Sri Lanka expedition overview

Sri Lanka is an island off the southern tip of India. Geographers have compared its outline to a teardrop falling from the tip of India or to the shape of a pearl. It is a country with a huge variety of landscapes ranging from flat coastal areas of idyllic beaches, wildlife-rich lowland jungles to hilly areas in the centre of the island swathed in tea plantations.

As it is close to the Equator the seasons are not well defined and there is no winter. However there are monsoon rains between May and July in the southwest so rainfall is unpredictable although, from a trekking perspective, views can still be spectacular.

Sri Lanka's population are largely Buddhist Sinhalese with 18% Hindu Tamils. The main language is Sinhala. However, in more touristy areas, much English is spoken. Sri Lanka is a culturally rich destination, colourful religious festivals occur virtually all year round and the expedition is almost certain to coincide with at least one.

Many schools in Sri Lanka have extremely basic facilities and there is plenty of scope for World Challenge teams to really make a difference to schools and communities during their 3 week expedition. Project Sri Lanka will give teams of Australian school students the opportunity to visit Sri Lanka and to work on projects in a wide range of schools in the hill country around Kandy and along the South coast.

Expedition highlights

• Visit the Millennium Elephant Foundation.
• Join the pilgrims at the temple of the Sacred Tooth relic at Kandy.
• See wildlife on safari at Uda Walawe National Park.
• Chill out on one of the beautiful beaches on Sri Lanka's south coast.
• Watch the sunrise during a trek up the sacred mountain of Adam's Peak.

Things to know

• Tea really does taste better in Sri Lanka!
• Sri Lanka hosts an impressive 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites.