- Private whale watching from a chartered boat
- Four game drives within Yala and Udawalawe National Parks
- Sinharaja Rainforest and Dickwella beach
- Naturalist guides throughout

Wild Sri Lanka
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- Wild Sri Lanka
Reviews
Add your own reviewWildlife galore
Although we didn’t see whales or leopards this trip showed us much of the amazing wildlife of Sri Lanka. The landscapes were spectacular too. We saw more birds than I could count and lizards, monkeys, bats, mongoose, elephants, dolphins, crocodiles, wild boar, buffalo…and many more. The tour leader was excellent and knowledgeable the accomodation always excellent too. A great trip for wildlife watchers
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many to mention but I did enjoy seeing the dolphins and close encounters with turtles. Also the amazing fruit bats flying over me during my evening swim in the pool. I can't forget the many huge monitor lizards...
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our leader was excellent! Always helpful, considerate and very knowledgeable with a passion for his country and the wildlife. He has a good sense of humour and lots of patience always helpful and great company.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take warm clothes for the rainforest as it can be cool in the hills at night and also for the early morning game drives as it is cool before the sun rises. Be prepared for some early starts and very bumpy roads on the game drives - not for those with disabilities or serious back problems! Binoculars and insect repellant essential. Food was good and varied but not much choice for vegetarians.
Suggestions
This is an excellent trip for seeing wildlife in a beautiful country with very friendly people but it seems the blue whales have decreased in numbers in the past few years and sightings are not so frequent.
The most amazing place - go now!
Sri Lanka is a beautiful country and its people the most friendly and welcoming I have encountered. And the place is empty! Firstly covid then the earlier political problems mean tourist numbers are a fraction of the norm. Most hotels we had to ourselves, with only a handful of other guests in the rest. The safaris were also much quieter than usual and it’s possible (apart from at leopard sightings) to drive around for 3 hours barely seeing anyone else. I did have some concerns before going, but was reassured by Exodus and they were right – you’d never know anything had happened.
Most Inspirational Moment
It's impossible to name one - the wildlife sightings of course (elephants, leopard, blue whale come top for me, plus the many beautiful birds). But also the people - they were so welcoming and pleased to see us. At Kithala Resort we had a welcoming ceremony, we all lit candles and the manager wished us a long life which was very touching.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Nalaka 1 was at least joint best of any tour leader I've ever had. He gave us lots (but not too much) of information about his country during the bus journeys, and nothing was too much for him. He made sure everyone in the group was happy, and didn't forget a couple of things we asked him to arrange for us. He worked brilliantly with Nalaka 2, our naturalist guide (also extremely helpful). Between the two of them we got to see almost everything we could have done, including the main draws.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Although I think it will be some while before tourist numbers reach pre-covid levels, it won't stay as quiet as it is for long, so if you're thinking of going, go soon. Exodus advise taking binoculars but I would say they're a must to get the most of the wildlife sightings, especially the birds.
Amazing
Loved every minute of this trip. The leader and the specialist were so informative and very helpful to me. I am 74 and they looked after me excellently. This is my 3rd trip with Exodus and hopefully not the last!!!
Most Inspirational Moment
The rain forest and the elephant orphanage. Also the safaris and the beach time Very
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very informative and extremely thoughtful 1 minor thing
Advice for Potential Travellers
One minor thing. You put leech socks on the list which l got, but didn't need them as they were supplied.
Suggestions
No. Amazing trip
You have to go!
Where do i start…..what an amazing country – Sri Lankan people were welcoming and felt completely safe, everything is spotless, food delicious, sun shines brightly, amazing wildlife, amazing contrasts of environments, great guides and best group anyone could ask for!
Most Inspirational Moment
I loved watching the leopards mating ritual - whole half hour in open grassland. The bit when they were play flirting with each other and she lay down and wrapped her tail gently around his head and he just purred and smiled. Loved that.
Thoughts on Group Leader
both excellent plus the driver and bus sanitiser and temp man
Advice for Potential Travellers
dont need leech socks - the rainforest hotel supply them. You dont need to get much cash from the airport in Columbo - £180 per person will be enough. There are atms towards the end.
Suggestions
It was a really special trip - thank you for organising and thanks to my wonderful group for being so special.
Brilliant introduction to Sri Lankan wildlife
I’m writing this from my Sri Lankan poolside as just about to embark on a more cultural highlights tour but having completed the Wild Sri Lanka trip I’m even more excited about what’s in store, this is a wonderful country.
If you arrive with realistic expectations of hotels, food and especially wildlife sightings, you will not be disappointed.
