Wilpattu national park , Sri Lanka

To date is year 2020. It has been long since I updated my blog. Actually already for 4 years consequently since 2016 I did sole pack packing at Sri Lanka. You may asked me why go back there so many times? Sri Lanka is very safe for solo female traveler. It is easy to travel even by public transport (local stage bus, train) . There are many accommodations too at a very affordable for budget traveler. I usually picked the low season therefore I don't pre-booked my rooms. Reasons is because I feel more relax and I am not bounded by time frame as I move around from town to town. I usually overnight in non Air con room that cost 1,500 – 3,000 SLR per night. That is basically equivalent to 30-70 RM. Buses are Sri Lanka main mode of transportation, so basically the whole of Sri Lanka are connected with bus route. There are Private (blue bus) and government buses (red bus). Bus fares are very cheap. A bus journey of about 4 hrs only cost 380 SLR. On rare occasion only I used tuk-tuk the three wheeler. The three wheeler when managed to secure a foreigner as their customer, they usually charge you overpriced. There is no meter, they will bill you even for waiting time. Waiting time is like being a tourist, you want the three wheeler to stop for 5 mins for you to do photo taking. That 5 mins rest time you need to pay on top of the earlier agreed price of fare.

Now this year due to curb covid 19 we are forbidden to travel out from the country as well others country do not welcome any tourist. Never expect just a small virus create many inconvenience and gives us new norms that all of us are trying hard to get use to it. Actually this year, I have the intention to visit Kerala, India but Alas my wish cannot materialize.

Instead this year I have to use my mandatory leave to really get a good rest from work and try to catch up to details down my backpacking sole birding trips. With the 4 years of visit each visit to the country I was there for at least 14 – 27 days. Those local Sri Lankan even commented that I had steps of town, places that they themselves have never been to.

Wilpattu National Park entrance Hunilagama (4 Nov 2018 - 6 Nov 2018)

This National Park in Sri Lanka very promising for sighting panther. The gorgeous majestic looking Leopard photograph hang on the wall of Dolosmahe guest house is very luring.

Every visitors who did the safari tour in this National Park hope and prayed that they did bump into Leopard. The park entrance fees for foreigner is on the steep high price. Adult foreigner entrance fees is USD15, the local fare is only 60 SLR (equivalent to Rm1.40), Jeep fees is 5,000 SLR. Everyone need to get into Safari jeep to tour Wilpattu National Park. You either book your Safari tour full day or half day from the Safari tour agents that do pick up and sent off from your accommodation or you makes the arrangement at the Park entrance office. I did a half day tour sharing the jeep with three others foreigner that I met while I was sitting on the bench in the park office. That tour cost me 4,725 SLR equivalent to RM103.

The landscape of this National Park comprised of dry zone forest with lianas , thorny scrubs ,open plains and sand dune rimmed water holes known as Villus. Villus resemble lakes, they are actually flat basin like depressions generally containing rain water.

There are three types of vegetation; Littoral vegetation, including Salt marsh and low scrub immediately adjacent to the beach and further inland, monsoon forest with tall emergents.  Wilpattu_National_Park research paper

A total of 31 species of mammals being recorded by Eisenberg and Lockhart (1972). A safari tour you will able to see Elephant, Sloth bear, Water buffalo, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Mangoose, Shrews, Crocodiles, toque monkey, purple faced monkey. If you are lucky you will meet up with Leopard.

The full list of mammals of Wilpattu National Park

Some of the birds and mammals that I sighted during my visit  there.

***
11/11/2020 – Covid 19 impacted a lot of lives and altered plans as well. I was google for Wilpathu Dolosmahe and I discovered that it has unlisted from booking.com. Further dig details down I got to know that the owner Susil Athauda has to let go what they had build and established.

This guesthouse which it is just 5 mins walk to the park entrance is the perfect place to overnight. The lady Shamindra cook very delicious sri lankan food.  Susil treat all his guest like his family member. On the 5^th of Nov 2018 I told them to prepared lunch for me as I would come back from my half day birding walking around the nearby lake beside the park. Unexpectedly I did safari tour that started in the midday. Hence I never went back for lunch. Towards the end of the Safari tour a very heavy downpour. I sat on the bench in the park office wait for hours for the rain to reside  then only I walk back to Dolosmahe.  Once I push open the door of Dolosmahe, Shamindra greeted me told me this statement..”You never came back for lunch.  Susil is worry and he went to ask around where were you ?”.

on the 6^th Morning I checked and move on. Susil gives me the info that I can takes the local bus that will fetch the village's people to the main road (willpattu junction). Each day there will be one bus that goes out and in the evening about 5-6pm that same bus will ferry back the village people. That morning Susil waited the bus together with me to send me off.

My parents also do not treat me this way. Thank you very much Susil for your hospitality. Shamindra your food is the best local food that I have ever eaten through out my 4 years consequently visiting Sri Lanka.

Best wishes to both of you.