The Wildlife Of Sri Lanka Photo Safari

Day 1- Airport -Yala

Upon arrival you will be warmly welcomed, and transferred to Yala which is a 4 hour journey. Adequate toilet breaks will be included in this ride, along with onboard refreshments and snacks.

Reaching Yala, you will be welcomed at Ceylon Wild Safaris, you home for the next 5 nights.

A stunning luxury safari camp, located at the Katagamuwa entrance of Yala, designed with all luxuries and amenities taken into consideration, you will be welcomed by the camp naturalists who are some of Sri Lanka’s mostexperienced safari guides and escorted to your luxury tents.

The tents are luxurious and en-suite with private plunge pools which are great for hot afternoons to relax in , especially with a refreshing Lion Larger by your side.

After settling down, enjoy a scrumptious Sri Lankan lunch.

Today, enjoy in relaxation after a long day of travelling. Your naturalists will showcase a beautiful presentation on the diversity and wildlife of Yala followed by sundowners at a nearby rocky outcrop right by the jungle. You can also use the creative hub available for post processing of images, using Apple I mac monitors which are available for you to use (FOC), and high quality photo printing (extra cost) if required

Enjoy dinner under the stars, and relax by the campfire, listening to the calls of the wild and thereafter rest overnight in anticipation for an exciting safari tomorrow.

Accommodation- Ceylon Wild Safaris
Room Type- Luxury Safari Tent
Meal Plan – All Inclusive- 3 meals, tea/coffee, selected wines, spirits and beers

Day 2- Yala

Early morning at 5.00 AM enjoy a hot cup of tea or coffee with some cookies, and hop on your safari jeep with your naturalist to head into Yala National Park for your first game drive. The camp Land Cruiser, modified with removable seats and a forward folding windscreen, equipped with beanbags, clamps, tripods and monopods, complete with those who take photography seriously on board to make sure you have the right light and positioning.

You will be guided by one of Sri Lanka’s top naturalists with decades of experience in the wilds.
The Yala National Park is the country’s premier destination for wildlife viewing. Yala’s star attraction is undoubtedly the Leopard and Yala Block I is believed to have the highest concentration of these big cats in the world. Leopards however are elusive by nature and we recommend a minimum of three to four game drives to have the best opportunities for good encounters. It is also one of the few places in the country where the endangered shaggy coated Sloth Bear can be seen. Asian Elephants are also encountered; lone bull elephants, a few iconic tuskers and small herds of females and calves maybe seen. Jackal, Sambar, Spotted Deer Buffalo, Wildboar and the Grey Langur are among the other larger mammals that may be seen.
Breakfast will be served while on safari.
Your morning safari would last till 11.00 by which time the sun gets quite hot and light becomes too harsh for photography. Whereby return back to camp. You can relax in your tent , enjoying the cool refreshing plunge pool, or you can work on your photographs at the creative hub which is available for you to use.
Enjoy your lunch at camp, and by 2.30 PM as the sun cools down head back into the park for your evening game drive.
Your drive would last till 6.00 PM when you return back to camp for a refreshing drink by the camp fire followed by dinner.

Accommodation- Ceylon Wild Safaris
Room Type- Luxury Safari Tent
Meal Plan – All Inclusive- 3 meals, tea/coffee, selected wines, spirits and beers

Day 3,4 and 5- Yala

Your routine will be the same as day 2, but will also explore more areas in the main Yala National Park (Block 1),

Also your naturalist might alternate with visiting another part of the park called Veheragala which is less crowded and has great lighting for photography.

The longer the time spend on safari the better the chances of great photo opportunities and sightings. Your naturalist will ensure you get the most memorable sightings possible,
This time is especially great for seeing the Sloth Bear, who come out to feed on the Palu Berries which ripen during this time of year. These burly animals are often comical in nature, but don’t let their appearance fool you they are quite formidable and one of the most feared animals in the wild, known to attack villagers without hesitation.

Yala boasts one of the highest concentrations of leopards in the world, and you will find these cats across the park. Current surveys count over 60 leopards in the main zone (Block 1) alone. The park also abounds with many other mammal species such as the Asian Elephant, these giants are found in small herds across the park. The herds consist of femals and calves who move across the park looking for food. The bulls are often solitary, and if you are lucky you might come across one of Yala’s big tuskers. Only very few bulls in Sri Lanka carry ivory, and hence every tusker sighting is very special. Yala’s main herbivores are the Spotted Deer, Sambhur and Wild Boar. The Spotted Deer along with the Grey Langur act as sentries who give out alarm calls in the presence of a leopard. The other large herbivore in Yala is the menacing Asiatic Wild Water Buffalo, these are the second largest land animal in Sri Lanka after the elephant and are known to be very aggressive. They are as large or slightly heavier than the African Cape Buffalo and known to charge if provoked. Leopards have learnt to prey on the calves whom they catch unawares using their stealth. After which usually they climb a nearby tree to be out of reach of the angry adults.

Your naturalists are all trained in South Africa and with detailed experience in interpreting the wild, animal behavior and its ecology and you will never have a dull moment on safari.

Accommodation- Ceylon Wild Safaris
Room Type- Luxury Safari Tent
Meal Plan – All Inclusive- 3 meals, tea/coffee, selected wines, spirits and beers