Sri Lanka Holidays - Elephant Pilgrimage – 14 nights
About this holiday:
Our ‘Sri Lanka Elephant Pilgrimage’ has been designed
for nature-loving families. The elephant, a mammal that has
been an important part of Sri Lanka’s culture and ecology
for thousands of years (10% of the world’s elephant
population is concentrated in this small island), provides
the central focus of the holiday, but there is plenty more
packed in beside, including exploration of the island’s
rich history, stays in the tea-growing hills and on the palm-fringed
south coast. As usual with Red Dot holidays, if required,
we can modify this itinerary and use different hotels to better
suit the specific needs and interests of your family.
Holiday highlights
• Watching orphaned elephants river bathing
• Seeing young baby elephants being milk fed
• Climbing Sigiriya’s rock fortress
• Exploring Polonnaruwa on bicycle
• An elephant jungle ride in Habarana
• Seeing elephants in Minneriya, Uda Walalwe and Yala
• Trekking in Hunas Giriya mountains
• Train ride through tea-growing hills
• Visiting Elephant Transit Centre in Uda Walalwe
• Relaxing on southern, palm-fringed beaches
• Looking for giant sea turtles in Tangalle
• Exploring Galle Fort
Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive in Sri Lanka, to be met at the airport by Red
Dot. Transfer by air-conditioned car to Ranweli Village Hotel,
an eco-friendly hotel about a 30 minute drive from the airport.
A short ferry ride across a scenic river glides you to the hotel
situated in a peninsula surrounded by two rivers, a lagoon and
the Indian Ocean.
Accommodation profile:Ranweli
is situated in a coastal wetland estuary, amid mangroves, about
10 miles north of the beach resort of Negombo. This isolated
wooden environment is reached by a short paddle-ferry trip that
glides you to a peninsular surrounded by two rivers, a lagoon
and the Indian Ocean. Its ecological commitment has been officially
recognised by the World Tourist Organisation. Its 72 chalet-style
bungalows and 12 family rooms blend sensitively with the natural
environment.
Day 2, 3 & 4: After an early breakfast travel to Sri Lanka’s
cultural triangle via Elephant Orphanage, a remarkable institution
that has been looking after hundreds of orphaned or injured
elephants that would otherwise have surely died. If you leave
the Pinnawela hotel early then you can watch the elephants bathe
in the river. Afterwards, the youngest babies are milk fed.
During your time at the orphanage you’ll be accompanied
by a wildlife guide who will be able to give you background
information on elephants in Sri Lanka and their remarkable partnership
with man. After lunch we set-off for the cultural triangle –
another 2 hours drive – and check into Habarana Lodge.
The following day you can enjoy and long lie-in and a relaxing
morning at the hotel, lolling by the poolside or perhaps hiring
one of the hotel bicycles to explore
the lake.
In the late afternoon we will organise a one-hour elephant
ride through dryland jungle. Wake up early
the following day for a morning safari at Minneriya National
Park, an important wetland park feeding thousands of hectares
of paddy fields and supporting many aquatic birds and about
300 wild elephants. Afterwards you can explore the ancient city
of Polonnaruwa, once the capital of an advanced and prosperous
medieval kingdom. The ancient sites are best explored on a bicycle.
Afterwards return to the hotel for dinner.
Minneriya National Park: Located between
Habarana and Polonnaruwa the park, a vitally important wetland
for local people, animals and birds, is a mix of evergreen forest
and scrub. The central feature of the park, though, is the ancient
reservoir. The reservoir attracts large numbers of elephants
during the dry season, usually from June to September, and huge
flocks of birds, included cormorants and painted storks.
Accommodation profile:Habarana Lodge is
blessed with a tranquil and picturesque 25-acre woodland location,
next to a beautiful lake. The large gardens provide habitat
to a rich birdlife (138 species have been identified) and troops
of grey monkeys. The 150 comfortable and spacious cottages all
have small sitting areas and verandas, encouraging you just
to laze there during the day, and are surprisingly secluded.
The hotel has a reputation for producing some of the best buffets
in the island, including a very good selection of Sri Lankan
food.
