This post has been written by Journalist On The Run writer Conor Phelan, who is currently travelling through Sri Lanka. Here he regales us of his Sri Lankan safari adventure! You can read more of his articles here. Be sure to also read my other Sri Lanka articles such tips on doing an elephant safari and best places to stay in Sri Lanka.
It’s 4.45 and my alarm is going off on the other side of the room. I made sure to leave it on the other side of the room so I’d actually get out of bed when it went off; half smart, half annoying.
After a difficult battle with a T-shirt, myself and the other three early risers wander down to a welcome cup of coffee. Our host Wanni introduces us to our driver and brings us to our safari jeep, still half hidden in the night.
The early morning chill is pretty cutting in our raised open-top jeep once we get on the road, so make sure to bring a little more than a T-shirt if you’re planning a trip yourself! About fifteen minutes from our accommodation in Kataragama and we’re at the entrance to Area 1 of Yala National Park, which, the sign tells me, has the highest concentration of leopards in Sri Lanka.
At this point we’re feeling a lot more awake and we’re optimistic about seeing a leopard from our vantage point in the jeep.
Just inside the entrance of the park, we are excited to see our first wild animal. If mental images of Elephants and Leopards are jumping into your mind, let me stop you right there. It was this chicken.
The sun had now broken over the tree line and we could see the park in all its beauty. We stopped by a watering hole to watch a bird taking the unnecessary risk of drinking right beside a large crocodile.
Our leisurely pace picked up as there were reports of a leopard up ahead. As you can imagine the road is pretty uneven, and my friend discovered this when his Gopro leaped out of his seat, so be sure to keep an eye on yours loose items in the park!
There was a cluster of other leopard seekers up ahead and we cut the engine as we got close and we joined the rabble. I was adamant that I would get a photo of this hidden creature, and there was a flurry of movement and the hidden cat sprang briefly into view and leaped off into the vast wilderness… I am relaying this information second hand though, as I managed to not see a single hair on the leopard’s body before it got away.
The rest of the safari was spent meandering through the park, with birds soaring past the jeep, hogs shepherding their young and Peacocks prancing about vying for attention.
Here’s a photo my friend managed to get that I missed, such a beautiful bird!
You can see more of Darragh’s photos from their Sri Lankan safari on Instagram.
After three hours in the park, the animals had begun their siesta, we had a quick picnic of sandwiches at a little watering hole and then made our way out of the park, very tired but happy.
Our Safari tour was with Wanniarachchi Holiday Resort. It’s a little outside Kataragama but we were picked up at the bus station, and the food they make is really great, so it’s a nice change from the constant beeping horns of Sri Lankan towns and cities!
If you’re interested in this tour, check out www.yalasafaribudgettours.com for what was the best price we could find for a tour and accommodation!
Want to see more of Conor’s photos? Check him out on Instagram.
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Hi! I’m Janet Newenham, an Irish-born digital nomad and blogger. My blog, Journalist On The Run, is a journal of my travels and career hurdles, as well as a “bucket list for life.” In my youth, reading inspired me to create and achieve goals for my future.
My long list of goals took me to places I could never have dreamed of, each one inspiring me toward the next. Along the way, I picked up a few awards like “Digital Media Travel Journalist Of The Year” in both 2017 and 2019 while simply doing what I love.
Now, well into my 30s, I’ve seen so many of the world’s alcoves that it would be wrong not to share my experiences with you. This blog is my way of taking you around the world with me, and I hope you enjoy the ride.
My goal was to visit 50 countries before I hit 30. I never imagined that at 37, I could proudly say I’ve seen 101 of the world’s beautiful countries. Of course, no matter how much you think you’ve traveled, there is still so much left to see, and I look forward to going on the run with you.
Hi! I’m Janet Newenham, an Irish-born digital nomad and blogger. My blog, Journalist On The Run, is a journal of my travels and career hurdles, as well as a “bucket list for life.” In my youth, reading inspired me to create and achieve goals for my future.
My long list of goals took me to places I could never have dreamed of, each one inspiring me toward the next. Along the way, I picked up a few awards like “Digital Media Travel Journalist Of The Year” in both 2017 and 2019 while simply doing what I love.
Now, well into my 30s, I’ve seen so many of the world’s alcoves that it would be wrong not to share my experiences with you. This blog is my way of taking you around the world with me, and I hope you enjoy the ride.
My goal was to visit 50 countries before I hit 30. I never imagined that at 37, I could proudly say I’ve seen 101 of the world’s beautiful countries. Of course, no matter how much you think you’ve traveled, there is still so much left to see, and I look forward to going on the run with you.