Leave at approximately 0500 hrs with a packed breakfast for the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. The drive passing the Minneriya National Park at dawn, through mist covered plains is invigorating. The experience can only be topped by the sight of a wild elephant ambling along beside the main road!
Drive by the ancient ruined city catching a glimpse of what lies ahead to be discovered later in the day. For now, head off to a secluded cove along the banks of the Parakrama Samudraya ‘Sea of King Parakrama’, one of Sri Lanka’s greatest man made lakes which still is and has been for the past 900 years, the life blood of Polonnaruwa.
Arrive at the lake by approximately 0600 hrs. Watch the sun fight its way over the horizon as dark pools of water appear through the mist that has settled on the water. The cove is used by the local fishing community. It’s great fun to join the women and young children at the edge of the lake as they await the return of the fisherman who’ve gone out at dawn in their homemade catamarans to retrieve the nets which were laid out the evening before. The atmosphere is somber or jubilant depending on the value of the days catch. The adventurous few may assist the women as they disentangle fish from the nets and collect them in large buckets (Watch out for spines as many of these lake fish are equipped with menacing spines around their mouths which can render painful injuries!).
Our adventure only begins when we cast off on a local fisherman’s catamaran. The days work complete, he is more than happy to oblige as he effortlessly guides the catamaran through the water. You are welcome to try your hand at navigating the boat, but you’ll soon realize that it’s not as easy as it looks!
As the catamaran glides soundlessly along the water lookout for White bellied Fish Eagles and Brahmini Kites and a host of other exciting birds. The catamaran soon arrives at a little island in the middle of the lake. The island is largely a rock outcrop with a fringe of scrub along its edge. Prepare yourself for a breathtaking sight as thousands of Ibis and Cormorants materialize from the shrubbery and take to flight disturbed by the approaching catamaran. We dock at the island and make our way up the rock to the summit for breakfast with a 360 degree view of the lake and the forest beyond. As they realize that these intruders mean them no harm, the birds soon return to providing noisy accompaniment to an unforgettable breakfast!
After breakfast return to shore and bid the fisherman and his family farewell. (Lifejackets will be provided to the ride)
Proceed to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa to explore the ruined palace and temple complex. The ancient rock carvings and majestic monuments will provide an interesting change in focus from wildlife to ancient history. However, another interesting facet of Polonnaruwa are the thriving populations of Torque Macaques and Gray & Purple Faced langurs. These distinctly different species of monkeys live in perfect harmony among the ruins of Polonnaruwa. Their amazingly human interactions are sure to thrill any nature lover.
Polonnaruwa rose to fame as the capital after the decline of Anuradhapura. Its period of greatness was from the 10th - 12th centuries AD. The entire landscape of the region is punctuated by huge man-made reservoirs, veritable inland seas the most famous of which is the Prakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama, larger in size than the Colombo harbor. The monuments of this medieval city are relatively well preserved and give clear evidence of the glory of Sri Lanka's past. See the Royal Palace complex, the Quadrangle with its concentration of ancient heritage and the spectacular Gal Vihare complex of four massive images of the Buddha, cut from a single slab of granite – a highlight of ancient Sri Lankan rock carving.
Return to Habarana Overnight Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana