This 12 night tour is built to give the adventure seeker a taste of what Sri Lanka has to offer including trekking, camping, whitewater rafting and wildlife safaris capped off with two days at a beach resort to help you wind down at the end of it
This tour uses a selection of camping, luxury hotels and mid range accommodation and includes your personal vehicle and driver throughout the journey.
As is the case with everything on Footfalls we encourage you to use this as a guideline and allow us to custom design it to your personal specifications.
Day 01
Arrival and transfer to Habarana the hub of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. The drive will take you through small villages interspersed with paddy fields, coconut and rubber plantations and forests.
In the evening acclimatise to the tropics and relax after the long flight with a leisurely walk along the hotels nature trail which wends its way along a breathtaking dry zone lake. Your first sunset in Sri Lanka, by a lake is guaranteed to be special…
Overnight The Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana
(The Lodge is a unique chalet style hotel set in a 50 acre park bordering a lake. its design is based on the lay out of a traditional Sri Lankan village).
Day 02
Morning at leisure to recover from the long journey and to explore the exciting countryside which surrounds the village.
Leave in the afternoon for “Ritigala”
Steeped in myth and superstition, Ritigala is truly awe inspiring. Lush vegetation including gigantic buttressed trees reaching 80 – 100 meters high and great lianas which twist themselves around the trees much like large Pythons, make up the backdrop of the fascinating ruins of an ancient stone monastery. The skill and craftsmanship of long ago artisans is evident in the superbly constructed granite structures—no mortar holds these stones in place, they are simply fitted together in a marvel of engineering. History also recounts how in the time of kings it was a hideout for royalty. An excursion to the site is guaranteed to leave an indelible impression of the splendour that is Ritigala.
Overnight Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana
Day 03
Leave early morning with a packed breakfast for Hiriwaduna (05 minute transfer) for a 03 hour trek through this archetypal Sri Lankan village. The trek begins with an awesome walk along a bund of a Wewa or man made reservoir. The reservoir itself, the surrounding scrub jungle, marshland and village are a hive of early morning activity. The amazing birdlife, butterflies and possible sightings of crocodile only add to the charm of seeing the villagers as they go about their early morning tasks of fishing, or washing clothes at the periphery of the lake.
You wade through a shallow stream and the sense of adventure heightens when you need to get a Chena Cultivation via a somewhat wider tributary which needs to be crossed on an obliging farmer’s catamaran!!
At the Chena cultivation you will stop to enjoy the farmer’s humble hospitality. With the guidance of the farmer and his family, pick some of the fresh vegetables from their plot and join in the preparation of a simple meal prepared in the traditional method using earthenware pots and firewood as fuel. A great opportunity to sample authentic local cuisine.
The journey continues through dense shrub forests, home to many forest birds and other wildlife including monkeys, bear, python and even elephant.
Meet vehicle and return to the hotel in time for lunch
In the afternoon take an optional Elephant Back Safari through the forests and villages of Habarana. A wooden platform large enough to hold four people is secured atop an elephant. From this unique perch clients will enjoy Habarana and the surrounding wilderness as the elephant ambles through.
Overnight The Lodge Habarana
Day 04
Leave after an early breakfast for Sigiriyaand climb the Rock Fortress.
Proceed to the hill capital Kandy stopping en route at a spice garden for a short trek to see spices growing in their natural habitat. Begin trek by crossing a suspension bridge and proceeding towards the spice garden. En route see villagers harvesting the produce of the forest. Clients may even be able to sample some of the fresh local fruit including ‘Waraka’ ripe Jack Fruit. Stop at a scenic spot by a rice field for a traditional kandyan lunch prepared and served by village folk in typical Sri Lankan dress. The vegetation and accordingly the cuisine in this part of the island will be remarkably different to the local cuisine experienced in the dry zone area of Habarana.
Proceed to Kandy
P.M Sightseeing of the hill capital Kandy including a visit to the much revered Temple of the Tooth Relic,
Also witness a Kandyan cultural performance.
