10 netters rundreiser - Sri Lanka

A luxury 4x4 jeep or a super luxury 4x4 jeep can be arranged through Cinnamon Nature Trails while Canon telephoto lenses and other high-end camera gear can be hired if guests are keen photographers or would like to try their hand at wildlife photography. On availability, one of the in-house naturalists will play guide, accompanying guests to the park and away from the crowds. Guests will discover not only the elusive leopard but also be witness to the call of the wild. Full day safaris with packed meals can be arranged on request. The safari has a duration of a minimum of 3 hours.

The three largest lakes of Ruhuna — the ancient Kingdom of the South — are a vision of beauty, created by the Kings of the past. Guests will first stop at Debarawewa and meet the farmers and fisherman who sustain themselves with all that surrounds them. Next, move on to Tissa, where the water spreads for miles, bringing in a number of birds. Finally, arrive at Weerawila and hope for an encounter with a village boatman. This journey promises to be filled with a glimpse into rural village life, traditional cultivations, and even a visit to the local pottery manufacturer — where guests might try their hand at shaping some clay.

Using night vision goggles with infrared technology, the team at Nature Trails have created a ground-breaking excursion in Sri Lanka to offer guests an experience even late at night. The experience of conducting night safaris have been acquired by the work carried out by the team together with National Geographic in the recent past. The use of special infrared vision is to ensure that the wildlife will not be disturbed by the use of artificial lights, hence reducing our environmental footprint. This experience is a celebration of the nocturnal environment and its species trailing around the buffer zone of Yala National Park.

Guests will walk through a nature trail along the resort premises to observe all the mystical creatures and breathtaking views while they trek the unpaved paths and the scrub forest. During the excursion, a naturalist field guide will assist guests in discovering a variety of birds and animals and walk towards the beach by climbing down the great dunes that protected the location from the tsunami.

The Yala National Park is located amidst a rural village and its boundary has several hundred dairy farmers making a living. The craftiest predator, the leopard, often flicks young cattle and thus revenge attacks by farmers often create conflict. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts together with its team of in-house field naturalists deployed a conservation initiative namely, Project Leopard, to mitigate the issue. Thus far, over 55 steel pens have been donated to dairy farmers so that they can keep their livestock safe at night. As part of the project, guests are taken to meet a dairy farmer over a cup of Ceylon tea, assist him in his morning chores, help with the collection of milk, and enjoy the time spent in the surrounding areas of the Yala National Park.

The five lagoons of Bundala National Park play host to about 324 species of creatures, great and small. This vast area is ripe for exploration and filled with surprising new discoveries on every journey. It is also the home of about 197 species of bird, of which 58 are migratory.