Wild Sri Lanka with Ornithologist Pepper Trail

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips which improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
We have financially co-sponsored a local Tsunami relief project, which has enabled 25 families to be rehoused and for two schools to be equipped with toilets, running water and outdoor swings.
In collaboration with a German operator and the village temple, we have helped towards 10 large water tanks and an eye clinic in a remote village with a donation of 200 pairs of glasses.
We also assisted a principal agent of UNICEF in development of day care and education of school children of the estate sector labourers in the hill country.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
By visiting Sinharaja rainforest (a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site), Yala and Udawalawe National Parks, our entrance fees directly contribute to their upkeep. For example, our game drives in Yala & Udawalawe N.P. promotes animal welfare and financially contributes to conservation projects in the area.
We visit Udawalawe's famous Elephant Transit Home (ETH). The transit home is run by the department of Wildlife Conservation and supported by the Born Free Foundation. It provides a safe environment for orphaned elephants, who are typically looked after at the home until they reach the age of 4, at which point they are old enough to be released back into the wild.

Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
The Exodus Travels Foundation has launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, we’ve contributed to the Yala Park Driver Support initiative, more details can be found here.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

Read about Exodus Travels’ Planet Promise here, including our rewilding and carbon compensation commitments for every customer who travels.
Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.
This trip favours locally-owned and run accommodation. When we visit Sinharaja Rainforest for 2 nights, groups stay at the Rainforest Eco Lodge. The lodge strives to minimise their carbon footprint through the implementation of various sustainable practices on site.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
Please be aware there are a large number of stray dogs in Sri Lanka, and you may encounter some during your trip. Our local operators are aware of this and we are monitoring any animal welfare concerns.
Cultural respect:
- One should not touch someone’s head as this is considered disrespectful.
- It's polite to use your right hand when shaking hands or handing money and small objects to someone else.
- It is common practice to remove one’s shoes before entering someone’s home.
- Especially when visiting temples, men’s and women’s clothing should cover shoulders and be on or below the knee.

Itinerary

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Day 1
Start Colombo; transfer to Ahangama beach hotel.
Your trip will start from Colombo Airport today where your guide and local leader will be waiting to meet the group. You should be at the airport before midday ready to join the transfer to Ahangama on the south coast of the island - please refer to the joining instructions for further information. Sri Lanka's road network has improved greatly over the last few years, and the 'deep south' (as it is often known) is now accessible within around 3 hours from Colombo. The coastline's coconut groves and tall palms give way to magnificent views of the sea as we approach Ahangama.

Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2
Morning private whale watching excursion; afternoon visit Galle Fort.
Shortly after sunrise we depart for the harbour, where we board a small, privately chartered boat for today's whale watching excursion. Accompanied by excellent crew and a naturalist guide, we spend the morning searching the Indian Ocean for whales and other cetaceans. The vessel is fitted with radar and GPS which helps to increase our chance of success. Blue whales, the largest animals that have ever lived, typically frequent these waters between November and April. They are huge, reaching up to 30 metres in length and weighing as much as 160 tonnes. We may also be lucky enough to encounter Sperm whales, Brydes whales and large pods of Spinner or Bottlenose dolphins in the surrounding waters. After spending the morning at sea, we return to the harbour and our hotel in Ahangama. Later this afternoon we have a guided visit to Galle to discover the historical fort, a fabulous UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by the Dutch in 1663, the fort is a maze of cobbled streets crammed with cafes, boutique shops and beautifully restored colonial houses.
Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 3
Transfer to Sinharaja Rainforest; afternoon walk.
This morning we transfer to Sinharaja Rainforest, the last undisturbed area of rainforest in Sri Lanka. This biodiversity hotspot harbours a number of endemic species. Canopy trees reach heights of up to 45 metres and bird species number 160 and counting. Amongst the insects, amphibians and reptiles are mammals such as Sambar, Barking deer and Wild boar. Purple-faced langurs usually congregate in groups of 10 or more and are fairly common to see amongst the trees. Around 15 leopards are known in this area but sightings are very difficult to come by due to the dense vegetation. This afternoon we take a walk to discover Sinharaja and its many inhabitants, accompanied by our naturalist guide.
Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 4
Full day to discover Sinharaja Rainforest.
Wake up to birdsong and get ready for another day in the forest. Sinharaja covers a narrow sliver of land 21km long and 3.7km wide, covering an area of roughly 11,187 hectares. Within this area 43% of all the species recorded in Sri Lanka can be found. Our naturalist guide will take us on a wildlife walk to discover the many trails and abundant diversity here.
Accommodation: Rainforest Eco Lodge or Sinharaja Forest Edge (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 5
To Udawalawe; afternoon game drive in Udawalawe N.P.
This morning we leave the rainforest and travel further inland to Udawalawe National Park, which lies on the boundary between Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones. Udawalawe is one of the best parks in Sri Lanka to see elephants with around 600 animals in the park who can be seen roaming in herds of up to 50 - the highest concentration of wild elephants anywhere in Sri Lanka. The Udawalawe Reservoir is at the centre of the park and makes a stunning backdrop amongst the otherwise lightly vegetated area. For this reason wildlife watching in the national park is relatively easy. Aside from elephant families feeding in the grasslands, we may encounter Sambar deer, Spotted deer, Water buffalo, Wild boar, jackal and mongoose on this afternoon's game drive.
Accommodation: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 6
Morning game drive in Udawalawe N.P.; visit Elephant Transit Home at feeding time.
This morning our 4WD safari vehicles are waiting to take us back into Udawalawe for a second game drive within the park. Game drives typically last for 3 hours, depending on sightings, and are always accompanied by a naturalist guide. In the afternoon we visit Udawalawe's famous Elephant Transit Home (ETH), situated just 5km from the park entrance. The transit home is run by the department of Wildlife Conservation and supported by the Born Free Foundation. It provides a safe environment for orphaned elephants, who are typically looked after at the home until they reach the age of 4, at which point they are old enough to be released back into the wild. Our visit will coincide with feeding time at ETH, where the juveniles are given bottled milk by a team of park rangers and the noisy spectacle can be witnessed from the viewing platform.

