Sustainable safari in Sri Lanka: travel as consciously as you can
Hello Wanderluster!
In this article, I’ll take you on one of the most fascinating adventures you can experience in Asia: the sustainable safari in Sri Lanka.
When you visit a place, always remember that you have a moral duty to choose authentic excursions that lean towards sustainability, without polluting or altering various ecosystems. Those who know us are aware of our love for Asia, and even more specifically, for Sri Lanka. This is why I care deeply about this article, which will help you recognize authentic excursions and activities to prioritize during your trip to this wonderful island, rather than others.
Asia is a very poor continent, as we know, and unfortunately, tourism often does not help improve the situation. However, always remember that every single visitor can make a difference.
Everything starts in a mud puddle
This article was literally born from inside a mud puddle, with our Jeep stuck and the driver being helped by other tour operators to get out of the mire.
It was there, in one of the most challenging situations we’ve encountered, covered in mud, at dusk, in the middle of a nature reserve with wild animals roaming free, that I realized I had made the right choice.
I could have panicked, I could have cursed myself for not choosing the tour operator with the maximum comfort, the best jeep, or a simpler period without rains, but instead, I gave myself a pat on the back.
Without that experience, I would never have understood that the beating heart of Asia lies precisely there—in their ability to help each other, even if they are competitors, and in their way of giving their all for impossible feats.
Asia is just that…and without a truly authentic experience, away from the usual glossy and Instagrammable excursions, I would never have understood it. Sri Lanka was our first stop when we left, and I still remember it with great enthusiasm precisely because of its authenticity and the goodness of its inhabitants.
Back to us, back to that mud puddle in Yala National Park.
It was the rainy season, and the few tourists around allowed us to have a unique experience, seeing all the animals without traffic and at half the price.
This is just one of the many adventures we experienced in this wonderful country, and in this article, I want to share with you everything you need to know for a sustainable safari in Sri Lanka and for conscious tourism in Asia.
The value of conscious tourism in Asia: why choose it
Asia is a very poor continent, and unfortunately, tourism often doesn’t help improve the situation. However, every traveler can make a difference by choosing a sustainable safari in Sri Lanka and preferring authentic excursions available throughout the continent.
Conscious tourism in Asia: how to make a difference?
How?
By choosing a sustainable safari in Sri Lanka and preferring authentic excursions.
In this article, I will focus on Safaris and show you which ones to choose over others to ensure a positive impact on the environment and the local community. Remember, this principle applies to any excursion or activity!
There are always plenty of alternatives, but alas, many exploit animals and the people who work there. This is why, by choosing activities that are mindful of the environment, nature, and people, you will undoubtedly do your part in the development of more sustainable tourism.
The true value of local tours
Personally, we often return to this topic because we are aware that today sustainable tourism is a responsibility for every traveler or tourist.
Whether you live on the road like us, or you like to travel whenever possible, or if you’re an occasional traveler, you should care about the preservation of the places you visit. The best way to do this is to educate yourself before a trip and always prefer activities organized by local people over external tour operators.
It’s true that the latter often offer enticing alternatives and greater comfort, but always remember that to cover their costs, they underpay the locals. Some will sell you their experiences as authentic and claim that they work with the local population to provide jobs for struggling families, but remember that behind this ideal, there is often a businessman who doesn’t know his employees and has hired them only because they, in desperate conditions, accept ridiculous wages.
The heart of the island: where to find authentic experiences in Sri Lanka
After this premise, I don’t want to alarm you too much: a sustainable safari in Sri Lanka is possible, and local agencies capable of providing an authentic experience do exist.
You just need to know where to look.
How to find the most authentic excursions?
Obviously, this type of experience is the least advertised and the hardest to find: you definitely won’t find it on travel blogs or in affiliate links from various current influencers.
Often, it will be the family-run guest houses that will offer you the most authentic adventures and show you the lesser-known Sri Lanka. Always remember that on a trip, the most beautiful moments and the most fascinating places are the ones discovered “by chance.”
But what if you don’t want to rely on luck and want to uncover the most authentic activities in Sri Lanka?
Tips for an authentic trip to Sri Lanka
If you find yourself in Sri Lanka, the keyword must be trust! You need to trust the people you meet and let yourself be guided by them.
Personally, we visited the hidden corners of Sri Lanka precisely by relying on the people we met along the way. Here, “everyone does everything and knows everyone,” so for any need, it’s essential to simply stop the first person you see on the street and let them guide you.
Whether you’re looking for a supermarket, a fruit stall, a temple, a driver, or something to do in the afternoon, anyone can give you a hand or at least direct you to the person who can help you.
This modus operandi typical of Asia has unfortunately been lost in the more touristy areas, but it remains a constant in places less touched by mass tourism, Sri Lanka being one of them.
But now let’s get concrete, I want to show you some of the most authentic initiatives we’ve discovered in Sri Lanka—rare gems that deserve to be promoted and shared to open up the new frontier of sustainable tourism.
