Dry Zone
Mahoora Luxury Camping
Mahoora Tented Safari Camps offer a very different wildlife experience from lodge-based safaris in Yala, Uda Walawe, Wilpattu and nine other Sri Lankan national parks. The more basic Explorer Camps are perfectly fine and offer good value for money: the Elite Camps, however, provide the top level tents, and the added luxury, quality and service really make a difference to the overall safari experience. The Elite and Explorer camps are recommended for families with young children, who will certainly relish the adventurous wildlife camping experience.
Mahoora Elite Camping’s fully sealed, walk-in tents are spaced well apart and have ventilation screens for added comfort, raised beds with proper mattresses, living area with chairs and mini library and lighting, and outdoor furnished sitting areas. Bed linen and towels, torch, slippers, umbrella, bottled water, en suite bathroom with a fully flushable lavatory, wash basin, toiletries and shower using pipe-borne hot and cold running water. All meals are taken al fresco at table and freshly prepared by an executive chef using the freshest available fruits and vegetables from the local community. The camps are usually situated in buffer-zone woodland just outside the parks, close enough to reach the entrance early before the rest. Two game drives in converted 4x4s are taken each day, complete with complimentary picnic basket with hot and cold beverages and sandwiches on the morning safari, and complimentary beverages provided for the afternoon outing. A gourmet seven-course dinner is usually on the menu for one night at the Elite Camps, with the other meals being equally delicious and freshly prepared by the camp chef. Local soft and alcoholic drinks and wine are all included in the Elite package.
An experienced and informative naturalist guide accompanies each exclusive jeep foray into the park, vital for spotting and illuminating the wildlife. Due to the nature of the jungle environment, electricity is run off the camp generator and laptops and digital cameras may be charged on request in the campsite in the evenings only. There is electricity in the Elite tents between 1800 and 2300 hours.
Mahoora Elite Camps are the ultimate in Sri Lankan safaris, and will give you the feeling of truly being in the wild – but with no loss of comfort.
Facilities
Walk-in tents with en suite bathrooms, dining area, dining tables, morning and afternoon wildlife drives using well converted 4x4s and guided by expert naturalists.
Local Wildlife
Depending on the park visited, you might encounter leopard, elephant, wild boar, jackal, wild buffalo, water and land monitor lizards, barking deer, crocodile, sloth bear, grey langur, spotted deer, samba deer, fishing cat and many species of birds.
Optional Activities
If you are a particularly keen photographer, we can arrange unlimited extra safaris at additional cost. However, the normal safaris times are from 0600 to 1000, then 1430 to 1800, which are the best times for spotting wildlife in any case.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
Depending on which national park you are visiting, request a guide to show you a slender loris in the trees around the camp at night. If he can find a scorpion too, get him to shine a UV light on it – the result will surprise you.
For those on a limited budget, Mahoora also operates their good value Explorer Camps which, although not as luxurious, still provide a similar experience and are equally as well run, but at a much lower cost.
If you have any questions regarding our Sri Lanka tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
Service was impeccable and the staff were extremely attentive and interesting in talking to us, which really makes a difference in our eyes! Food, considering the remote location, was great. The tents are basic but have everything you would need. Our guide was fantastic, and both he and the driver were incredible spotters – finding us plenty of interesting things.