Tailor made holidays Sri Lanka best selection ?Sri Lank safaris and holiday tours … an amazing travel location that we will focus in this article. If seeing leopards is a must for you, and you feel Yala will increase your chances of spotting them, there is the possibility of organising a safari that combines both Yala and Udawalawe National Parks. We organised our safari with the excellent Master Campers, which we highly recommend. Their safari camp is based near Udawalawe Park so you can dedicate the first day to seeing Udawalawe and the second to Yala.
Wasgamuwa is in the dry lowlands of the North Central Province, 40km north of the richly bio-diverse Knuckles Massif. All of the big game is found in Wasgamuwa, but bears and leopards are pretty elusive. However, it is very good for observing family units of elephants, still relatively wild with unpredictable temperaments. Situated in the wet south-west of the island, this is the country’s premier rainforest. The canopy towers up to 45m in places and more than half of the trees here are found nowhere else in the world. Mixed-species bird flocks are a key feature of Sinharaja. Around six endemic birds may make up one flock, including species such as red-faced malkoha, green-billed coucal and Sri Lankan blue magpie. Animals present include leopard, purple-faced langur, barking deer and three types of squirrel.
The procession starts after planting the Kap ceremony, Procession composed of five major entities, The Devale Perahera, The Kumbal Perahera, The Randoli Perahera, Diya Kepeema, and the Day Perahera. In the beginning, whip crackers walk who signify thundering and lightning next is ‘Pandampaliya’ the amazing dance that carrying fireball involves a lot of acrobatic movements. The purpose of these two items is to clear the path for the procession. Then the elephants and tuskers can be seen. The first tusker bears the paramount Rala with a white costume and triangle hat. He carries ‘Sannasa’ on his both hands containing the document regarding religious activities of the procession and the properties of the Dalada Maligawa.
Hiking in Riverston Sri Lanka was an unexpected highlight of my journey throughout the island. Riverston is a region best defined by the popular term, ‘off the beaten path’. We drove for several hours, parked in the middle of nowhere and then embarked on a hike. We headed across the river and through the rice fields and farmland. There is minimal signage but luckily we had our guide Lukobanda to guide us up. The hike doesn’t have a specific name according to the locals other than the Riverston Hike. The hike looks out over the Knuckles mountain range and the surrounding highlands. It’s one of the short day trip hikes in the area. The end of the hike ends with a sharp 300m drop, which made for some pretty epic photos. From here you can chill and take in the views of the Thelgamuwa Valley, the terraced rice fields, and the Knuckles mountain range. This spot is called ‘The Worlds End’.The hike is 5km long but not incredibly difficult. Read additional details Sri Lankan Folk Stories In English.
The beautiful Ravana Falls are used for bathing in the hot summer months. In the rainy season, the water flow is exceptionally strong and is an impressive sight. The falls are part of the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary, and the nearby cave complex is rich in local legend. Conveniently located on the main road on the way to Ella town, the caves are a common stop off point for visitors during their journey. Many cheeky monkeys live in the surrounding trees and they are often seen on the roadside dining on fruit. However, don’t let them get too close, as sometimes they can get over-friendly with visitors. The Dambulla Cave Temple is a sacred Buddhist site. There is no entry fee to get into the temple on full-moon days; however, these days are especially busy because of the religious significance of this lunar phase. Devotees from all over the world make pilgrimage to this place. There are over 80 caves documented in the area, but the most famous five are outfitted with impressive statues and paintings. Some of the caves date back to 1000 BC, when prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived within them, so it is unsurprising that they would have created temples inside at that time. If you do plan to visit, please be aware that visitors must cover their shoulders and legs and remove shoes before entering the temple.