Day 5 & 6: After breakfast checkout of the hotel and drive to
Sigiriya Rock, one of Sri Lanka's most fascinating UNESCO world
heritage sites. No matter how often you climb to the summit
of this one-time hilltop fortress of the murderous, maverick
Sinhalese king, Kassapa, the pleasure barely diminishes.
You will be in no rush to abandon the spectacular views at the
summit. Afterwards, travel south towards the central highlands
and your next hotel, the Hunas Falls Hotel. Rest in the afternoon.
The next day, after breakfast, you have the option of trekking
in the mountains and hills surrounding Hunas Falls.
A six-hour trek to and from Hunas Falls Hotel to the peak of
the Hunas Giriya range, 4642ft above sea level, provides one
of the finest walking experiences in Sri Lanka. You will walk
along an estate road, crossed by several waterways, through
scattered villages, tea estates, forest plantations and grasslands.
The summit of Hunas Giriya is 4642 feet and, above 4,000 feet,
as the tea estates recede, the steep-sided slopes are covered
by forest. A picnic lunch is optional. A shorter 8km trek can
also be arranged, if preferred, to Simpson’s Forest. Stay
overnight at Hunas Falls.
Accommodation profile: Hunas Falls
Hotel enjoys one of the most scenic hotel settings in Sri Lanka,
high in the hills near Elkaduwa, about an hour and a quarter
north west of Kandy, the hill-country capital. It will appeal
to guests seeking seclusion in a peaceful mountain retreat.
It is particularly appealing for those nature lovers journeying
between the cultural triangle and Kandy.
Day 7 & 8:
You will now travel deeper into the tea-growing hills and have
the option to wind through the mountains by train, leaving your
driver to transport your luggage by car. Your destination is
Haputale, a small village in the southern highlands perched
on a ridge with magnificent sweeping views.
Travel via Ella where you can visit the Rawana Ella Falls and
the Rawana Ella Cave, in which legend tells us in the Ranamaya
story that the demon king of Sri Lanka, Ravana, imprisoned Rama’s
wife Sita.
Check-in to Kelbourne Cottages in
the late afternoon for a two-night stay.If you are feeling active
the following day then consider visiting Diyaluma Falls where
you can bath in some peaceful rock pools.
Accommodation profile: On a ridge close to
Haputale, blessed by one of the most breathtaking vistas that
Sri Lanka - can offer stands the Kelbourne Cottages. On a clear
day, majestic views south and east can stretch for more than
50 miles. The cottages date from the turn of the 19th/20th century
and each comes with cosy furnishings, books and magazines, and
TV, as well as chef to prepare meals at any time of day. Here
is a chance to unwind in the hill country at its most serene.Limited
modern frills – this is a place for nature lovers. The
property also has a friendly management team and the food is
delicious.
Day 9 & 10:
After breakfast we transfer out of the hills and head south
to Uda Walawe, one of the island’s most popular wildlife
sanctuaries, which is mainly open parkland traversed by streams
and is best known for its herds of wild elephant. Go for a game
drive in the morning before travelling onto Yala, another national
park in the southeast corner of the island.
You may also wish to visit the Elephant Transit Centre, which
was set-up in 1995 by the Department of Wildlife to look after
young abandoned calves, which are eventually returned to the
wild. The drive onto Yala will take about 2.5 hours. You will
stay overnight at Yala Village, one of Red Dot’s favourite
hotels. The next morning go for a game drive in Yala.
Uda Walalwe National Park: The
308 sq km sanctuary, mainly made up of open parkland, was set
up in 1972 to protect the catchment area for the Uda Walalwe
Reservoir. The park is most famous for its elephant herds. The
total population is around 450 and herds of up to 100 can sometimes
be seen. There are also healthy populations of macaque, langur,
jackal and increasing numbers of sambar, spotted deer, barking
deer, wild board and water buffalo. The bird watching is very
rewarding with around 190 species.
