Description
- Timing: 4 days 3 nights
- Difficulty: Beginner (training provided) NO SWIMMING SKILLS NEEDED
- Availability: Event Basis(All year around)
- Guests: Kids 6+, Adult & Family Tour Options
- Booking: Email, Call, Online
- Why This Trip? For the most challenging and rare opportunity to explore the hardly visited patch of Sri Lanka in total insolation throughout the expedition while enjoying the best of Nature and Adventure.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 by customers for personalized care and safety
Discover the schedule
Day 01
The Start
After a recap of training, we’ll spend our day paddling through the amazing landscapes of Somawathiya NP and visiting the remnants of Katupilana stone elephant carvings. The campsite is situated just by the river, inviting you to have a nice evening coffee while gazing at the sunsets and elephants crossing the river. A BBQ dinner will be served by the campfire and in the night, there is an opportunity to see the crocodiles with occasional visits of Sri Lankan jackals.
Day 02
Into the Verugal
The adventure continues as you veer deep into the wilds and take on the class 3 rapids at the start of the turn of the river Verugal. The river gets narrower and makes it challenging with every corner bringing a surprise. The water flow will get faster and logs and obstacles will add a challenge to manure in the narrow streams. You’ll have to paddle 25 Km to reach a campsite as there is thick jungle, be prepared to expect the unexpected.
Day 03
Thru Anicut
The saga continues as you reach the historical landscape the Verugal Anicut. From here you would have to portage your kayaks and everything to the other side of the dam. Landscapes from here changes to something magical. Adding class 2-3 rapids throughout the day and there will be no place to camp until you reach the Serunuwara bridge. Then the usual business of campsite which is always a magical experience as the sun sets and the darkness moves in you will be left on your own in complete silence apart from an occasional trumpeting of an elephant.
Day 04
Ends at the Sea
The final leg is to reach the Verugal lagoon and if time permits a sea kayaking session. There wont be any hotels nearby so a quick wash and the bus will be ready to take you to a hotel to change and get freshen up before you reach Colombo.
Frequently Asked Questions
An all-inclusive hassle-free glamping trip with comfortable air beds, all weather spacious camping tents, all meals, changing rooms and pick up drop arranged from Colombo. And a digital archive or all the memories included free of charge.
- Wildlife Kayak Tour
- Warm, Healthy, Meals
- A comprehensive training before the expedition on a similar environment at no extra cost
- Snacks, Coffee and Hot Drinks
- Transportation from Colombo and back fully AC Comfortable VAN/MINI BUS
- A digital archive of images and videosof your memories
- First Aid- Qualified and CPR trained
- Sports Massage Therapist
- Camping Gear
- 4-season Tents
- You will need to provide your own sleeping bag and pad, or you can rent an Air Mattress/Pillow combo for an additional fee of $15 per person for the entire 3 days.
- All Kayaking Gear
- Personal Floatation Device
- 10 Liter Dry Bag
- Stable Double Kayak & Paddle
- Helmets
Somawathiya NP is located in the Central part of Sri Lanka and in the dry zone. Our tours run rain or shine, so we ask you to wear quick-dry rash guards and tight leggings during the day that will cover your entire body. You can change to cotton wear at night. We advise avoiding shoes and flip-flops, ideal footwear for this expedition is a pair of sandals with straps. Because the storage is limited, we request you to travel light. Sunglasses and shades must be strapped. Hats and caps are a must as the sun can get you during the day.
Sun Blocks: we kindly request you to keep it away if possible or use a natural or organic-based one.
Toiletries: Avoid single-use plastic containers, you could accompany organic soaps or dry shampoo bars or purchase an organic soap bar from us to support our rural development and women empowerment initiative.
You will receive a trip-specific packing list upon booking, which will go into great detail about what else to bring. Keep an eye out for it in your confirmation email!
With thoughtful consideration, we have revised our cancellation policy for 2023. The policy below
reflects our dedication to providing a stress-free booking, planning, and travel experience for you, our
guests. Our revised policies are flexible and forgiving, so you can book with confidence.
For all our Mahaweli River Expeditions, cancellation fees are as follows:
- If you cancel more than 30 days prior to your scheduled trip, we will refund you in full*.
- If you cancel 30-15 days prior to your scheduled trip, we will charge 50% of the total invoice.
- If you cancel 15 days of your scheduled trip, we will charge the entire amount of your invoice.
- Cancellation from EcoGrip due to weather/Covid Lockdown/ETC, We will refund you in full.
ALL ADVANCE PAYMENTS ARE TRANSFERABLE UP TO ONE YEAR IF YOU INFORM 15 DAYS PRIOR TO THE
EXPEDITION.
If you decide to cancel your trip with us, please consider transferring your payment to a membership
card account. That way you can join us in the future, providing an easy way to postpone your vacation
plans.
*Full refunds include: trip fees, add ons, and taxes & fees, minus 4000LKR per person booking fees for
multi-day trips*
We completed our 2020 season and are happy to share that, with strict COVID-19 protocols in place, we had a successful season. We were able to conduct this expedition with hundreds of people, and no known cases of COVID-19 were contracted on our trips. We are taking what we learned in 2020-2021 and preparing for another meaningful, inspiring season in 2022.
While our hope for 2022, is to operate our trips in the same way we did pre-COVID-19, we have careful plans to address the continued public health risks posed by the virus. We will follow scientific expertise and industry standards for hygiene and cleanliness, encourage the use of cautious practices among our staff and guests, and communicate all changes to our policies as we continue to adapt.
In 2022, we are set up to conduct this expedition in a meaningful way with purposeful Covid-19 mitigation policies. Please take just a few minutes and check out our Travel Updates & Covid Response Page.
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