Sri Lanka really does have it all: stunning scenery, a glut of nature on land and sea, rich culture, tropical beaches, temperate hill stations, vibrant capital city, ancient & colonial history and soft adventure; all within a day’s ride with your private guided and tied together with an authentic charm and grace. The main highlights deserve all the plaudits they get, but perhaps one of the following may entice you slightly off the established road.
Hatton Tea Country
Tea is synonymous with Sri Lanka with Nuwara Eliya at its centre, high in the stunning hill country. Less well known is Hatton that sits just an hour away and is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most beautiful tea growing area. The landscape has a softness to it, as the perfectly manicured tea bushes follow the folds of the gently undulating hills and the narrow roads form ribbons that reveal one majestic vista after another, whether it be the tree studded estates, the tea pickers hard at work or lake views. No large hotels, instead you’re treated to a range of century old British tea estate managers’ bungalows that have been largely restored to their former glory.
Holidays That Visit Hatton Tea Country
Gal Oya National Park
Sri Lanka is jam packed with a superb and varied selection of National Parks, but most visitors won’t have heard of Gal Oya as it’s the island’s least-visited. But as we look for less trammelled areas that offer more nature and fewer tourists Gal Oya stands out for its beautiful landscapes, abundant wildlife and even the chance to spot a swimming elephant! Added to this the chance to enjoy a boat safari and stay in the rustic Gal Oya Lodge and you begin to wonder why it’s taken so long.
Easily added to most touring itineraries, Gal Oya gives you room to relax and let nature come alive at its own pace. You probably won’t see a leopard but you will enjoy the incredible breadth of wildlife that Sri Lanka boasts on nature’s terms rather than by chasing others around the park in packs.
Holidays That Visit Gal Oya National Park
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
A bit more for the hard core traveller and bird lover, Sinharaja is an 8,800-hectare reserve and the island’s last remaining area of primary tropical rainforest. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a designated Biosphere, Sinharaja's landscape of rolling ridges and valleys of dense forest, threaded with streams, pools and rivers, is a perfect refuge for birds and those who want to be immersed in nature. With a hot and humid climate this is perhaps the most adventurous park to visit as all your senses come alive with the noises, sights and smells of the rain forest. The terrain makes viewing a rewarding challenge, a real rain forest experience, leech socks recommended.