Yala National Park: The vast 97,900-hectare
park is located in the southeast corner of Sri Lanka, 290km
from Colombo. The varied terrain includes semi-arid thorny scrub,
dense secondary for est, mangroves on the lagoons, sand dunes
behind the beaches and coral reefs. For many visitors the search
for the park’s elusive leopards – there about 30
in the park – is a major attraction as Yala’s males
are know to be quite bold. Elephants are another major attraction
and early easily seen close to water from Jan to May –
the dry season. Other game includes macaque and langur monkeys,
sambur, spotted deer, jackal, wild boar, buffaloes, sloth bears
and crocodiles. There are 130 bird species
Accommodation profile: Yala Village
opened in 2003 as a much-needed deluxe addition to the sprinkling
of hotels serving visitors to Sri Lanka’s finest game
park. It blends subtly into scrub forest, close to Yala game
park, overlooking the historic Yala lighthouse. Forty well-appointed
chalets, which come in three different sizes (single, twin and
quad) enjoy a scenic location, stretching from a lagoon to the
border of Palatupana-Kirinda beach, which boasts some of Sri
Lanka’s finest unspoilt sand dunes. Animals may wander
through the village unhindered.
Day 11, 12 & 13:
Transfer along Sri Lanka’s south coast to Tangalle, a
fishing town with one long unspoilt beach that is popular as
a breeding ground for giant sea turtles. Check into Eva Lanka,
a luxurious Italian-run hotel set atop a headland with a beautiful
beach below. Spend two days relaxing. One night you may like
to explore the nearby beaches for giant sea turtles, which can
often be seen on the beach laying eggs. There is a Sea Turtle
Conservation project in Rekuwa, a short drive from the hotel. Accommodation profile: Eva Lanka
Hotel is situated on a quiet, untouched bay. Italian owned,
the hotel has been spaciously and stylishly developed on the
hill running down to the bay, produced a relaxed, private and
laid back atmosphere. The terracotta coloured cottages are laid
out on three separate levels, all with easy access to Romanic
bathing pools. The small white-sanded beach has a castaway feel,
with a single friendly beach bar offering refreshments.
Day 14:
Drive up Sri Lanka’s west coast, perhaps stopping in Galle
Fort for a walk on the ramparts and a cup of coffee, on your
way back to Colombo. By late afternoon, check in to the Galle
Face Hotel in Colombo, once the most esteemed colonial hotel
in Asia and possessing a celebrated history stretching back
to the middle of the 19th century. You would not want to miss
the sunset here; it is reputed to be the finest in Colombo.
We recommend a final dinner at the Gallery Café –
one of Asia’s most atmospheric and relaxing restaurants.
Accommodation profile: The
Galle Face, hailed as a masterpiece of Victorian architecture,
retains the dignified and polite atmosphere that gave it such
fame in the colonial age. Sympathetic renovations and refurbishments
are helping to protect its historic status in more demanding
times. Rooms tend to be spacious, with wooden floors and antique
furniture. An ocean frontage blesses the Sea Spray restaurant,
which specialises in fish. There is nowhere better to watch
a Colombo sunset than from its immaculate terrace and gardens.
Day 15: Depart in good time for your flight
home.
Cost: TBC
Package price includes:
•
14 night’s BB hotel accommodation on twin-sharing
basis • Airconditioned car and
English-speaking driver for tour and transfers • Jeep hire and entrance
fees for Minneriya, Uda Walalwe and
Yala National Parks • Wildlife guide during
first day at Pinnawela • Cultural entrance fees:
Sigiriya & Polonnaruwa • Entrance fees at Pinnawela
Elephant Orphanage and Elephant Transit Centre
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Our ‘Sri Lanka Elephant Pilgrimage’ has been designed
for nature-loving families. The elephant, a mammal that has
been an important part of Sri Lanka’s culture and ecology
for thousands of years (10% of the world’s elephant
population is concentrated in this small island), provides
the central focus of the holiday, but there is plenty more
packed in beside, including exploration of the island’s
rich history, stays in the tea-growing hills and on the palm-fringed
south coast. As usual with Red Dot holidays, if required,
we can modify this itinerary and use different hotels to better
suit the specific needs and interests of your family.
