10-Day Sri Lanka Wildlife Tour with Safaris and Whale Watching

• On arrival, meet and greet at the airport and transfer to your lodge in Kalpitiya.

• Check in and relax to recover from the jet lag.

Dinner and overnight stay at a lodge in Kalpitiya.

• Early in the morning, embark on a dolphin and whale watching tour (from November to April). In Kalpitiya, you do not have to head too deep into the ocean to glimpse dolphins and whales, as the continental shelf is much closer and runs alongside the shoreline. Spinner dolphins are the most commonly seen, along with Bottlenose, Risso's, and Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins. You may also spot Blue Whales, the largest mammal in the world, as well as Bryde's Whales, Sperm Whales, Killer Whales, False Killer Whales, Dwarf Melon-Headed Whales, and Cuvier's Beaked Whales.

• Return to the hotel for breakfast.

• In the afternoon, enjoy an exciting boat adventure exploring the Kalpitiya lagoon. The entire lagoon is a marine sanctuary with diverse habitats ranging from flat coastal plains and vast dune beaches to mangrove swamps and elephant-inhabited jungles.

Dinner and overnight stay at a lodge in Kalpitiya.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Leave for Wilpattu National Park. Wilpattu National Park is situated along the northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka. It comprises a unique complex of lakes called Villus, natural basins filled with rainwater and surrounded by open grassy plains within the dense scrub jungle. The biggest draws in Wilpattu are leopards and sloth bears. Alongside these, it is possible to see Asian elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, wild pigs, Asiatic buffalo, and mugger crocodiles. Endemic birds include the Ceylon Junglefowl, Brown-capped Babbler, Ceylon Woodshrike, and Black-capped Bulbul in riverine habitats. Muntjac, or barking deer, are more easily seen in Wilpattu than in any other national park. Butterflies recorded here include the Great Eggfly, Great Orange Tip, Glad-eye Bushbrown, Blue Mormon, Common Mormon, Common Rose, and Crimson Rose.

• Enjoy an afternoon jeep safari in Wilpattu National Park.

Dinner and overnight stay at Wilpattu Campsite.

• Enjoy a full-day jeep safari at Wilpattu National Park.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided as packets.

Dinner and overnight stay at Wilpattu Camp Site.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Leave to visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Sigiriya Rock Fortress is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most dramatic, inspiring, and beautiful historical locations in the world. A mythical past of feuding dynasties suits Sigiriya's striking setting - it was built in the 5th century AD by King Kasyapa as a fortress-palace. The palace complex at the foot of the rock still has four indoor swimming pools where the king's 500 concubines bathed. The mirror walls of Sigiriya still retain the world-famous frescoes of the king's concubines, who originated from all parts of the world. The palace structure was built with complex water arteries in the walls, providing natural air conditioning in the hot climate.

• On the summit, with the help of metal staircases and ladders, you can see the remains of the palace walls, gardens, and ponds.

• Leave for Polonnaruwa.

• Check in at the hotel.

• At 18:30 hrs in the evening, start the Loris night tour. The tour begins when the animals wake up, feed, and socialize. While you may not see much interaction between these animals, it is easy to spot them munching leaves or trying to catch insects for their meal.

Dinner and overnight stay at a lodge in Polonnaruwa.

• Proceed to Polonnaruwa Ancient City early in the morning for the Monkey Kingdom Tour. The Monkey Kingdom Expedition of Polonnaruwa is an engaging activity for those who love observing animal species in their beautiful natural environment. This expedition allows you to get up close and personal with large communities of monkeys. You will be able to observe various social behaviours, including maternal care, playtime, competition for food, grooming, and a rich repertoire of facial gestures, body postures, and vocal signals of these fascinating primates.

• Return to the hotel for breakfast.

• In the afternoon, enjoy a thrilling jeep safari at Minneriya National Park. The park is home to the large and ancient Minneriya Tank, and it boasts an enormous variety of habitats and wildlife across dry tropical forests, grasslands, and wetlands. During the safari, you often see large numbers of Sri Lankan elephants gathering around the grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season, offering visitors an unforgettable sight. These elephants gather to socialize, bathe, feed, and mate. Minneriya also hosts more than 160 species, a few of which are endemic to Sri Lanka, such as the Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, and the Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill. Large mammals, including sloth bears, sambar deer, and axis deer, as well as smaller mammals such as the Purple-Faced Langur, Toque Macaque, and Grey Slender Loris, together with saltwater crocodiles, monitor lizards, snakes, and other reptiles, add another dimension to this rich ecosystem.

Dinner and overnight stay at a lodge in Polonnaruwa.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Leave for Wasgamuwa.

• Check in to the hotel.

• In the afternoon, head towards the Wasgamuwa tank, where you will be briefed about the experience. The Wasgamuwa tank is a popular place to witness wild elephants and many birds. You will climb a treetop watch hut and see how elephants and humans use the same route for movement. You will spend time there until dusk and be amazed by the sounds of nocturnal species. As darkness falls, you will head back to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Wasgamuwa.

• Take a morning walk to Sunrise Rock, where you can see the wildlife around the lake and also interact with the villagers to understand village activities.

• Return for breakfast at the hotel.

• Go on a village visit to observe the orange plantation set up to act as an elephant deterrent while providing the villagers with a supplementary income. You will listen to the villagers' stories and learn how the orange trees are helping them coexist with elephants.

• In the afternoon, enjoy a jeep safari at Wasgamuwa National Park. The park is home to 23 species of mammals, including large herds of elephants, the endemic Purple-Faced Langur and Toque Macaque monkey, water buffalo, wild boar, sambar, and axis deer, as well as the less frequently seen sloth bear and leopard. Among the reptiles are five endemic species, the water monitor, mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile, lizards such as Calotes ceylonensis and Otocryptis Wiegmann, serpents, and other rare reptile species. Adding to the wildlife splendour are 17 species of fish and 50 species of butterflies, of which eight are endemic.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Wasgamuwa.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Leave for Dambulla.

• Visit Dambulla Rock Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla. It is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, and the rock from which the caves were carved towers 160 meters (520 ft) above the surrounding plains. There are 153 Buddha statues, statues of three Sri Lankan kings, and four statues of gods and goddesses on the site.

• Head to Negombo.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Negombo.

• Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.

• Transfer to the airport for your onward flight.