And much more.........
Sea boat expedition BLUE WHALES
1 to 2 days excursion
Visit a low or a high country tea estate and learn more about the processes involved in getting that cup of tea to your table. Cinnamon Plantations - Sri Lanka was famed for it's spices and the Southern Province produces the best Cinnamon in the world. There are several Cinnamon plantations near the resort where you could see how this prized spice is produced.
Visit to a tea plantation, visit to a cinnamon plantation and visit a rubber plantation , for what Sri Lanka is so famous for, is processed. Get in contact with the farmers and the workers. Spend some time with the fishermen, learn about what is being done to preserve the rainforest.
Fishing with the fishermans in Kogalla Lake.
Visit The Rain Forest Rescue International and learn about the Conservation Projects that are taking place.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Visit the Local Market "The Pola" You can see multicolored fruits and vegetables, the fishermen selling the catches of the moorning from small to huge tuna fishes, sword fish , crabs and lobsters.
The Pola is a very important institution in Sri Lanka and just as much a social occasion as it is a business enterprise.
Buddhism- know more about it , the predominant religion of Sri Lanka.
Other excursions
Kogalla lake boat tour .
Kogalla Lake trekking.
The largest lake in the island, Koggala lake is an unspoilt ecological heaven . The small islands scattered in the lake ideal for bird watching at sunset. Join the fishermen in their work.
Singharaja Forest Reserve
Singharaja Forest Reserve is the most famous rainforest of the country. This tropical rain forest is a living heritage. Bio diversity of the forest is very high and a large proportion of the flora in this forest is endemic to the country and some endemic to the Singharaja Forest itself. This is a very good place to see many endemic birds such as Ceylon Lorikeet, Layard's parakeet, Jungle and Spur Fowl, Ceylon Wood Pigeon, Grey Hombill, Spotted wing Thrush, Rufous and Brown- capped Babbler, Ashy-headed Laughing Thrush, Ceylon Blue Magpie, White Headed Starling, Ceylon Hill Mynha, Legge's Flowerpecker. The clear cut roads in to the jungle provide easy access to the forest. This important forest is a Man and Biosphere Forest reserve and it is considered as a World Heritage Site.Situated approximately 50 km away, it's the last major, undisturbed area of rainforest in Sri Lanka. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has hundreds of species of animals unique to Sri Lanka. www.environmentlanka.com/sinharaja.html
Kanneliya Forest ReserveThis reserve contains 81% of the woody plant species endemic to Sri Lanka. After an invigorating trek through the jungle you can cool down with a bath under the unspoilt waters of the Kanneliya Waterfall. Nearby Kottawa Forest Reserve is another must visit site for nature lovers. A live herbarium with plants and trees gives you the chance to learn more about Sri Lanka's floral heritage.
Kirale Kelle EstuaryThis is an estuary located about 30 kilometres from Koggala. A large marshland with abundant belt of mangroves and scrub forest, this reserve contains hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, butterflies and fish. Kirala Kelle area is classified as a medium status biodiversity area.
Rekuwa s marine turtle conservation project: Learn and see what is being done to preserve and take part in the breeding care of the marine turtles like the Olive Ridley, the Green Turtle, Leatherback and the vulnerable Loggerhead.
Safari in Yala :
A reserve famed for its Ceylon elephants and leopards terrain, home to deer, sloth bears, buffalo, crocodiles and countless birds. Yala National Park is 309 km south of Colombo on the southeast of the island. It is well known for its biggest, extensive the area of 1,259 sq km, and for its best wildlife preservation in the country. With it considerable size, the terrain of the national park is varied from flat plains to rocky outcrops. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. There are also abundance of water supply for animals and birds ranging from waterholes, streams, small lakes to lagoons. The national park is divided into Yala West (also called Ruhuna) and Yala East.
Safari in Bundulah
Located in the wetlands region on the the south east of Sri Lanka it is a special place for bird watching-local aquatic birds( more than 197 species). Bundala is a high biodiversity region with salty lagoons, swamps, inter tidal mud flats where you can spot The great Flamingo, sea turtles, crocodiles, elephants, monitor lizards and leopards.
Rain Forest Trekking Sinharaja (11,250 ha)
Is the jewel of the last remaining virgin rainforest crown in country is located in the wet zone of the country.
Beautiful Streams, springs, rivers, waterfalls, leopard, monkeys, butterflies and moths, rare trees, valuable shrubs and medicinal herbs are all found within its green canopy. A trek along the sinharaja paths would provide nature entusiast a never to be forgotten experience of sights and sounds and feelings.
