Here are the reasons why I think Sri Lanka should be on everyone’s holiday list for 2019.

Beautiful Beaches

Sri Lanka has beautiful, unspoilt, white sandy beaches! Unlike some neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka’s beaches are free from rubbish, and the water is clear and inviting. There are beautiful beaches in the west, near Galle, in the south around Mirissa and Tangalle, in the east near Trincomalee, and even in Negombo, 10kms from the airport!

The best beach depends on the time of year you’re visiting, so as to avoid the monsoon. Give us a call for the low-down!

Hill country 

Only a few hours’ drive inland from the coast takes you to spectacular, green hill country. With mountains as high as 2000 metres, the weather here is usually humid and wet – perfect for growing tea! The first tea plantations were planted by the British in 1824, and since then, tea has quickly become Sri Lanka’s greatest export. The central highlands region still has a distinct British flavour, with Nurawa Eliya town nicknamed ‘Little England’ for its stately homes, hedge gardens, and a colonial ‘Grand Dame-esque’ hotel serving up a very British afternoon tea.
Taking a local train through the hill country is an absolute must. It’s a chance to mix with the locals and stick your head out the window to feel the breeze in your hair, while you watch the most beautiful green, rolling tea plantations pass you by.

It’s a slow journey – timetables mean nothing – however a passing parade of food sellers will help to keep hunger at bay, offering spiced nuts, fried dhal and hot masala chai.

“Ella” is a great little town with a handful of quirky cafes and shops, and if you venture just a few kilometres out of town, you’re deep in tea-country.
There are beautiful walks you can do in this region, across the Horton Plains too. There is plenty in this region to keep you entertained for a few days!

Safari

Did you know Sri Lanka has the highest population of leopards in Asia? Arriving at Yala National Park is like being transported to a completely different destination – it’s hot and dry, with vast plains – perfect for spotting leopards in the wild. As well as leopards, you can see elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, monkeys, and plenty of birdlife in the National Park.

There’s nothing like going on a jeep safari at dawn or dusk, cameras at the ready, hoping to spot animals in their natural habitat!

In the centre of the country (near Sigiriya), a visit to either Minneriya or Kawudulla National Parks is a must, for their huge Elephant population. Where else can you visit an ancient historical site in the morning, go on safari in the afternoon, and have a cocktail by the pool at your hotel in the evening?!

Food

Sri Lankan food is fresh, spicy and full of flavour! The main spices Sri Lankans use in their foods are cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Curry leaves are also used often, and of course, everything is flavoured with fresh coconut.
Egg hoppers are a fantastic start to the day – a type of crepe made from rice flour and coconut milk, with an egg in the middle. These are topped with a dhal curry, and fresh, grated coconut.

For other meals, curry is the order of the day, with plenty of lime and coconut milk. Coconut sambal accompanies everything – this is a mixture of fresh grated coconut, chilli, garlic and lime.
Dessert is crème caramel, or a coconut and honey mixture, either deep-fried, or rolled up in a crepe.

Travellers to Sri Lanka certainly wont go hungry!

The people

Sri Lankans are some of the friendliest people I’ve met! They’re genuinely proud to show off their beautiful country, and will go out of their way to help travellers.

In our week-long trip through the country, we were not hassled once, nor pressured to buy anything. On the road, all timings are quoted in ‘Sri-Lankan time’, ie, a 100km journey will take ‘3 hours, Sri Lankan time’ , always said with a cheeky grin, meaning it will probably take 4 hours! This however, is no cause for angst, and we didn’t encounter any erratic driving, road rage or excessive tooting.

Direct flights from Australia

If you live in Victoria like me, we’re lucky enough to have direct flights from Melbourne to Colombo, with Sri Lankan Airlines! The service encountered onboard is difficult to fault, with good food (Sri Lankan chicken curry for dinner), a decent selection of in-flight entertainment options, and comfortable seating.

With a flying time of 10 hours, Sri Lanka has never felt more accessible!
For those with frequent flyer memberships with other carriers, or those looking to fly from Australia’s other Capital cities, there are plenty of other great options, with Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways or Cathay Pacific, among others.

Sri Lanka makes for a great holiday destination combined with a stopover in Singapore, Bangkok, or perhaps even the Maldives?

An undiscovered gem, for now

Sri Lanka is distinctly un-touristy. There are very few tourist shops and restaurants, and almost zero souvenirs. Beaches are free from hawkers and you don’t see many other tourists wandering around.
However, this will almost certainly change in the near future. Lonely Planet has just named Sri Lanka the #1 destination to visit in 201 9 and it is the destination on everyone’s lips.

