The best thing about camping are the wide open spaces, the views, the hiking, the wildlife and so much more! If you truly want to get away from it all and experience nature in its purest glory, there is a place that will make your camping experience a wild/not-so-wild one, whichever way you prefer!
Mahoora Tented Safari Camps give you the chance to see camping at its best. Choose from numerous locations and enjoy your stay with a team of individuals who set the benchmark for safari camping in Sri Lanka with ethical and environmentally-friendly accommodation options. The staff are warm and welcoming, the food delicious and staying overnight in a tent is an experience not easily forgotten. Situated in several strategic and advantageous locations alongside the boundaries of various national parks, Mahoora, with their unique ‘pack in-pack out’ private tented safari camp concept, is the best way to experience the call of the wild.
“Mahoora carbon neutral tented safaris have been providing the best wildlife camping experience in Sri Lanka since 1998 and we are fully equipped to cater to every need of our guests. We are the only safari camp that offers a high-end sit down meal service, serving a five-course lunch and a seven-course dinner. Every meal is an experience on its own, with food being cooked in the presence of our guests. Our customised menu is based on clients’ preferences along with our own signature dishes,” said Channa Jayasundara, a consultant with Eco Team Sri Lanka which is the managing company of Mahoora Tented Safari Camps
Accommodation
If you’re expecting to be jammed into a tent with hardly enough space to move around in, you will be pleasantly surprised. The tented accommodation is very spacious and is divided into two categories called Mahoora Elite and Mahoora Explorer. The former is set with a touch of luxury, providing more space for guests who prefer comfort during their stay. The latter, which lives up to its name, is chosen by the more adventurous guests; travelling light if possible is advised.
Both types of tents are very comfortable, have an en-suite bathroom, carpeted flooring, hot water and mosquito netting. The décor is very much in keeping with the forest theme which blends perfectly with its surroundings. Electricity is provided round the clock for both tent options, but the lighting is dimmed to prevent mosquitoes and insects entering and it also advisable to keep the tent zipper closed for the same reason.
Meals
In keeping with a Sri Lankan jungle experience, local dishes including fresh juices are available and you are recommended to try out the millet porridge. However, a Continental breakfast is also served. Eat up as the jungle air does increase your appetite, especially after an early morning safari! Tea/coffee, fresh fruits, snacks, juices, soft drinks and water will be provided on request during the day, but save space for the freshly-prepared Sri Lankan lunch and the mouth-watering local desserts that await you.
Dinner is truly exciting as a 7-course menu with a BBQ is served around the campfire. However, the real highlight of the evening is after dinner; the night walk through the jungle is one of the most interesting things you can experience, as you get to see and appreciate the nocturnal wildlife. Do remember to keep your head low to avoid branches getting in your eyes; it is also a good idea to wear sneakers or any other protective footwear and the use of a mosquito/insect repellent is advised.
Wildlife
All Mahoora safari adventures are conducted in special custom-made jeeps exclusive to them, and you will always be accompanied by a professional naturalist. We got Saranga Mendis and he is amazing! Saranga’s earliest and fondest memories of his childhood revolve around wildlife, having developed a love for nature at a very young age, which is evident when he speaks about the flora and fauna during the safari. The rest of the staff is also very courteous, going out of their way to personalise your stay and make you feel at home.
Wilpattu National Park is located in the Northwest dry zone of Sri Lanka and is named after the existence of ‘willus’ (natural lakes) and is a unique feature in the park. The park is home to several species of mammals, endemic birds and reptiles; it is among the oldest and most important protected areas in Sri Lanka. There are spotted deer in abundance which totally gives you Bambi vibes, Muntjac or barking deer, the nocturnal mouse-deer and the sambur deer, which is the largest of the four species of deer in the country. The enigmatic and elusive leopards are the highlight of any safari in Wilpattu and count yourself lucky if you catch a glimpse of one. We didn’t, but we did see a sloth bear and her cub. The little one was curious and came forward to investigate, but its mum called it back. We were informed by Saranga that bears use a series of tongue clicks and grunts to communicate amongst their kind.
Seeing the changeable hawk-eagle or crested hawk-eagle in a tree was magnificent, but we had to practically beg the peacock to open up its feathers which it did for just a few seconds. Saranga provided a feathery fact about these birds: the peacocks fake their ‘copulatory call’, pretending to mate even when they are not. This is in order to convince females they are more sexually active and therefore genetically fitter than their rivals!
All too soon, your visit will draw to a close, but the memories will travel with you and Mahoora Tented Safari Camps wait to welcome you back to the wild once again.
For more information, log on to www.mahoora.lk
Written by Michelle Alles