Wildlife Safari Adventure

What the day looks like

1. Step 1

   Day 1: Udawalawe & Afternoon Safari

   Depart Hikkaduwa early morning for the scenic three-hour drive inland to Udawalawe National Park. Visit the Elephant Transit Home in time for the midday feeding, where you can observe young elephants being bottle-fed by their caretakers. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to Yala and check into your safari lodge. In the late afternoon, set out on your first game drive through Yala's Block 1, the richest zone for wildlife. Watch for elephants bathing in waterholes, spotted deer grazing in clearings, and crocodiles basking along the riverbanks as the sun begins to set.

2. Step 2

   Day 2: Dawn Safari & Return

   Wake before sunrise for the most rewarding safari window of the day. Enter the park at first light when leopards are most active, patrolling their territories and hunting in the cool morning air. Your tracker-guide will navigate to known leopard hotspots while also pointing out sloth bears, wild boar, jackals, and colorful birds including peacocks, kingfishers, and eagles. Return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast, then begin the relaxed drive back to Hikkaduwa with a stop for lunch en route, arriving by late afternoon.