From the abundant Indian Oceans at its fringes to the lush forested peaks of its interior, Sri Lanka is a land where nature and wildlife are at the forefront of daily life. Local communities strive to maintain the balance between the needs of mankind and the needs of the indigenous wildlife, but both are thriving thanks to the work of Resplendent Ceylon’s three luxury Sri Lanka escapes: Tea Trails, Cape Welligama and Wild Coast Tented Lodge. Responding to increasing demand for guests to get involved with its philanthropic work and conservation initiatives, the company has launched a programme of Giving Getaways, that give visitors a flavour of their ongoing work.
Guests staying at the picturesque Tea Trails in the heart of Sri Lanka’s lush hill country can assist with the work of the naturalists at the Leopard Research Station on Dunkeld Ridge, where 19 wild leopards are being monitored. By contributing to the local reforesting programme, guests are helping to create a conservation corridor for Sri Lankan Leopards.
At Cape Welligama on Sri Lanka’s rugged southern coast, guests can volunteer at the nearby MJF Centre and put on their own creative workshop for children from local fishing communities, sharing skills or joining in with song and dance. Junior jetsetters can chat to local children and sign up to the Resplendent Ceylon Pen Pal programme, before joining their parents on a trip to the Welligama fish market with one of the hotel’s chefs and bringing their haul back for a private cooking class.
On the outskirts of Yala National Park, a haven for wildlife, guests at Wild Coast Tented Lodge can help rangers analyse leopard data from camera traps, join
a birding workshop and safari with one of the country’s leading experts, meet the local community in Bundala for an insight into rural life, and visit the Dilmah Elephant Transit Home with a ranger to watch these magnificent beasts at play. All of the above can be experienced on an eight-night trip starting from US $9,450 per couple.
www.resplendentceylon.com