Sigiriya, Village tour and Minneriya Safari – Day Tour

Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress (most visited UNESCO World Heritage Site) (3hrs)

This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. A spectacular pillar of rock is visible from miles around, geologically Sigiriya is a hardened magma plug of an extinct volcano. Historically, the origins of the remains are disputed and it is thought to have been either a royal fortress built under the reign of King Kashyapa (477-495 AD) or a Buddhist monastery.

You might like to start your visit at the Sigiriya museum to learn more about the site, before wandering through the vast landscaped gardens to the base of the rock.

Highlights

• Ancient Srilankan irrigational and engineering capabilities
• Landscape management
• History /arts/literacy/city planning/painting
• Pre-history around Srilanka
• Scenery with nature

Village tour with lunch (approx. 2 hrs.)

• After Sigirya you will proceed to the village area of Sigirya to experience the real life of the Sri Lankan traditional way of life (4km-15mins.)

Experience a village tour and learn and connect with authentic rural life in Sri Lanka. This interesting excursion involves traditional rides on a bullock cart, a trip through the lakes via a local catamaran, and interactions with the farmers and villagers, ending with a typical home-cooked meal in one of their homes.

Highlights

• Learn and connect with local village life 
• Learn about Sri Lankan food culture and agriculture
• Wildlife (birds)
• Cooking demonstration on traditional Sri Lankan food
• Delicious authentic Sri Lankan village lunch

Included

• Authentic homemade fresh Sri Lankan village lunch
• Transportations (oxen cart/catamaran/tuk tuk)

Safari at Minneriya National Park or Kaudulla National Park (3 hrs)

• After having lunch you will proceed to Habarana for a private jeep safari in one of the most famous national parks for Sri Lankan elephants (20km- approx. 35mins)

Minneriya National Park

Between Habarana and Polonnaruwa are the scrub forests of the Minneriya National Park. A haven for sambar deer, toque macaques and leopards, the park is now a world-renowned destination site. This is due to the fact that on the shores of Minneriya’s nearly 2000-year-old man-made lake, the world’s largest gathering of elephants takes place. This spectacular sight occurs within the boundaries of the Minneriya National Park during the dry season from July to October. With nearly three hundred elephants gathering every evening it is no surprise that Lonely Planet has ranked it at number 6 for being one of the world’s best wildlife spectacles. The ‘Gathering’ (as it has come to be known) is a result of the lack of waterholes during the drought. Unable to receive their daily

Kaudulla National Park

The latest attraction in eco-tourism, Kaudulla National Park was opened in 2002 and is the newest national park and wildlife reserve in Sri Lanka. Situated within easy access to the Cultural Triangle, Kaudulla is about 6km from the Gal Oya Junction on the Habarana – Trincomalee road. The name of the park is derived from being situated near the historic Kaudalla Tank of the ancient King Mahasena.

 Jeep safaris are the preferred option by which to visit the park and August to December have been earmarked as the best months during which to do so as around 250 elephants inhabit the park during that period. A 6656-hectare elephant corridor between the Minneriya National Park and the Somawathie Chaitya has also been established in the park.

The dry evergreen forests of the park are home to 24 mammal species, 25 reptile species and 160 species of birds. Leopards, fishing cats, sloth bears and the endangered rusty spotted cat are favourites among visitors to Kaudulla

intake of water the elephants make their way to the Minneriya tank making it an event not to be missed.

• One of the world’s largest gathering of elephants in the world
• Mix of wild life
• Enjoy Sunset In side of the national park

• One of the world’s largest gathering of elephants in the world
• The mix of wild life
• Enjoy Sunset In the side of the national park