Sri Lanka offers a huge variety of visuals to delight the photographer in you. This private tour is designed to provide unique photographic opportunities with a particular focus on wildlife and natural landscapes in national parks. As you travel from park to park you’ll encounter many photogenic scenes such as historical sites, ancient ruins, markets and early morning and evening activity. And as always in Sri Lanka, smiling people play a starring role, especially the naturalists and guides who bring the scenes before you to life with their passion and incredible knowledge. All this while enjoying stays in unique wildlife lodges and stylish boutique hotels.
Photography enthusiasts through to professional photographers who are keen on wildlife and nature-based photography
Welcome to Sri Lanka. You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your accommodation set on a private coconut estate, a journey of around an hour from Colombo’s International airport.
Depart to Wilpattu National Park today. This is the largest and the oldest national park in Sri Lanka, popular due to the high prevalence of Sri Lankan leopards. Its unique setting with sand-rimmed natural lakes and diverse wildlife makes it furthermore attractive. This is one of the best National parks for unique and diverse photographic opportunities. Your tented upmarket accommodation here is situated close to the National Park. Be ready to go on a jeep safari this afternoon with the in-house naturalist.
This morning head to Wilpattu National Park for an early morning jeep safari. Mornings are the best time to visit the park, as animals are often more active at this time, so be ready to click. After the safari return to camp for a leisurely lunch. Go on an evening walk to a nearby local lake, frequented by playful elephants looking for a drink or a swim. Your journey starts from camp around 4:30pm and winds through a little village and Chena (Slash and Burn) cultivation. Near the lake you have more opportunities to capture elephants and forest birds submerged in a vivid sunset. Experience the park up close during your stay, with your accommodation set within the buffer zone of the national park. Tonight, treat yourself to a seven-course candle lit dinner under the stars.
Head to Sigiriya in the area best known as the Cultural Triangle this morning. On route visit the ancient city of Anuradhapura. Known as `The City of Kings, this ancient political and religious city is a UNESCO World Heritage site with its colossal ‘Stupa’s standing gracefully. A fantastic site for culture-based photography unique to S ri Lanka. Your accommodation here is at an eco-retreat surrounded by jungles, a lake and hills set amidst 12 hectares of unfenced forest land.
Rise early to climb Pidurangala Rock and capture this massive rock formation against the stunning sunrise. Pidurangala, is said to have been the royal temple at the time when King Kashyapa was at the helm of the Sigiriya fortress. Reward yourselfwith views of a green carpet of forest punctuated with Sigiriya rock in the distance, one of the best photographic moments in Sri Lanka. Return to your accommodation and relax before heading to Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the afternoon. Rising over the dry plains of the Sigiriya district, this marvellous rock fortress, also known as 'Lion Rock', is possibly Sri Lanka's best-known attraction and one of its biggest draw cards.Today a UNESCO World Heritage site, it was the domain of King Kashyapa, whose aim was to build an impregnable fortress and within it, a heavenly abode. The skeletal layout of the ancient city within the fortress reveals the grandeur and complexity of 5th century urban planning of Sri Lanka. Needless to say, that there are ample feeds for frames.
Head this morning to Maduru Oya one of Sri Lanka’s best kept wildlife secrets. Along the way stop to stretch your legs with a bike ride and sightseeing visit at Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its Well-planned landscapes are studded with well-preserved sited of archaeological importance intact even after 800 years. Be ready for amazing photographic moments. Experience Maduru Oya National park up close during your stay with your own private tented accommodation set inside the national park. Situated in the eastern province of Sri Lanka, it is a formidable expanse of over 58,800 hectares and home to wildlife, ruins and engineering feats. What is significant about this park is not just its biodiversity but its richness as home to numerous endemic and endangered species, in particular. Elephants are a visible feature in the Park, and large herds can be sighted quite frequently. Enjoy your very own personal dining experience with a dinner set under the stars. Maduru Oya National Park gives a rare and one of the best opportunities to photograph large herds of elephants in complete wilderness with no disturbances. Prepare to be amazed by spectacular sunsets and wildlife at your doorstep.
Explore Maduru Oya National Park this morning on a jeep safari. Visit the unique fishing community that resides within the park. Enjoy your picnic breakfast by the side of ancient ruins while embracing rare opportunities for many clicks.
Head to Gal Oya this morning, again another untouched and less visited National Park in Sri Lanka. Unique with its large man-made reservoir that attracts large herds of elephants, Gal Oya is truly special and offers many spectacular photographic opportunities. Relax during the day and join one of the resident naturalists for a walk to take in the beauty of the area around the lodge and enjoy the abundant bird life, the area is known for. Your stay here is at a lovely wildlife lodge that focuses on sustainable tourism.
