I, Yasa and Upali left Colombo on Sunday the 13th early morning at about 4.30 am and had a cup of tea in Kalutara. We picked Lakshman from Hikkaduwa (he was on an official photographic shoot) and proceeded our journey.

At around 7.30 – 8.00 am we stopped at a small roadside hut at “Ranna” for breakfast. (We had newly made hoppers & bananas, pancake and poll-roti and plain tea)

Then we proceed to Tissa market to purchase the vegetables as all other provisions were purchased from Colombo. (We got fresh village vegetables from tissa)

At around 11.00 am we came to Palatupana Office (Yala Entrance) and took about 30mts to get our permit confirmed and they provide us with a Tracker (Dimuthu)

From there we proceed to the bungalow. We took the “Akasachaithya Road” to reach the bungalow. (The bungalow is situated at one of the far corners of the park near the bridge on the Manik Ganga).

About the Bungalow: this was built by Ceylon Tobacco Company and was gifted to the Department of Wildlife Conservation

On our way to the bungalow we came across Bear footprints and took some photos

We came to the bungalow and had a quick change to have a dip in the ganga. There wasn’t much water, but it was flowing.

Lakshman at Manik Ganga

Afterwards we had lunch and chat for a while and around 3.30 pm we left for a round. We took some by roads (piyadasa lane & sath maga) especially meant for 4WD vehicles.

We saw two Elephants with two calf’s near “Kota Bandi Wewa” and a Leopard in the vicinity. I couldn’t capture the Leopard as it was too far for my cameras but Lukshman captured it using his CANON 600mm lens.

Two Elephants with two calf’s near “Kota Bandi Wewa”

Next Day 14th June 2010

On an earlier trip to Yala, Lakshman has seen a nest of a “malabar pied hornbill” closer to the main entrance and we proceed to see the progress and found the chick has hatched and the male bird feeding. As Lakshman wants to take pictures, we waited for almost 2 hours to see the feeding

Nest of a “malabar pied hornbill”

we proceed to see the progress and found the chick has hatched and the male bird feeding

Afterwards we came to the bungalow around 12.00 noon and had a nice river bath for almost two hours and had lunch around 2.30

We left for the afternoon round around 3.00pm and were proceeding to “Padi-kema” and as we enter we saw a bull elephant coming down the rock and reversed the vehicle to get some photos. The elephant came to the waterhole and start drinking and all of a sudden we heard some deer alerts and we new there is a Leopard close by and Lakshman drove the vehicle towards the sound and as we proceed a Leopard crossed the road and vanished into the thick bush.

The elephant came to the waterhole and start drinking

As Lukshman says he need to take some shots at the “Gona-labba” and as we came there we saw several jeeps clogged together and knew something is happening and saw Two Leopards (Mother & cub) moving towards the jungle. And I managed to take a single shot using my Sony Cybershot H-7

Two Leopards (Mother & cub) moving towards the jungle

It was a nice sighting and the tracker said they might come to the near waterhole and we quickly came up to the waterhole and parked the vehicle on a selected spot to take good pictures and waited for about an half an hour, but the Leopards didn’t turn up. By the time we started the vehicle to leave the place I saw a big male wild boar proceeding towards the waterhole and asked Lakshman to stop the engine to take some shots. As he approached the muddy area he slipped with all 4 legs up. I captured this moment. It was a unique shot as very seldom we get to see

As he approached the muddy area he slipped with all 4 legs up

At the same time another vehicle passed us and said that there is a Bear in a “palu tree” near “Diganwala” and we proceed. (Usually, April – June is bear season because of Palu trees bearing fruits and Bear’s loved to eat palu fruits). We came to the place but is was jam packed with vehicles and was getting dark. But I managed to take few shots and had to photoshop those to clear the darkness

June is bear season because of Palu trees bearing fruits and Bear’s loved to eat palu fruits

On our way back to the bungalow at the Warahana road we saw another Bear but could take any photos as it was too dark and the animal vanished in to thick jungle.

We came to the bungalow around 6.30- 6.45 pm and had a wash and chattered till dinner is ready. We slept around 10.30 keeping my phone alarm at 4.30am to get up early and to be ready for the next day morning round because it was our last round on the trip as we had to leave after breakfast.

On the way another jeep told us there is a Leopard lying near “Ratmalgahawewa” and we proceed to see. And again there was lot of jeeps around the place and we just saw a glimpse of the Leopard. We didn’t see anything significant on the morning trip and proceed to the bungalow around 8.30 am and had breakfast and left to Colombo

Before we left the bungalow I took a group shot

In the picture: Me far left, Lakshman, Yasa, Upali, Tracker (Dimuthu) and the two bungalow caretakers.

Some of the other photos captured by me on the trip

Crocodile near a waterhole

Sunset from Goda Kalapuwa (Akasachaithya Rocks at the photo)