Itinerary

Day 1

Depart London and fly overnight to Colombo

Day 2

On arrival in Sri Lanka you will be met at the international airport and taken into the capital city of Colombo. Depending on flight times there may be time to do a little sight-seeing in Sri Lanka's capital. Overnight in Colombo. (Hotel) Meals: no meals included on day 1

Day 3

This morning you will leave the capital for the drive to Wasgamuwa. The journey is long but passes through beautiful forested foothills where one can really appreciate the natural beauty of Sri Lanka. Upon arrival in Wasgamuwa you will check in at the hotel and the rest of the day will be spent relaxing and acclimatising in preparation for the next day's safari. Overnight in Wasgamuwa. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 4

Today you will head out early in the morning to view the wildlife within the national park. Wasgamuwa is managed by the Wildlife Department of Sri Lanka, recent surveys have recorded around 23 mammal species inside the park including elephant, spotted deer, wild buffalo, leopard and sloth bear. Visitors have a good chance to see the crocodiles basking on the river banks and many of Sri Lanka's 480 bird species. After lunch at the hotel the afternoon will be free giving you time to relax at the hotel and enjoy the facilities. Overnight Wasgamuwa. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5

After breakfast you will depart for the delightful hill top town of Nuwara Eliya. (1990m) Nuwara Eliya was established during the colonial era and once had a regular fox hunt and polo events. The town is often referred to as ‘Little England' as it has retained many of its colonial buildings. You will have the chance to visit a tea plantation and have a tour of the tea factory. Overnight in Nuwara Eliya. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 6

On the way to Kitulgala you will stop at the Horton Plains Nature Reserve and have a guided tour with a resident naturalist guide. Horton Plains is another wildlife hot spot, the vegetation cover here is open, grassy woodland, home to species such as the sambar, leopard and endemic purple-faced langur. From here you will continue to Kitulgala where you will be staying in beautifully deigned eco-lodges overlooking the Kelani River. Overnight in Kitulgala. (Lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7

Today you will drive out to Sinharaja. Sinharaja National Park is of international, ecological significance and has recently become a world heritage site. The area has some of the best preserved virgin rainforest on earth, saved from commercial logging due to its inaccessibility. Our hotel is situated just outside the forest gate. Overnight in Sinharaja. (Lodge) Melas: breakfast, dinner

Day 8

The day will be spent exploring the Sinharaja rainforest. Due to the dense vegetation cover wildlife viewing is difficult and the elusive mammals such as the leopard are rarely seen. You may see some of the brightly coloured birds of the region which tend to move through the jungle in mixed feeding flocks. In the afternoon you can relax at the Sinharaja eco-lodge. Overnight in Sinharaja. (Lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9

Early in the morning you will travel south to Uda Walawe. This large national park was designed to protect the diverse catchment area of the Uda Walawe Reservoir. The vegetation here is different again, mainly compose of open parkland with some mature teak trees. The park is home to around 400 wild elephants which are easy to spot and there are also good numbers of golden jackal, crocodile and buffalo. The afternoon will be spent out on safari in the national park. Overnight in Uda Walawe. (Lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10

This morning you will head to the south-east corner of the island. Yala National park is the most famous of all Sri Lanka's parks. It contains an amazing variety of habitats from open park to dense jungle, and also contains fresh water rivers and lakes as well as beaches. Yala's greatest claim to fame is that it has the world's highest concentration of leopard (though this still does not guarantee seeing any!) Yala was badly affected by the Tsunami in 2004 which destroyed the visitors centre and tourist lodge and resulted in the loss of many human lives. Interestingly the park records show that the animal numbers were little affected. In the afternoon you will set off on safari in the Yala National Park. Overnight at Yala. (Lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 11

The morning there will be another included safari, after lunch the rest of the day is free for you own exploration of the area. Overnight in Yala. (Lodge) Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 12

Today your journey will take you along the coast where destruction caused by the Tsunami is still evident. On the way you can visit the famous community of stilt fisherman, the Galle Fort and one of the sea turtle Hatcheries.

Those passengers flying home today will be taken to the airport for their onward flight, whilst you will be dropped at the sea side hotel in Beruwela. Overnight at Beruwela. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 13

Beruwela is a relaxed and friendly beach resort in the south-west of the island. The name in local dialect means ‘the place where the sail is lowered' It is the start of a sandy beach which stretches for 130km and where the water is good for swimming all year. The next two days are for total relaxation, the hotel has many facilities including pool and a range of treatments and therapies to relax and rejuvenate you after a busy tour. Many water sports are also on offer and there is a coral garden just off the coast which makes for great diving and snorkelling. Overnight Beruwela. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 14

Another day of relaxing and enjoying the sun and sea. If you want to explore further a field it is possible to hire a boat to take you over to the lighthouse situated on an off-shore island. A steep climb to the top offers fantastic views of the Sri Lankan coast. Overnight at Beruwela. (Hotel) Meals: breakfast

Day 15

Today the tour ends, a transfer vehicle will be provided to take you to the airport for your onward flight. Tour ends Colombo. Meals: breakfast

Extra Information

Inclusions -

all hotels and ground transport

Extras -

At Diverse Earth we want our guests to really experience their chosen destination. We want them to come home having sampled the local cuisine, learnt a little of the dialect, seen the famous sights as well as the not so famous sights and most importantly made friends. We have an excellent relationship with all our local suppliers, this is through long standing friendships and our commitment to sustainable tourism which ensures that our guests get the most out of every tour and the local people also benefit and thus welcome us back time and time again.

Our tour leaders and guides are all local to the area and are therefore able to provide an inside view of their home country. Our team at HQ are all extensively travelled and therefore well equipped to answer any questions and provide all the necessary support from initial enquiry to home-bound flight.

As an ABTA and ATOL bonded operator, we ensure that our standards of service are high and that payment for your holiday is well protected.