Sri Lankan elephants, a subspecies of Asian elephants, can be seen in large numbers at Minneriya and Kaudulla National parks. The best time to visit these parks is from July to November when you get to see the elephant gatherings. Seeing a hundred to two hundred Elephants is a common sight in July and August. The special feature is the number of Baby elephants you see here. If you go on a game drive there is a guarantee that you will see elephants and the question asked is how many. You could watch their unique behavior for hours for sure.
“Nature’s great masterpiece, an elephant ― the only harmless great thing.” – John Donne –
There are over three thousand wild Elephants in Sri Lanka and most of them live in the dry zone. Though there is no opportunity to see the gathering, National parks like Udawalwa & Wasgamuwa are infested with a large number of Elephants. Yala and Wilpatthu National parks give you a good chance to spot the Sri Lankan Elephant. But as these are the two largest National parks the Elephants are scatted and usually being spotted in small numbers. The born free foundation is running an Elephant transit home where they treat and nurse orphan baby Elephants. Once the Elephants recover they slowly release them to the Udawalawa National Park.
The Elephant population is stable in Srilanka. There is no poaching as most Asian Elephants do not grow tusks. There is a human–elephant conflict that has been going on for some time. It is being controlled to an extent by building electric fences around the National parks and the bordering villages.
Family Holidays in Srilanka are very popular. The main reason for the cause is the Elephants. The Kids love watching the Elephants playing in the huge reservoirs, Babies being fed by their Mothers, rubbing their bodies against the trees, and endlessly eating. The gentle nature of this giant mammal is indeed a pleasure to observe.
The Hanthana Mountain Range is not far from the famous Kandy City. The Mountain Range is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of the busy town. It is a great addition to your list of “Things to do in Kandy“
This less-visited isolated Mountain range has fantastic moderate walking paths through Tea plantations. There are seven individual peaks and the highest is called Ura- Kanda. The peaks offer spectacular views of the Knuckles Mountain Range and The Kandy City. On a good clear day, you get to see the distance of over 50 miles. In the Mornings and late afternoons, you could spot a lot of birds including endemic species. You could easily fit in a visit to the iconic Tea Museum on the way to the Hanthana Mountain range.
Most of our Customers often buy some souvenirs on their travels, as they know one day, these purchases will bring back the happy memories of the Unique Holiday they had in Sri Lanka.The most popular purchase of travelers is Gems. Srilanka is one of the largest Natural Sapphire exporters in the World. Our signature Stone is called the Ceylon Sapphire which is the medium Blue or the Cornflower Blue Sapphire that is only found in Sri Lanka. The most expensive is the Red Sapphire called the star Ruby. Srilanka offers a range of semi pressures Stones such as Topaz, Aquamarine, Amethysts, Garnet, Moonstone, and many more.
Masks painted with natural colors too are popular among Travelers. These traditional masks date back to the pre-historic periods where the medicinal Masks were used to cure patients. There are different masks representing different eras and purposes. The Balsa Wood makes these masks very light which encourages the Tourist to buy them. We have a lot of souvenirs made out of Coconuts, Rattan, Reed, Palmyra, Black Palm, etc.
You will start to look at the Cup of Tea on your table differently, after visiting the scenic Tea plantations in Sri Lanka. Tea is mainly grown in the hill country, over the altitude of 4000 feet. When you hit the Hill Country, you will see thousands of Acers of Tea being grown, that would look like a green carpet over the hills. You will see the Tea Pickers in vibrant colors moving around picking the young tea leaves at a fairly quick phase. At a Tea factory, you get to understand the Journey from Leaf to Cup and the hard work that goes into producing your cup of Tea. Hill Country is the most picturesque area of Srilanka with colorful flowers, Waterfalls, and Viewpoints. The drive through the Tea country is an amazing experience with so much to see and there is never a dull moment with Photo opportunities coming up so very often. The Ceylon Tea is one of the best in the World and has been bringing Foreign exchange into the Country for generations. There are some amazing Unique Boutique Hotels tucked in the Tea plantations offering an unforgettable experience to our travelers. These Hotels were once, owned by British Tea Planters. The Hill country experience will definitely stay as one of the Highlights of your Holiday in Sri Lanka.
The Ella gap can be seen at its best from the Little Adam’s peak which is 1141 meters above Sea level. But you can get decent views of the Ella Gap from the main road leading to the South East too. Technically, the Ella gap is a space between two long mountains that reveals an amazing view, all the way to the Southern coast of the island. You see a series of Mountains, Some reservoirs and the forests blended together stretching past 60 miles. Ella Gap is a unique creation of the Nature that should not be missed. Driving along the Road running parallel to Ella Gap is a great experience as you get to see different views and drops. You get to see the vibrant Rawana- Ella Waterfall by the side of the Road which is at its best soon after the Monsoons.
Till the recent past, Srilanka was seen as a Beach destination for package Tourists. But there is so much to explore in Srilanka, than just sitting on the Beach. Its rich History and culture, Fun activities, Wild life, flora and Fauna are worth explored. Srilanka has so many native species of Wild life, Trees and Plants. The hot spot for Endemic species is, the Sinharaja rain forest which is Home for many Sri Lankan endemic species. Some of the endemic Animals found at Sinharaja are Giant squirrel, dusky-striped jungle squirrel, badger mongoose and purple-faced leaf monkey. Some of the common native Birds are Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Green-Billed Coucal, Sri Lankan white-headed starling, Red-faced Malkoha, Green-billed Caucal, Sri Lanka Spur fowl, Sri Lankan Blue Magpie, and Ashy-headed Babbler. The Sri Lankan Elephant is a sub species of the Asian Elephant. The Srilankan Elephants have pigmentation on their Trunks and ears. Elephant Gatherings happen in Srilanka very often, where you get to see over two hundred Elephants.
