Sri Lanka’s Big Five
For an island that is just 65,000 square kilometres, Sri Lanka has an astonishing array of wildlife and is one of the best places in the world for photographing large mammals in their natural habitats. Venture on a 14 nights / 15 day excursion with Jetwing Eco Holidays in to the wilds of Sri Lanka in search of Sri Lanka’s Big Five – The Blue Whale, Sperm Whale, Asian Elephant, Leopard and Sloth Bear (This is a seasonal tour run during the whale watching season only from December – April each year. Recommended period for travel would be March – April.)
15 days/ 14 nights
Wilpattu, Kandy, Udawalawe, Yala, Galle, Colombo
Bar Reef Resort, Palm Garden Village, Cinnamon Citadel, Kalu’s Hideaway, Cinnamon Wild, Jetwing Lighthouse, Villa Talangama
- Wilpattu National Park
- Spotting and studying the natural behavior of wild cats, leopards, jungle cats, fishing cats, etc.
- Whale and dolphin watching
- Temple of the Tooth Relic
- Yala National Park game drive
- Galle Fort Walk
- Dragonfly and Butterfly safari
- Wetland park visit
Day 01
Arrival in Sri Lanka and transfer to Bar Reef Resort, Kalpitiya for two nights.
Bar Reef Resort
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 02
Early morning take the boat from the hotel and head out to sea, beyond the reef in search of Sperm Whale – the largest toothed whale in the world. The deep seas off the Kalpitiya Peninsula where the continental shelf lies provides an ideal habitat for these giant oceanic predators, which need to dive several hundred meters to hunt prey such as the Giant Squid. After sighting Sperm Whales, your naturalist will focus on Spinner Dolphins, where pods often numbering in the hundreds are regularly seen within a few kilometers of the shore.
Bar Reef Resort
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 03
After breakfast leave for Palm Garden Village, Anuradhapura for two nights.
Palm Garden Village
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 04
Morning & Afternoon game drive to Wilpattu National Park in search of Sloth Bear and Leopard. Wilpattu is also home to over 250 species of birds, while Asian Elephant, Barking Deer, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Jackal, Asiatic Buffalo are some of the other mammal species seen.
Palm Garden Village
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 05
After breakfast, leave for Cinnamon Citadel, Kandy for one night. Late afternoon visit the sacred Kandy Temple of the Tooth.
Cinnamon Citadel
Superior
Bed & breakfast
Day 06
After breakfast leave for Kalu’s Hideaway, Udawalawe for one night.
Afternoon game drive to Udawalawe National Park where sightings of Asian Elephant are virtually guaranteed.
Kalu’s Hideaway
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 07
After breakfast leave for Cinnamon Wild, Yala for four nights. Afternoon game drive to Yala National Park in search of Leopard, Sloth Bear and Asian Elephant.The biggest draws in Yala are Leopards, Elephants and Sloth Bears. A recent study has shown that Yala has one of the highest densities of Leopards in the world.The lack of other large carnivores means that the leopard is the top predator and adults and cubs are remarkably relaxed during the day, offering great opportunities for viewing and photography. Yala is also the best place in Asia for sighting the shy and usually nocturnal Sloth Bear. Yala is also home to over 250 Asian Elephant with the highlight being the 10-12 large Tuskers that roam around the park.The park is also good for dry zone specialties like Indian and Great Thick-knees, Sirkeer and Blue-faced Malkohas and Malabar Pied Hornbill. A day’s birding in the park, during the northern winter, can yield a 100 species.
Cinnamon Wild
Jungle Cabin
Bed & breakfast
Day 08
Morning and afternoon safaris at Yala National Park in search of Leopard, Sloth Bear and Asian Elephant.
Cinnamon Wild
Jungle Cabin
Bed & breakfast
Day 09
Morning, visit Horton Plains National Park. Walk though the grasslands and Cloud Forests to a popular viewpoint know as World’s end, which is an escapement with a 870 m drop. The park sensational view points and no better place you would have asked for if you’re a couple who enjoy the beauty of superb landscapes. Horton Plains offers excellent opportunities to photograph Sambar, Sri Lanka’s largest species of deer which are seen near the entrance.
Cinnamon Wild
Jungle Cabin
Bed & breakfast
Day 10
After breakfast visit Hakgala Botanical Gardens for habituated purple faced leaf Monkeys. More opportunities for montane birds. After lunch, leave for Hunas Falls Hotel by Amaya, Elkaduwa for two nights. Visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth. Night Trail for amphibians and forest geckos.
Cinnamon Wild
Jungle Cabin
Bed & breakfast
Day 11
After breakfast, leave for Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel and Spa, Galle for three nights. Evening, visit the Galle Dutch Fort (a UNESCO World Heritage Site).
Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel
Deluxe
Bed & breakfast
Day 12
Morning, drive to Mirissa Fisheries Harbour and get on the boat in search of Whales. Blue Whales and Sperm Whales are both seen regularly in these waters. It is the best place in the world for seeing Blue Whale and almost certainly the best place in the world for sighting both Blue Whales and Sperm Whales. Our team has conducted over 250 whale watching expeditions in the past two seasons alone and have sighted the whales on more than 95% of the outings.
Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel
Deluxe
Bed & breakfast
Day 13
Free and easy
Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel
Deluxe
Bed & breakfast
Day 14
After breakfast leave for Jetwing Lagoon, Negombo for one night. En-route visit Dambulla Rock Temple. En-route visit Dambulla which is famous for its rock paintings and rock temples and is one of the most important sites for Buddhist pilgrimage. Dambulla leaves a lasting impression on many visitors. The heady mix of ancient art and fervent religious activity combined with the spiritual location leaves many visitors overwhelmed by the experience
Villa Talangama
Standard Room
Bed & breakfast
Day 15
Transfer to International Airport for departure. Though it will be difficult to say goodbye, all good things come to an end. Hope to see you on your vacation with us. Until then have a pleasant stay.
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