Sri Lanka - Ultimate Leopard Safari

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SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Ultimate Leopard Safari 7 nights / 8 days Travel between: 1 April and 31 October 2016

Call us to book: 020 7082 0694 Click here for more information

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTS Udawalawe National Park Elephant Transit Home Visit to Kataragama Sacred City Handungoda Tea Plantation Yala National Park Galle Fort

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 1 Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be met by our Airport Representative and will be introduced to your Chauffeur Guide.

Transfer from Airport to your hotel in Colombo. (Approximate travel time – 45 minutes) Colombo - The legacies of colonial Colombo's garden roots are still very much intact along its often shady boulevards.

Fort is in the midst of widespread historic restoration of its landmark colonial architecture, while Pettah brims with markets and rampant commerce. Even traffic-clogged Galle Rd is getting spiffier with glossy new hotel complexes, while the seafront benefits from new roads that are spurring hotel construction. Colombo’s cosmopolitan side supports ever-more stylish eateries, galleries and museums. Surprises abound in its old quarters where you can find great local food and discover a characterful shop or tiny, convivial cafe. The capital is an excellent start – or finish – to your Sri Lankan adventures. Check in at the hotel and relax the rest of the evening enjoying the facilities.

Optional Excursion - COLOMBO WALK WITH MARK FORBES For an additional £99 per person Time permitting - approximately 2 ½ hours

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 2 Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Udawalawe. (Approximate travel time – 4 ½ Hours) Afternoon do a nature walk near the border of the Udawalawe national park for app. 90 minutes.

Included Excursion: Nature Walk – Walk along the Udawalawe Reservoir Dam and witness many species of birds nesting on the trees and feeding off the reservoir fish. You will get some amazing photo opportunities here. Watch a shepherd bring its flock of water buffaloes into the reservoir for an evening bath. The highlight of the walk is the lone elephant who wanders around the reservoir. He is called “Rambo” since he is a very adventurous one. He swims across the reservoir, climbs the dam and sometimes squeezes through the gaps in wired poles as well. Real “Rambo” like. The elephant is used to being fed by the locals and that’s why this harmless animal comes over to the dam. While walking watchout for some elephant herds on to your right from a distance.

Optional Excursion – EVENING GAME DRIVE AT UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK For an additional £59 per person Get up close & personal with the Sri Lankan Elephant in the third most visited park in the country. Its undulating country, open grasslands & reservoir, make it a picturesque drive & the elephant relatively easy to spot. An important habitat for birds, both endemic (Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Grey Hornbill) & rare migrants (White wagtail & the Black- capped Kingfisher), a variety of water birds & birds of prey (White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Booted Eagle & the Changeable Hawk Eagle ) visit the area. Yet another attraction in Udawalawe is its felines, including the Sri Lankan Leopard, the Rusty-spotted Cat, Fishing Cat & the rare Golden Palm Cat.

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 3 Breakfast at the hotel.

Included Excursion: Visit to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe The main objective of this facility is rehabilitation of orphaned baby elephants to ultimately release them back into their natural habitat. Up to three elephants per week are killed in Sri Lanka due to conflicts with humans, often leaving behind orphan calves.The elephants are kept at part of the Udawalawe National Park to maintain familiarity with their habitat, but have access to both food and medical care. All care at the facility is by trained staff, and efforts are made to minimize contact between elephants and humans to keep the elephants from becoming acclimated to humans. Although visitors can watch the elephants being fed, they are not allowed to touch or otherwise interact with them.

Included Excursion: Afternoon Game Drive at Udawalawe National Park Get up close and personal with the Sri Lankan Elephant in the third most visited park in the country. Its undulating country, open grasslands and reservoir, make it a picturesque drive and the elephant relatively easy to spot. An important habitat for birds, both endemic (Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Grey Hornbill) and rare migrants (White wagtail & the Blackcapped Kingfisher), a variety of water birds and birds of prey (White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Booted Eagle and the Changeable Hawk Eagle ) visit the area. Yet another attraction in Udawalawe is its felines, including the Sri Lankan Leopard, the Rusty-spotted Cat, Fishing Cat and the rare Golden Palm Cat.

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 4 After breakfast, proceed to Tissamaharama, rest of the day at leisure.

In the evening visit the Kataragama Kovil for a Pooja Ceremony. Travel time app. 1 ½ hours Included Excursion: Kataragama Kovil - The Kataragama is a jungle shrine dedicated to god Skanda and is popular pilgrim center for Buddhists and Hindus where devotees flock year out. During the festival Fire walking on the dawn and the grand perahara are some of its highlights. Kataragama has a great history linked with many myths and beliefs.

According to Saranathissa Thera, Kataragama has a history dating back to the time of the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka, in the sixth century BC, during the reign of the provincial King Mahasena. The Buddha is said to have visited Kataragama with 500 other arahat Theras. The present Kiri Vehera is said to have been built at the spot where the Buddha had sat. The location had been Mahasena's garden of Kihir trees. The Buddha had given the King a hair relic and the King had built a chetiya at the place, enshrining the relic. Since the chetiya was built in a forest of Kihir trees, it was known as Kihir Vehera.

Later, for easy pronunciation, it had been changed to Kiri Vehera.

Transfer to Tissamaharama - Approximate travel time app. 1 ½ hours

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 5 Conduct an early morning (Optional) game drive at Bundala National Park, with a packed breakfast.

Optional Excursion MORNING GAME DRIVE AT BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK For an additional ÂŁ59 per person A spectacular panorama awaits you - the landing and takeoff of a flock of Greater Flamingos, a breathtaking scene, a birdwatchers dream and one which can be witnessed at this national park, home to 197 species of birds. Bundala is an internationally significant wintering ground for migratory aquatic birds in Sri Lanka. It was therefore the first wetland to be declared a Ramsar site in the island and designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2005, the fourth such reserve in the country.

Return to the hotel.

Included Excursion: Afternoon Game Drive at Yala National Park (Approximate duration in total 5 Hours) A dream destination for all wildlife enthusiasts; be it its leopard cubs seeking refuge on a tree, or an adult leopard quenching its thirst at a water hole, the leopard sightings in this nature reserve are many and varied. This park boasts of the highest concentration of leopard in the world. Located on the coast in the South East of the country, set in a stunning landscape of rocky outcrops and beautiful beaches, beside its abundance of wildlife, fauna and flora, it is also home to elephants, sloth bear, sambar deer, wild boar and jackals, a few of the 32 species of mammals found in the park. The reserve is also a bird watchers paradise, where the elusive Blue faced Malkoha, the rare Sirkeer Malkoha or the endangered Black-necked stork could be seen.

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 6 After breakfast proceed to Mirissa via Handungoda, visit The Virgin Tea Plantation Handungoda (approximately travel time 3 hours) en route visit still fisherman in Weligama for a photo shoot *** TIP TO BE PAID DIRECTLY TO THE FISHERMAN Handunugoda produces Virgin White Tea, the only tea untouched by hand. This tea possesses over 10% antioxidants and is considered the purest tea in the world.

Visitors are guided around the estate by the resident estate manager. The process of plucking of the Virgin white tea is demonstrated and a comprehensive explanation is given on the culture of tea. After being shown around the whole plantation, guests can see the tea manufacturing process taking place at the factory, and also go on to taste over 20 different teas produced at the estate.

Thereafter Transfer to Mirissa.

(Approximate travel time – 45 minutes ) Check-in at the hotel.

Spend the evening relaxing at leisure.

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Day 7 Breakfast at hotel, thereafter proceed to Galle and visit the Dutch Fort, for sightseeing including walk about in the Rampart. Approximately time for excursion 2 ½ hours including visits.

Galle Fort - The Galle Dutch Fort is a rare historical jewel protected by dark, thick stone walls – with the endless ocean on one side. The roads inside the Galle Fort have hardly changed, like the squares on a chess board crisscrossing in regular patches. Straight and narrow lanes branch in and out inviting the visitor to a delightful walk into the 17th century. Today’s Peddler Street was called “Moorse Kramerstraat” by the Dutch, Lighthouse Street was “Zeeburgstraat and Middelpuntstraat”, Hospital Street as `Nieuwe Lijnbaanstraat and Lijnbaanstraat (New Ropewalk Street), Old Ropewalk Street as Oude Lijnbaanstraat (Old Rope-Walk Street), Church Street as Kerkstraat, Parrawa Street as “Parruasstraat” and Chiando Street as “Chiandostraat”. Through this memory walk one would however miss the 17th century familiar vendors who traded in cinnamon, lace, elephants, tortoise and turtle shell ornaments besides the famous down south sweetmeats like “bondi aluwa” hanging in garlands from the shoulders of vendors.

Return back to the hotel and relax by the beach.

Day 8

Optional Excursion MANU RIVER BOAT SAFARI & BERUWELA MOONSTONE MINE EXCURSION For an additional £59 per person

Breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, transfer to the airport or proseed to next hotel to begin beach extension.

3 night beach extension from £199 per person. Click here for more details 7 night beach extension from £399 per person. Click here for more details

SRI LANKA Ultimate Leopard Safari

Accommodation LUXURY

PREMIUM

Included in the package!

For an additional ÂŁ149pp

Night 1 - COLOMBO Ozo Colombo - Dream Room

Night 1 - COLOMBO Kingsbury Hotel - Superior Room

Night 2 & 3 - UDAWALAWE Elephant Trail - Standard Room

Night 2 & 3 - UDAWALAWE Grand Udawalawe - Deluxe Room

Night 4 & 5 - TISSAMAHARAMA Chandrika Hotel - Standard Room

Night 4 & 5 - TISSAMAHARAMA Mandara Rosen Hotel - Deluxe Room

Night 6 & 7 - MIRISSA Mandara Mirissa - Standard Room

Night 6 & 7 - MIRISSA Mandara Mirissa - Standard Room

For many more incredible holiday offers, visit our website www.fleetwaytravel.com The offer has been published in December 2015 for limited time only.

Call us to book: 020 7082 0694 Click here for more information

Fleetway Travel is a well-established company which has been successfully in business for over 42 years. Our aim is to supply bespoke luxury holidays at market leading prices. Our dedication to quality and customer service, we believe, is unparalleled and all travel services sold to our customers are fully protected, financially and otherwise, under our ATOL and ABTA licences, furthermore for additional protection we issue ATOL certificates with every holiday booked with us. Travel your way, Travel with Fleetway.