Yala has the reputation and the traffic. This route goes to Wilpattu instead, adds the Minneriya elephant gathering, and finishes with dolphins and kite surfing at Kalpitiya.
Fewer famous names, considerably fewer vehicles, and frequently better sightings.
Duration
9 days
Best months
Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Pace
Balanced
Regions
3
A short transfer and an early night.
The largest park in the country and the quietest. Afternoon drive.
A full day with a packed breakfast, out before the gate opens.
Across to the Cultural Triangle.
The rock at dawn, the elephant gathering in the late afternoon.
A second afternoon, because the numbers vary enormously day to day.
Out to the lagoon peninsula.
Spinner dolphins in the hundreds, and occasionally blue whales offshore.
South to the airport.
Jetwing Lagoon
Close to the airport.
Wilpattu Safari Camp
Tented and simple, right at the gate.
Water Garden
Villas with the rock from the pool.
Bar Reef Resort
Quiet, on the lagoon, and the base for the dolphin boats.
Included
Not included
Payment schedule
Twenty per cent deposit to confirm. Balance due sixty days before arrival. Card or bank transfer, in GBP or USD.
Cancellation
Free up to sixty days out. Fifty per cent between sixty and thirty days. Non refundable inside thirty days, though we will move your dates once at no charge.
Leopard density is lower on paper but vehicle density is dramatically lower in practice. A quiet sighting beats a crowded one, and we think the morning is usually better.
July to September, peaking in August. Numbers vary from thirty to several hundred, which is why we build in two attempts.
From
Based on two people sharing, comfort tier. Excludes international flights.
Ruwan Jayasuriya
Founder, 18 years
We reply within one working day. Sri Lanka is GMT+5:30, so we work UK afternoons.