Xtreme Nature Tours Kumana

Xtreme Nature Tours Kumana operates a mobile campsite within the wonderfully undisturbed Kumana National Park. They will usually site their camp on the shores of the Kumbukkan Oya river, on Kumana’s park boundary bordering Yala Strict Natural Reserve. Kumana National Park receives a fraction of the visitor numbers that Yala National Park does, and its wildlife thrives there.

Xtreme is a very well-run but basic camp with walk-in tents, camp beds and desk fans, erected exclusively for your visit and taken down immediately afterwards. It’s only one of three camps allowed within any national park in the whole of Sri Lanka due to its ability to disappear, and so needs to be simple.

The lack of luxury, however, is more than made up for by the unique wildlife access afforded within the park. In the early morning and late afternoon, yours will be virtually the only vehicle around and you will have the park almost to yourselves before the small number of outside vehicles have had the time to reach the park.

The camp’s owner, Kris, is the son of a long serving, legendary warden and grew up in the park. That gives him an edge when guiding you in search of leopard and other species. When Reef & Rainforest stayed there, we saw five leopards in three days, mostly without other jeeps present.

A major benefit of using Xtreme is that the camp is private to your party: even if there are only two of you, the camp will be for your sole use.