Big Game - Wilpattu by Eco Team

Unfortunately, our stay was a major disappointment. The location itself is not bad, but I was expecting something more immersed in nature. Apart from the tents, it’s not very different from other small hotels or eco-resorts we have visited in Sri Lanka. The tents are old and poorly maintained, although the bed sheets were reasonably clean. I suspect that those staying in the luxury tents have a completely different experience. I hadn’t even realised there was the option of a different type of tent, as they are listed under another name, Mahoora. We weren’t looking for luxury, but at least for tents in decent condition. Instead, ours had holes and gaps everywhere, allowing animals to get in. When I pulled down the bathroom curtain to take a shower, a mouse fell on me. We like being in nature—we have slept in tents in the jungle with no comforts before—but those were not called “glamping” and, while simple, they were in good condition. Here, despite a kind staff member closing some of the holes, the mouse must have stayed inside, as we kept finding fresh droppings on the toilet each day. The managers seemed utterly uninterested—if you don’t have a luxury tent, you are treated like a second-class guest. Still, for what is meant to be a 3-star experience, the bare minimum should be simple but well-kept tents. The food was also of poor quality. The morning tour to Wilpattu was another disappointment. Some guests had an excellent guide, but ours was far from it—he spoke very little, limiting himself to a couple of facts such as the park’s surface area and the number of animals, occasionally naming a few birds. Perhaps with a higher-category tent and a bit of luck on the tour, the experience would have been different. However, we could not overlook the indifference of the management—though I must say that some members of the staff were kind and helpful.

We hebben een verblijf van 1 nacht gehad een een standaard tent. We werden verwelkomt met koffie/thee en koekjes. s’Avonds genoten we van een heerlijk 4-gangen diner bij het kampvuur. De tenten zijn erg basic, met korte bedden en weinig licht. Het personeel is super gastvrij.

We had a wonderful stay. The staff was so helpful and friendly. A truly adventurous experience. Our daughter at 7 loved it - and so did the adults :-)

11/10 hands down the most amazing experience of our Sri Lanka trip. Cannot recommend enough Big Game. The staff were out of this world kind and constantly making sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. The food was fantastic and they easily accommodated for vegetarian. Safari was full of information as were the daily nature and night walks around camp. Big thanks to Thalina, Tharaka, Indunil, Kesara, Chanaka and to everyone else who made our stay so memorable.

It was wonderful to enjoy being in the middle of nature with the sounds of birds in the background! Great breakfast with delicious fresh fruit and in the evening after the safari a relaxing delicious barbecue around the fire. Super hospitable and friendly, very helpful staff. Many thanks to Indunil and the whole team for a wonderful stay!

Das Camp liegt selbst sehr schön in der Natur und an einem See gelegen, so dass wir bereits dort sehr viele Tiere bestaunen konnten. Die Zelte haben alles, was es braucht. Aber besonders das gesamte Staff war so unglaublich freundlich und hilfsbereit, vom Manager über den Koch bis hin zum Service entwickelte sich binnen kürzester Zeit ein sehr freundschaftliches, nicht aufdringliches Miteinander. Das Essen am See war total lecker. Hier lohnt sich auf jeden Fall ein Kurztrip, um im nahe gelegenen noch nicht überfüllten wilpattu-Park unterzukommen.