Yoga – Culture – Adventure and Wild Safari!
If someone was to ask you what was the best day of your life, what would you say?
It’s a hard question to answer.
When we asked Melissa she answered instantly but said there were 2. The day she first saw Cleo the leopard and the day she saw Cleo’s cub. Melissa, our CEO and teacher on Lantern Yoga Retreat, affectionalley recalls her magical encounters with 3 generations of a leopard family.
Nestled in the northern region of Sri Lanka lies Wilpattu National Park, a hidden gem that remained untouched for nearly three decades. Now reopened to visitors, this vast wilderness is heaving with wildlife.
Pictures by Anton Gihan our guide in Wilpattu National Park.
Will we see Cleo on this year’s Safari?
We’ve been working hard to organise the perfect Safari for you on the 10 Day yoga retreat in Sri Lanka. Our island paradise is not only renowned for its pristine beaches and vibrant culture but also for its rich biodiversity, including some of the world’s most fascinating and endangered wildlife, including the elusive leopard, the Loris, elephants, sloth bear, crocodiles and a number of bird species found nowhere else in the world.
This May I’m going back to Sri Lanka and Wilpattu…secretly hoping I’ll see my Cleo again.
Back in 2015 when alone on a safari I saw a leopard and her cub.
I was told numerous times it was too dangerous to go alone, but I went anyway.
Short version of the story… I was alone in the back of the jeep and the leopards played with me chasing the jeep for about 20 minutes. I knew nothing about leopard behaviour then, but now know this is very unusual.
When I last went back, and showed every guide I met my photos. I looked at every photo of every leopard I could find, but no-one recognised them. I’d almost given up when on the last safari on the last day, we met a guide who recognised my girls and learnt that Mama leopard (Borupan vila mother) had survived and her cub had not only survived, but was now a mother herself. She was the only leopard in Wilpattu with an actual name. ‘Cleo’, until now.
Just to add more wild coincidences to the story – Karen and I saw one of Cleo’s cubs. Cleo had 2 boys then, so I named them, Wana – Wild (AKA Not scared cub) and Donkara – Echoe (AKA Scared cub)”
Melissa Gray, your teacher on the Lantern Yoga Retreat
I was talking to my friend Anton last week and he sent me photos of Cleo’s latest litter; she has 2 more cubs we’ve yet to meet.
The pic Melissa took back in 2015 of Cleo as a cub with her Mum. “A wild life photographer I am not but a lover of all things wild I’ll always be!”
Wilpattu is among the country’s largest and oldest protected areas. The park holds a special place in Sri Lanka’s conservation efforts, particularly for its renowned leopard population. Despite being a former conflict zone during the country’s civil war, the park has undergone remarkable transformation and is now a symbol of resilience and natural beauty.
Did you know that the super cute Loris is listed as number 22 on the list of globally endangered species? These adorable creatures are facing threats from habitat loss across the world. On our previous retreat, we went on a Night Safari to meet them in Popham’s Arboretum. This is a remarkable restoration ecology site dedicated to preserving their natural habitat. We were incredibly lucky to see 7 (!) of them on our walk.
This year we are going on a Sunrise to Sunset Safari on our Yoga Retreat
In 2025, as part of our 10-day retreat in Sri Lanka, we invite you to join us on an Elephant Safari in Minneriya National Park. What awaits us on this adventure? The possibilities are endless, and the experience promises to be nothing short of extraordinary. It is a perfect time to visit the park, as it’s warm and dry and the animals gather closer to the watering holes.
Book your spot now and get ready for an unforgettable safari adventure!
We work closely with local Sri Lankan businesses, freelancers and conservationists to provide support for the local economy and sustainable development. We want to provide you with the most authentic and memorable experiences so that you can see for yourself that your visit is actually making a difference.
