Sri Lankan Sinhala and Tamil New Year 2017

Sri Lankan Sinhala and Tamil New Year 2017

The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is a significant national holiday in Sri Lanka and is celebrated across the island with great grandeur. The marking of the event as a national festival is unique to the island and is not to be missed if your Sri Lankan tour coincides with the celebrations. In 2017 the Sinhalese New Year falls on the 14th of April.
The New Year is known as Aluth Avurudu in Sinhala and Puthandu in Tamil and celebrates the moving of the sun from the House of Pisces to the House of Aries. The event typically takes place on the 14th of April each year and the joyous mood that sweeps the island running up to the celebrations is palpable.
Sri Lanka’s wildlife calendar

Sri Lanka’s wildlife calendar

Sri Lanka’s wildlife calendar

If you’re looking to go on a wildlife adventure of a lifetime, you can’t go much wrong with picking Sri Lanka as your destination. Not only is it packed with 26 world renowned national parks filled with big game, it is also arguably the best place in the world to see the largest creature of them all – the blue whale! If you’re looking for the best time to visit Sri Lanka for spotting wildlife, check out our wildlife calendar which shows when in the year is the best time for seeing the various exotic creatures that call Sri Lanka home

January

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe) Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave
  • Migrant birds

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin

February

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave
  • Migrant birds

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin

March

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave
  • Migrant birds

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin
  • Green Turtle

April

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin
  • Green Turtle

May

Land animals and birds

 

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

 

Sea life

  • Green Turtle

June

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

Sea life

  • Green Turtle

July

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • The Elephant Gathering at Minneriya
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Mugger Crocodile (Yala)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

Sea life

  • Green Turtle

August

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • The Elephant Gathering at Minneriya
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Mugger Crocodile (Yala)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

 

September

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • The Elephant Gathering at Minneriya
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Mugger Crocodile (Yala)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

October

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave

 

November

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave
  • Migrant birds

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin

December

Land animals and birds

  • Leopard (Yala and Wilpattu National Parks)
  • Elephants (Udawalawe)
  • Primates (Cultural Triangle)
  • Large Reptiles
  • Dragonflies and Butterflies
  • Sinharaja bird wave
  • Migrant birds

Sea life

  • Blue Whale (Mirissa)
  • Spinner Dolphin

Book your Sri Lanka wildlife holiday

We specialise in the customised tours to Sri Lanka and regularly create exciting wildlife holidays to the island that specifically suit our traveller’s wants and needs. Whether you’re interested in big game, a bird watching enthusiast, want to catch a glimpse at the majestic blue whale, or you’re looking for an experience that takes in a bit of everything, get in touch today!

UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka

UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka

With an astounding eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites – more than Egypt with its ancient tombs, sphinxes and great pyramids – it is little wonder that Sri Lanka is known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’.
Six of the eight are ancient cultural sites and mark some of the most important events and accomplishments of Sri Lanka’s two thousand year history. The other two are natural wonder which boast some of the highest bio-diversity found anywhere in the world.
Sri Lanka’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites are:
Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
Ancient City of Sigiriya
Golden Temple of Dambulla
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications
Sacred City of Anuradhapura
Sacred City of Kandy
Horton Plains
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
During your holiday to Sri Lanka you’ll get to experience the massive historic monuments, ancient ruins, hidden temples and a gigantic rock fortress touching the clouds. These World Heritage Sites demonstrate and represent Sri Lanka’s rich past and civilization.
Sri Lanka, the best wildlife holiday destination in the world

Sri Lanka, the best wildlife holiday destination in the world

It’s a bold claim, but one that is unmistakably true. Blessed with amazing bio-diversity, high encounter rates and with both stunning land and marine wildlife to be seen, Sri Lanka is the best wildlife holiday destination in the world.
Sri Lanka has always been fortunate to have its dazzling mix of big game animals, marine life and array of endemic species. However, it’s only with the islands recent development that traveling across the island to see the impressive wildlife is that much easier thanks to the decent tourist infrastructure now in place.
Routinely ranked as the number one destination to spot Blue Whales and Leopards, and the best place for big game safaris outside of Africa, all on a compact, well developed island – Sri Lanka is undoubtedly the best overall wildlife holiday destination.
Here are some of Sri Lanka’s wildlife highlights:
Visit Sri Lanka’s Hill Country

Visit Sri Lanka’s Hill Country

Sri Lanka’s Hill Country boasts some of the most stunning scenery anywhere on the island. With its striking forest-carpeted hills, lush tea plantations and majestic waterfalls, Sri Lanka’s Hill Country is a must visit during your tour!
There are few better ways to take in the amazing scenery of the Hill Country than taking the famous train ride between Nuwara Eliya and Ella. The meandering train trip winds its way through the lush rolling hills of the tea plantations where you’ll see the many Tamil tea pickers out in the fields. The forest covered mountains form the backdrop, punching through the puffy clouds in the sky. Along the journey you’ll see the stunning natural beauty of this part of the island in all its glory, including her spectacular waterfalls.
Catching the train to or from Pattipola is convenient for visiting another gem of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country – the Hortons Plains. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Horton Plains is a superb place to explore on foot, comprising of grasslands, evergreen forests, marshes and intricate natural water systems. The trek around Horton Plains will typically take three to four hours to complete in its entirety and the highlight and draw for most visitors is the world famous “Worlds End” escarpment that falls for nearly one kilometre to the plains below. The panoramic views from Worlds End are truly stunning.