Galkadawala: a model of sustainability
One of the most authentic and sustainable places we encountered is Galkadawala, founded by Maulie de Saram. Galkadawala is an extraordinary place that combines nature, sustainability, and community in a single responsible travel experience.
Galkadawala is located in the central region of Sri Lanka, a remote area not easy to reach, where the rough road is compensated by an authentic and sustainable nature experience. Maulie, the owner, tells us:
“This story is rooted in my childhood. When I was born in 1957, my parents moved from Colombo to Kandy, Sri Lanka, where my father worked for many years as a lecturer. So, my sister and I spent our childhood in a remote and wild region of Sri Lanka, in the hills of Hanthana. We played in the woods, crossed streams, climbed trees, and when we were hungry, we picked fruits, berries, flowers, and plants that grew in the woods. The animals and other creatures we met were our friends and companions. It was truly a special childhood!
At the age of 49, after 20 years of working in commerce, exporting clothing to the United States and Europe, I decided to change my life. I could no longer bear the idea of what I was doing, and I sought refuge in the wild nature of the country where I had spent my childhood. Together with my dear friend Vijitha Basnayaka, I looked for land damaged by human activity to use as a base for the project. This is the opposite of what usually happens, where tourism initiatives are built in picturesque locations.
We designed Galkadawala using the natural materials available and convinced carpenters and masons to reuse old construction materials. Galkadawala is based on Buddhist teachings: living with moderation following the middle way, without excesses or deficiencies.”
Galkadawala is an eco-sustainable place that prepares only vegetarian and vegan dishes, has eliminated the use of plastic, and provides sustenance and jobs to local people with dignified wages.
It is a place that perfectly embodies the new frontier of eco BnBs, proving that even in the most remote and hard-to-reach places, it is possible to live in total respect for the nature that surrounds us.
There are many similar places in Sri Lanka. We have personally stayed in Guest Houses of all kinds and budgets, discovering true gems of hospitality. This is one of the aspects I love most about this island, where locals still try to protect their territory.
But let’s move on and finally talk about the main subject of this article: the sustainable safari in Sri Lanka at Yala National Park.
safari in Yala national park: pros and cons
We visited Yala National Park during the rainy season and were very fortunate because we were able to see all the animals in the area without traffic, thanks to the few tourists and at half the price. I think this is the best way to experience a territory in the most authentic way possible. If you want to learn more about our adventures during the rainy season in Sri Lanka, I leave you the link to our article When not to go to Sri Lanka.
We did the safari while staying in Dambulla. From this base, we were also able to visit Sigiriya Rock (and for this, I refer you to the article How to climb Sigiriya Rock with kids), the Temple of the Tooth, and of course, the safari in Yala.
We stayed in the homonymous town of Yala, and here, we can finally talk about the most authentic tour of our entire trip to Sri Lanka.
Safari in Udawalawe National Park: the "second option"
Udawalawe National Park is another must-visit destination for a sustainable safari in Sri Lanka. Much less touristy than Yala, it offers the chance to see elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, and a variety of birds in a less crowded environment.
I called it the “second option” because when we were there, we were informed that at that time, there was a higher chance of seeing animals in Yala, so it wasn’t our first choice. A safari in this park is definitely a more authentic and intimate experience compared to Yala, but for this type of excursion, it’s not up to us humans to decide, but the animals.
Behavioral guidelines during the Safari
To ensure a safe and respectful experience, it’s essential to follow some behavioral guidelines:
- Do not get out of the jeep: Staying in the vehicle is crucial for your safety and to avoid disturbing the animals.
- Follow the guide’s instructions: Local guides are well-versed in animal behavior and the terrain.
- Do not feed the animals: Avoid interfering with their natural diet.
- Do not bring food for yourself: To avoid temptations and risks. This rule isn’t written anywhere, but in my opinion, it would be a good deterrent to reduce pollution and eliminate certain rude behaviors of some tourists.
- Do not litter: Take your trash with you and respect the natural environment.
Mindful travel with kids
In our travels, we’ve always preferred less luxurious but more authentic and environmentally respectful excursions. Our kids are growing up aware that the world around them is beautiful, but that maintaining it requires effort and sometimes even small sacrifices. For them, it’s normal to pick up plastic from the ground or take a bottle from the sea and carry it to the nearest bin, but to reach this level, we parents had to lead by example.
With our daily choices around the world, we hope to normalize these behaviors more and more.
Returning to our mud puddle, we could have made different, less risky, and certainly more comfortable choices, but that day, mud included, will forever remain an unforgettable memory for our family.
A sustainable safari in Sri Lanka is a unique experience that allows you to see animals in their natural habitat while contributing to the conservation of the environment and the well-being of local communities.
If you want to learn more about this beautiful country, you can read all our articles on Sri Lanka on the dedicated page.
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☀️ Sara ☀️
