The Wildlife Highlights of Southern Sri Lanka

Fly overnight from the UK to Colombo direct.

Met on arrival in Colombo by your private driver and drive through coconut plantations, rolling hills and rainforest to Sinharaja. Rest of day free to relax and explore.

Day for guided walking in the Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve with local naturalist guide plus your private guide. As the last remaining primary rainforest tract on the island, Sinharaha is very precious – indeed, it is the only natural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. It has pitcher plants and all of 57 endemic dipterocarp tree species in its lowland habitat, attracting the purple-faced leaf monkey, endemic hump-nosed lizard and many birds including the common birdwing, black bulbul, and the endemic white-faced starling, red-faced malkoha, Sri Lanka jungle fowl, Legge’s flowerpecker and spot-winged thrush.

Morning departure from Sinharaja and drive to Uda Walawe. Perhaps stop for a visit to the Elephant Transit Camp which helps rehabilitate orphaned and injured pachyderms. In the afternoon, enjoy a game drive in Uda Walawe National Park to see the elephants for which the park is renowned, and much more besides.

Morning private jeep safari in Uda Walawe National Park with local guide plus your private guide. The park is surrounded by mountain ranges and is one of the few reliable water sources in the dry zone leading to sizeable herds of elephants and many waterfowl. In the afternoon, drive to Yala in the far southwest of the island.

Enjoy a thrilling day of morning and afternoon private game drives in Yala National Park. Yala has very high leopard densities, and they are well habituated making Yala one of the world’s best parks for spotting and photographing these magnificent cats. One may also see elephant, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, stripe-necked mongoose, black-naped hare and several civet species. In the water holes live mugger crocodile, painted stork, lesser whistling teal, black-headed Ibis, Eurasian spoonbill and the rare black-necked stork. Palu trees dominate the monsoon forest vegetation of the park, Manilkara hexandra and thorny bushes dominate the thick undergrowth.

Enjoy another day of morning and afternoon private game drives in Yala National Park.

Enjoy another day of morning and afternoon private game drives in the Yala National Park.

Morning game drive in Yala, then leave Yala for Bundala National Park. Afternoon game drive in Bundala. Famous for its water birds, but also containing elephant, golden jackal, black-naped hare and macaques. Buffalo and deer can be seen there, as well as the island’s two species of crocodile.

Morning and afternoon game drives in Bundala National Park.

Drive with your private driver to Mirissa the centre of Sri Lanka’s burgeoning whale watching industry and close to the historic town of Galle.

Enjoy an unforgettable morning spotting blue whales by boat. During the months of December to April the seas here are home to a large population of blue whales, giving very reliable sightings of the largest animal to have ever lived. Sperm whales are also seen frequently as well as large pods of spinner dolphins. There is a voluntary code of conduct amongst responsible operators to keep at least 100m from each whale [please encourage your boat captain to respect this]. Optional: You could book a light aircraft overflight of the blue whales, a far better way to see them. Afternoon at leisure.

In the morning, visit the nearby town of Galle to visit the old Dutch fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) with its well-preserved ramparts and plentiful grand colonial buildings. A free afternoon to relax and pack.

An early start for your drive back to Colombo and check in for your flight home.