Sri Lanka info please (1 Viewer)

[amears]

Does anyone know Sri Lanka and its road network well enough to advise on the following...?

We're planning to visit Kitagula, Sinharaja, Udawalawe, Yala, Bundala, Marissa and Nuwara Eliya. What is the most efficient order in which to take them out of Colombo to minimise driving time, and ending up back at Colombo of course?

Thanks in advance,
Andy.

 

[wintibird]

I would suggest:
Airport-Kitulgala-Nuwara Eliya-Yala/Bundala (for both you will probably stay in Tissa)-Udawalawe-Sinharaja-Mirissa-Colombo (for the last leg you can use the new motorway)

André

 

[rhitching]

Having been there twice I would recommend that you hire a car and driver. They would take you to these places around Sri Lanka and to your hotels without the worry of looking on a map, they also know the best place to go in each area, it is extra money well spent.

 

[amears]

Thanks, both – very helpful. We will indeed be hiring a driver/guide but having sourced several quotes and provisional itineraries form local companies, they all suggest different orders for the same sites. Minimising driving time is important and what I'm trying to nail.

André - your advice sounds good - thanks a lot.

ATB,
Andy.

 

[rhitching]

Although not noted as birding sites don't forget Sigiriya, Trincomalee a very big natural harbour, if your feeling fit try Adam's Peak (also Sri Pada) start off at midnight and thousands of steps later you may see the sun rise from the top of there. Remember if you visit the temples you have to go bare footed around them and when its hot it soon hurts your feet.

 

[Dave Williams]

You can hire a driver and car for about £40 per day but some days you don't need them so a taxi from place to place might be better or cheaper.The advantage of a car and driver is they will look after your luggage while you visit places en route...you can't really do that with a taxi.
How long are you going for, is it purely a birding trip and do all want to go birding? Do you want to have some chill out time too ?
We were there in November/ December for a month and took a twelve day tour around the island.
I decided to cut out Sinharaja, wished I had spent longer at Bundala and had mixed feelings at Yala which ended a bit of a jeep bunfight when something like Leopard and Sloth Bear were spotted.A handy beach place to stay for both is Kirinda Beach Resort, we didn't but wish we had when we visited.
A train journey from Ella to Nuwara Eliya was a highlight ( we'll carry on to Kandy next time) as was Sigaryia but neither were birding days. For dolphin watching Kalpytia in the north is brilliant, stay at Omeesha on the beach. We were lucky in Marissa and had Orca as well as Blue Whales otherwise the Blue Wales are a bit underwhelming in comparison to being surrounded by Dolphins. Marissa has some great seafood restaurants on the beach and I'll stay a while next time.
Full day trips (£90 for 2) to the NP's are better value than 1/2 day trips (£60). You have to have a jeep and guide who will pick you up at your hotel.You need to allow a day's travel between visiting them too. I think my advice would to see less places but more thoroughly. I wish I had spent two days in Bundala. Nuwara Eliya it rained, and we didn't like the place at all as a consequence. It would be the first I'd drop.
All in all, we loved Sri Lanka but to see it all you need lots of time. It's fairly compact but other than the main coastal highway getting around is pretty slow.
cheers Dave

 

[amears]

Thanks for those useful ideas, Dave. It'll be a compact, endemic clean-up attempt with Yala and Marissa wedged in - we know where we want to go, just confused by the random nature of the itineraries we've been offered to date!