Accommodation: Nil Diya Mankada (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 7
Transfer to Tissamaharama; afternoon game drive in Yala N.P.
After breakfast we depart for Tissamaharama and Yala National Park, a drive of around 3 hours. On arrival in Yala we check into our hotel and then around 3pm head out in 4WD jeeps for our afternoon game drive. Yala is Sri Lanka's most well known national park, famous for having a higher concentration of leopard per square kilometre than anywhere else in the world. Located in Sri Lanka's lowland dry zone in the south eastern corner of the country, Yala National Park is extensive, covering some 97,881 hectares across five 'blocks'. Yala's vegetation primarily consists of dense secondary forest, semi-arid thorny scrub, brackish lagoons and mangroves since the park borders the coastline. With this diverse habitat comes a huge array of wildlife, including elephant, Sloth bear, Spotted deer, Water buffalo, Sambar deer, Wild boar, langur and macaque. Bird counts are also high, with over 215 species recorded, including thousands of migrating waterfowl. Our group will be split evenly between jeeps and will be joined by the tour leader, naturalist and tracker who will each sit in a different vehicle. The drive this afternoon will last around 3 - 4 hours, before we return to the hotel to freshen up and have dinner.
Accommodation: Kithala Resort (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 8
Morning game drive in Yala N.P.; to Dickwella.
Wildlife tends to be at its most active during the early morning and to take advantage of this we have a morning game drive in Yala, returning to our hotel for a rest and lunch afterwards. Our naturalist guide will focus on Yala's diverse wildlife and birds, with our game drive lasting around 3 hours.

After lunch we transfer around 3.5 hours to Dickwella, a remarkable beach with clear waters and clean beaches. Traditional fishing boats rest on the sand in front of a backdrop of palm trees - this is postcard worthy, and in our opinion, one of the most picturesque beaches in Sri Lanka. Accommodation for our two night's here is at a lovely resort with direct access to the beach. The resort is set on tropical grounds and is among the top beach hotels in Sri Lanka! We have marked this property as a 'comfortable hotel' with air-conditioned rooms. You will be able to relax under swaying palms by the pool while enjoying long walks along the beach. The rooms are fitted with contemporary amenities and you could simply surrender yourself to healing Balinese rituals at the spa during your seaside getaway in paradise.

Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 9
Relax by the beach in Dickwella; optional whale watching excursion.
Today is free to enjoy all facilities at Dickwella Resort & Spa where you could swim in the sea, walk along the beach or even have a dip in the pool. Alternatively, if there are enough people interested, we can organize a second whale watching excursion to take place this morning. By having the opportunity to go whale watching again we maximize our chances of having the most favorable weather and sea conditions. Please note that this optional excursion will involve transfers to/from Mirissa where all of the whale watching boats depart.
Accommodation: Dickwella Resort & Spa (or similar)
Comfortable Hotel
Meals included: Breakfast Dinner
Day 10
To Colombo; end Colombo Airport.
This morning we check out and make our way to Colombo airport where our holiday comes to an end. Clients should check with our customer operations team before booking flights to ensure they can be dropped at the airport in time. Alternatively, an additional nights accommodation can be organised near to Colombo Airport if you would like to extend your stay.
Meals included: Breakfast

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

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Post-trip Extensions

Maldives

If you are keen to end your holiday on a very relaxed note, we can arrange a visit to the Maldives for you.

The flight from Colombo is around 1 hour and upon arrival you will be transferred by speedboat (approximately 20mins) to the Paradise Island 4* resort. Paradise Island is a beautiful coral island with a total land area of 178,900 square metres, covered with lush tropical vegetation, numerous palm trees, surrounded by a wide sandy beach and the crystal clear waters of an azure lagoon.

