Two of the island's great wildlife encounters, joined by a coast road. The dry-zone leopard, the blue whale off the southern coast, and a long quiet evening inside Galle Fort to close.
Two of the island's great wildlife encounters, joined by a coast road. You begin in the dry-zone south at Yala, where the leopard density is among the highest recorded anywhere, then move west to Mirissa for the blue whale. Land and sea, the cat and the giant, in one unhurried week.
From USD 1,950 per person, two sharing. USD 3,900 for two travellers. Half board · twin/double.
At a glance
Best for: A first wildlife journey
Pace: Balanced
Travellers: Private tour
Guide: Private naturalist guide
Transport: Private A/C vehicle · jeep · boat
Highlights
Yala leopard at first light
Blue whale off Mirissa
Galle Fort, timed for the light
215 bird species, a long list
Day by day
Day 1 · Arrival, south to Yala
Colombo › Yala · ≈ 4 hours
Met at the airport and driven south to Yala. Settle in at the park edge and rest. Tomorrow begins in the dark.
Overnight: Jetwing Yala · Half Board
Day 2 · Yala, a full day in the park
Yala
Into Yala at first light, with breakfast and lunch packed. Yala holds one of the highest leopard densities recorded anywhere, and the naturalist reads the alarm calls and the pug marks rather than the radio chatter. Elephant, sloth bear, and a long bird list besides. A full day, down off the jeep only where it is allowed.
Overnight: Jetwing Yala · Half Board
Day 3 · West to Mirissa
Tissamaharama › Mirissa · ≈ 3 hours
After breakfast, the coast road west to Mirissa. The afternoon is the beach, and an early night before the boat.
A boat leaves Mirissa harbour before the wind gets up, onto one of the few stretches of ocean where the blue whale feeds close to shore. Spinner dolphins in the hundreds, and a sperm whale is not unusual. The afternoon is yours.
A slow morning, then Galle Fort in the late afternoon: a seventeenth-century rampart town the Dutch built and the British kept, its lanes now full of small shops and old houses. The walls at sunset are the reason to come late.
A last morning by the sea, then the drive up the coast to the airport in the afternoon.
Where you sleep
Jetwing Yala · (Yala) · 2 nights · Beach hotel on the ocean, minutes from the park gate.
Jetwing Lighthouse · (Galle) · 3 nights · Bawa's lighthouse on the rocks, wave-song at night.
What the price covers
Private naturalist guide and A/C vehicle (6 days)
Full-day Yala safari with jeep, tracker and fees
Whale and dolphin watching boat trip
All park and entrance fees
Included
Accommodation throughout on half board (breakfast and dinner) in a double or twin room at hand-selected boutique properties.
Sri Lanka ETA application and processing.
Private A/C vehicle with an English-speaking naturalist guide for the journey.
A 4×4 jeep with tracker and all park fees for the full-day Yala safari.
Picnic breakfast and lunch on the safari day.
Whale and dolphin watching boat trip from Mirissa harbour.
All entrance fees in the itinerary, including Yala and Galle Fort.
Meet-and-greet on arrival and assistance at departure.
Bottled drinking water in the vehicle each day.
All government taxes and service charges.
Not included
International flights to and from Sri Lanka.
Travel, medical and cancellation insurance — we recommend arranging this before departure.
Lunches and any meals not stated in the itinerary.
Beverages, laundry, and personal expenses.
Camera and video permits at certain sites, where applicable.
Gratuities for guide, driver and hotel staff, at your discretion.
Good to know
All wildlife viewing is by nature unpredictable; sightings cannot be guaranteed. Safari jeeps are open-sided and not air-conditioned, in keeping with park regulations.
Blue whale watching off Mirissa is at its best from November to April and is weather dependent.
Guests are kindly asked to follow the naturalist and the park wardens at all times, for their safety and the welfare of the animals.
Hotels listed are indicative and confirmed at the time of booking.