I think some of Sri Lanka’s pristine, beautiful charm may be lost in the next 5 – 10 years, so if you’re considering a visit to beautiful Sri Lanka, I recommend going now!

To enquire about a fabulous trip to Sri Lanka, call Rosie on (03) 5275 4583!

The post 7 reasons why you should visit Sri Lanka NOW! appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

Setting off from Rwanda’s capital city of Kigali, the side of the road is a constant and colourful parade of people, carting water, moving animals, feeding children, sweeping the (dirt) gutters, picking up rubbish, buying produce, playing music…

After the horrors of the 90s, Rwanda is going places, with new industry, foreign investment and social security schemes being introduced.
This is, for the most part, due to their gorilla tourism and conservation industry.

Gorilla tourism is Rwanda’s main industry, generating $75 million in revenue between 2006 – 13. While most of this revenue is plunged in to gorilla conservation, 5% is given to communities around the country, which means all Rwandans have a reason to love these mountain creatures.

So what is it like to trek for Gorillas in Rwanda? In October, I had the privilege of escorting a small group of women to the mountains bordering Rwanda, Uganda and The Democratic Republic of Congo, in search of Gorillas.

The Volcanoes National Park is a 3 hour drive from Kigali, and by the time we arrived at our lodge, the temperature had dropped, and the thick mist had rolled in, meaning we could barely see the imposing mountains we had been driving towards all morning.
Staying at Sabyinyo Silverback Lodge is a treat. Aside from being luxurious, with fabulous staff, food and accommodation, it is intimate, with only a handful of guests staying at a time. You could feel the excitement and anticipation at the dinner table, as everyone in the dining room, from all corners of the globe, was here for one reason – to see the rare mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.
Nerves and apprehension got the better of us after dinner, and despite the allure of a nightcap by the fire in the lounge, and we turned in for an early night.

The next morning, we woke early (with a fresh pot of coffee and a bikkie brought to our room – I love Africa!), and got ready for the big trek. Hiking boots, gaters, rain coats, high energy snacks, cameras, spare batteries, the works.

We were taken to a central meeting point, where all Gorilla trekkers for the day are collected, split into small groups and matched with gorilla families. Trekkers are also matched with a local porter, who will assist you in carrying your belongings, holding your hand and giving you a ‘royal push’ if you ever need it! My porter, ‘Dieu-Donné’ lived up to his name, and truly was a gift from God in some of the tough muddy parts of the track!

Francois Bigirimana was our Guide, and he introduced himself to us by saying ‘today, you have the privilege of meeting my friends. I have known this Gorilla family for over 20 years.’ We later discovered that he was Dian Fossey’s tracker during her research in the seventies. He has lived with a Gorilla family, and communicates with them through grunts and shrieks. As he says, he ‘speaks Gorilla.’
He is certainly a character too!

We had walked, gently uphill for about 1.5 hours, when we first saw a Gorilla, just 5 metres away! I’ll never forget the feeling I had of coming across this gentle giant in the middle of the forest. Awe, reverence, wonder, and a bit of relief!

Our small group stood in a little clearing and watched the family of thirteen gorillas for one magic hour.
We had joked with Francois earlier and submitted our request to see a silverback and a baby. He did not disappoint, as this gorilla family boasted two silverbacks (including Guhonda, the largest silverback in the world, weighing 220kgs!), and no fewer than three gorilla babies!

We were privileged to have a glimpse of their daily life – children playing, older ones eating bamboo, mothers gossiping, while watching or suckling their young, and the silverback lying around, watching over his family. For a precious hour, we were transported to another world.

I’ll let the images speak for themselves. Blog continues after photo gallery.

Trekking for gorillas in Rwanda is not a cheap exercise. However, you’ll have the honour of observing these fascinating creatures’ lives in the wild, and knowing you’re assisting in the conservation of the mountain gorillas, and the livelihood of everyday Rwandans.

That evening back at the lodge, the energy was lively and infectious. Everyone had their own stories to tell about their incredible gorilla encounters, and we swapped photos and celebrated with new friends into the night.

Make it happen

• You can get to Rwanda via Johannesburg with South African Airways, or via Nairobi with Emirates or Qatar Airways
• A visa is required for Rwanda. This is obtained on arrival for $USD 30 for Australian passport holders
• Gorilla permits are extremely limited, and must be secured well in advance. These currently cost $USD 1500.00 per person, and are valid for one entry into the National Park, and one hour with the gorillas.
• A visit to see the Gorillas works really well combined with a safari in east Africa, and a few nights in Kigali

Contact Rosie for further information on gorilla tracking, and African safaris.

For short video clips of our experience with the gorillas, click here

The post Gorilla tracking in Rwanda – a once in a lifetime experience appeared first on Mosaic Travel.