All accommodation has been clean, tidy and comfortable. Kithala resort was idyllic and a real treat, whilst at the other extreme Talalla retreat was eclectic and not my cup of tea but an experience none the less. It was fun watching the monkeys in the trees while I showered in the open roofed area but I did wonder if they may come and grab my shower gel!
The game drives were varied and generous, each being at least 3 hours giving as much opportunity as possible to view the animals on offer. Being “Wild”, nothing can be guaranteed, but our trip did see a Leopard, Sloth bear, multiple close encounters of Elephant, several wild boar, hares, mouse deer, ever present displaying peacock a Civet cat and, for the bird lovers, in excess of 140 different species.
Food has been plentiful, of an acceptable standard. Not surprisingly, curry has been a staple, but be prepared for them to be spicier than their Indian counterpart. There are some long days of travel (as identified in some earlier reviews) but this is clearly stated in the itinerary and………Sri Lanka is a big country and this trip sees a lot of it.
For a real taste of wildlife from the Tropical rainforest to a coastal game reserve this trip offers it all.
Most Inspirational Moment
Being in close proximity, as in 1 metre, to a male Tusker elephant who was completely at home in his natural environment and so much better than “Woburn”.
Thoughts on Group Leader
An excellent leader, endlessly patient, organised and knowledgeable.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Arrive with realistic expectations, prepare to be hot (if used to UK conditions) and treat long journeys as an opportunity to relax and soak in the wonderful varied scenery.
Suggestions
No
Wonderful wildlife
This was a fantastic trip! From the whales and dolphins to the elephants and leopards (yes, we saw one!) every day had an unforgettable highlight. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country of lovely welcoming people and was very well represented by our two wonderful guides. The hotels were very varied in character but of a high standard as was the food. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone looking for a relaxing trip in the beautiful nature of Sri Lanka.
Most Inspirational Moment
All of the wildlife encounters we had: I couldn’t pick just one. We saw whales and dolphins on our boat trip; leopards in Yala and I would never tire of just sitting and watching the elephants!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent! Our group leader Dilshan was unfailingly friendly, cheerful and helpful. He was a great source of information about his country and managed to strike the perfect balance between talking to us about a range of subjects related to Sri Lanka and giving the group quiet time to relax on the journey. He also managed to identify and address potential issues before they became an issue. Our wildlife guide Dineth was a fountain of knowledge when it came to the wildlife and I am still in awe of his ability to spot even the tiniest bird in the undergrowth from a moving vehicle! He also had a very impressive repertoire of bird calls! They made a great team!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go! A small umbrella can be useful for when it’s hot but also raining!
Sri Lanka - An Experience
A wonderful country and friendly people who love their home. We got to see a variety of habitats in the south during this trip which makes for an interesting trip with great variety. Our tour manager went out of his way to give us the best “Sri Lankan Experience”. We were able to see a wide range of wildlife. For birders the variety seen was good. Mammal life is restricted in what Sri Lanka has but we managed to see many of what there is, exceptions the Sloth Bear and Leopard. The scenery was fantastic in places, loved the tea plantations and trees. Hotels were average, clean and comfortable, what you might expect on a tour to some remote areas, this is not a 5* hotel tour. The weather was good, tropical downpour in the rain forest and hot, dry, dusty days in the parks.
Most Inspirational Moment
Hard to choose one. The scenery and tea plantations, national parks and the animals within including monkey, jackals, wild boar and elephant. The Elephant transit home at feeding time.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Thushan was full of enthusiasm. Determined to provide us with real Sri Lankan experiences, which he succeeded in. A little more assertiveness in decisions required maybe as he tried to please everyone and found it impossible to please all. We had some issues with a couple of members of the group and he was tested, but handled the issue professionally as far as he was allowed. He gave everyone in the group equal attention and made sure we kept hydrated and safe.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Expect early starts and some long days, only way to see the best on offer over a wide area. Do not be disappointed if you do not see everything, the wildlife is wild, not captive. Take care with the leeches, they can be picked up even in the rainforest lodge grounds, socks are available at the lodge so you need not take your own. Do not forget sun protection.
Suggestions
The driver was great, friendly, enthusiastic and always made sure we had water. Our naturalist, Ashan(?) was very knowledgeable and loved his job. His expertise was more on birdlife however, mammals were less important. Unfortunately there was a clash of personalities within the group which detracted from what would have been an excellent trip. I was disappointed at how Exodus head office dealt with the situation, sending one elderly person home who although did lose his temper did not deserve this. The other person was able to put his side of what happened forward first, and strongly, due to time differences (Australia, Sri Lanka and UK) and made the most of what most thought was a minor incident that could have been sorted with a shake of hands. There were reasons for the ill temper but these were ignored. If there is a policy of sending people home after a confrontation then both parties should have been expelled, not just the one. However this was a minor incident and did not in my opinion warrant expelling. The feelings and thoughts of the rest of the group were not considered, awkward!
