Signature journey

The Wild South

8 days / 7 nightsPrivate vehicle and driver-guideColombo to Mirissa, at the pace of the coast

The south is where Sri Lanka is at its most open. Savannah grassland gives way to lagoons, then to a coastline that stays largely unbuilt between the towns. This route spends its first half with wildlife — Udawalawe for elephants, Yala for leopard country — and its second half doing very little at all.

Days begin early, because that is when the parks are worth being in, and end slowly. Between the two halves there is time for the things that are easy to miss: a stilt fisherman's bay, a fish market at Weligama, a curry cooked in a kitchen rather than a hotel.

Nothing here is fixed. Eight days can become ten, the parks can be swapped, and the coastal stretch can be lengthened until it is most of the trip.

—Two contrasting national parks, both visited at first light in a private jeep
—Elephant herds at Udawalawe and leopard country in the Yala block
—A quiet, largely undeveloped stretch of coast between Tangalle and Mirissa
—Village lunches, fish markets and time with people who live along the route
—Whale watching off Mirissa between December and April, when the season allows

Day by day

The shape of the trip.

Colombo

Arrive in Colombo

You are met at the airport and driven into the city. Depending on the hour, the first day is either a slow walk through Pettah and along the Galle Face green, or simply a shower and an early dinner. Nothing is scheduled that cannot be dropped.

Airport pickupEvening walk along the seafront

Colombo → Udawalawe

South to Udawalawe

The road leaves the coast at Galle and turns inland through paddy and rubber country. You arrive in the afternoon, in time for a first game drive as the heat goes out of the day and the herds come down to the reservoir.

Afternoon game driveElephant herds at the reservoir

Udawalawe

A full day around the park. An early drive while the light is low, then the middle of the day free — most people sleep. In the late afternoon there is the option of a village walk with someone who farms the land at the park boundary, which explains more about…

Early morning safariVillage walk at the park edge

Udawalawe → Yala

Into Yala

A short drive east into drier country. Yala is scrubland and rock outcrops rather than grassland, and it holds one of the densest leopard populations anywhere. The first drive goes out in the afternoon.

Afternoon game driveLeopard country

Yala

Out before dawn, when the block is quietest and the tracking is best. Whether a leopard appears is never promised; sloth bear, crocodile, buffalo and a long list of birds usually are. The afternoon is yours.

Dawn safari with a local trackerFree afternoon

Yala → Tangalle

To the Tangalle coast

West along the coast road to Tangalle, where the beaches are long and largely empty and the swimming depends on the month. This is where the trip changes gear. Afternoon at the beach, dinner where the fish came in that morning.

Coastal driveLong, quiet beaches

Tangalle → Mirissa

Tangalle to Mirissa

A short hop west with stops on the way: a lagoon, a fish market, the stilt fishermen near Koggala if the season is right. Mirissa is smaller and busier than Tangalle, with the harbour that boats leave from before sunrise.

Fish market stopSunset from the headland

Mirissa → Colombo

Mirissa and onward

If it is between December and April, the morning can start offshore looking for blue whales. Otherwise it is a last slow breakfast before the drive back up to the airport, roughly three hours on the expressway.

Optional whale watching in seasonTransfer to the airport

What’s included

—Accommodation throughout, chosen with you rather than from a fixed list
—Private vehicle with an English-speaking, SLTDA-licensed driver-guide
—Airport transfers on arrival and departure
—Breakfast daily; other meals arranged on request
—Park entries and private jeeps for the scheduled safaris
—One local contact reachable throughout the trip

Not included

×International flights
×Travel insurance
×Meals and activities outside the agreed route

Where you stay

Stays are picked for where they are and who runs them: a lodge on the edge of the park, a small beach house, a family-run guesthouse. Comfort level is yours to set.

Private vehicle and driver-guide throughout, with jeeps arranged locally at each park.

Smart & simple

Clean, well-located, family-run.

Comfort

Three to four star, pools, reliable.

Boutique

Small properties with character.

Luxury

Villas, tented camps, tea estates.

★★★★★

Was my holiday from UK being a such wonderful time in Sri Lanka

Absolutely amazing experience! Everything was perfectly organised, and the guide made it fun, informative, and memorable. Highly recommend!

Dulaj P · United Kingdom

★★★★★

We booked a 12-day holiday in Sri Lanka and had an unforgettable experience

Our tour guide was exemplary — personable, knowledgeable, and always attentive. Nothing was ever too much trouble, and we truly felt well taken care of throughout the trip. The entire journey was seamless, and all of the hotels were of excellent standard. We would not hesitate to recommend Ovi Travels to anyone looking to explore the beauty of Sri Lanka with peace of mind and comfort.

Nuranisa Galuh A

★★★★★

Highly recommend

Had a great time, a wonderful experience. 10/10. Highly recommend to see the real side of Sri Lanka. Amazing tour and amazing country.

Jazzy T

Make it yours