Mirissa

Culture & History

Your experience begins with a pickup from your hotel in either the Galle, Unawatuna or Mirissa areas. From there, relax on your drive to Yala National Park. Upon arrival you'll go for a safari drive by Jeep, keeping an eye out for local leopards and elephants in their natural habitat. Other indigenous wildlife which are able to be spotted in this park includes sloth bears, jackals, mongoose, spotted deers, buffalo, wild boars, sambhur, and hare. Now the most-visited park in Sri Lanka, Yala is also an important nature reserve for 50 species of butterflies and many species of birds. After the safari, journey back to your point of origin to be dropped off back to your accommodation.

Enjoy a morning pick-up from your hotel in Mirissa or Galle and head for Udawalawe National Park, where you'll switch to an open-topped safari jeep to get the best views. See the animals early in the day at their most active. Pass by herds of elephants and watch for crocodiles, monkeys, water buffalo, a large variety of bird species, and more. Snap some great photos and learn about the wildlife. Sit down to a picnic breakfast later in the morning and then switch back to an air-conditioned car for the ride on to Ella where you'll be dropped off at your hotel.

After 5:00 AM pick-up from your hotel in Ella, Haputale or Bandarawela, head for Udawalawe National Park, where you'll switch to an open concept safari jeep in order to have the best views. An early morning start ensures you'll see the animals during one of their most active times of day. See herds of elephants for sure and have fun watching for crocodiles, monkeys, water buffaloes, various endemic birds species and much more. Along the way, you'll learn about and observe the natural habitats of the local wildlife while you snap some amazing photos. Later in the morning, enjoy a picnic breakfast. Then, at the end of your 3-hour safari adventure, switch back to the comfortable, air-conditioned car for the ride on to Mirissa where you'll be dropped off at your hotel.

Day 1: Bentota-Weherahena-Yala Upon starting your journey at 4:00 AM from your hotel in Bentota, you will be met by your designated chauffeur guide. After exchanging formalities at your hotel, you will be escorted to your air-conditioned vehicle in which you will proceed to Yala. En-route, visit the Mirissa fisheries harbor, and partake in a whale watching tour. Whale watching in Mirissa is one of the most sought-after activities in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is one of the best places to spot blue whales after a short period of time from the harbor. Mirissa is one of the best places to see not only blue whales but also sperm whales and dolphins. Visit Weherahena Poorwarama Raja Maha Viharaya is situated in the Matara District of Sri Lanka, about 6 kilometers from Matara town. This unique temple is known as the first tunnel temple in the world. The temple hosts a massive 130-foot Buddha image that was built following the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa eras. It also consists of all the main features of a Buddhist temple, such as the pagoda, a sacred bo-tree and a Samadhi Buddha statue. Following this tour, you will proceed to Yala National Park, one of the best national parks in the world to spot leopards. Here you find a large concentration of leopards in a small geographical area. Yala is home to many species of wild animals such as leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and monkeys.  Day 2: Yala-Galle-Hikkaduwa Early in the morning, you will proceed to Yala National Park to go on a lovely jeep safari. Yala National Park is the second largest on this island based off the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka. You will get a chance to see the famous Sri Lankan leopards, indigenous wild water buffalo, Sri Lankan Sloth Bears and large herds of Sri Lankan Elephants. The park is also home to many other species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Later, visit the Galle Fortress and Hikkaduwa Beach. Galle Fortress is the best preserved Dutch fort in Asia, and it is one of the 7 UNESCO world heritage sites on the island. The Dutch Fort is a fortified city built in the 1600's and is home to hundreds of houses, palaces, shops, churches, museums, bars, pubs, hotels and much much more. On completion of this day, you will begin your journey back to your hotel in Hikkaduwa.

Get the opportunity to see the world's biggest mammals in their natural habitat on this 5-hour tour. Meet your guide at Mirissa Pier in the morning and head out to sea on a 2-hour boat ride.  During this tour, you will have the opportunity to see blue whales, sperm whales, fin whales, occasional orcas, and many types of dolphins. As you approach the whales, the boat will slow down for optimal viewing. You will stop at a safe distance of at least 300 feet away, with your closest approach being at 100 feet, allowing you to watch the whales responsibly with minimal environmental impact. Learn more about the whales and their behavior from your onboard naturalist guide. Learn how to identify the whales that you see and how to tell when they are coming up for air. You will spend approximately 1 hour at the site. 

Combine a transfer from Mirissa, Weligama, or Galle to the town of Ella with the adventure of a Sri Lankan animal safari day trip. Experience the immense biodiversity in Yala National Park and stop for a delectable packed lunch. Be picked up from your accommodation in Mirissa, Weligama, or Galle. Relax and take in the local scenery on the drive to Yala National Park. Board an an open-topped safari jeep to get the best views and photo angles. See the animals during the day when they are the most active. Watch for leopards, sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, water buffalos, and a large variety of bird species. Get some great shots of these magnificent creatures. Hear about about the wildlife and get photography tips from your local guide. Let your guide show you the spots where the animals are likely to congregate. Have a nice packed lunch before heading back to your air-conditioned car for the ride to your accommodation in Ella.