Sri Lanka Southern Coast Journey

You will be collected early from your hotel and driven to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, where injured elephants from across Sri Lanka are cared for. We spend approximately three hours here before continuing to Tissamaharama for an included lunch. Afterwards, we embark on a safari in Yala National Park, the countrys most visited reserve. As your jeep passes through the parks grand entrance, you enter a landscape once home to ancient Sri Lankan kingdoms. The rugged terrain and winding tracks offer an exciting journey under the tropical sun, accompanied by the sounds of the wild. After the safari, we transfer to your hotel in Tissamaharama for overnight accommodation.

After breakfast, we travel to Galle for a guided city tour lasting around two hours. Explore the Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site where European architecture blends with South Asian influences. Walk along the original ramparts and bastions, including the old gate adorned with the British coat of arms, the Zwart Bastion, and the 18-foot lighthouse beside Point Utrecht Bastion. Wander the streets laid out in a rectangular grid, lined with Dutch colonial verandas, and visit the Dutch Hospital Shopping Complex, known for its variety of souvenirs. The fort remains a vibrant community, home to administrative offices, courts, churches and local residents. After the tour, enjoy lunch at one of Galles many restaurants (included). We then continue to Balapitiya for a three-hour boat ride along the Madu River, a rich mangrove ecosystem. During the cruise, you can visit an island with a Buddhist monastery where young monks will show you a 150-year-old palm leaf manuscript and demonstrate traditional cooking over cinnamon wood fires. After the boat trip, we check in at the hotel for a restful evening. Overnight in Galle.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will transfer you to your chosen beach hotel in Puttalam, where you can relax and enjoy the coastal surroundings at your leisure.