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.

Another great wildlife attraction in Sri Lanka is the Leopard. Wilpattu National Park in the northwest of the island is one of the very best place in the world to see these normally elusive big cats. Our trips include several game drives in Wilpattu, where Leopard sightings are almost guaranteed, and where there is a wealth of other wildlife.