Combining Sri Lanka’s Greatest Wildlife Experiences With One Unforgettable International Cricket Match
Combining Sri Lanka’s Greatest Wildlife Experiences With One Unforgettable International Cricket Match
Arrive in Sri Lanka and transfer to the coastal town of Negombo. After check-in, ease into island time with an introduction to Sri Lanka’s cricketing passion and rich wildlife heritage. If time permits, explore the Dutch-era canal, visit St. Mary’s Church, wander the lagoon, or stroll along the beach as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean.
After breakfast, travel north toward Wilpattu National Park — Sri Lanka’s largest and oldest wildlife sanctuary. Arrive in time for lunch at your wilderness lodge before heading out on your first safari. Traverse forest tracks, open glades, and shimmering villus while keeping watch for leopards, sloth bears, deer, and birdlife.
Rise early for a full-day safari through Wilpattu’s varied ecosystems. With packed meals, venture deeper into lesser-explored regions of the park, observing raptors, bee-eaters, mongoose, elephants and with luck, the elusive leopard. Return by dusk to forest sounds and starlit skies.
Another day in the wild allows you to explore different zones of the park. Each drive reveals new moments — a leopard resting in shade, buffalo wading through a villu, or birds gathering at water’s edge. Enjoy a final evening in Wilpattu, sharing stories over sundowners.
After breakfast, depart for your chosen match city: Colombo if attending an ODI. Kandy if attending a T20I
Check in on arrival and enjoy a relaxed afternoon, soaking in the city’s rhythm or unwinding by the pool in anticipation of match day.
It’s match day. Join thousands of fans at either R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo or Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy to witness England vs Sri Lanka live. Feel the electric atmosphere, celebrate boundaries and wickets, and enjoy the shared passion that defines cricket on the island.
Leave the city behind and journey toward the misty hills of Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch at your lodge, enjoy an introduction to the rainforest’s biodiversity followed by a gentle village walk to spot endemic birds and learn about local life.
Begin with a morning birding walk through village paths and secondary forest, home to endemic species such as the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and Junglefowl. After lunch, venture deeper into the rainforest, exploring its extraordinary flora, amphibians, butterflies, and layered forest life.
Return to Colombo, where nature still weaves through the urban landscape. Visit one of the city’s wetlands, a refuge for crocodiles, waterbirds, and monitor lizards offering a surprising glimpse of urban wildlife. In the evening, gather for a farewell dinner reflecting on cricket cheers and jungle trails.
After breakfast, transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your onward journey, carrying memories of wild landscapes, rainforest mists, and the thrill of the game.
