Udawalawe

One of the most important criteria for choosing a destination for us is either exotic food or animals. That‘s why it quickly became clear to us: in Sri Lanka we have to go to a national park. How often do you have the chance to see live rare animals up close? Since we had heard some bad things about Yala several times and it was not really on our itinerary, we chose Udawalawe. Less touristy and many elephants - the perfect mix.

Via Airbnb we looked for accommodations close to the park, where the owner of the accommodation used to be a ranger in the park and today also offers safaris. Sound promising. We arrived in the afternoon and wanted to do a safari the next morning, but the ranger recommended to go to the park the same evening, as the animals are coming to the water points in the evening. So one hour later we went to the park with him.

The accommodation and the safari were one of the best choices ever. The ranger knew immediately where to go, so that we were first at an animal herd and were able to watch them in peace. The time flew by. For the trip, we got a snack from his wife and arriving back at the property, there was a gigantic dinner waiting for us. The breakfast the next morning was at least as delicious as the dinner. Unfortunately we had to continue in the afternoon, I could have endured there even longer.

To enter Sri Lanka, you need a passport that has to be valid for at least six months. You must apply for a visa before or during entry. This can be extended by four weeks, which can take some time.

Because Muslims and Buddhists live in Sri Lanka, there are sometimes disputes between the different religions. In addition, one must watch out for violent sexual assault on women and many actions, such as photographing Buddha figures, are prohibited. Here you should inform yourself before your trip to Sri Lanka about the dangers and prohibitions.

If you travel to the Sri Lanka, you must definitely be vaccinated against measles. WHO has declared that omitting the vaccine as a „threat to global health“. However, no vaccinations are required when entering from Germany. The standard vaccinations are definitely always recommended. It is also recommended to vaccinate against hepatitis A and B, rabies and typhoid. Sri Lanka is warning about the Zika virus and dengue fever.

You should wear mostly light colored clothing to protect you from mosquitoes. At night you should sleep under a mosquito net. You should always have sun protection with you. If you need medication, bring it with you from your hometown, as they are usually very expensive abroad. Watch out for water from the faucet. You should also be careful with food. During your trip you should carry a copy of you travel health insurance with you. Inform yourself before your trip about current warnings. The medical care in Sri Lanka is fine, in rural areas travel time can be expected.

Oh, what should I say about food ... I never liked Indian food before and had some respect of the trip to Sri Lanka. But what awaited me there surprised me a lot. Of course, it has features of Indian food, but it can not be compared to it. That‘s something like Indian Light. There are many curries, samose, naan, of course all with rice and lots of fresh vegetables. Of course, meat and fish are also available, but the people in Sri Lanka love to eat vegetarian food.

Not to mention the delicious fresh fruits, lassis and probably the best coconuts I‘ve ever had. In Sri Lanka, a variety of tastes and smells awaits you, which will blow you away. I still dream of the delicious Pani Pol in Udawalawe ...

When traveling within the country, railways are preferable to public buses. Buses are often involved in accidents because of their reckless driving style. Traveling in the hinterland to the east is sometimes difficult. Here an increased mine risk can not be excluded.

During our trip we drove both by train and by various buses. We never had any problems. Even driving with the tuktuk is fast and usually uncomplicated. Driving in Sri Lanka is still very chaotic, why I can not recommend the rental of vehicles.

In Sri Lanka there is left traffic. Night driving is not advisable for reasons of traffic safety outside the cities. If you want to rent a vehicle, an international driver‘s license is required. This only is valid in conjunction with the national German driver‘s license.

To Udawalawe you will come by bus. To the nationalpark you can take a tuktuk or you can stay in an accomodation with a ranger. Our host used to be a ranger and guided us through the national park. There are many ways to get into the park.

During the rainy season, expect monsoon rains. These can cause short but severe flooding. The rainy season extends northeast from December to March. In the southwest from June to October. Sri Lanka is located in a seismically active zone, which can lead to earthquakes and tsunamis. In Sri Lanka the weather is different everywhere.

So if you want to do a round trip, you have to pack clothes for every situation. Generally one can say that at the beginning of the year the weather is usually better. On the beaches the weather is of course better than in the highlands. It always depends on where you want to go. In Udawalawe there is a lot of rain all year round.

In Sri Lanka you pay with rupee. You can pay with credit cards, but less in rural areas. Here you should beware of credit card fraud.

Cash can be changed in exchange offices or picked up at the vending machine. The cash can be changed back before leaving the country.