S E E U S O N T H E W E B AT wildlifeworldwide.com 103 Asia / Sri Lanka Days 4 to 6. Nuwara Eliya This morning visit Udawattakele Rainforest Reserve on the lookout for Mouse Deer, jackals, porcupines and civets, as well as Yellow-browed Bulbul, White-rumped Shama and Tickel's Flycatcher. Later you continue to Nuwara Eliya by road, once a popular hill station of the British, situated in the heart of 'tea country'. Your stay here will include visits to Hakgala Gardens, Victoria Park and Galways Reserve. A full day at Horton Plains, Sri Lanka's highest plateau of over 3,000 hectares, will also give you ample opportunity to see Wild Boar, Sambar, and Giant Squirrel, as well as almost all of the endemic bird species in the country. Supporting grassland together with dense montane cloud forest, Horton Plains is perhaps most famous for the precipice at 'World's End', where there is a sheer drop of 1,050 metres to the plains below. You spend three nights at Galway Forest Lodge. Days 7 to 9. Yala National Park [B, L, D] Head south to Yala National Park visiting Tissamaharama for a 1-night stay en-route at the Priyankara Hotel. At Yala, you stay at the Yala Village Hotel for two nights. Spend a full day at Yala enjoying the varied terrain and incredible wildlife. Flat plains, dense jungle, lagoons and stunning beaches are home to large herds of Indian Elephant, Chital, Wild Boar, Leopard and Marsh Mugger Crocodiles. Days 10 & 11. Bundala/Kalametiya Reserves [B, L, D] Today you transfer on by road to Hambantota where you spend the night at the Oasis Hotel. Spend time exploring the important wetland areas of Bundala Lewaya and the Kalametiya Reserve, home to almost all water birds resident in Sri Lanka, as well as countless migratory birds between November and March. Elephant, Chital, Grey Langur, Water Monitor and crocodile are often seen, with Olive Ridley, and Leatherback Turtles nesting on the beaches from April to June. The evening of Day 11 will spent at the Centauria Hotel in Embilipitiya. Day 12. Udawalawe National Park [B, L, D] Today you visit the Walawe Reservoir en-route to Ratnapura, which is surrounded by open plains and hills at the foot of the prominent Kaltota Escarpment and spectacular Diyawinne Falls. Sambar, Chital, Indian Elephant and Wild Boar may all be seen together with Black-winged Kite, Pygmy Woodpecker, Chestnutheaded Bee-eater, Malabar-pied Hornbill and Velvet-fronted Blue Nutcatcher. Spend three nights at the Ratnaloka Hotel in Ratnapura. Days 13 & 14. Sinharaja Forest [B, L, D] Based at Ratnapura, a visit to Sinharaja, the last remaining primary lowland tropical rainforest in Sri Lanka, is a must. It is home to many endemic plants, animals and birds, and some 139 varieties of Sri Lanka's 830 endemic trees! Rufous-bellied, Crested Serpent, Black, and Mountain Hawk Eagle, Red-faced Malkoha, Asian Paradise Fly-catcher, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and White-faced Starling may also be seen here. Should you prefer to spend a night closer to Sinharaja rather than returning to Ratnapura for the second night - just let us know! Blue Magpie Lodge is situated three kilometres from the entrance to Sinharaja Forest and offers comfortable accommodation with twelve rooms, each with a fan and en-suite facilities. Day 15. Muthurajewela Swamps [B, L, D] Return to Colombo for your final night at the Airport Garden Hotel, taking a boat safari through the mangrove swamps of Muthurajewela en-route. Day 16. Homeward [B] Please note that for all our Sri Lankan itineraries there is a peak season supplement for departures between 20th December and 15th January (inclusive). Please also note that Yala National Park is shut between the 1st September and 15th October. Sri Lanka is home to a vast variety of birds, including 25 endemic species, making this a bird watchers paradise. Specialist watching tours can be arranged using expert birding guides. Please give us a call to arrange a tailor made birding holiday for you. Variations on a theme... If you would like to extend your stay in Sri Lanka, perhaps by spending longer in Kandy to experience the Elephant Perahera, or visiting Tasks Safari Camp near Yala, or even including a beach sojourn - please do give us a call and we will be happy to tailor an extension to suit your needs. You might also consider an extension to the Maldives which is only a short flight away. Cost per person: Jan to 23 Mar, 5 Apr to 14 Jul, 13 Aug to 13 Dec £2,195 24 Mar to 4 Apr, 15 Jul to 12 Aug £2,295 14 to 23 Dec £2,495 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, throughout the year Sinharaja Lotus Flower At Wildlife Worldwide we specialise in tailor-making our holidays. It is what we started doing in 1992, it has been our philosophy right from the start. A tailor-made journey gives you the freedom and flexibility to travel how, when and where you want to. And of course, you are unconstrained by the wishes of a group. Throughout the brochure we show a series of itineraries to whet your appetite. These are all suggestions and ideas, none are cast in stone. We can change the properties, extend or shorten your trip, combine destinations and countries, fly you in Business Class, organise car rental and of course offer advice and suggestions from a wealth of experience that we have gained over many years. Call us on 0845 130 6982 and we will be happy to discuss the options with you! Tailor-made holidays – a unique journey designed just for you!

