" Caving & Nature." |
PROGRAMME |
: Caving & Nature |
DURATION |
: 2 Night / 3 Days |
PERIOD |
: Valid till OCT. 2008 |
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| Highlights of the Tour |
- Day 1. Visit the “Cave of Bats” – Waulpane - and proceed to the “Park of Elephants” – Udawalawe NP.
- Day 2. Belihuloya - Adventure Capital of Sri Lanka for lunch and optional activities in the evening.
- Day 3.
A Nature Trail by the river from Belihul Oya to the " Village Of Steel " before Departure.
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Day 1 - Waulpane – Udawalawe (FB) |
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| We will meet at "Pallebedda" to visit the cave. |
WAULPANE CAVE
 This cave is an isolated cavern set against the eastern slopes of the Rakwana Range. It contains a large number of stalactites and stalagmites and is estimated to be approximately 500 million years old. You will enter and walk through this 100 feet high cave to discover this prehistoric world.
While there are few fossils visible in the caverns wall, the main building process is still continuing. The stream, which runs through this cave, occupies half the ground space inside it and at the centre meets an eighty foot waterfall that falls on to it from close to the top of the cave, giving you a mysterious and a thrilling experience. You may encounter few water monitors, Amphibians and thousands of Bats in this fully dark cave. |
UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK
 UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK is located approximately 200 km south-east of Colombo city. The 30,821 hectares dry zone game park has an annual rainfall of 1524 mm and an average temperature of 29.40C. It is most famous for the many elephants that live there (about 500 in total). During a visit, it is not unusual to see whole herds of adults and young - feeding or bathing and playing in the water! In addition to this main attraction, the park is home to many Water buffalo, Water monitor lizards, Sambar, Spotted deer, Monkeys and the occasional Leopard, as well as being an exciting location for bird enthusiasts. A 4WD open-top safari is the only way to see all the wonders that this protected reserve has to offer and our experienced and knowledgeable nature guides will make this an unforgettable experience. |
 BELIHULOYA is a very picturesque little hamlet situated in the "Sabaragamuwa" province of Sri Lanka , approximately 160 km from Colombo . This beautiful hillside location is a climatically transitional area, linking both the dry and wet zones and the hill and low country at an altitude of less than 1500m. As a result, the vegetation consists of moist semi-evergreen forests, tropical savanna forests, dry patana grasslands and montane temperate forests, making it one of the richest bio-diversity spots in Sri Lanka - a perfect location for nature lovers.
In the ancient times people living in this area were engaged in the agriculture and steel industry. If we were to look further back in time, even the presence of pre-historic settlements were proved by the finding of skeletal remains of the 29,000 year old pre-historic man " Homosapien balangodensis" in this area.
Another very important aspect of this location is that as it is situated in the middle of the Hill and Low Countries , there are a large number of beautiful locations and so many waterfalls not forgetting the forests, grasslands, caves etc. |
SCHEDULE
- We will meet at "Pallebedda" at 9 am .
- Let's Explore the Waulapane cave - "The Cave of Bats
- Picnic lunch will be provided at a suitable location.
- We drive to the Udawalawa National Park for a safari in an Open Topped 4WD Vehicle.
- Proceed to Belihuloya after the safari.
- Overnight stay at River Garden Cottages, Belihuloya.
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Day 2 -
Departure from Belihuloya |
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We will leave the cottages for a Nature Trail in Kinchigune after the breakfast. |
KINCHIGUNE NATURE TRAIL.
This diverse trail of approximately 6km begins at the River Garden Resort in Belihul Oya, running alongside Belihul Oya River and its reverine forest. During the trail, you will venture through paddy fields, across rivers and past local village houses with their extensive vegetable plots. It is an ideal opportunity to learn a bit about the local agricultural systems and simple way of village living. Along the way, you will also witness several types of beautiful birds and butterflies and some charming waterfalls. The trail finishes where the Belihul Oya River meets the Samanalawewa Reservoir. From there, it is a short climb up through the forest to the Kinchigune Eco Lodge where you could extend your stay and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The whole journey takes between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how often you want to stop for rest, photos, or simply to take in the wonderful surroundings.
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Lunch to be taken at suitable location.
After the lunch we will be doing a canoeing in Samanalawewa.
CANOEING IN SAMANALAWEWA
 The still calm waters of the Samanalawewa reservoir are perfect for canoeing. Whether you want to take your time and go for a leisurely paddle for a couple of hours, perhaps venturing out to the mouth of the Belihuloya River or spend an entire day exploring the perimeter of the reservoir, you are sure to have an unforgettable experience. The Samanalawewa reservoir is named after the Sinhalese word 'samanala', meaning 'butterfly', hinting not only at the terrific number of butterflies in the area but also the actual shape of the reservoir. The word 'wewa' literally means 'tank' (another term often used to describe reservoirs). The surrounding mountains add to the idyllic setting of the reservoir. All groups will be supplied with an experienced guide and modern life jackets, and a proper orientation will be offered for those who are new to canoeing.
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SCHEDULE
- Leave for the Kinchigune Nature Trail after the breakfast.
- Lunch at suitable location.
- After lunch, a short time for relaxation.
- Evening Canoeing in the Samanalawewe Lake .
- Dinner & Overnight stay in River Garden Cottages.
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Day 3 - Departure from Belihul Oya |
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After the breakfast departure to your next destination. |
- End of Tour - |
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| Our Rates - Please contact us |
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**Discounted rates are available for 5 pax and above. |
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| Cost Includes: |
- Coordination of the tour with all Government/Non governmental and locale authorities and obtaining permission.
- Transportation from "Pallebedda" to the cave.
- Rain coat, Torch, Helmet with a fixed torch .
- Experienced / Trained trackers + Locale guides for all trekking routes.
- Accommodation on full board basis for the 2 nights starting from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 3.
- Entrance fees for Udawalawe National Park .
- Cost of Jeep safaris at Udawalawe.
- Picnic Lunch.
- Fee for canoeing & nature trail at Belihuloya.
- All government taxes & service charges.
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Cost does not include: |
- Transportation for the above tour other than specified.
- Fee for the boat ride.
- Expenses of personal nature.
- Any other services not specified above.
- Tips and Porterage at hotels.
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Payment policy: Full payment with confirmation. |
Cancellation Policy: |
- 90 Days to 30 Days - 250 US $ Administrative fee or 10% of the tour fee which ever is higher.
- 14 Days to 29 Days - 250 US $ admin fee will be charged and 50 % of the tour cost will be kept to be utilized for a future booking. Balance will be refunded.
- 8 Days to 13 Days - 250 US $ admin fee will be charged and 75 % of the tour cost will be kept to be utilized for a future booking. Balance will be refunded.
- Less than 7 days - 250 US $ admin fee will be charged and 100 % of the tour cost will be kept to be utilized for a future booking.
Eco Team should receive the cancellation in writing.
Tour start day is not considered for computation of the period. |
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- It is recommended to have sunglasses, sunburn lotions, insect / leech repellent and personal effects for warm / windy / rainy conditions.
- It is recommended to use light cloths and trekking shoes or boots for trekking.
- The jeeps available are very basic with basic insurance cover.
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The above mentioned descriptions and programmes have been compiled after long, arduous, exploratory, and expensive work and hence is the property of Eco Team (Pvt) Ltd. Making use of these programmes/descriptions for any public or commercial programmes requires the permission of the said company. |
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