New Photo Tour for early 2018: Sri Lanka

I have a new photo trip planned for March 2018 (3-20th) to Sri Lanka - to take in some of that island's amazing and ancient cultures, along with some fabulous wildlife, and superb Sri Lankan cuisine, while staying in some of the island's iconic hotels.

Two male elephants having a rumble, Minniriya national park

The Asian tractor
Water buffalo plus cattle egret, Yala national park

Green doves, Yala

Sloth bear snuffling for food, early morning, Yala national park

Toque macaques in
Yala national park

The Ceylon hoopoe

A ruddy mongoose on the prowl

Sri Lankan green bee eater, Yala National Park

Note that the full itinerary is still being worked on. Currently places on this tour are strictly limited
This is my provisional itinerary:

Saturday 03 – 20th March 2018

Transit via Singapore

Arriving Negombo

03 March Overnight Jetwing Blue Hotel Negombo

04 Day One:
Drive to Anaradhapura via Puttalum (salt pans, wind farms)

Lunch on the road
Welcome dinner included

Overnight Palm Garden Village resort, Anaradhapura

05 Day Two

Full day visiting Anaradhapura’s most famous dagoba complexes (local guide?)

Lunch on the road

Overnight Palm Garden Village resort, Anaradhapura

06 Day Three

Drive to Dambulla

Explore the cave temples of Dambulla (no guide needed)

Check into the Heritance Kandalama Resort (lunch at resort?)

Late afternoon game drive in (either) Minneriya and/or Kaudulla National Park (TBA by agent)

Overnight Heritance Kandalama

07 Day Four

Sigiriya (no guide needed)

(followed by a relaxing afternoon off in the pool)

Overnight Heritance Kandalama

08 Day Five

Drive to Kandy
Spice garden at Matale

Check into accommodation

Short city tour + Kandyan dancing in the evening

Overnight at The Mansion (outside city centre)

09 Day Six

Full day tour in Kandy – temple of the tooth and city

Veggie lunch in the town (?)

Overnight at The Mansion (outside city centre)

10 Day Seven

Free Day

Overnight at The Mansion (outside city centre)

11 Day Eight

Drive to Nuwara Eliya

Visit a high estate tea plantation enroute

Overnight Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya

12 Day Nine

Early morning short city tour

Depart for Yala

Overnight Mahoora Tented camp

13 Day Ten

Full day touring Yala National Park

Overnight Mahoora Tented camp

14 Day 11

Early morning game drive in Yala(?)

Drive to Udawalawe National Park

Overnight Mahoora Tented camp

15 Day 12

Full day in park

Overnight Mahoora Tented camp

16 Day 13

Drive to Galle

Stop at Weherahena Buddhist temple, Matara temple

Overnight in Galle Fort

17 Day 14

Full day in Galle (unescorted walking tour of fort)

Overnight in Galle Fort

18 Day 15

Drive to Colombo

Stopping to photograph boat builders enroute

and Geoffrey Bawa’s home at Lunuganga

Overnight Mt Lavinia Hotel

19 Day 16

Full day touring in city

Overnight Mt Lavinia Hotel

20 Day 17

Day at leisure in hotel

Farewell dinner at hotel beach restaurant

Late checkout

Transfer to airport for late evening departure

Spectacular cave paintings seen on the walk/climb up Sigiriya rock fortress

Reclining buddha, Anaradhapura

Boat building, East coast, Galle

Art deco restaurant, Galle

And that's just breakfast!
Although the Sri Lankans do make a really good European breakfast, the local breakfasts are equally good (if not a little hot on the palette!)

One of the island's typical British colonial style hotels, perfect for a spot of tiffen or just drinks in the bar...