Sri Lankan Wildlife Overnight Tour (Single)
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Port
Hambantota, Sri Lanka
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All,68
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$1600
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 33 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Day 1 (L/D)
Southern Sri Lanka offers an abundance of flora and fauna to be discovered and on this overnight excursion. It involves staying on the edge of the oldest and most renowned National Park in the country. A 1½-hour journey from Hambantota port lies Udawalawe National Park,home to herds of elephants, sloth bear, spotted deer, wild boar, water buffalo plus a myriad of bird life. The park was established in 1972 to provide refuge for wild animals that were displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir. Spend the morning with a local naturalist on a 4x4 safari through the park, searching for these gentle giants or trying to spot a rare bird such as the black-capped kingfisher or white wagtail. After your safari, transfer to a local hotel for lunch before continuing to the Born Free-supported Elephant Transit Home—a government-run organization. The mission here is to rescue orphaned elephants and rehabilitate them to enable them to return to the wild once they are ready. Keeping them in permanent captivity is a last resort. Around 40 elephants are in residence at any one time and have minimal human contact. You will have the opportunity to view them up close as they are being fed before you return to the ship in the late afternoon. From here, you’ll drive to Yala for an overnight stay at a hotel adjacent to the park boundary. Surrounded by forest and the Indian Ocean this place feels wild and primeval, especially after dark when you can hear the noises of the nocturnal animals all around you. Enjoy dinner at the hotel.
Day 2 (B/L)
An early start awaits you today, for a three-hour game drive through Yala National Park in search of the elusive leopard. Boasting the highest concentration of leopards anywhere in the world, the park is a dream destination for any wildlife enthusiast. As well as leopard, there are 32 different species of mammals such as elephants, sloth bear, sambar deer, wild boar and jackals, to name but a few. The reserve is also a bird-watchers’ paradise. The reclusive blue-faced malkoha, the rare sirkeer malkoha or the endangered black-necked stork might be seen here. After your game drive, return to the hotel for breakfast before setting out along the coastal road on a four-hour journey to the fortified city of Galle. Lunch is served in Galle at a beachside restaurant; then, set out with your guide on a walking tour of the fortified city, where the Dutch and Portuguese influence is still very prevalent. Arabs, Persians, Romans and Greeks stopped here on their way across the Indian Ocean and, in 1505, the Portuguese settled in the town. 135 years later they ceded it to the Dutch, who built the famous fort. It is a welcoming little town, with narrow streets, churches, cloistered courtyards and shuttered mansions evoking its colonial past. There are several museums as well as the Dutch Reformed Church and the lively Arab Quarter. After an hour exploring the city, re-board your coach for a ride along the new highway to Colombo, where you will meet the ship.
Cancellation Policy: This excursion is non-refundable within 60 days prior to the start of this tour. Cancellations made within 60 days of departure will be subject to full payment of the tour cost, including if you cancel your cruise voyage.
Notes:
This program is not menat for guests with back or neck problems due to the uneven terrain and bumpy rides on the game drives. This program involves a high level of mobility. Guests must be able to embark and disembark motor coaches and game drive vehicles with little to no assistance. Guests using mobility aids such as walkers or wheelchairs must ensure these devices are collapsible and can be stored under buses without staff assistance. If you are unable to manage your mobility device independently, you must travel with a companion who can assist you.
Important: It is each guest’s sole responsibility to obtain (before traveling) any visas, vaccinations and/or tourist cards that are required for participating in overland adventures or overnight tours, unless noted otherwise in the description. Please be aware that you may need a visa for any and/or all countries that you will depart from and travel through as part of your overland adventure or overnight tour, and for the country in which you will re-join the ship.