Madu Ganga Mangrove and Cinnamon Experience

Glide silently through one of Sri Lanka’s most pristine and enchanting natural environments on this boat safari through the Madu Ganga, a Ramsar-listed wetland of international importance where 64 islands of dense mangrove forest rise from mirror-calm backwaters alive with birds, fish and the gentle sounds of the river. Your flat-bottomed boat winds through narrow mangrove channels where sunlight filters through the canopy overhead and kingfishers dart between the roots, before arriving at a cinnamon island where a local farmer demonstrates the entire process of harvesting and peeling the precious spice that has been traded from Sri Lanka for over two thousand years. The optional fish spa experience, where small Garra rufa (The Red garra) fish gently clean the skin of your feet in the cool river water, is a curious and memorable addition to this uniquely Sri Lankan afternoon. Madu Ganga offers a side of the island that is calm, wild and quietly extraordinary.

DETAILS & NOTES

Highlights

  • Boat safari through the Madu Ganga Ramsar wetland
  • Mangrove forest navigation through 64 island ecosystems
  • Cinnamon island visit and live cinnamon peeling demonstration
  • Kingfisher, heron and waterbird sightings
  • Optional fish spa (Garra rufa) experience on the river
  • Visit to the Rock Temple island within the wetland

Inclusions

  • Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver
  • Licensed English-speaking guide
  • Boat safari fees
  • Cinnamon experience
  • Bottled water throughout

Inclusions

  • International or domestic flights
  • Personal travel insurance
  • Gratuities for guide, driver and boatman
  • Fish spa (charged separately on site)
  • Meals (recommendations provided)