Take jeep safari for touring Yala. The park has many rocky outcrops, fresh water tanks, brackish lagoons and breathtaking dry zone landscape. The southeastern boundary of Yala is the coastline with an untouched beach. The northeastern boundary is the manik ganga river. The Yala reserve has large open areas and water holes which serve as feeding grounds for many animals such as elephants, leopards, deer, wild buffaloes, wild boar, many varieties of birds, crocodiles etc. The most prominent geophysical feature of Yala is its many areas of outcropping bedrock, some largeenough to be mini rocky ranges. These provide resting places and breeding grounds to the leopard and the Sri Lankan sloth bear. The sloth bear is very fond of fruits. However never try to feed it yourself.
Sigiriya
This morning we drive to Sigiriya, which is a tribute to the vision of King Kashyapa who created this 'Palace in the Sky' in the 5th century AD. On the top of the Sigiriya rock (meaning the 'Lion Rock') that is over 1.5 hectares in extent is the remains of a large palace, the earliest surviving royal palace in Sri Lanka, with several chambers and a bathing pond. In a sheltered pocket of the giant rock are the celebrated paintings of 5th century AD, a few which is remaining from around 500 paintings that once covered the rock surface. Precisely planned water gardens at the foot of the rock are the earliest such gardens found in Asia. The boulder gardens are good examples of landscaping while conserving the environment. The Mirror Wall, which had been exposed to elements for over fifteen centuries still has some of the original sheen that has given it the name. This archaeological site unparalleled in South Asia has been declared a World Heritage Site.Anuradhapura
Pproceed on a day return trip to Anuradhapura Anuradhapura is Ceylon's ancient Capital (5th century B.C. to 10th century A.D.) now declared a Buddhist holy city. Amongst the many religious and historical sites are the Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo Tree), the oldest documented tree in the world which came from a sapling from the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment; the Brazen place built in the 2nd century BC, several majestic dagobas such as Ruwanweli Seya, and of course the Thuparama Dagoba which is the oldest in the country and believed to enshrine the collarbone of the Buddha.
Pproceed on a day return trip to Anuradhapura Anuradhapura is Ceylon's ancient Capital (5th century B.C. to 10th century A.D.) now declared a Buddhist holy city. Amongst the many religious and historical sites are the Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo Tree), the oldest documented tree in the world which came from a sapling from the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment; the Brazen place built in the 2nd century BC, several majestic dagobas such as Ruwanweli Seya, and of course the Thuparama Dagoba which is the oldest in the country and believed to enshrine the collarbone of the Buddha.