Holly Hunt
At three years old on the West Coast of Ireland Holly decided she wanted to live with lions in Africa.
By 27 she had held addresses on the foothills... Read More
Group Tours in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Travel Guide
Colombo
Known in the 1920's as the Garden City of The East, Colombo has been used as port since in the 8th Century. Today it is a city of contrasts, mixing historical monuments, temples and churches with modern hotels and trendy restaurants. Tree lined boulevards rub shoulders with gleaming new shopping centres and bustling street markets making for an eclectic, fascinating melting pot in this ancient port city that never disappoints.
Negombo
Located at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, some 40 kilometres to the north of Colombo, the resort town of Negombo offers visitors some of the finest beaches on Sri Lanka’s west coast. Originally colonised by the Dutch, the English and the Portuguese, the town is home to the second largest fish market in the country and some lovely old colonial architecture. Its reefs also provide access to some of the best diving in the country, whilst the nearby protected marshlands of Muthurajawela are home to over 190 species of wildlife.
Anuradhapura
A UNESCO setting that once served as the capital of an ancient Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura has long been sacred to the Buddhist faith. Surrounded by monasteries and temples and home to the Sri Maha Bodhiya, believed to be the oldest tree in the world, the site once ranked alongside Nineveh and Babylon in size and importance. Aside from the ancient and sacred Bodhi tree (reputed to have been grown from a cutting off the original Buddhist ‘Tree of Enlightenment), the site also boasts 8 major palaces and the remains of some of the most complex irrigation systems ever built in the ancient world.
Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993 and reached its height of glory in the 12th century. Blending South Indian Hindu culture with Sinhala artistry, today we can still find many interesting and spectacular buildings and monuments in this ancient World Heritage City.
Yala
Yala West (Ruhuna) National Park is recognised to be one of the best parks in the world to observe leopards. The park covers an area of over 100,000 hectares and is divided into five blocks. Yala West consists of scrub jungle, brackish lagoons and stunning rock monoliths scattered throughout the park, its eastern edge is bounded by the South East coast. The drier season falls between May and August and the park closes for a short time during September and October.
Uda Walawe National Park
An important habitat for water birds, lying 165 kilometres south of the capital, Udawalawe National Park covers nearly 31,00 hectares of land on the boundary of Sri Lanka’s wet and dry zones. Created to provide a refuge for animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir, the park is one of the county’s most popular attractions, offering a chance to view Sri Lankan elephants, mugger crocodiles and Bengal monitors in the wild, as well as a vast array of endemic birds, rare migrants and an impressive selection of birds of prey.
Sigiriya
The ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya (Lion’s Rock) stands on top of a granite plug some 370 metres above the surrounding jungle. Built by King Kashyapa back in the 5th century AD, the fortress was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982. One of the country’s major attractions, the route up to the citadel passes the famous frescoes of the ‘Sigiriya Damsels’, a unique set of paintings that once covered an area of the rock that measured some 140 metres long by 40 metres high. From the summit the remains of the palace overlook some truly breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
Galle
Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is the best preserved colonial sea fortress in all of Asia. The oldest parts date to the 1650s, though it is believed by some scholars to be Tarshish of the Old Testament. The fort itself passed through the hands of the Portuguese, Dutch and then the British and shows architectural influences from all three as well as much later art deco and art nouveau. In the late afternoon the fort begins to slip into a centuries old lethargy and the visitor can almost feel the ghosts of soldiers, sailors and merchants who lived here over the hundreds of years emerge from the brick work.
Kandy
Lying in the mountains, at an altitude of 500 m over the sea level, Kandy was the capital of last generation of Sri Lanka`s kings until it fell in to the hands of British in 1815. However, this delightful old highland town is known more for its cultural and spiritual importance rather than its history, and Buddhists from all over the world come specifically to visit the Temple of the Tooth, the Dalada Maligawa.
Nuwara Eliya
Set in the heart of the tea-country, this beautiful town is where the British succeeded in creating an English countryside, with homes in styles from Georgian to Queen Anne. Well-kept lawns with hedges, an Anglican church, a famous golf course and beautiful parks give the place an air of nostalgia. Situated 1,890 meters above sea level, the air is cool and fresh - a serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of Colombo.
