4. Sri Lanka rainforest trekking, wildlife safari, water sport
Spend an adventure-filled 6 days in Sri Lanka, discovering the island’s natural wonders and engaging in a number of activities in the jungle and rainforest, on rivers and wetlands, and in a national park that’s a game reserve.
You’ll stay in 3 or 5-star accommodation and enjoy daily breakfast and dinner, as well as travelling around the island in air-conditioned comfort.
Days 1 and 2: Arrival/Kitulgala
You’ll be met on arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport by a representative and transferred to your eco-hotel in Kitulgala.
Spend a relaxing night in the Kitulgala jungle near the Kelaniya River. Enjoy a BBQ dinner with the sound of the roaring river in the background. On the next day, you’ll experience 5 kilometers of white-water rafting on the picturesque Kelani River, which features 5 major rapids and 4 minor rapids.
Nature lovers and bird watchers will be rewarded with sightings of the Crested Serpent Eagle, the Ceylon Spur Fowl, the Ceylon Hanging Parrot, and the Layard's Parakeet. As you trek in the Kitulgala Forest Reserve you’ll come across spectacular hidden waterfalls. Enjoy a cool dip in a stream. Overnight in Kitulgala. Kayaking is another popular adrenaline pumping activity in Kitulgala and it is one of the perfect ways of exploring the rich fauna and flora of Kitulgala. There are several places in the area where you can have a memorable kayaking experience. You can also try your hand at a spot of birdwatching and explore the rich natural wealth of the rainforest from your kayaking boat.
Day 3: Kitulgala/Sinharaja
Leave in the morning for Sinharaja, the last remaining rainforest in Sri Lanka. You’ll trek with a trained forest explorer and experience the untamed wilderness of a natural rainforest. Overnight in Sinharaja.
Day 4: Sinharaja/Udawalawe
After breakfast leave for the hotel in Udwalawe, where you will enjoy a safari tour by jeep, accompanied by a jungle tracker. You’ll be on the lookout for elephants, bears, deer, monkeys, and maybe spot some leopards too. Overnight in Udawalawe.
Day 5: Udawalawe/Bentota
Have breakfast at the hotel before departing for a beach hotel in Bentota/Hikkaduwa. Along the way, you’ll stop in Galle, the best-preserved colonial city on the island.
Galle is one of Sri Lanka’s ancient seaports and was an anchor point for the Silk Route. The Portuguese later built a fortress on the site and the Dutch fortified it further. Today the fortress is a World Heritage Site.
Visit a turtle hatchery that was set up to protect and replenish the turtles that have been nearing extinction. Eggs are gathered and hatched in enclosed areas where the birds can’t reach them. A couple of days after hatching the babies are let out into the sea at night, offering them the best chance of survival.
Later you’ll explore the natural wealth of the Maduganga River by motorboat, and see the islands in the wetlands that are largely inaccessible by road. Overnight in Bentota.
Day 6: Bentota/Colombo
After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll depart for the airport with a stop to visit Colombo. Enjoy a tour of the city’s top sites, and spend some time shopping before heading to Bandaranaike International Airport for your departing flight.