PROGRAMME
: Whale Watching off the Southern Coast
    DURATION
:1 Night / 2 Days.
    PERIOD
: Valid from 01st November 2009 till 30th April 2010
 
  Highlights of the Tour
 
  Day 1      -    Arrival at the Hotel in Galle.
 
  Day 2      -    Depart from your camp / Hotel around 6.00 am after an early
                       breakfast or with packed breakfast.

                       Whale Watching in a Boat for three hours.

                       Back to the Hotel.
 
 
  TOUR ITINERARY
 
      Day 1
Arrival at Hotel in Galle
 
  Arrival at your Hotel for Dinner.
 
  Dinner and overnight stay at your Hotel.
 
      Day 2
Whale Watching - Departure
 
  Leave the Hotel around 6.00 am to Mirissa Harbour after and early breakfast.
 
  Whale Watching in the Sea off Mirissa (Dondra).
 
WHALE WATCHING Sri Lanka is situated within the International Whaling Commission's protected zone in the Indian Ocean. Of the 80 species of cetaceans observed and identified worldwide, 26 are found in the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Whale and dolphin watching is a seasonal activity in Sri Lanka, available on the west coast in locations from KALPITIYA and along the SOUTH WEST COAST from November to March while the east coast off TRINCOMALEE is preferable from June to September.

“The south coast of Sri Lanka is one of the very best places to see Blue Whales in the entire world. Most of these Blue Whales are on migration, en-route from their North East monsoon feeding grounds off Trincomalee
to their South West monsoon feeding grounds in the
Arabian Sea.


Sperm Whales are also present with pods. While most Blue Whales can be seen over the continental shelf, Sperm Whales tended to occur a bit further offshore, in the shipping lanes. And this gives a clue as to why there are so many whales here. A glance at any chart of the Indian Ocean shows that Dondra Head is the southern-most point not only of Sri Lanka, but also of the entire Indian subcontinent. Any ship wanting to pass between east and west has to pass by Dondra. Furthermore, off Dondra the continental slope comes to within less than 3 nautical miles of the coast. With the seasonally changing monsoon currents producing seasonally changing blooms of plankton; with the land masses of India and Sri Lanka acting like an inverted funnel to channel cetacean movements; and with deep water so close to shore, it is perhaps not surprising that the southern tip of Sri Lanka is such a cetacean hotspot.*
Dr. Charles Anderson - Professional marine biologist

Other cetacean species can be seen: Bryde’s Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale, unidentified Beaked Whale, Spinner Dolphin, Striped Dolphin and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin.
 
  Back to the Hotel or proceed to your next destination after the Whale Watching boat ride.
 
- End of the Programme -
 
RATES FOR THE PROGRAMME
 
Number of Pax
2 Pax
3-6 Pax
7-12 Pax
Rate per person in Sterling Pounds £
£90
£80
£75
 
OUR RATES INCLUDE
  • Charges for Boats with experienced local guides for Whale Watching.
  • Service of a Specialized Naturalist.
  • Drinking Water on the boat.
  • All government taxes
 
OUR RATES DO NOT INCLUDE
  • Any additional beverages or food, which would be ordered extra.
  • Any tips to the staff.
  • Any personal effects not mentioned here.
 
IMPORTANT FACTORS
  • Personal effects for Warm/Windy/Rainy conditions should be carried by clients.
  • Sunburn lotion etc. are recommended.
 
PAYMENT POLICY:
Full payment with the confirmation
 
CANCELLATION POLICY:
  • 48 hours or less, 100% cancellation charge. No refund.
  • 48 hours to 4 days – 70% cancellation charge. 30% will be refunded.
  • 4 days to 15 days - 40 %cancellation charge. 60% will be refunded.
  • • 16 days or more – No cancellation charges other than a £80 administrative fee provided no commitment or advances are made to 3rd parties.
 
  These /above /under mentioned/ attached, descriptions and programmes have been compiled after long, arduous, exploratory, and expensive work and hence is the property of the Eco team (Pvt) ltd. Making use of these programmes/descriptions for any public or commercial programmes requires the permission of the said company.
 
  ©2007-2008 Sri Lanka Holidays Ltd.