We would like to thank both Robert and John (review below) for their reviews, although we remain sorry that their trips were impacted on by this unfortunate incident. It is incredibly unusual that there are any altercations or disagreements between group members, and we appreciate that group members can have different perspectives when an incident like this occurs. As a tour operator, Exodus has to have a zero tolerance towards any violence on our trips and we have been in touch with both clients about the very different concerns that they raise.
Lucy Crabb – Customer Services Manager
The tour was good, Exodus UK repsonse to critical incident was poor
i returned from Wild Sri Lanka, the tour was good. If your a birder you will love the trip but you will need to take binoculars. I did not take mine as prior the trip did another trip to the Ancient cities and Jaffna.
The accommodation is ok , although the last hotel was really hot and is the one that is not air conditioned. The heat made it quite uncomfortable.
The tour guide, driver and assistant were excellent. The naturalist seemed more interested in talking to people with big cameras, chatting to the two young women and at times taking pics for Instagram
On the trip you will see a great variety of birds and some mammals. On this trip we saw Blue Whale, Pilot Whale, Spinner Dolphin, Bottle nose Dolphin. Elephant, Mongoose, Purple faced Leaf Monkey, Macaque Giant Squirrel , another type of squirrel, water buffalo, Hare, Wild Pig. Alas no Leopard or Sloth Bear. I think it was the wrong time of year to see Leopard.
Unfortunately i was assaulted by another member of the tour group and it took Exodus UK more than 24 hours to remove the person. The guide and country rep have no power to take action. Exodus UK dealt with the issue during UK business hours. It was a very scary 24 hours having to be around the perpetrator for 3 meal and 2 activities. I chose not to do the extra safari and the perpetrator was going on it. After the removal of the person , no contact from Exodus UK about how i was.
IT is only on my return to Australia and after complaining in writing and then to my travel agent that a company representative did contact me. I found there response to my concerns not satisfactory, they were really defensive.
So if you do go on this tour , i really hope nothing bad happens and you wont get a prompt response.
Most Inspirational Moment
Perhaps seeing Blue whale
Thoughts on Group Leader
Thushan was excellent and we had many "Sri lanka" experiences. I really liked his style
Advice for Potential Travellers
Beware if a critical incident occurs, make sure you have a sri lankan sim and email. So you can contact Exodus UK directly and your own travel agent
Suggestions
Teh company needs to improve its response to critical incidents and have some type of follow up.
We would like to thank both John and Robert (review above) for their reviews, although we remain sorry that their trips were impacted on by this unfortunate incident. It is incredibly unusual that there are any altercations or disagreements between group members, and we appreciate that group members can have different perspectives when an incident like this occurs. As a tour operator, Exodus has to have a zero tolerance towards any violence on our trips and we have been in touch with both clients about the very different concerns that they raise.
Lucy Crabb – Customer Services Manager
Wacky Races in the National Parks!
Our trip specifically aimed at maximum attention on wildlife was somewhat disappointing. The reason for the disappointment was especially the complete lack of control of the amount of safari vehicles allowed in the national parks and the drivers disregard for speed control (25K per hr) we must have been doing at least 35 – 40 mph and overtaking masses of other vehicles all racing to see either the sighting of a sloth bear or latterly the sighting of the leopard in a tree about 300 meters away in a tree. I wouldn’t be surprised if all the animals scattered during visiting times of tourist knowing what mayhem was in store! Once in view of the leopard (only seen with binoculars at that distance) passengers then suffered from carbon monoxide fumes whilst drivers went past the area not once, not twice but three times!. It is difficult to know how you can change the culture of such behaviour of the guides/drivers as it seems to be inherent. Walks in the Udawala were along the road track leading to the eco lodge were ok but not astoundingly memorable. The birders in the group were enthused.
Most Inspirational Moment
Inspirational moment of the trip was seeing a blue whale right up next to our tourist boat. We shared the morning sightings of our whale with about 12 other loaded boats, but having said that we saw our whale dive several times showing it's fluke and blowing before diving.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dilshan Chathuranga was the most uninspiring Exodus leader I have ever had the chance to come across in all of our trips. He did the basic essential travel connections without any problems but seemed to lack the passion of other group leaders. When asked a question by clients he would often retort "I have told you that, wern't you listening?". His English was OK but sometimes difficult to grasp. I know that he caused offence and anger amongst at least 4 of the clients, reducing one Canadian guest to tears because she complained about the inept guide on their safari vehicle! He took the complaint personally and attacked her verbally insinuating that she was making a fuss. "what is that in the tree?" a monkey - was the response by the safari guide! when they wanted the type of monkey. He also gave incorrect names to birds seen and had little knowledge. It is the first time I have been on an Exodus trip where there had not been a thank you speech and presentation of tips etc. at the last evening meal end of the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Contrary to your trip note you do not worry about leech socks as the Eco Lodge provides them. The whale watching trip organisers also provide sea sickness pills.
