7-Day Sri Lanka Big Five Safari with Mirissa Whale Watching

• Upon your arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be greeted by your chauffeur and transferred to Mirissa. Dinner and an overnight stay have been arranged at the elegant Imagine Villa Hotel, where you can relax and recover from your journey. Spend your first day enjoying the comforts of this exotic, colonial-style hotel and unwinding on the beautiful golden beach overlooked by the property.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Mirissa.

• Have an early start on Day 2 and transfer to Mirissa Harbour by 6:15 am for a whale-watching excursion. The season runs from November to April, offering the chance to catch a glimpse of the majestic blue whale and sperm whale, two of Sri Lanka's 'Big Five'.
• In the evening, visit the Galle Dutch Fort, an archaeological and architectural heritage monument first built by the Portuguese in 1587 and then extensively fortified by the Dutch in the 17th century.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Mirissa.

• Embark on another whale-watching tour before your transfer to Yala. After check-in at the Big Game Camp in Yala, enjoy a wildlife adventure with an evening safari in the famous Yala National Park. It is commonly regarded as one of the best places to spot leopards, a favourite among the 'Big Five'. Male leopards in Yala National Park are bold and unafraid of safari jeeps, offering visitors an excellent opportunity to photograph and film them.

Dinner and an overnight stay have been arranged at the Big Game Camp on the borders of the park, where you will enjoy one of the finest tented camping experiences in Sri Lanka.

• Enjoy a full-day safari in the dazzling Yala National Park, which spans a vast 97,878 hectares. This is a park where you can see wild elephants and herds of water buffalo grazing by watering holes scattered throughout its territory, and you may also catch a glimpse of the Sri Lanka sloth bear, another principal feature of the 'Big Five'.
  • Yala is also known as one of the best parks for bird enthusiasts. Its habitat supports an array of endemic and resident birds, and the country's largest bird, the Lesser Adjutant, has often been spotted here among many other exotic species.
  • A night walk is also included under the guidance of an expert naturalist.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Yala.

• After breakfast, transfer from Yala to Udawalawe.
• En route, visit the Elephant Transit Home in the afternoon before checking in at the Udawalawe camping site.
• Go on an evening safari in Udawalawe National Park, famous for being home to approximately 600 resident elephants, the main focus of the 'Big Five' here. You may also see water buffaloes, water monitor lizards, sambar deer, monkeys, and, if you are lucky, the leopard.

Dinner and your overnight stay will be arranged at the Big Game Tented Camp in Udawalawe, where you can enjoy the comforts of the tented campsite while staying close to nature.

• Set off on another early morning safari in Udawalawe National Park.
  • An optional tour of Ratnapura is available en route.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo or Negombo.

• Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport well ahead of time for your flight, bringing your exotic Sri Lankan wildlife experience to a close.