Geography & Climate

The southern half of the island is dominated by beautiful and rugged hill country. The entire northern half comprises a large plain extending from the edge of the hill country to the Jaffna peninsula. The highest mountain is the 2524m Mt Pidurutalagala near Nuwara Eliya, and the longest river is the Mahaweli which courses from the centre and empties into the Indian Ocean at Trincomalee. The best beaches are on the south-western, southern and south-eastern coasts.

Sri Lanka is a typically tropical country with distinct dry and wet seasons, but the picture is somewhat complicated by the fact that it is subject to two monsoons: the Yala season (May to August), when the south-west monsoon brings rain to the southern, western and central regions; and the Maha season (October to January), when the north-east monsoon brings rain to the north and east of the island. Temperatures in the low-lying coastal regions are high year round, but they rapidly fall with altitude, and in the hill country it feels like perpetual spring. The highest temperatures are from March through June, while November to January is usually the coolest time of the year. Rainfall is heaviest in the south, south west and central highlands; the northern and north-central regions are very dry. The best time to visit the west, south coast and hill country is between December and March. May to September is best on the east coast.

In an area of 65000 sq km Sri Lanka's wild terrain varies form primeval and deep secondary forest down to rolling thorn bush plains and mangrove swamps of the dry zone; from the floodplains of the Mahaveli basin, the home of the great marsh elephant, to the closely knitted steaming jungles of the wet zone, and up to the lichen-covered beauty of the mist-draped stark montane forest. The denizens, both feathered and furred, of this diverse habitat, from the treetops to the leaf-covered forest floor are varied and fascinating. The entire island is packed with bird life and exotic animals such as elephants, leopards, deer, monkeys, sloth bears, wild boar, cobras, crocodiles, dugong and turtles.

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE CHART FOR SRI LANKA

PLACE/Month	COLOMBO	SIGIRIYA	N'ELIYA	RATNAPURA
January	27.5 C	25.7 C	15.8 C	27.3 C
February	27.8 C	26.9 C	16.4 C	28.0 C
March	28.6 C	28.9 C	17.4 C	28.7 C
April	28.4 C	28.6 C	17.7 C	28.3 C
May	28.7 C	29.3 C	17.8 C	28.5 C
June	28.5 C	29.0 C	16.6 C	27.5 C
July	27.9 C	28.5 C	16.0 C	27.2 C
August	28.5 C	29.4 C	16.5 C	27.5 C
September	28.0 C	29.2 C	15.9 C	27.0 C
October	27.3 C	28.1 C	16.1 C	27.0 C
November	26.6 C	26.2 C	16.2 C	26.6 C
December	25.2 C	26 C	15.6 C	25.1 C

The 'Journeys' on offer are designed to make the best and most of your time. However, they are merely indicative and should be treated as recommendations only, so please feel free to 'mix and match' or change the programme whichever way it suits you best. Our aim is to provide you with a truly memorable holiday / adventure; so pick up your destination and e-mail us your requirements and we will be happy to help you design your dream holiday / adventure.