The Esala Perahera known as the best unpaid procession in Asia in Kandy is one of the oldest and grandest of all Buddhist festivals featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers, and about 100 decorated elephants. The procession lasts for ten days with the presence of thousands of locals. The Sinhalese term ‘Perahera’ means a parade of musicians, dancers, singers and acrobats. The Esala Perahera is an annual event held to honour the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha housed in the temple of the tooth in Kandy where the procession begins.
The festival starts on the 16th of Aug 2018 & finishes on the 25th of Aug. You get the chance to see the procession on our tours below.
England Cricket team will visit Sri Lanka in October to play 3 tests, 5 one day internationals & one T 20. The games are played very close to prime tourist destinations.
Gal Oya is a simple eco-retreat that opened in 2014. Being on the edge of the National Park, it is a great location for viewing wildlife and for those that want peace and quiet. The rooms consist of eco-friendly bungalows and villas which made from locally sourced materials and are dotted amongst the 20 acre site which allows for complete privacy. All have great views of the mountains.
Every year, through August and September, up to 300 Asian elephants gather at Minneriya Lake. They are not having a party! These guys are looking for food and water, and Minneriya Lake offers the best chance for them in their search. August and September is the dry season. The Lake is man-made, meaning it is a reliable source of water. Thus, they come back every year. Witness the natural phenomenon that opens up the mysteries of these big animals’ behaviour.
We would recommend anyone wanting to see the Sloth Bear to let us know as June usually offers the best time of year to spot these shy, retiring mammals. They have a passion for the fruit of the Palu tree which comes at this time and as the fruits are mildly intoxicating, the bears tend to saunter around without fear. As well as Sloth Bears you may also spot leopards in Yala – with the National Park boasting one of the highest leopard populations anywhere in the world.
This is luxury camping in the wilderness zone just outside of Wilpattu, Ude Walawe and Yala National Parks. Depending on the grade of tent you choose will determine the luxury level. Being so close to the boundary to the National Park, you will have the Park very much to yourself for the first hour or so in the early morning. At night, the campsite is illuminated with traditional oil torches and hurricane lamps. There is so little light pollution in these areas, it is a perfect location to see the night sky and if you are lucky, shooting stars!
