Sri Lanka in the wild

This island in the Indian Ocean is like a zoo without a fence. Its rich fauna is revealed naturally.

In the footsteps of elephants

The green Jeep slows down and weaves its way between the vehicles stopped on the dirt road. The bust of tourists emerges through the open roofs. The fingers are pointed towards the jungle.

Following the excited gaze of the crowd, we discover the holy grail of the expedition: a baby elephant and its mother having a meal. Their proboscis twist around tufts of herbs that they shake to remove the earth before eating them.

In the Minneriya National Park, one of the fourteen in Sri Lanka, these pachyderms will be the only ones to be seen on this day. “It rained yesterday, so they find water everywhere,” explains Keerthi Wijesinghe, our guide. In the dry season, hundreds of them can be seen around the lake where they come to drink and bathe. “

Flying monkeys

The safari continues. A family of buffalo walks with their hooves in the water. On an islet, waders display their pale pink plumage. In the speeding Jeep, you have to tilt your head to avoid black or yellow butterflies the size of the palm of your hand.

At the top of a tree, the leaves are moving. A monkey springs from it to bounce off the branches of the nearby tree.

Primates with fiery eyes

At nightfall, Chaminda Jayasckara slips into the vegetation, a red lamp screwed to her forehead. As bats and glowworms hover above his head, the young man freezes and reaches out for two red dots that glow atop huge bamboo trees. “The red light is reflected in the eyes of Loris, which makes it possible to locate them” , indicates the specialist of these nocturnal primates with the appearance of nonchalant Gremlin .

The dolphin ball

At dawn, the boat sets off on the Indian Ocean. Fins ride the waves, then a dolphin soars above the water in a touching pirouette. Here we are, weathervane, turning our heads to one side, then the other to follow these graceful benches. From his multicolored boat, a man alpaca our pilot: a “small” whale was prowling in the area.

Visiting Sri Lanka feels like walking through a giant zoo, without the guilt of enclosures. Peacocks roam the streets and speckled fallow deer, capped with majestic antlers, stroll in front of the windows. Christmas market atmosphere at 30 ° C in the shade, with coconut juice as mulled wine!

Convenient

Go. Four flights per week from Roissy with Sri Lanka Airlines. No visa, but an entry permit to be requested online . The Kuoni agency organizes stays on site.

To sleep. Jetwing Vil Uyana, in Sigiriya, is heavenly: private chalets surrounded by nature, bamboo paths, lake. We meet monkeys, monitor lizards … even crocodiles! On the beach side, Uga Jungle Beach, in Trincomalee, is immersed in dense vegetation, with direct access to an almost wild beach.

Eat. Try Ceylon teas (old name for Sri Lanka) and spices. At Wallawwa, excellent cuisine in a colonial mansion. We like to sleep there before the return flight.

Discover. Expedition every evening to meet the Loris, contact the reception of Jetwing Vil Uyana.

Aishwarya Yogeshwar

Aishwarya Yogeshwar is the visionary founder of CGI Jaffna, a pioneering organization dedicated to fostering innovation and community growth in the Jaffna region. With a deep passion for news publishing, Aishwarya combines her entrepreneurial spirit with a keen interest in delivering impactful and engaging stories. Her commitment to creating a platform for reliable news and meaningful discourse reflects her dedication to empowering communities through knowledge and information. Aishwarya’s leadership and innovative approach make her a driving force in the world of media and communication.

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