Wildlife Rich Jungles, Rolling Tea Plantations & Mist-Shrouded Mountains 

This little tear drop in the Indian Ocean called Sri Lanka was full of surprises.  I had travelled to India a few years earlier and loved it, and to be honest thought I was going to see and experience something similar on this trip.  Boy was I wrong! Sri Lanka is one the of the most beautiful countries in South Asia.  Not only is it affordable, but the multitude of experiences also makes it well worth a visit.  Every corner we turned was another breath-taking site to take in, the people went about their daily lives in a calm and modest manner and driving past an elephant slowly making its way alongside the road was not an uncommon site.   

The flight to Sri Lanka was 10 hours direct, we landed in Colombo and would spend ten days exploring different regions of the country.  What was meant to be a small group tour ended up being a personalized tour led by our guide Nandana.  We left Colombo on a three-and-a-half-hour drive to Dambulla, with a quick stop to freshen up at our accommodation, the adventures started in Dambulla with a Jeep Safari to the Minneriya National Park. Minneriya National Park is a haven for flora and fauna and is a part of the elephant corridor, which joins up with Kaudulla National Park and Wasgomuwa National Park.   

Travelling in September meant we witnessed one of the most awesome wildlife spectacles “The Gathering.” Over 300 elephants are seen making their way to Minneriya tank as the ancient tank slowly dries up giving way to fresh grass and shoots which is a feast in abundance.  Seeing these magnificent creatures roaming in their natural habitat was one of those experiences you cannot put into words.  Well into the evening I was still marvelling in what I witnessed that day and how close I was to a mother and its two calves in the wild as they passed right in front of our jeep.   

The next day we made our way to visit Polonnaruwa, the capital of the Indian Chola Dynasty after Anuradhapura was conquered in the late 10th century. Cycling amid the remains of 1000-year-old Polonnaruwa is the best way to get around.  We visited multiple palaces, temples, and stupas.  

Later that day we arrived at Sigiriya Village having a traditional lunch cooked in a clay hut on a wood fire oven and was absolutely amazing.  The trek began with a Bullock Cart Ride to Ehelagala through unbeaten village tracks.  Before we got to our destination the driver handed over the reins and jumped off leaving me in charge with no instructions as he videoed my surprised face.  We successfully made it to the next stop and taken on a canoe boat ride on the Ehelagala lake. We cruised admiring the amazing views and was surprised with our guides craftsmanship and creativity, by making hats and a beautiful necklace from plants he pulled from the lake. With that part of the tour over we docked by the small village on the other side of the shore. 

We observed the traditional daily life of a real village house.  We enjoyed a simple traditional meal prepared by a village woman using the Farmer’s hand-picked vegetables from the plot.  The visit ended with a Tuk Tuk ride back to town, and in the spirt of the way we started this adventure, the driver handed over the steering wheel letting us take control of the wheel.  Controlling a Tuk Tuk is not as easy as it looks but, we chalked that up to another once in a lifetime experience on this trip. 

Our final stop for the day was to the beautiful Royal Rock Temple complex which sits about 160m above the road in the southern part of Dambulla.  Five separate caves contain about 150 absolutely stunning Buddha statues and paintings, some of Sri Lanka’s most important and evocative religious art can be found here. There are 365 steps to climb before you get to the cave, but it is worth it.  This is a religious place so arms need to be covered, and shorts/skirts must be below the knees, a sarong will be provided at the top if required.  We stopped numerous times to catch our breath and take in the surroundings and watch the wild monkeys swinging aimlessly on the trees which lined the edge of the stairs.  It was a strenuous way to end what had been a big day but well worth the effort. 

The following day we started a two- and half-hour journey to Kandy. Along the way we stopped off in the city of Matale where we visited a local spice garden and learnt about the spices that have played such an important role in Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage. Although it’s the second-largest city in the country, Kandy maintains a laidback atmosphere.  No trip is complete without a cultural show and the one we attended that evening did not disappoint.   

The next morning, we departed Kandy and boarded a train bound for Nuwara Eliya, along one of the world’s most scenic railways. Nestled deep into tea plantation country, Nuwara Eliya sits at an elevation of 1800 metres, making it one of the coolest regions in Sri Lanka.  The three and half train journey provided stunning scenery and some impromptu entertainment from the locals in our carriage.  It wasn’t long after the train departed, they brought out their instruments and sung songs in their native tongue which provided pure joy to the locals and tourists alike.  This was another of those moments where words cannot describe the beautiful energy, I felt from the local people who were setting off on a weekend away singing, laughing and sharing food with each other.  I was surrounded by a group of people who exuded a graceful inner peace.  I wanted to extract those tranquil qualities they possessed for myself and wondered long after this trip what manifested this natural serene attribute of all the Sri Lankan people we came across.  To read more about this amazing Bucket List expereince Click Here.

Our time in the Sri Lanken mountains had come to an end, now it was time to enjoy the beaches in Hikkaduwa. Our driver Nandana could have taken the five-hour direct highway route, but after a week together he realised how much we loved seeing Elephants in the wild so took us the scenic route.  He wanted us to have the most perfect time in his country so we would go home and tell all our family and friends to visit.   

The indirect route proved to be another highlight of this amazing trip.  As we made our way around the edge of the Udawalawe National Park Nandana told us to look out for Elephants on the side of the road.  It wasn’t long before we saw one of these magnificent creatures meandering in the bushes, we pulled over and made our way towards him.  There was a deep ditch separating us, so with the safety of knowing this I found myself in an encounter that left me in awe of the size and exquisiteness that stood before me.  In that moment I knew being this close in their natural environment was a once in a lifetime experience and I didn’t want it to end. 

The Elephant Transit Home also known as the elephant orphanage, has the primary purpose of rehabilitating and releasing isolated baby elephants to the wild.  Elephant calves have no limits and are free to roam wherever they want, and human contact is limited.  On a distant platform tourists watch as the baby elephants make their way to the feeding stations where they are fed milk through these huge funnels.  When they have finished, they are herded back to the national park, but it wasn’t unusual to see the occasional cheeky one try and rejoin the line back into the feeding stations.  On the rare occasion one would get away with it but mostly they would be chased by the keeper to the amusement of the tourists watching on. 

After a week of early mornings, the next three days relaxing in a resort by the beach was welcomed.   The main street of Hikkaduwa was lined with resorts, restaurants and shops not unsimilar to what you would see in Bali.  The ten days had gone quick, and most days were jam packed with things to do and see, I felt like we saw and experienced most of what Sri Lanka had to offer and I was not disappointed.   

This trip didn’t end here, a quick one hour forty-minute flight to the Maldives was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up while we were so close.   Read more about that in my story called “The Maldives, is it all it’s cracked up to be.” 

Would I recommend going to Sri Lanka, the answer is “yes,” in a heartbeat.  I can’t articulate exactly why; it is for so many reasons.  It is the beautiful people, the beautiful countryside, it is to see elephants in the wilderness, it is to drive through one village after the other watching the Sri Lankans go about their daily lives with a sense of peace and tranquillity.  For travellers like us the opportunity to explore and embrace new and exciting experiences were endless and satisfied our need for a Sense of Adventure!