Sri Lanka is situated at the southernmost tip of India; a tiny island with diverse cultures and practices and home to an abundance of flora and fauna. Tropical sandy beaches, lush green rice fields or paddy fields as they are commonly known, give way to mountains and cooler climes.
Though there are several wild life sanctuaries in Sri Lanka, one of the lesser known is perhaps Wasgamuwa National Park which has an abundance of elephants and other wildlife. You can hire a safari jeep through a well known travel agent. It is also best to check the weather as seasonal monsoon rains can put a dampener on viewing animals in their natural habitat.
I was lucky to go with a group of relatives whilst I was on my break, which was good as they knew how to get there without resorting to a travel agent and sharing costs was easy.
We arrived at the park around 3 p.m. which was a good time to view the animals as they usually hide from the mid day sun and since its in the tropics it can get very hot. A bottle of water, a high-factor sun cream, an insect repellent and a sun hat is a must so don't leave home without it.
An amiable guide ushered us to our jeep which was to be our mode of transport. Within about 20 minutes of winding our way through the dusty jungle roads, the magic began and we caught what was to be forever etched in our memories -- a herd of wild elephants in the water splashing and playing around with each other just having fun. Never have I clearly seen how elephants can mimic human behaviour as I did that day.
After we finished our tour of the wildlife park we decided to head back to Kandy, a town in the central province.
It's famous for:
- Esala Perehera - lots of elephants!
- Temple of the Tooth
- Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
Accommodation during the festival seasons can get booked up quite quickly. We stayed at a place called the Mango Grove Cottage near the Kandy lake. There were a few monkeys in the trees who liked to be playful. It was funny watching them.
If you like my post about Sri Lanka, I also recommend another blog which I like called Flashpackers which has useful information about travelling in this beautiful island.
If you like my post about Sri Lanka, I also recommend another blog which I like called Flashpackers which has useful information about travelling in this beautiful island.
Temple of the Tooth Kandy |
I love elephants, I would have loved this! sounds like an amazing trip.
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible, Sheona! Definitely want to travel and experience some of the amazing things you have!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to hearing about your very own travels abroad!
DeleteThis trip sounds amazing Sheona! Great pictures, can't wait to read more!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like my pictures Brittany. Thank you.
DeleteI have always wanted to volunteer in the Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand! Elephants are such beautiful animals! Great post! Really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lucy. I hope you get to volunteer in Thailand one day. I went to Chaing Mai, Thailand a few years ago and visited an elephant sanctuary. It was fun to feed the animals. The young ones are really adorable and love playing in water.
ReplyDeleteLove this post, I have never considered traveling to Sri Lanka but I will now! It sounds incredible.
ReplyDeleteHi Alexis. It's a small island with a lot to offer. Look forward to hearing about your travels when you visit there. Sheona
ReplyDeleteSri Lanka has a wonder natural beauty and amazing sea food and I love that about it.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradnya. Yes the sea food is amazing and the Sri Lankan's love their food so it's a happy combination!
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