Kulu Safaris Sri Lanka

Customer Rating
      
Our Customer Rating is an independent average score based on the judgment of Red Dot travellers who have stayed at the property during the last two years.Satisfaction levels can be influenced by expectations, price, weather and other factors.
Media Reviews
"'If seeing two leopards in one day and dining with a herd of deer and having a baby elephant for company means luxury to you, then Kulu Safari at the Yala National Park offered nothing short of it. If you love wild life and have always wanted to visit Yala, then I would certainly direct ou to a jorney as ours where the campsite was within the park when your few days’ stay would be akin to watching a film on a wild life documentary.'"
Sumaiya Rizvi, Yala – the Kulu Safari experience, Hi magazine, Series 9 Volume 1
January 2011 More »
Kulu Safaris, Uda Walawe & Yala
Child friendly   Eco friendly   Bird Watching  
Location
Kulu Safaris is a respected wildlife company that offers classic mobile tented safaris within two of the major National Parks in Sri Lanka –Uda Walawe in the south central regionand Yala in the deep south. Kulu Safaris moves camp Yala to Uda Walawe depending on the best time of year to observe animals in each park. The Kulu Safaris campsite in Yala is located on the banks of the winding Menik Ganga and situated 45 minutes drive inside of the Yala park in Naginiyantota which borders Block I & II of the park. Yalacan be accessed via the south coast and from the hill country via Wellawaya.
Introduction
Camping amidst the untouched wilderness in Yala can be an inspiring and humbling experience.Around you there are ancient trees with winding roots, scrub jungle dotted with colourful wild flowers, lakes and rivers edged with birds and wild animals that come to drink the water. These jungles are home to the endangered leopard, herds of wild elephants, sloth bear, wild boar and numerous birds. Wake up to the call of a grey headed fish eagle or tune into the distress call of the deer signaling an approaching predator. This is nature at its best.

Kulu Safaris, pioneers of mobile tented safaris in Sri Lanka, has a thorough understanding and appreciation of the wilderness and does much to conserve nature. The Kulu Safaris camping experience is highly recommended for nature lovers. Families with children above eight years of age will also enjoy this camping safari.

Arrival at the park entrance is requested by noon where you will be met by a Kulu team member. Transfer to the Kulu jeep and set off to the camp site, a 45-minute drive through thick jungle. Arrive for a late lunch, followed by an afternoon game drive. Once back at the camp, you’re greeted with a chilled fruit juice, beer or a gin & tonic that you can savour on your own tent verandah overlooking the river. While you wash up for dinner, the Kulu team gets ready for the evening. Hurricane lamps are lit, tables are arranged under the trees, and finally, a sumptuous meal is served around a crackling bonfire. After a rewarding day, retire to your simple but comfortable tent while the sounds of the jungles lull you to sleep.Next morning guests can opt for a dawn game drive.Discuss your wildlife interests before hand and whether it is birds, leopards or elephants - the Kulu team will personalise your game drives and take you on routes where you are more likely to see your favourite animals.

During the course of a day there are endless points of interest back at the Kulu campsite. Have a cooling river bath in the Menik ganga, snooze in a hammock or take a short stroll along the river bank accompanied by a Wildlife Department tracker or a member of the Kulu teamwho is ever willing to share his knowledge.

In keeping with the Wildlife Department regulations, Kulu Safaris accommodates only a maximum of 12 guests who are looked after by a six member Kulu team which includes an experienced manager, chef, housekeeping staff, jeep drivers and wildlife tracker. Red Dot's Kulu Safaris deal includes accommodation, all meals and snacks; all beverages including tea/coffee, bottled water, soft drinks and juices, a bottle of wine per couple with dinner, and a limited number of local beer and liquor; all game drives, National Park entrance fees and wildlife tracker fees. A minimum stay of two nights is required in order to fully appreciate this safari.
Photo Gallery
Accommodation
Accommodation is in five tents – three family tents and two double tents. The sturdy canvas tents are manufactured in South Africa and have a zip-up flap system for the windows and doorways to keep out insects. The sleeping area has a mesh, making it completely insect and mosquito proof. The basic interiors have twin or double beds, bedside stands, shelf to keep your belongings, torch and umbrella. All accommodation tents are set within their own enclosed area and has a small verandah furnished with two lounging chairs. Each of the tents are equipped with a biological w/c and shower in two separate small tents just nearby. There is also a bowl of clean water on a drift wood stand that is kept outside your tent for freshening up before an early morning game drive. River water is used for the bathrooms. Hot water is provided upon request.

Family Tent (11 ft x 22 ft): these three spacious tents are versatile and can be converted into a triple or quad by just unzipping certain sections. The family tents consist of a double room, two single rooms, a central dressing area, and private verandah.

Double Tent (10 ft x 20 ft): These tents have a double room, changing area and private verandah.
Facilities
A separate dining tent is set up which also serves as a living space. The camp site has wooden tables and chairs. In months where the river is full, breakfast and lunch is served in the dining tent and dinner is usually set up outdoors under the trees. When the river is low, dinner is set up on the banks of the river with blazing bonfires. Breakfast is laid out in the river under the ancient Kumbuk trees, so you can enjoy your meal whilst cooling your feet in the water. Sri Lankan cuisine, some western dishes, BBQs, and snacks are prepared in Kulu’s kitchen which has fridge and freezer. Fresh vegetables, fruit and meats are bought in Tissamaharama. Kulu uses bottled water for cooking and drinking.

Kulu Safaris has four Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps, the best safari vehicles available in the island. These vehicles handle every kind of terrain and are modified to enhance wildlife viewing and photography. Game drives take place at 6.00 am and around 3.00pm until dusk when the birds and animals are best viewed. During certain months the Wildlife Department permits vehicles to set off on game drives at 5.30am and return to camp by 6.30pm.

Kulu Safaris follow a strict eco-friendly policy and avoids the use of plastics; uses solar energy for lighting and ensures that all waste material is removed from the campsite and out of Yala National Park. There are no noisy generators or water pumps. Instead the kitchen equipment, mobile phones, camera etc are recharged by the 12V batteries used by the jeeps. The river water for the showers is hand carried and guests are encouraged to use water sparingly. Guests are also educated on wildlife conservation.
Excursions
The safari parks:

Uda Walawe National Park: in Sri Lanka's south-central sector, is the area which most resembles an African game park. Wildlife reports say there are about 500 elephants in the park and they often roam in herds of up to 100.

Yala National Park: with a total protected area of 126,768 hectares, is one of the best places to see a wide variety of Sri Lankan wildlife because of its scrub plains, lagoons and rocky sections. Boasting one of the world's densest leopard populations, Yala also has elephants, sloth bears, sambar deer, spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and buffalos and numerous species of birds.

Wilpattu National Park: covering an area of 1,085 sq. kms, has several unusual features, including a small fishing village, coastal cliff-tops as well as a collection of ‘villus’ (freshwater lakes) providing natural habitats for a variety of ‘big game’ including leopards, sloth bear, deer, water buffalo and many species of birds.
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