Drive to Senanayaka Samudraya, the reservoir, for a 3-hour boat safari this morning. Be ready to click as you get up close and personal with wilderness including elephants, crocodile and a large array of birds. Gal Oya is the only place in Sri Lanka where safaris can be conducted by boat, offering a different photographic perspective. Enjoy a leisurely afternoon and learn about the culture and ways of the indigenous community of Sri Lanka, the Vedda people, on a gentle forest walk led by a local Vedda chief.
Head to Kumana this morning for another unique wildlife experience. Kumana National Park is renowned for its avifauna particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. The park is 391 kilometres southeast of Colombo and around 90 minutes drive south of the surfing town of Arugam Bay, on Sri Lanka's south-eastern coast. The landscape is a stunning mix of forest and rugged coastline, with an abundance of water holes. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National Park and as such one of the best places to sight leopards, almost always without crowds. Experience the park up close during your stay, with your accommodation set inside the national park in a tented camp complete with private facilities. Go on an afternoon safari and let your naturalist relate amazing stories of the wilderness as you enjoy the evening seated by the campfire.
Rise early to explore Kumana National Park this morning on a jeep safari. Return to the campsite and enjoy a leisurely lunch. Explore the rest of the park in the afternoon on a jeep safari. The game drives and living experience are unique at Kumana. You will be struck by the park's diversity and the changes in landscape; from stretches of grassland, forest patches to wetlands. The call of birds is a prelude to the morning jeep safaris, with the thrill of never knowing exactly what fauna you will encounter – always with the possibility of a secluded leopard or sloth bear sighting. The afternoons at the campsite are all about taking it easy after the early morning start and taking in the special surrounds - whether that’s a completely relaxed lunch, a dip in the river by the side of the campsite, bird-watching, chatting to the naturalists (you’ll be amazed by their knowledge) or you may just want to read a book in the hammock.
Drive to Wellawaya this morning for a stay in rural Sri Lanka. Your stay is in an eco - friendly accommodation in a typical Sri Lankan rural setting surrounded by lush vegetation and paddy fields.
Depart to Belihuloya this morning and stay at leisure in a unique tented lodge on top of the mountains surrounded by nothing but nature. Enjoy the facilities that your tented Lodge offers including a private star/ day bed and a 'wild bath' in complete privacy.
Explore the bushland and forests of Belihuloya on a bush walk today. Wildlife and savannah and forest landscapes are what this hike is all about. Capturing photos of elephants on foot isn’t a rarity here
This morning travel to Sinharaja Rainforest, the only remaining virgin rainforest in Sri Lanka. Your stay here will be at a lodge situated close to the rainforest. On route you will visit the Elephant Transit home at Udawalawe. The Elephant Transit Home was stablished in 1995 by the Sri Lankan Department of Wildlife Conservation to provide care and rehabilitation to young elephant calves found abandoned or orphaned with little or no prospect of survival due to the loss of their mother and natural herd.
Wake up to the sounds of the birds. A walking trail with the in- house naturalist this morning will open up plenty of photo and bird-watching opportunities. The afternoon is at leisure
Travel to Galle this morning. The port city of Galle Fort in Southern Sri Lanka is a place that speaks of another era of times gone by. An impressive rampart surrounding a small peninsula jutting out to the Indian Ocean, the Fort’s cobbled streets have seen four hundred years of history from Arab merchants to the adventurous Portuguese and the industrious Dutch. Galle is a UNESCO World Heritage City and considered to be the best example of a fortified city in south and southeast Asia. Galle is a place where people, history and architecture come together in an intriguing and photogenic way. Your stay here is at a stylish boutique hotel, a 17th century townhouse newly renovated in the heart of Galle Fort.
Start your day with a leisurely breakfast. Afternoon is for exploring Galle Fort on a guided tour with a resident guide and avid photographer. Stop by and click on the quaint colonial architecture and smiles of the locals.
Explore Galle Fort on your own today, with high quality restaurants and good shopping within an easy stroll, or Galle town with its busy streets and street food a tuk tuk ride away. If you are up for more of an adventure ‘Aerial Whale Watching' is a great way to spend a morning
Depart Sri Lanka today. The drive to Colombo International airport is approximately two and a half hours’ drive from Galle.
"The trip was fantastic – Thank you very much for the experience and good memories." Carson & Rebecca - February 2020
Prices are indicative only & subject to change.
The following is a list of standard inclusions and exclusions. Detailed inclusions will be provided with individual itineraries.