Ultimate Leopard Safari

Ultimate Leopard SafariLuxury Accommodation

7 nights / 8 daysTravel between:

1 April and 31 October 2016

SRI LANKAUltimate Leopard Safari

FROM £1099pp

ITINERARY HIGHLIGHTSUdawalawe National Park

Elephant Transit HomeVisit to Kataragama Sacred City

Handungoda Tea Plantation Yala National Park

Galle Fort

Day 1Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be met by our airport representative and will be introduced to your chauffeur guide. Transfer from airport to your hotel in Colombo (approximate travel time 45 minutes) where, after check-in, you will have free time to enjoy the hotel’s facilities.

Colombo - The legacies of colonial Colombo's garden roots are still very much intact along its often shady boulevards. Fort is in the midst of widespread historic restoration of its landmark colonial architecture, while Pettah brims with markets and rampant commerce. Even traffic-clogged Galle Rd is getting spiffier with glossy new hotel complexes, while the seafront benefits from new roads that are spurring hotel construction. Colombo’s cosmopolitan side supports ever-more stylish eateries, galleries and museums. Surprises abound in its old quarters where you can find great local food and discover a characterful shop or tiny, convivial cafe. The capital is an excellent start your Sri Lankan adventures.

Optional Excursion - COLOMBO WALK WITH MARK FORBESor an additional £99 per person


Day 2After breakfast at the hotel you will travel to Udawalawe (approximate travel time 4 ½ hours).

In the afternoon you will enjoy a nature walk near the border of the Udawalawe National Park (approximate duration 90 minutes).

Included Excursion: Nature Walk – walk along the Udawalawe Reservoir Dam and witness many species of birds nesting in the trees and feeding off the reservoir fish. You will get some amazing photo opportunities here. Watch a shepherd bring his flock of water buffaloes to the reservoir for an evening bath. A highlight of the walk is the lone elephant who wanders around the reservoir - he is called “Rambo” since he is very adventurous, just like the movie character – watch him as he swims across the reservoir and climbs the dam. “Rambo” is used to being fed by the locals, which is why this gentle giant comes over to the dam. While walking you should also watch out for elephant herds that may be spotted in the distance.

Optional Excursion – EVENING GAME DRIVE AT UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARKFor an additional £59 per person

Get up close and personal with the Sri Lankan Elephant in the third most visited park in the country. Its undulating country, open grasslands and reservoir, make it a picturesque drive, and the elephants relatively easy to spot. An important habitat for birds, both endemic (Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Grey Hornbill) as well as rare migrants (including the White Wagtail and Black- Capped Kingfisher), the National Park also has a variety of water birds, and birds of prey (White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle, Booted Eagle and the Changeable Hawk Eagle ) that visit the area. Add to this, the attraction of Udawalawe’s feline inhabitants, including the Sri Lankan Leopard, the Rusty-Spotted Cat, Fishing Cat and the rare Golden Palm Cat, and you can’t deny you will enjoy a wonderful evening’s wildlife spotting.


Day 1Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be met by our airport representative and will be introduced to your chauffeur guide. Transfer from airport to your hotel in Colombo (approximate travel time 45 minutes) where, after check-in, you will have free time to enjoy the hotel’s facilities.

Colombo - The legacies of colonial Colombo's garden roots are still very much intact along its often shady boulevards. Fort is in the midst of widespread historic restoration of its landmark colonial architecture, while Pettah brims with markets and rampant commerce. Even traffic-clogged Galle Rd is getting spiffier with glossy new hotel complexes, while the seafront benefits from new roads that are spurring hotel construction. Colombo’s cosmopolitan side supports ever-more stylish eateries, galleries and museums. Surprises abound in its old quarters where you can find great local food and discover a characterful shop or tiny, convivial cafe. The capital is an excellent start your Sri Lankan adventures.

Optional Excursion - COLOMBO WALK WITH MARK FORBESor an additional £99 per person

Day 3After breakfast at your hotel you will enjoy a great day taking in Sri Lanka’s wonderful wildlife:

Included Excursion: Visit to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe - the main objective of this facility is the rehabilitation of orphaned baby elephants, with the aim of eventually releasing them back into their natural habitat. Up to three elephants per week are killed in Sri Lanka due to conflicts with humans, often leaving behind orphan calves. The elephants are looked after in part of the Udawalawe National Park to maintain familiarity with their habitat, but have access to both food and medical care. All care at the facility is by trained staff, and efforts are made to minimize contact between elephants and humans to keep the elephants from becoming getting used to human contact. Although visitors are able watch the elephants being fed, they are not allowed to touch or otherwise interact with them.

Included Excursion: Afternoon Game Drive at Udawalawe National Park - get up close and personal with the Sri Lankan Elephant in the third most visited park in the country. Its undulating country, open grasslands and reservoir, make it a picturesque drive, and the elephants relatively easy to spot. An important habitat for birds, both endemic (Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Grey Hornbill) as well as rare migrants (including the White Wagtail and Black- Capped Kingfisher), the National Park also has a variety of water birds, and birds of prey (White-Bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey-Headed Fish Eagle, Booted Eagle and the Changeable Hawk Eagle ) that visit the area. Add to this, the attraction of Udawalawe’s feline inhabitants, including the Sri Lankan Leopard, the Rusty-Spotted Cat, Fishing Cat and the rare Golden Palm Cat, and you can’t deny you will enjoy a wonderful afternoon’s wildlife spotting.


Day 4After breakfast you will travel to Tissamaharama (approximate travel time 1½ hours), here you will have the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening you will visit the Kataragama Kovil for a Pooja Ceremony.

