The Sinharaja Rainforest of Sri Lanka

Since I have arrived in Sri Lanka, I have always wanted to visit the Sinharaja forest, located in the southwest of the island. This tropical forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, could have been the last abode of the mighty and legendary Sri Lankan Lion! Sinharaja means Lion king in Sinhala, the local language.

The rich wildlife of Sinharaja Park

I had gone for a 4 hour trek in this tropical jungle accompanied by a naturalist guide. As I ventured into the wild I met geckos, kangaroos, lizards, snakes, colourful butterflies and myriad birds! The guide told us that there are three elephants in the forest as well as leopards and black panthers!  Unfortunately I am unable to confirm that piece of information as I did not encounter them during my trek.

Ughh… Leeches!

A less exotic aspect of the park was the leeches. They just love to hop on to the trekkers passing by. They seem disgusting but they actually don’t carry diseases unlike mosquitoes! Our ancestors used them to stimulate blood circulation and for treatment purposes! So what are we complaining about? Don’t be put off by the leeches, as Sinharaja is brilliant and deserves to be explored. Its ecosystem is unique in Sri Lanka!

Shanti Travel designs customized tours to Sri Lanka, and wildlife centered programs are very popular in this Emerald Isle. Contact Shanti Travel today for your Sri Lankan sojourn.