Trek in Sri Lanka

Hardly have our feet touched the ground when our driver welcomes us warmly at Bandaranaike International Airport. We have indeed arrived in Sri Lanka.

Our itinerary for this day passes through a mountainous region. We set off to discover the city of Kandy. The last monarchical capital of Sri Lanka, it is currently a sacred place for Buddhist pilgrims.

Visit to the famous Tooth Temple. This lovely temple, a major pilgrimage site, is said to house a relic of one of Buddha's canines.

Let us then set off for a walk around Victoria Lake (approximately 4 km) before stopping at the vegetable market located nearby. Very lively, the market immerses us in a friendly and colorful atmosphere.

The Kandyan Dance performance will close our evening. It is an unmissable cultural moment. The men in wide traditional skirts perform gestures and animal mimics according to existing versions. Percussionists and singers accompany them in this folkloric celebration. (optional)

Our trekking guide picks us up early in the morning (7am) with his jeep to take us towards the Knuckles Range, a protected natural area.

Knuckles Range is a succession of mountains and peaks (34 precisely) that cover an area of almost 19,000 square meters and which mainly harbors an important variety of fauna and flora.

It is from Meemure that we begin the trek.

We start our trek by slowly gaining altitude to the first plateau where we take a lunch break (picnic) surrounded by Knuckles Mountains.

If we wish, we can stop near a beautiful waterfall.

We continue our way through the mountains to our base camp where we spend the night in a tent.

Barbecue dinner around a campfire.

We will spend time in the protected area of Knuckles Range. Today again, we will repeat our 6-hour trek.

Except this time, we will start with a morning hike towards the valley. Heading: the lair of Sri Wickram Rajasinghe, the last Kandyan king who was captured by British colonists in 1815.

We continue our progression by crossing vast tea plantations, reforestation areas where you can discover a large number of exotic tree and plant species while enjoying a magnificent view of the valley.

This day also gives us the opportunity to observe a large number of birds inhabiting the region.

Around noon, we take a small lunch break (picnic).

We continue our walk until Bomure where our jeep awaits us to take us back to Kandy.

Jeep transfer to Kandy.

Upon arrival in Kandy, we meet up with our driver and head towards Nuwara Eliya where we spend the night.

This morning, we are taken to the gates of the natural area of Horton Plains National Park listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We meet our trekking guide who details the program for the next three days of trekking.

We begin our walk through cultivated fields and a few small villages. The varied landscapes and reliefs of the region offer us magnificent viewpoints.

At the end of the day, a tuk tuk comes to pick us up and takes us to our guesthouse.

We begin our new day of trekking through villages, rice fields, forests and cultivated fields in the central mountains.

Along the way, it is not uncommon to meet the inhabitants of the surrounding villages, always happy to greet us.

Let's hope that the fog, which regularly affects the region, does not show up for the day.

On this last day of hiking in Horton Plains, we pass through the tea plantations of Haputale. This small mountain village is well known for its expertise in tea cultivation.

Along the way, we may have the chance to pass through the villages at school dismissal time. An opportunity to exchange a few words with schoolchildren in uniforms, happy to be able to practice their school English a little.

At the end of the day, we meet up with our driver who takes us to the hotel.

Today we head towards the Udawalawe National Park in the south of the island.

In the afternoon, we board a jeep for a safari within the park, renowned for its elephant population. The latter, created in 1972, has an interesting elephant population and a multitude of bird species.

We can also spot bears, sambars, monitor lizards, crocodiles and leopards.

Night under canvas. Dinner on your own

In the morning, we can visit the « Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home » to observe the young elephants.

Then, we continue on towards Sinharaja and its tropical jungle. The pleasant road through the valley then leads us onto a slightly more winding path.

Upon arrival at Sinharaja, we settle in at the hotel.

As night falls, we can take advantage of a naturalist guide's expertise for a little night excursion in search of loris (a close relative of the parrot).

In the morning, we head towards the south coast of the island. We stop at the lovely Unawatuna Beach, cradled by turquoise blue waters.

It's the perfect opportunity to relax and let yourself be lulled by the sound of the waves.

We then head to the fort of Galle, known mainly for its fortified city.

Built in the 16th century by Portuguese colonists, the fort is home to numerous hotels, restaurants, cafés, shops and art galleries, all in a colonial architectural style.

It is pleasant to stroll through the streets before heading to the ramparts and walking around them at sunset.

Today, we are leaving Galle to join Colombo via the expressway. Weather permitting, we set off to discover this coastal city full of resources.

We are advised to visit its popular neighbourhoods: Pettahh with its bazaar and its mosque, but also City Hall with its beautiful colonial buildings.

We can also go to Beira Lake for a short stroll and stop along the way at Gangaramaya Temple.

For this last day, we will be able to meet our local agent before heading to the international airport.