Due to its high bio-diversity and ecological importance, it has been declared as a National Heritage Wilderness Area and it is the only natural World Heritage Site (declared by UNESCO) in the country. Sinharaja is one of the few virgin forests left in the world, The forest has series of mountains and ridges rising abruptly from 90m to 1170m above mean sea level. Situated in Ratnapura, Galle and Matara districts in the interior wet zone of the south west of the island.This is Sri Lanka's most important rainforest. The forest has tall trees growing in close proximity, but winding paths make it easy to walk along the forest floor.
www.info.lk/srilanka/srilankanature/srilanka_forest/sinharaja.htm
River Safari in the Maduganga river.
A boat trip safari in the Maduganga river where you can see splendid variety of aquatic birds, monkeys, water monitors, mangrove narrows, fish and prawns traps, local fishermen.
Discover Galle Fort
The Capital city of the Southern Province, Galle Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 16th century, rebuilt by the Dutch and is designated as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. The old part of town is compact so you can explore by foot. A tour of the fort's fortified walls, its colonial houses and streets is the highlight of a visit to Galle.
Horton Plains Trekking
With annual precipitation of about 5000mm Horton Plains is the most important catchments area of the country. Three major rivers of the country start from this area namely Kelani, Walawe & the Mahaweli the longest river of the country. The Park consists of montane cloud forests embedded in wet montane grasslands. Horton Plains has rich biodiversity. Most of the fauna and flora found in the park are endemic and furthermore some of them are confined to highlands of the island.. Leopard, the Sambhur deer & wild boar are the most common large mammals in Horton Plains. Endemic Bear Monkey, Rusty- Spotted and Fishing cats, Otter, Black napped hare and Giant Squirrel are among other mammals. Many species of endemic & threatened rats & shrews are also found in the park. Diversity & endemicity of reptiles (Lizards) and amphibians are remarkably high.Though this is cold highland plateau the bird diversity is very high. More than 70% of Sri Lanka’s endemic birds are found here.
Climb the Adams peak.
No where else in the world is a pilgrimage site which is held sacred by the devotees of four religions, as Adam's Peak in Sri Lanka. Believed to be the place where Adam and Eve lived after being expelled from the heaven -Sanctity of the mountain has been held aloft by adherents of each of four religions of Sri Lanka, namely, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Islamists. The mountain has been climbed for at least 1000 years. King Vijayabahu (1055-1100 AD) built shelters along its route, work continued by Parakaramabahu the 2nd (1125-1169 AD) who cleared jungle & built a road & bridges to the mountain. Marco Polo commented on the chains provided for pilgrims in the 13th century, while Muslim traveller Ibn Battutah visited in the 14th century & described the two approach routes still used, labeling them the Adam & Eve tracks. English author John Stills described the peak as "one of the vastest & most reverenced cathedrals of the human race". "When Adam was expelled an angel took him by the arm & set him down here," wrote the Papal Legate Marignolli over 500 years ago when he descended from the most famous of Lanka's mountains. This is paradise. Com'n let's dance at the base. And climb.
Stilt fishing at Ahangama and south Kogalla
A few kilometers from the Galle there is something unique to the island and to the world, fishermen perched on sticks planted in the sea and fishing with a rod and line. This ancient form of fishing requires great skill and is practiced only in this region.
Dondra Head –Visit the southernmost point of Sri Lanka and see the blowhole- A natural spectacular sea phenomenonr where water jets can reach heights of more than 30 meters.
Discover the Paradisiac beaches of the south.
The so called Sri Lankan Riviera:
Unawatuna beach- One of the finest locations in the world for surfing, Unawatuna bay offers an idyllic bay with plenty of water sports and nightlife.
Hikadduwa beach bars, superb waves for surfing and scuba diving in its coral reefs.
Mirissa beach - Hidden green beach
Kogalla beach- Impressive 4 km of white sand and coconuts, stilt fishing- fishermen perched on sticks, see the unforgettable sunset.
Rafting- join the adventure of the fresh river waters rapids.
Scuba diving- On the beautiful coral reefs of Hikkaduwa.
INLAND EXCURSIONS:
http://www.srilankaviajes.es/
The Cultural Triangle - 3 to 5 days excursions
The Knuckles mountains and the Veddhas Aborigenes - 3 days excursion
Train trip to the hill country- 2 days excursion.
Hill-country observatory carriage:There is a special first-class observatory carriage on the Colombo to Dabulla hill-country train. This is the last carriage on the train which has a full window to maximise the views. Tickets need to be booked at least 10 days in advance. Note that availability can be limited during national holidays.
