Sight seeing in the city of Gems-Rathnapura
- visit to Gem mines and Rathnapura gem bureau museum, laboratory
and art Galleries, rubber factories. Visit to the old temple
Maha saman Devala
Mountain trekking - via Mahawela estate to see natural forest
with waterfalls and swimming pools interesting Fauna and Flora
including beautiful Butterflies.
A visit to urban rain forest park called pompakelle (15 hectares)
proceed to kalawathi hotel for ancient ayurvedic herbal treatments.
This is the ancient human rejuanation thereby been practised
for centuries in India and Sri Lanka.
Peak Wilderness
Sanctuary - The Peak Wilderness Range has within
it Adam's Peak (2,224 m) the most famous peak in Sri Lanka on
account of its religious significance. The range is important
as it comprises the last remaining altitudinally graded forest
from the lowlands to the mountain zone. The Pilgrim trails to
the summit provide an excellent way of seeing the montane forest
which extends to within several hundred meters of the summit.
The main trail from Dalhousie has steps and is lit up at night
during the pilgrim season from December to April.
History tour - One day excursion
through Panadura, Rathnapura, Rakwana, Balutota pass with it's
dramatic hair pin bends and most beautiful scenic landscapes,
visit the Buddhist monastery at the foot hills of Sinharaja
rain forest turn of at Balutota circuit bungalow, then proceed
to suriyakanda village and turn to kolonna and Maduwanwala to
see an early 18th century residences of kandyans.
Nature tour - two day tour
to Sinharaja primeval rain forest. Sinharaja is a thick wet
forest, is a very valuable forest for scientific researches
studies and observations by bird watches and biologists. A World
Heritage Site since 1988 this is arguably the most important
site in Sri Lanka and is internationally important for its biodiversity.
Condition that offer by sinharaja rainforest may have a particular
attraction to the adventure youngsters who will hot grumble
about letch-bites and the difficult terrain for walking as well
as driving.
Safari - One day excursion
to the udawalawa national park. This is very attractive safari
that can be combined with a visit to gem pits in Rathnapura.
Udawalawa national park is of undulated land with hilly outcrops,
grass lands, riverine forest and a wide variety of animals of
which Elephants, Deer, Monkeys and submerse are among those
frequently seen large herds of elephants are seen grazing in
the evening. The avian life is plentiful with birds of prey
hawks and eagles being most common. The vegetation in keeping
with the geographical location consist of both dry zone and
wet zone forest. This is an ideal safari for those who looking
for a safari within a few hours drive from the resort and their
is a fair chance of observing a variety of wild life in a single
day.
Surrey Tea Estate
- Col. Goodfellow's former estate. A veritable avian
across amid tea, with numerous treesand bushes near the managers's
bunglow. One of the most active bird spots encountered during
our entire Sri Lanka visit. It would make an ideal bird sanctuary
with visitors staying in the already existing bunglow. Birds
normally begin to slow down after about 9.00 in the morning
and we arrived at Surrey, at 9.30. Even still, the activity
was intense. We noted 36 species in under two hours; four of
them were Sri Lankan endemics. ("Comments
on the Endemic Birds of Sri Lanka" by Robert L. Fleming.
Jr., Ceylon Bird Club 1977)
Kitulgala Forest
Reserve - Established as a forest reserve to protect
the watershed of the Kelani River it is home to many of Sri
Lanka's endemic flora and fauna. The forest is secondary lowland
rainforest on the lower slopes with the forest extending up
to the higher elevations, contiguous with the Peak Wilderness.
Kalametiya
- A wetland with two brackish lagoons, mangrove swamps
and open areas with pockets of scrub jungle. A very important
site for migrant shorebirds.
Bundala National
Park - Similar to Yala National park comprising scrub
jungle bordering the sea together with large shallow pools.
The beaches are an important nesting site for turtles.
Horton Plains National
Park - A highland plateau comprising montane grassland
and elfin forest. It is contiguous with the Peak Wilderness
Sanctuary. The second and third highest peaks in Sri Lanka are
found here.
Knuckles Range
- A remote mountain area which hosts endemic fauna and flora
confined to a few mountain peaks in the region.
Apart from tours and excursions listed above tailor made excursions
and tours can also be arranged according to the individual taste
at the resort.
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