safari time in Yala National Park

After checking in to our hotel we met our jeep driver and, along with our Sri Lankan guide/driver, we boarded a jeep and set off down the dirt road to Yala National Park.We stopped at the gates and climbed out to pay the entrance fees – it cost us approximately US$50 for two foreigners, vehicle entry, entry for one local (our driver/guide), service charge and tax.

Neither of us were quite prepared for just how spectacular Yala National Park was. It was filled many varying landscapes – thick bush and flat grasslands; marshy swamps and rocky ledges; not to mention the sandy beaches. Everywhere we looked there was life of some sort or another.

In the late afternoon our driver got a phone call – a leopard had been sighted – and we sped along the track to the reported location. There we found a few jeeps already lining the edge of the track and we were soon joined by many more as the news had spread. When we contorted our necks and strained our eyes we were able to glimpse two leopards through the bush. It was frustrating to know they were so close but that we didn’t have a great view. Still, we were excited to have seen some spots! No photos though.We stayed down the road from the park entrance at Cinnamon Wild. The individual huts here felt like a bit of luxury surrounded by nature.

Because of its location many wild animals show up on the hotel grounds. Like this guy…
…and these curious monkey’s having a convention outside our hut.

The next morning (while Jen slept soundly) Jamie awoke at 4.30am and met our driver/guide as well and our jeep driver from the day before and they all set off for a dawn safari.

Not long after making it through the gates they were rewarded with a leopard sighting!As well as some other characters.

 

 

Cinnamon Wild, Kirinda, Tissamaharama, Yala, Sri Lanka 

http://www.cinnamonhotels.com/CinnamonWildYala.htm

elephant time

Nursing severe hangovers we managed to get up, shower, have a quick breakfast and check out by an impressive 7am! If there was anything that was going to get us out of bed it was the promise of baby elephants!

We met our driver/guide and hit the road from Colombo to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage (approx 90kms drive away).

When we arrived several cheeky baby elephants were waiting patiently to be fed their morning bottles of milk.  They made quick work of the large bottles, eagerly slurping them down in just a few seconds.

 

Apparently Pinnawala was first started as a sanctuary to care for orphaned or injured baby elephants. Although it seems to have developed into a circus/tourist attraction. The baby elephants were chained for their morning bottle feed which, while probably practical considering the number of tourists watching, it still wasn’t nice to see. Most of the larger elephants were unchained and seemed free to roam during the day, albeit watched closely by lots of men holding big sticks with sharp metal points on them. Our driver also explained that there is now a breeding program and many elephants are either sold or given away to Hindu/Buddhist temples –  several of these will probably live a lonely life chained up in the corner of a temple.

While we were standing a good distance away watching the larger elephants, a mahout (with his large stick) called us over to take a photo with one of the elephants, it was a little awkward and I didn’t understand what was going on, then it became apparent when he asked for 5000 Rupees (around US$35-40!!!). No we did not pay.

It was soon bathing time so the hordes of tourists cross the road and walk town a path lined with shops to the gorge. The herd of elephants soon arrived and were ushered into the water by the men with sticks. We saw one mahout poke an elephant in his foot which was distressing. People say their skin is tough so it is only like a nudge but it wasn’t nice to see. The elephants then stand around for a while. A few sprayed water over themselves with their trunks.

Even though we were in the shade it was blisteringly hot, so we decided we’d seen enough and got back on the road.

We checked into our lovely hotel – the Cinnamon Lodge in Habarana – and found the area plagued with monkeys!

These fellas were curious to see inside our room…

After a swim in the pool to cool down, a jeep arrived to collect us and take us to Minneriya National Park.

We paid the entrance fee and headed inside the park. After about 10 minutes driving along a dirt track the jungle cleared and we spotted our first wild elephant.

 A young male thrashing some grass with his trunk. Immediately you could tell this elephant was happier than those we saw at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.

The jeep continued over a shallow creek and into a larger clearing revealing maybe fifty or so elephants, of all sizes, heading to the lake.

It was very special to watch.

Elephants weren’t the only thing we saw that afternoon. There was also a few crocodiles, plenty of birds, and this guy…

Undoubtedly the highlight of the day was spying this fellow…

The largest male we saw. He emerged from the jungle, strutted over to the lake and proceeded to give himself a long bath. Afterwards he started approaching the jeeps that had gathered around to gawk. As we drove away he took a particular interest in our jeep and followed us at quite a pace.

He got very close but luckily lost interest and changed direction. Phew!

 

 

Cinnamon Lodge Hotel, Ambepussa-Kurunegala-Trincomalee Hwy, Habarana, Sri Lanka

http://www.cinnamonhotels.com/CinnamonLodgeHabarana.htm