Kalpitya
Located on the tip of a western peninsula some 150 kilometres north of the capital, Colombo, Kalpitya lies sandwiched between the waters of the Puttalam Lagoon and the marine delights of the Indian Ocean. Refreshingly unspoilt by mass tourism, the area is home to colonial Dutch architecture, deserted sand dunes and the largest coral reef in Sri Lanka. Just an hour’s boat ride from Kalpitya, the Bar Reef is a maritime sanctuary for manta rays, reef sharks, turtles and a myriad of tropical fish, whilst the nearby lagoon and river provide the ideal spots to explore by canoe.
Kelani River
The Kelani River provides access to some of the most exhilarating white water rafting in Sri Lanka. Flowing through a landscape of wild rocky gorges, the river provides some dramatic adrenaline fuelled fun for experts and beginners alike. Situated just two hours by road from Colombo, the river’s grade II & III rapids pass through stunning jungles backdrops that were used as locations for the ‘Bridge over the River Kwai’, David Lean’s classic war movie. The best time to raft the river is between May and December and most trips will also include lunch and a chance to swim.
The Knuckles Mountain Range
No prizes for guessing what they look like. The range has been declared a conservation area, and is now known as the KNUCKLES NATIONAL HERITAGE AND WILDERNESS AREA. It encompasses 155 sq km and five major forest formations and is host to a wide variety of rare and endemic flora and fauna. The mountain scenery is spectacular. It is a natural paradise with its crystal waterfalls; verdant tea plantations and local village gardens - a wonderful spot to explore on foot.
Sri Lanka Travel Information
Visa Information
UK Passport holders require a visa to visit Sri Lanka. This can be obtained for no longer than 30-days upon arrival.
Your passport must be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip, and it must have at least one blank page for each visa required. Please ensure the passport details we hold for you are correct.
Please note it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa documentation when starting your trip. Country entry regulations can alter daily and it is always best to check with the relevant embassies for any changes.
Should you wish to organise your visa before departure this can be done through a visa company such as:
Travcour (UK)
Tempo House
15 Falcon Road
Battersea
London SW11 2PJ
Tel: 020 7223 5295
Fax: 020 7738 2617
Email: info@travcour.com
Website: www.travcour.com
If you are travelling on a non-UK passport, please contact your nearest consulate/embassy for up to date visa information.
Insurance:
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours.
You should be aware that many standard insurance policies may not cover you adequately for all aspects of a Wild Frontiers trip and so we strongly recommend that you purchase a suitably designed insurance policy.
One such policy is the "Wild Frontiers" policy underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE " firm reference 202803), which is available to EU residents (which excludes Norway & Switzerland) through our website or via the insurance company direct on 0845 345 3456. Under this policy there are two different levels of cover available.
Standard policy: a comprehensive travel insurance policy that provides cover for all Wild Frontiers activities, including trekking up to 6,000m. This policy does not provide cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel.
Elite policy: provides the same comprehensive level of cover as the standard policy. In addition the Elite policy also provides cover for travel to areas where the FCO is advising against all or all but essential travel. The policy will not provide cover for any claims arising from or relating to the reasons why the FCO is advising against travel.
If purchasing the Elite policy you also have the option to extend the cover provided by the policy to include cover for claims arising from a terrorist act in an area where the FCO is advising against travel. You can add this cover to your policy when purchasing online or over the telephone.
These policies are only available to those travelling on a Wild Frontiers holiday.
For more information and to purchase your policy online please visit the Insurance section of our website.
The cover is underwritten by Ace European Group Limited (ACE), and is arranged by Travel & General Insurance Service Limited. Both companies are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Wild Frontiers Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Travel & General Insurance Company plc, details of which can be found at the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk.
To contact them please visit their website at www.travel-general.com or call 0845 408 0583.
Health and Vaccinations:
There are no mandatory immunisations for travellers to Sri Lanka though you should be up-to-date with Typhoid, Tetanus, Polio and Hepatitis A. Malaria is prevalent in parts and we recommend you seek advice from your local GP or travel centre as to the correct immunisations and preventative treatments.
We also recommend:
• A dental check-up prior to travelling.
• You inform us of any pre-existing medical conditions or medication.
To be on the safe side you can also check on www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk
Tour Leaders
Dhala Campbell
Named after a Yemeni fort and pass, Dhala was brought up in Scotland and spent her childhood mucking about on horses.
The travel bug started when... Read More
Tom Skipwith
As a baby being taken around India on the back of a motorbike by his travel-crazed parents, the adventure bug was firmly embedded and a nomadic soul was... Read More
Kat Hart
Travel is the only thing Kat ever wanted to do. As soon as she was physically able she ran away to India, where she continued her martial arts studies, fell... Read More
