the light softens once more in the late afternoon, you’ll embark on another safari with further potential for thrilling wildlife encounters. 

Stay: Leopard Trails Yala (Deluxe)

Leaving Yala National Park behind, you’ll journey along Sri Lanka’s southern coastline, where the scenery shifts from dense jungles to coconut groves and golden beaches. Your destination is an elegant beachfront retreat on the tranquil shores of Talpe, featuring an outdoor pool, lush gardens and magnificent views of the Indian Ocean. The gentle sound of the waves lapping against the shore sets the tone for a relaxed dinner as you settle into your first night on the coast.

It’s an early start the following morning as you head to Mirissa to embark on a whale watching adventure. As you venture further out to sea on a catamaran-style yacht, there’s the possibility of blue whale and sperm whale sightings, as well as dolphins, turtles and other marine species. Breakfast and lunch will be served onboard, and after the cruise, there will be a chance to go swimming or paddle boarding. In the early afternoon, you’ll head back to the hotel before a guided tour to the vibrant seaside city of Galle. The highlight is the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort, originally built by the Portuguese in 1588 and radically transformed by the Dutch and the British, serving as the country’s principal trading port for more than 200 years. Its eclectic fusion of European and Asian cultural influences over the centuries makes it a truly captivating place to explore, brimming with history and filled with wonderfully colourful architecture. 

Stay: Candella House (Deluxe)

After one last breakfast, a transfer will bring you back to Bandaranaike International Airport in time for your flight home.