What was the best vacation that you ever had? Since we started as travel writers, we are constantly asked this question. Every trip is unique, and you would think that it would be simple to answer. How do you pick your favorite child to be with?
Safari in Sri Lanka is a trip that stands out because the baby elephants are so adorable. You should go to the jungle if you have a chance. You should see them both if you have two chances.
Sri Lanka is where fate has led us
Sri Lanka was not on our itinerary. We always intended to visit Africa in order to see the Big Five: lion, leopard rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, and elephant. Fate had a different destination for our fancy. We were hired by a company to cover a Ayurvedic Yoga retreat located in the central highlands, Sri Lanka. Africa was therefore put on hold. We were brought to this far-flung corner of the globe for a good reason.
Sri Lanka surpassed our wildest expectations. The lost capitals Sigiriya, and Polonnaruwa were a reminder that this country was civilized a very long time ago. The caves of Dambulla where monks worshiped continuously for more than 2,000 years showed us how this ancient civilization still exists today. We experienced all that Sri Lanka had to offer from hiking Pidurangala Rock and diving off the coast at Hikkaduwa. Nothing prepared us for the sight of elephants in their natural habitat.
Enjoy an elephant safari in Sri Lanka
One Jeep ride will change your perspective on the world. Once you discover how beautiful nature truly is, nothing will ever compare. As adults, we’ve visited elephant sanctuaries and zoos as children. The sanctuaries we visited were extremely ethical, and they were South East Asia’s first fence-free facility. However, there was no wildness. Although we could see the bond that existed between elephants, their mahouts and these majestic creatures, they were far from being wild. Then we entered Kaudulla National Park.
On that day, there were nearly 200 wild elephants on the plains. Babies were playing under the watchful eye of their mothers. The herd was guarded by bull elephants. Elephants frolicked and grazed everywhere. In our Sri Lanka Safari article, we wrote:
Jenn was overcome with tears of joy when she saw two baby elephants wrestling and playing together in Kaudulla under the watchful gaze of their parents. We fought back tears as we watched captive elephants drag tourists through the streets of Sigiriya or splash nervously in a contaminated stream. Safaris are the best way to experience elephants and tears.
Ecotourism in Action
Ecotourism was a big part of our Sri Lankan vacation. This herd of elephants continued the tradition that Sri Lankan elephants have been carrying on for centuries. Scientists named this elephant Elephas Maximus Maximus because of its immense size. The Sri Lankan kings traded the prized stock in Asia for centuries.
All of that changed when the Europeans arrived. Their guns decimated trophy specimens quickly. Their farms fence off historic water and grazing sources. Sri Lankan elephants have shrunk in size from 12,000 at the turn of the 19th century, to just 2000 by the end of the 20th.
Ecotourism reversed that trend and secured the future of wild elephants in Sri Lanka. The number of national parks has increased from 5 in 1983, to more than 26 today. Kaudulla forms part of a 1,172-square-kilometer elephant corridor that spans three parks. This kind of habitat protection has enabled the wild elephant population in South Africa to triple to 6000 elephants over the past 40 years. The herd may never reach its historic size or number, but it will continue to live and thrive for future generations.
We Still Dream of Africa
We still dream about Africa. Africa is home to some of the most majestic animals in the world. Tanzania is home to the world-renowned Northern Circuit where you can see the sunrise over the Serengeti or the sunset on Mount Kilimanjaro’s snows. We might be able to see the five big game animals of Africa, from vast herds like those of Tarangire’s wild elephants to millions of migrating Wildebeests with their accompanying predators such as wild cats. We will still see the wildest and most beautiful animals of the world, even if we do not see them all.
If we’re lucky, the fates will again intervene. We might be able to experience the same flow of luck that brought us to Sri Lanka and take us on another ethical safari. The world is full mystery and magic. As long as wild animals are still allowed to roam, anything is possible.
Why ecotourism?
We believe that travel can transform people. We have seen how nature can transform people. Also, we have seen people making positive changes to nature. We have seen first-hand how saved baby sea turtles at Fort Lauderdale.
We covered an volunteer effort that saved over 200,000 Turtles in the past eight years. We were finalists for the Outdoor Media Awards in the Best Outdoor Advocacy piece category because of this incredible work by these turtle lovers, who stay up all night during the hatching season. These turtle lovers make sure that these little ones follow the starlight and not the streetlights, to the oceans. This non-profit’s commitment to ecotourism is impressive, but if everyone followed these principles when they traveled it would have a big impact. We want our readers to do the following:
- Reduce the impact of physical, psychological, social and behavioral impacts.
- Respect and awareness of environmental issues and culture.
- Both visitors and hosts will enjoy a positive experience.
- Direct financial incentives for conservation.
- Benefit both the local community and private industry.
- Visitors should be provided with memorable experiences that will help them become more sensitive to the political, social, and environmental climates of their host countries.
- Build and operate low impact facilities.
- Work in partnership with the Indigenous Peoples in your community to empower them.
Why ethical safaris?
Our dream trip to Africa must live up to the promise. It’s about more than just seeing animals. We are professional adult travelers who do not believe in compromising luxury, adventure or conservation. We experienced eco-tourism from a highly rated company while glamping at Elephant Hills, Thailand’s first luxury tent camp. The company was rated highly by the media and we were able to experience eco-tourism in action.
Elephant Hills is one of only two chain-free parks in the world. We were able to see this for ourselves. We think that ethical safaris offer that type of experience. We’ll find out soon enough. Please feel free to contact us if you are running an ethical safari. We would love to hear from your.