Overnight The Chaaya Citadel, Kandy
Day 05
More sightseeing of Kandy including a visit to the bazaar area, Arts and Craft workshops and a Batik manufacturer to see skilled villagers at this time consuming cottage industry.
In the afternoon take a walk through the bustling Kandy town, a perfect way to take in the kandyan citadel and to experience the crimson sunset by the lake as the sun dips below the ring of mountains which surround the town. Simply stroll by the lake and soak up the atmosphere……
Overnight The Chaaya Citadel, Kandy
Day 06
Leave for Kitulagala the film location of David Lean’s masterpiece “The Bridge On The River Kwai”. Today Kitulgala is an excellent area for adventure activities.
Option 01 – 01 to 02 hour, White Water Rafting excursion on the Kelani River. This short but exhilarating excursion is ‘Level 03’ and is suitable for most people between the ages of 08 and 60.
Option 02 – Trek through the Kelani Valley Forest Reserve. Cross a suspension bridge and enter the forest. Proceed through the dense forest cover emerging for short spells to walk along the bank of the Kelani River. Appreciate the rainforest like foliage and amazing birdlife and butterflies…
Proceed to Nuwara Eliya driving past the Devon and St.Clare’s Waterfalls. Visit a Tea Factory to witness the process of turning the raw green leaf into the familiar black-brown finished product.
Overnight The St Andrews Hotel, Nuwara Eliya or similar
Day 07
Leave for The Horton Plains for a 02 – 03 hour walk to “Worlds End” and the breathtaking “Bakers Falls”
Sri Lanka's highest plateau 7200 ft above sea level in the central mountain country. This ‘Fen” is a very scenic region with an astounding variety of scenery from mountains to grasslands, from marshes to trout streams. Sri Lanka's best flavored high grown teas are grown in the surrounding areas. Spectacular view from 'Worlds End' where the plateau plunges a thousand feet in a straight sheer drop. Cool and bracing climate, excellent for trout fishing and very good hiking country. Distinctive flora (many English field flowers grow on the plains) colourful butterflies and many rare highland birds.
Proceed to our campsite uniquely located where two streams meet.
Afternoon at leisure to explore this exciting hill station
Overnight Campsite, Belihul Oya
(Accommodation will be in water and insect proof, two person tents).
Day 08
Morning at leisure to swim in the cool Belihul Oya or relax at the campsite. Or leave early at approximately 0930hrs to reach the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe in time to witness the feeding of the elephants. The transit home which is sponsored by the Born Free Trust is an admirable initiative where orphaned or injured young elephants and brought, rehabilitated and finally reintroduced to the wild.
Leave for the Udawalawe National Park the best park in the island for Elephant
P.M Evening Jeep Safari of Udawalawe National Park – prime Elephant time.
Udawalewe National Park is an area of 31,800 hectares, which was declared a protected sanctuary with full national park status in 1972. The park area which falls within two provinces of Sri Lanka has a annual rainfall of 1,520 mm and an average temperature of 29.4 C. Surrounded by mountain ranges, the terrain of the park is a mixture of grassland, which of all Sri Lanka’s wildlife reserves, best rivals the Savanna of Africa and shrub jungle. Teak plantations, water holes and two important factors make this park special - the large Udawalewe Reservoir and the Walewe River, which ensure a supply of water for the fauna within. Internationally renowned for its large herd of elephants, the park is also known for several species of Deer, Wild Boar, the dangerous Wild Buffalo, Jackal and very rare sightings of Leopard.
Proceed to Yala for your leopard experience.
Overnight Yala Village
(This is a chalet-style hotel located at the border of the Yala National Park. As the national park has no boundary, guests can literally enjoy the wildlife of the park from the sanctuary of their rooms).
Day 09
Option 01
Leave early morning with a packed breakfast for “ Debara Wewa”, a man-made reservoir which is now the cornerstone of the village community as well as an ecosystem rich in biodiversity. The fist part of the walk will take you past village homes, each of which is a hive of activity with most of the family at work at crafting pots and lamps etc from clay which is collected at the lake.
