Sinharaja - the last rainforest of Sri Lanka

3 1/2 hours from Udawalawa to the southern part of the Sinharaja National Park. The last true rainforest in Sri Lanka. The drive was typical. We had to navigate around people, animals, buses, and trucks. We shared the driving, both contributing to our journey. Along the way, we had a quick breakfast of roti with egg and a cup of tea, and then, at our accommodation, we felt the anticipation for our stay. It was so peaceful and jungle-like. We arrived at a small, lovely retreat by a little stream. After a quick lunch, we took a small introductory tour into the national park. That was already amazing. The atmosphere in the forest was vibrant, and we immediately saw quite a few animals. Kangaroo lizards, hump-nosed lizards, a green pit viper, lantern bugs, white-bearded langurs, and more....

The next day, we had planned a 6-hour tour through the forest. Again, lots of forest, several animals, plus a fish spa by the creek, and to top it all off, swimming at a stunning waterfall. It couldn't be better. We spent the afternoon relaxing at the accommodation, watching the activity around us. In the rainforest, it rains almost daily in the afternoon. Nearby, on a small field, a cricket game is happening among some people, accompanied by the usual bustle of birds in the area (peacocks can really fly up high into trees - it doesn't look elegant, but they do it). It's genuinely a place to linger. Uli was pretty worn out, but I went for a little night walk with a guide. Thanks to the rain, he mentioned that bloodsuckers would surely be around this time (we hadn't seen any so far). So, I rubbed my shoes with salt, put on anti-leech socks, and ventured into the dark forest. It was really exciting. I saw a lot of insects, a snake, and the highlight was lorises (small nocturnal primates). Apparently, you don't see them every day there. On the way back, there were indeed quite a few bloodsuckers around. I had the first one on my neck and then constantly on my pants and shirt. No idea how I collected them all. I kept flicking away these pesky little creatures. That's just how it is in some corners of the rainforest. The Sinharaja National Park, as the last true rainforest of Sri Lanka, really impressed us. Pure nature! We are truly glad we managed to fit this stop into our itinerary.