Sri Lanka

Meetings with Giants: Blue Whales, Elephants and Big Cats

Sri Lanka, the resplendent isle. Like a pearl hanging from the southern tip of India, the island of Sri Lanka is home to a population of 20 million, a mix of Buddhist Sinhalese, Hindu Tamils and others. They have a rich cultural heritage, with a dense network of temples and ancient ruins throughout the island. The capital city, Colombo is a bustling modern metropolis, but much of the countryside remains given over to labour-intensive rice cultivation, plantations and forest. Sri Lanka is also well known for its spectacular scenery and fabulous terrestrial wildlife, with wild Elephants being the largest of all.

 

What is less well known is that Sri Lankan waters are home to some of the best whale and dolphin watching in the world. At the right place and time, Blue Whale sightings are all but guaranteed. Sperm Whales and Bryde’s Whales are also present in good numbers, as are a variety of dolphins, including Spinners, Bottlenose, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose, Risso’s, Spotted and Striped.

Forthcoming trips:

SRI LANKA	East Coast Blues	2-11 March 2013 (FULL)
SRI LANKA	East Coast Blues	9-18 March 2013
SRI LANKA	East Coast Blues	16 - 25 March 2013
SRI LANKA	Blues, Leopards and Elephants	31 March - 13 April 2013
SRI LANKA	East Coast Blues	March 2014
SRI LANKA	Blues, Leopards and Elephants	April 2014

 

 

Another great wildlife attraction in Sri Lanka is the Leopard. Yala National Park in the far southeast of the island is possibly the very best place in the world to see these normally elusive big cats. Our April trips include several game drives in Yala, where Leopard sightings are almost guaranteed.

Typical itinerary:

Day 1. Arrival in Sri Lanka. Arrive in Sri Lanka and transfer to hotel in Colombo.

Day 2. Head South. After breakfast, drive south to Udawalawe National Park. In the afternoon join a bird walk in the hotel gardens and surrounds. We will be on the lookout for Malabar Pied Hornbills, Stork-billed Kingfishers and more.

Day 3. Elephants! Morning and afternoon game drives in Udawalawe National Park to see Elephants, other wildlife and a host of birds. Wild Elephants are the main attraction, and we do expect to see many at home in the savannah-like landscape. We can also expect to see several other mammal species, such as Spotted Deer or Mongoose, and a host of birds.

Day 4. Head to Galle. After a leisurely breakfast drive south to the coast then west to Galle. Enroute the road passes through expansive wetlands, where we can expect to spot Egrets, Storks and Stilts among others. Check in to 5* ocean-front hotel near Galle, our home for the next week.

Days 5-10. Whale-watching. Six days of whale-watching, with a 4-6 hour boat excursion every morning. Some afternoons there will be opportunities to visit local cultural and natural history sites, other afternoons will be free to relax at the hotel.

Day 11. Head North. After breakfast, drive north back up the coast road to the International Airport.

Contact us:

For further information, including availability, prices and previous trip reports, contact us on:
info@whale-and-dolphin.com