Suggestions
The early morning safari trips waiting to get into the parks where unpleasant. Hundreds of vehicles all racing to get through the gates first and manoeuvring and jostling to get to the ticket office and pushing and shoving. It spoilt the nature of the whole reason for going into the parks and generally our eagerness to view wildlife. It was remarked by one witty guest that the best thing about the picnic lunches was the paper boxes and bags they came in. Content was very uninspiring - white bread crustless cream cheese or vegetable sandwiches, frankfurters in foil. Even though we were up at 4.30am and in our transport at 5am very few ate the packed breakfasts. It took one hour to drive to the parks on average which seems an excessive distance, even taking into account the drive through the buffer zone skirting the National Parks.
Wild Sri Lanka
Wild Sri Lanka – this trip was really disappointing as a location for wildlife. We certainly didn’t see elephant herds in Uawalawe and I was horrified that on one occasion we were part of a group of 6 jeeps surrounding ONE elephant. This is not acceptable wildlife viewing. As a result of such a disappointing day I didn’t go on the morning game drive in Yale NP on Day 8.
The transfers between places were far too long. For example: On Day 8 the safari trip started at 4.30am – a one hour drive to NP – 4 hours in a Jeep – one hour drive to return to the accommodation then after lunch a 3 1/2 hour drive to Talalla !! This was a day of nearly 10 hours in a jeep and coach.
This is absolutely unacceptable.
Finally, I was totally fed up with buffet food. We had just one hotel that offered us a choice in 15 days. The best food was provided by our visit to a local village. Superb!
Most Inspirational Moment
Whale watching session. Cycling through the local villages with village meal. Visit to the rainforest. Visit to the Elephant Freedom Project.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Dilshun was a good leader who dealt with any problems very efficiently.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Potential travellers should ascertain the exact length of the transfer journeys. I shall never book this type of trip again without confirming transfer times.
Suggestions
I was interested in the rain forest visit but I would have enjoyed learning about the biodiversity rather than bird watching. This was not advertised as a bird watching trip but we certainly spent a great deal of time trying to spot small brown birds!!!
Start
Finish
Availability
Adult Price From
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Thursday Wednesday
12 Oct 2023 11 Oct 2023
Saturday Saturday
21 Oct 2023 21 Oct 2023
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Adult Price From USD 3,249
Optional Single Supplement +USD 483
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
09 Nov 2023 08 Nov 2023
Saturday Saturday
18 Nov 2023 18 Nov 2023
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From USD 3,249
Optional Single Supplement +USD 483
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
16 Nov 2023 15 Nov 2023
Saturday Saturday
25 Nov 2023 25 Nov 2023
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From USD 3,249
Optional Single Supplement +USD 483
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
18 Jan 2024 17 Jan 2024
Saturday Saturday
27 Jan 2024 27 Jan 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From USD 3,299
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
14 Mar 2024 13 Mar 2024
Saturday Saturday
23 Mar 2024 23 Mar 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From USD 3,379
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
28 Mar 2024 27 Mar 2024
Saturday Saturday
06 Apr 2024 06 Apr 2024
Availability Guaranteed (Available)
Adult Price From USD 3,299
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings and has reached the minimum number of passengers required to go ahead. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
10 Oct 2024 09 Oct 2024
Saturday Saturday
19 Oct 2024 19 Oct 2024
Availability Available
Adult Price From USD 3,379
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
07 Nov 2024 06 Nov 2024
Saturday Saturday
16 Nov 2024 16 Nov 2024
Availability Available
Adult Price From USD 3,379
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesThursday Wednesday
14 Nov 2024 13 Nov 2024
Saturday Saturday
23 Nov 2024 23 Nov 2024
Availability Available
Adult Price From USD 3,379
Optional Single Supplement +USD 511
Availability
This departure is available for new bookings, and will be guaranteed to go ahead once it reaches minimum numbers. Please click Continue to proceed with booking or contact our Sales team for assistance.
View Trip NotesWould you like to include flights with your booking?
- ATOL protected
- Competitive flight prices
- Full refunds in the event of FCDO cancellations or major disruption at your UK departure airport
- Specialist support to rearrange flights and transfers
- Regional flights available from many UK airports
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