Located just off the coast of southern India, recent evidence suggests that a bridge of shoals connected Sri Lanka and India in ancient times; however, the two countries are now worlds apart. Far from the fast-paced modernisation of India and her huge cities, Sri Lanka is a microcosm of diversity – palm-fringed beaches, ancient Buddhist cities, verdant tea plantations and lush national parks are amongst her many highlights. ?Our job, is to combine these highlights to provide a Sri Lanka safari holiday that perfectly blends these into one unforgettable adventure.

Sandy palm-fringed beaches, incredible marine life, the highest density of wild leopards found anywhere, and unbeatable cultural experiences.

Swimming with Blue Whale sin Sri Lanka is a beautiful underwater adventure and a truly unique opportunity. Join our expert guides, and renowned photographers, on a once in a lifetime trip, and have close encounters with Sri Lanka's marine wildlife.?Spend your time heading out into the ocean in search of these gentle giants, the largest animal ever known to exist on earth, before joining them in the water for a truly magical experience

• Beautiful Beaches: Relax on the pristine coastlines and unspoilt beaches of the northeast.?
• Culture and History:?Explore the cultural triangle of ancient cities, temples and monuments or wander through the atmospheric streets of Kandy.
• The Elephant Gathering:?During the dry season, hundreds of Asian elephants gather around the Minneriya tank in search of water and fresh food.
• Leopard Tracking: Yala National Park is home to the highest number of leopards anywhere in the world, track them with our expert wildlife guides.
• Tea Trails:?Experience the cool highland air and rolling green hills of the Ceylon tea lands.
• Whale Spotting: In Sri Lanka you can watch whales from land, or even swim with the biggest animal known to have lived on the planet, the blue whale.

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Why we like Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is often overlooked as a wildlife destination, but it has a huge amount to offer, and some extremely unique experiences.

• Wildlife, culture & beach: Spend time exploring the wildlife of the national parks, follow the tea trails, witness temples and relax on beautiful beaches. It really does have everything.
• Unique experiences: Sri Lanka is one of the only places in the world where you can swim with, and be photographed alongside, blue whales.
• Wildlife: Sri Lanka is home to Asian subspecies of leopard and elephant, as well as a huge array of stunning birdlife.

Sri Lanka is able to finally show off her beauty to travellers and with some of her hidden treasures now once again accessible,?the best time to visit?is now. The capital city of Colombo is where Sri Lanka’s many cultures and influences fuse together and is a real joy to explore, from the colonial architecture to the many markets and gardens. Visit the cultural triangle with its ancient religious monuments dating back thousands of years, climb the rock fortress of Sigiriya, witness the Dutch colonial heritage at Galle, visit the Temple of Tooth, cool down in the tea stations in the hills, and, finally, relax on the endless white-sand beaches.

If you have travelled in Africa before, please do not expect the same frequency and volume of wildlife. Sri Lanka is, after all, a tropical island... There is also some fantastic whale watching from the Port of Mirissa where you might see dolphins, as well as blue whales and other ocean mammals.

Offering some of the best wildlife viewing in Asia, Sri Lanka is home to?Yala National Park, where you can go specifically to track leopards, and?Minneriya National Park, where the renowned elephant gathering takes place.

Sri Lanka Wildlife Highlights

• Blue Whales
• Elephants
• Leopard
• Sea Turtles
• Sloth Bears

Sri Lanka is by and large a relaxed and friendly country and, although it still bears some of the scars of its more turbulent recent history, the infrastructure is progressing all the time. Traffic can still be somewhat unpredictable, but the road quality is improving. Outside of the main cities of Colombo and Kandy, facilities can be more basic but the standards of accommodation and food are high throughout the country; Natural World Safaris has access to some beautiful boutique lodges

Combining well with India, particularly the south, and the Maldives, due to frequent flights between Colombo and Male, many people choose to visit the cultural and wildlife areas of Sri Lanka first before heading to a paradise island to relax in splendour.

Sri Lanka is a relatively small island, but there is plenty to discover and you can easily spend ten days to two weeks exploring and it does have its fair share of stunning sandy beaches that are not to be missed.