104 F O R R E S E R V A T I O N S C A L L U S O N 0845 130 6982 Elephants of Sri Lanka 13 days London to London Days 1 & 2. Colombo Depart London for Colombo. On arrival the next day you will be met and transferred to Villa Talangama where you spend the night. Days 3 & 4. Udawalawe & Bundala National Parks [B, D] Today you head for the Oasis Hotel in Hambantota, where you will be based for two nights. Accommodation here is comfortable with all rooms having airconditioning, a balcony and private facilities. More importantly, the hotel provides an ideal base for exploring Udawalawe, and Bundala National Parks. Udawalawe National Park is home to wonderful birdlife including the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Black-shouldered Kite, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Shikra, Common Kestrel, Brown Fish Owl and Western Marsh Harrier. It is also home to many Elephants, 50-60 often being seen at any one time. Enjoy afternoon safaris wildlife-viewing by jeep. Bundala National Park is home to 150 species of winter migrants and resident birds. Highlights include Greater Flamingo, Lesser Adjutant and Painted Stork. Days 5 & 6.Yala National Park [B, D] Continue to Yala National Park and Yala Village Hotel where you spend two nights. Spend time birding along the lodge's nature trail which incorporates a variety of habitats resulting in a fantastic diversity of birdlife. (See our 'Leopards of Sri Lanka' itinerary for further information on the park and lodge.) Day 7. Kandy [B, D] Transfer to Kandy for a 1-night stay at Hotel Suisse. Take an afternoon visit to the Sacred Temple of the Tooth. Days 8 & 9. Wasgomuwa [B, D] Continue to the exclusive Dunuvila Cottage for a 2-night stay, which is conveniently situated at the edge of Wasgomuwa National Park. The locally designed cottage is ‘eco-friendly’ with mud walls, a thatched roof, verandahs and accommodation consisting of two rooms and a bathroom with an open-air shower and a sunken bath. Of the 23 species of mammals that are recorded in Wasgomuwa National Park, the most important is the Indian Elephant of which there are approximately 150. In addition you may see Water Buffalo, Chital, Water Monitor and crocodile. Birding highlights include the globally threatened Lesser Adjutant. Days 10 & 11. Sigiriya [B, D] Sigiriya Village Hotel is your next port of call and here you spend two nights. From here you may visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress, birding en-route on the look out for the elusive resident Blue-eared Kingfisher. Explore the Polonnaruwa Sanctuary and Minneriya National Park where Elephants, Sambar and Chital are a commonly seen. Birding highlights include the Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill and Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl. Days 12 & 13. Homeward [B, D (Day 12 only)] After breakfast transfer back to Colombo, visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en-route. Spend the night at the Taj Airport Garden Hotel, before catching your daytime homeward flight the next day. Leopards of Sri Lanka 13 days London to London Days 1 & 2. Colombo Depart London for Colombo. On arrival the next day, you will be met and transferred to Villa Tangalama where you spend the night. Days 3 to 5. Yala National Park [B, D] Transfer by road to Yala Village Hotel where you spend three nights. Spend two full days exploring Yala National Park which has one of the highest densities of Leopards in the world. On morning and evening safaris to you may see Leopard, Elephant, Sloth Bear, Sambar, Chital, Wild Boar, Stripednecked, Brown, and Ruddy Mongoose, Blacknaped Hare, Marsh Mugger Crocodile and several civet species. Birding highlights include the Southern Sirkeer, Blue-faced Malkoha, Black-necked Stork, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Rufous-winged Bush Lark, Thick-billed Flowerpecker, Purple Sunbird, Little Minivet, Whiterumped Shama and the rare Black-necked Stork. Days 6 & 7. Nuwara Eliya [B, L, D] After breakfast leave for St.Andrew’s Hotel, Nuwara Eliya for two nights. During your stay you will visit Hakgala Gardens, Victoria Park and Horton Plains. (See our ‘Sri Lanka’s Highlights’ itinerary of page 96 for more details.) Day 8. Kandy [B, D] Continue to Kandy for a 1-night stay at the deluxe La Kandyan Hotel. Enjoy a late afternoon city tour which includes a visit to the Sacred Tooth Relic housed within the Temple of Tooth. This is an object of veneration to Buddhists and the most important sacred relic in the country. Cost per person: Jan to 23 Mar, 5 Apr to 14 Jul, 13 Aug to 13 Dec £2,195 24 Mar to 4 Apr, 15 Jul to 12 Aug £2,295 14 to 23 Dec £2,495 Single supplement: Available on request What is included: Flights, meals as indicated, transfers & guided activities Accommodation: Hotels & lodges Departure dates: Daily, throughout the year Indian Elephant Leopard