Day 1:
Today guests arrived to the lodge around 11.15 am. After the welcome briefing and introduction of the lodge staff guests went to their chalets. They got the river face chalets. Lunch was then served at the main lodge restaurant where the guests were offered a traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry main dish and a buffalo curd and treacle as a dessert. The guests really enjoyed their first meal at the lodge. After that we went to Wilpattu national park for our first safari. We stayed there until 6pm where guests were fortunate to see two sloth bear and lots of other animals, including spotted deer, buffalos, monkeys, crocodiles, and many varieties of birds, including sea eagles, hawks, and king fishers to mention a few.
After the safari we got back to the lodge around 6.40pm. Guests had dinner around 7pm. During diner we spoke about the plan for the next day. All the guests retired to their chalets about 8.30 pm.
Day 2:
Today we went Sigiriya Rock. Guests had their coffee at 5am in the morning and we left from the lodge around 5.30am with a pack breakfast. On our way to Sigiriya we stopped to have our breakfast. We got Sigiriya Rock before 8am. We climbed all the way up to the summit of the Sigiriya ancient rock kingdom (5th century AD) It was warm day and clear skies for the guests to take some great photos. There was not that many people today. We got down around 11am.
After the hike up and down Sigiriya Rock, we went to a tropical village to have lunch. We got a fantastic lunch there. Guests were really enjoyed Sri Lankan cuisines. After lunch 2pm we went to do our second safari at Eco Park Habarana. We were really lucky to get a close encounter of few Elephants. One female Elephant was really close to our vehicle. Guests had taken lots of good photographs. We saw few different groups of Elephants with couple of babies. We were fortunate to see more than 30 Asian Elephant in total for the day. About 5pm we got back from park and we head back to the lodge. After successful long day we got back about 7pm for dinner.
Day 3:
Today was scheduled as a relaxing day at the lodge for the guests. We did a birding tour on our trails in the morning. also, guests had their breakfast after that. Few hours in the morning guests enjoyed a swim in the lodges swimming pool. After lunch they watched the monkey kingdom film in preparation of tomorrows tour. about 4.30 we went to do a local village walk. During walk we saw more than 20 diffract birds and some animals. Including a green wine snake and local star torties.
Guests had some wine after walk sitting at the pool. 7pm they had their dinner today
Day 4:
After breakfast at the lodge, we went to Anuradapura first Buddhist kingdom of the Sri Lanka. (3rd century BC -10th century AD). We started the tour from Isurumuniya ancient temple and then we visited Jaya Sri Maha Bhodiya, Jethawana Aramaya, Ruwanweli mahaseya and Thuparamaya,Kuttam pokuna. Weather was nice and warm. Lots of Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims were also there. After visit ancient capital we went to Wilpattu national park to do our second safari there.
On our way to Wilpattu guests had their lunch at Sinharagama hotel.about 2pm we start our safari. We were able to see many wildlife including Jackal, crocodile, cobra, also we saw a young female Leopard, she was walked along the road right in front of our safari jeep without any hesitation. Walked at least 150 meters with us giving guests plenty of time to get some great photograph of her. We ended the safari at 6pm and got back to the lodge. Guest had their dinner around 7.30 today.
Day 5:
Today guests had their breakfast 7 in the morning after breakfast we drove to Polonnaruwa (Ancient kingdom of Sri Lanka (10th AD to 13th century AD). On our way to Polonnaruwa we went to local vegetables and fruits stalls at the road side and the guest had their favorite King Coconut drink. In the afternoon guests spent around the swimming pool at the Girithala Deer Park hotel.
About 5.45pm we went to Monkey research center Polonnaruwa. The Loris night safari tour started at 6.15pm. We had a chance to see five different Loris on our evening safari tour. One was really up close, so guests got an opportunity to take some great photographs. Overnight we stayed Deer Park Hotel.
Day 6:
Today after breakfast 7.45am (from deer park hotel) we went to Polonnaruwa museum and Polonnaruwa archaeological site where the Monkey Kingdom Movie was shot. First group of monkeys (macaque cinica) more than 30 monkeys was in that group. it was really fun to see them playing each other and encounter with them. After about 30 minutes we saw few Purple pace langers.it was a small family as usual. About 8 Langer monkeys were there. Also during our visit we went to Gal Vihara, Manik wehera,King Parakramabahu palace. We saw gray Langer monkeys also not far from the exit. The afternoon was very successful as we were lucky to see all three types of Sri Lankan monkeys.
After the monkey kingdom visit, we went to lunch at farmer’s house. more than 15 different dishes of authentic Sri Lankan food were served. Guests really enjoyed sitting outside having their lunch. We got back to the lodge about 4.30 pm in the afternoon, still early enough to have a refreshing swim in the pool after the long day.