You can choose to add on as many extra nights to your trip as you wish; your time on the island will be at leisure for you to do as you wish. The accommodation used has a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, room service and all rooms are air‐conditioned and have en suite facilities. As well as the modern amenities of the resort, there is also access to scuba diving and snorkelling or for the less active the chance to swim in these wonderful, calm waters. Either way it is a veritable paradise and a memorable end to the trip.

If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity then we can arrange flights for you to Malé as well as booking the hotel and speedboat transfer to the island. Please be advised, all accommodation booked at the Paradise Island 4* resort from 28th December 2021, will be based on half board included.

Essential Info

Visas

Sri Lanka

For a quick and easy guide to the latest travel advice to Sri Lanka, as well as by nationality, we recommend using the CIBT entry guide accessible via Exodus Travel's Travel Hub or via https://cibtvisas.co.uk/

A visa (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is required if you are British and for most other nationalities. A visa (ETA) can be obtained before travel through http://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ and costs US$35 per applicant. Exodus strongly recommends travellers to obtain their visa (ETA) online prior to travel in order to avoid any complications and delays on arrival.

Passengers should also be aware of local laws and customs in Sri Lanka (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/local-laws-and-customs). The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is an offence; please note that people have been refused entry to Sri Lanka because of visible tattoos of Buddha.

Vaccinations

Sri Lanka

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements.

Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.

The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice.

Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and 9 dinners are included.

These are provided at the hotels we are staying in and usually consist of a buffet with local and international options. Sri Lankan cuisine is a fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries by Malays, Arabs, Indians as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Sri Lankan cuisine is often referred to simply as ‘Rice and Curry’; this is the staple dish in most restaurants and usually consists of assorted meat and vegetable curries as well as various pickles, ‘sambols,’ and a handful of tiny poppadum’s – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli, curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic. The abundance of fresh seafood and fish will ensure that cuisine is a highlight of the trip.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note that in Sri Lanka the availability of certain products is minimal or non-existent, for example wheat/gluten or dairy-free. Please be prepared for this as you may need to bring such supplies from home. Spicier food can be avoided and lots of the hotels will serve Western options alongside local cuisine.

Weather

Galle

Is this trip for you?

Activity Level: 1 (Leisurely) with a Safari Rating of 4.

This is a relatively leisurely itinerary, staying in comfortable accommodation throughout and travelling on air-conditioned buses, private boats and 4WD game vehicles. There are some long drives and early starts, and if you're prone to sea sickness you may wish to take medication for the whale watching excursions. Temperatures are typically hot although the early mornings can be cool.

There are some important things to note about wildlife watching in Sri Lanka:

Yala is Sri Lanka's most popular national park, and in peak season attracts a large number of both international and local visitors. Game drives in Yala are a very different experience to being in Africa; geographically the area is much smaller and wildlife tourism is a relatively new thing, which means that the number of vehicles in parks and communication between vehicles is not being controlled by the authorities at this time. In peak times there can be many vehicles in the park at one time and this can result in 'traffic jams' where a number of vehicles are present at the same sighting. The naturalist guides and drivers that Exodus works with will do their best to avoid such sightings, and although we always try to make sure you see leopard, we ensure this is done in a safe and sensible way away from the crowds as much as possible. Our preference is to focus on the quieter areas of the park to enhance the quality of the wildlife encounters, as and when they occur, and we believe this is the most responsible way to operate game drives in Yala.

Whale watching is becoming an increasingly popular activity and as yet there are very few regulations on the industry in Sri Lanka. Exodus have chosen a responsible operator and our boat trips will always be accompanied by a naturalist guide, with a focus on education. We are careful to use small, private boats for our groups and will ensure that wildlife is approached at a minimum boat speed and only ever from a sideways angle, as approaching head-on can be threatening for cetaceans. In addition we adhere by responsible tourism guidelines to spend no more than 20 minutes at any sightings.

Enforcing these regulations on ourselves, and educating our clients in best practice, is the most simple way of encouraging responsible behaviour around marine life and we hope to see such behaviour adopted by other boats in Sri Lanka.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as not suitable for full wheelchair users, but it may be suitable for other persons of reduced mobility. Please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Call for general departures:

020 3885 9102

Call for private group trips:

020 3885 9103

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

Accommodation

Hotels and eco lodges

On this holiday we have 9 nights in comfortable hotels and eco lodges, all rooms with en suite facilities. Several hotels have swimming pools. We have a total of four nights at the coast, two at the Insight Resort in Ahangama and two at Dickwella Resort & Spa on the south coast. Dickwella Resort & Spa will no doubt be a highlight of this holiday - set in tropical grounds with a freshwater swimming pool, comfortable rooms, three different dining options, a spa and fitness center that will simply spell out a memorable and fantastic island getaway!

Single accommodation (available on request).

Please note paying the single supplement may not mean that you receive a double or twin room for sole use. The room you are allocated may differ from hotel to hotel , and on some nights a smaller room for ‘one person’ may well be allocated.

Call for general departures:

020 3885 9102

Call for private group trips:

020 3885 9103

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

See all experts

Call for general departures:

020 3885 9102

Call for private group trips:

020 3885 9103

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.