Yala is Sri Lanka’s largest national park and is a mix of grassland, marine wetlands and verdant forests making it an ideal habitat for wildlife. It is the best place in Sri Lanka to see leopard, with some of the highest concentrations found anywhere in the world. The downside is that its proximity to the beaches of the south coast means that it gets quite a few tourists, so its best to stay in one of the camps or hotels close to the park and go on safari early in the morning and late afternoon. As well as leopard, wild elephant is regularly spotted. Other mammals include sloth bear and water buffalo and toque macaque, golden palm civet, fishing cat and red slender loris are occasionally seen if you are very lucky. You also can see muggar and saltwater crocodile. There are 215 species of birdlife in the park, seven of which are endemic including the grey hornbill and blue-tailed bee-eater amongst others.
Sri Lanka has it all; amazing luxury boutique hotels, fantastic experiences, breath-taking scenery, sumptuous cuisine and you can even hop around in a private helicopter.
This journey to Sri Lanka combines the tea country with a stay on Sri Lanka’s south coast, more of a relaxing holiday than immersive tour, a way to sit-back and relax and simply enjoy the destination.
Take your time, and set off on a leisurely itinerary along Sri Lanka’s south coast, letting the shoulders drop as you meander slowly from Yala National Park to Galle and the palm-fringed beaches beyond.
This classic private tour of Sri Lanka takes in all the major highlights from the stunning cultural heritage of the north, the tea country, wildlife and laid-back beaches in the south.
We arrange totally bespoke trips and design an itinerary that is designed around you. You may have seen a suggested itinerary that we can base your plans around, or we can start with a blank sheet and paper and design something from scratch. You can leave a phone number and suggest a time to call you back, and we can also arrange to do this during the evenings or at weekends if you are busy during the daytime. We can also meet up with you in you fancy a coffee and are based in and around London.