Included Excursion: Kataragama Kovil - the Kataragama is a jungle shrine dedicated to god Skanda and is popular pilgrim centre for Buddhists and Hindus where devotees flock all year round. Here, you will witness a puja festival where devotees make offerings and say prayers to Skanda, and a few 'tread the flowers' as they fire walk across a bed of red hot cinders. Kataragama has a great history linked with many myths and beliefs - according to Saranathissa Thera, Kataragama has a history dating back to the time of the Buddha's third visit to Sri Lanka, in the sixth century BC, during the reign of the pro-vincial King Mahasena. The Buddha is said to have visited Kataragama with 500 other Arahat Theras. The present Kiri Vehera is said to have been built at the spot where the Buddha once sat. The location had been Mahasena's Garden of Kihir trees. At the spot where the Buddha gave the King a relic a chetiya was built, in commemoration, and enshrining the relic. Since the chetiya was built in a forest of Kihir trees, it was known as Kihir Vehera. Later, for easy pronunciation, it had been changed to Kiri Vehera.


Day 5After breakfast you can enjoy a morning at leisure.

Included Excursion: Afternoon Game Drive at Yala National Park (approximate duration 5 hours) - a dream destination for all wildlife enthusiasts; be it its leopard cubs seeking refuge on a tree, or an adult leopard quenching its thirst at a water hole, the leopard sightings in this nature reserve are many and varied. This park boasts of the highest concentration of leopard in the world. Located on the coast, in the south east of the country, in a stunning landscape of rocky outcrops and beautiful beaches. It boasts an abundance of wildlife, fauna and flora, and is home to elephants, sloth bears, sambar deer, wild boar and jackals - just a few of the 32 species of mammals found in the park. The reserve is also a bird watchers paradise, where the elusive Blue-Faced Malkoha, the rare Sirkeer Malkoha, or the endangered Black-Necked Stork might be seen.

Optional Excursion - MORNING GAME DRIVE AT BUNDALA NATIONAL PARK(packed breakfast included)

For an additional £59 per person

A spectacular panorama awaits you - the landing and takeoff of a flock of Greater Flamingos, a breath-taking scene, a birdwatchers dream and one which can be witnessed at this national park, home to 197 species of birds. Bundala is an internationally significant wintering ground for migratory aquatic birds in Sri Lanka. It was therefore the first wetland to be declared a Ramsar site in the island and designated a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2005, the fourth such reserve in the country.Return to the hotel.


Day 6After breakfast you will travel to Weligama (approximately 3 hours from your hotel) where you will see the famous Sri Lankan stilt fisherman, with an opportunity for a photo shoot (tips to be paid directly to the fisherman).

It is then a short hop to Handungoda, for a visit of The Virgin Tea Plantations, where they produce Virgin White Tea, the only tea untouched by human hands and considered the purest in the world, with over 10% antioxidants. Visitors are guided around the estate by the resident estate manager, the process of plucking of the Virgin white tea is demonstrated, and a comprehensive explanation is given on the culture of tea. After being shown around the whole plantation, guests can see the tea manufacturing process taking place at the factory, and also go on to taste over 20 different teas produced at the estate.

From here, you will continue on to Mirissa (approximately 45 minutes) where you will have an evening at leisure.


Day 7After breakfast at hotel you will head to Galle where you will visit the Dutch Fort, with a walk around the “Ramparts of Galle” (approximate duration 2½ hours)Galle Fort - the Galle Dutch Fort is a rare historical jewel protected by dark, thick stone walls and with the endless ocean on one side. The roads inside the Galle Fort have hardly changed, like the squares on a chess board crisscrossing in a regular grid-like pattern. Straight and narrow lanes invite visitor to explore the forts delights with a walk into the 17th century. Today’s streets once had very Dutch names: Peddler Street was called “Moorse Kramerstraat”, Lighthouse Street was “Zeeburgstraat and Middelpuntstraat”, and Church Street as Kerkstraat. Your walk may send you back in time, but you will not see the vendors who traded in cinnamon, lace, tortoise and turtle shell ornaments, as well as famous southern sweetmeats like “bondi aluwa” that would hang in garlands from the shoulders of vendors, which would have been a familiar sight 500 years ago.

Upon you return to the hotel you will have free time to relax by the beach.

Optional Excursion - MANU RIVER BOAT SAFARI AND BERUWELAMOONSTONE MINE EXCURSIONFor an additional £59 per person

Day 8After breakfast you will board your transfer to the airport.

You can choose to extend your holiday, to enjoy a few additional days by the beach:3 night beach extension from £199 per person7 night beach extension from £399 per person


Luxury Accommodation


Night 1 - COLOMBO

Ozo Colombo - Dream room

Night 2 & 3 - UDAWALAWE

Elephant Trail - Standard room

Night 4 & 5 - TISSAMAHARAMA

Chandrika Hotel - Standard Room

Night 6 & 7 - MIRISSA

Mandara Mirissa - Standard Room

For many more incredible holiday offers, visit our websitewww.fleetwaytravel.com

The offer has been published in January 2016 for limited time only.

Fleetway Travel is a well-established company which has been successfully in business for over 43 years. Our aim is to supply bespoke luxury holidays at market leading prices. Our dedication to quality and customer service, we believe, is unparalleled and all travel services sold to our customers are fully protected, financially and otherwise, under our ATOL and ABTA licences, furthermore for additional protection we issue ATOL certificates with every holiday booked with us. Travel your way, Travel with Fleetway.

Ultimate Leopard Safari

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