• Your Own Car
  • Your Own Tourist Board Approved Driver/Guide
  • Flexibility to cater for your individual needs
  • Half Board Basis
  • Entrance Fees Included

Nature & Environment

Parks and Gardens


Sri Lanka is one of the smallest, but biologically diverse countries in Asia. Indeed, the country is listed by Conservation International as one of the world’s 34 official “Biodiversity Hotspots”. In addition, The Sinharaja Forest Reserve, the country’s last viable area of primary tropical rainforest, is the seventh UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sri Lanka’s high proportion of endemic species is remarkable. Take land crabs: all 51 species are endemic.


Influenced by Buddhist respect for all living beings, Sri Lanka has a well-entrenched conservation ethic. Indeed, Udawattakelle Sanctuary in Kandy is probably the world’s oldest wilderness protected area. There are 12 National Parks and 52 Sanctuaries, which together account for 13% of Sri Lanka’s land area.

A national park safari offers the chance to see some of Sri Lanka’s 92 mammals (16 endemic) - elephant, leopard, sloth bear, sambhur, spotted deer, mouse- and barking-deer, porcupine, ant-eater, civet cat, giant squirrel, and monkeys such as the macaque, purple-faced leaf monkey and grey langur.

Yala National Park is believed to have the world’s highest concentration of leopards. Uda Walawe National Park is famous for its elephants, but Minneriya National Park boasts the awesome dry season “Gathering”, in which herds of elephants congregate to drink the region’s remaining water.


Hill country


Mist-shrouded mountains, rolling tea plantations, cascading waterfalls and quaint hilltop villages - these are some of the aspects of the enchanting hill country, which rises to over 2,500m in the island’s central heartland. A 125km distance by car or rail from Colombo, this region offers you the chance to escape to a world that scarcely seems possible in the tropics. With surreal landscapes, cool climes and a rich heritage, the hill country is a haven for nature lovers, hikers, adventure-seekers and those simply in search of peace and tranquility.

Whether you want to go rock climbing, fish for trout, play golf in stunning natural surroundings, climb a sacred mountain or trek through the rugged wilderness, the beguiling hill country has it all and will reinvigorate the body and refresh the soul. No wonder the hill country is a small miracle.


Royal City of Kandy

Nestled in lush green hills and built around a scenic lake, the Royal City of Kandy, at 500m above sea level, is the hub of any visit to the hill country. Kandy (Colombo 116km) a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the last bastion of resistance to colonial rule. Even today, Kandyans pride themselves on their distinctive architecture, music, dance and art. The showpiece of the city is the Dalada Maligawa or Temple of the Tooth, which hosts the Buddha’s tooth relic, an item of veneration to all Buddhists. Each year, in July or August, the city holds the Esala Perahera, a spectacular procession and display of medieval pageantry - replete with caparisoned elephants, whirling fire-dancers and pulsating drummers - the main purpose of which is to parade the tooth relic. Strolling around the lake or exploring the numerous temples that dot the hills nearby is an ideal way to experience the atmosphere of this historic city.


Waterfalls

Waterfalls are one of the most fascinating of natural phenomena. The mesmerizing sight of free-falling water, the thunderous roar as it hits the rocks below, and the curiousity of what lies behind the aqueous curtain, all contribute to this fascination.

In comparison to its size, Sri Lanka has a surprising abundance of many things, including waterfalls . about 100, but there may be some undiscovered. Many of these waterfalls are of impressive height, the tallest being Bambarakanda, which is 263m. Even if they aren't, they are usually distinctive for some reason or another.