Proceed along the bund of the lake where you join the local community and the wildlife as they wake up and go about their early morning activities – be it fishing, washing of clothes or simply preening and drying one’s feathers after an early morning swim!! If you are lucky you may encounter a monstrous crocodile basking in the early morning sun. The lake is a buzz with birdlife, butterflies and dragonflies….
Stop to have breakfast at a shady spot with a serene view of paddy fields on one side and the lake on the other.
Continue trekking through the village to meet the vehicle and transfer to hotel.
(This option can be taken year round)
Option 02
Leave after an early breakfast for Palatupana, a quite beach located 35 minutes away from the hotel. Here you will join the local fishermen as they draw in their “Maadal” or large net, which were laid early that morning. The arid air is punctuated with the calls of Hela, Hellai as the men tug on the net as the surf breaks on the sand. They then slacken their hold as the waves roll out again dragging the net with it. The chanting helps maintain rhythm and is a means of reminding them that they are sharing the labour of hauling in the fish.
Once the net has been pulled in and the catch sorted your support is sure be appreciated by the fishermen, who will insist that you take away your share of the catch. You can politely decline or accept and have the hotel chef BBQ it for you when you get back!
(This option can only be taken between the months of October – April, as the seas around Yala are too rough for fishing during the rest of the year).
Option 03
Leave early morning with a packed breakfast to explore the hotel’s Nature Trail. This early morning trek through the wilds of Yala provides an exhilarating close-up of the area’s wildlife. The path of the trek wends its way through the scrub forest that surrounds the hotel and is home to many species of wildlife including elephant, bear, spotted deer, wild boar and jackal. The trek reaches its climax with breakfast at the summit of a rock, which is surrounded by a view that is quite simply stunning—azure seas and the endless green of the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary.
Afternoon jeep safari of The Yala National Park for your leopard experience….
Yala – Sri Lanka’s best known national park is popular for Elephant, Leopard, Bear, Crocodile and Wild Boar. More than three times larger than Undawelewe at 97,800 hectares, this is the second largest of Sri Lanka’s national parks. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has also received much fame through publicity by National Geographic and the Discovery TV channels, which focused on a leopard research/conservation and identification project. Claims have subsequently been made that Yala National Park has the world’s highest concentration of leopard per square kilometer. This park is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and fresh water lagoons. The areas popular with leopard are rock strewn hillocks with dense shrub in which the animals hide.
Overnight Yala Village
Day 10
Leave early morning for Kataragama. Probably the holiest place in Sri Lanka, Kataragama is considered a shrine by both Buddhists and Hindus. Experience the reverence of the early morning ‘Pooja’.
Proceed to a beautiful beach resort Dikwella
Overnight Dikwella Village, Dikwella
Day 11
At leisure to enjoy the sun and the sand….
Overnight Dikwella Village, Dikwella
Day 12
Leave for Colombo stopping en route in Galle to explore the Old Dutch Fort and for lunch
In the evening explore Colombo, a Sri Lankan style metropolis..!
Overnight The Cinnamon Grand, Colombo
Day 13
Departure transfer to the airport
Price includes
- 12 Nights accommodation. Half board at all hotels except while in Colombo where accommodation will be on bed and breakfast basis.
- All transfers as per the itinerary in an air-conditioned vehicle with the services of an English speaking chauffeur guide
- Jeep hire for 01 safari of Udawalawe National Park and 01 Safari of Yala National Park
- All entrance fees as per the itinerary
- Hire of catamaran for Hiriwaduna village excursion
- Special lunch at spice garden
- Hotel service charges and VAT
Price excludes
- Optional tours and excursions
- Tips and other expenses of a personal nature
*The price guide provided is indicative pricing and should only be used as a guide, it is possible that pricing may reduce or increase based on various factors for instance, but not limited to, group size or time of travel
