We keep our distance
We hold a strict minimum of 20 metres from elephants. If an elephant chooses to approach the jeep, we switch off the engine and stay completely silent.
Our ethicalpledge
Conservation first. A safari is only beautiful if the wildlife is respected.
A good safari should leave no trace other than tyre tracks on the main road. The elephants should not even know we were there.
The sad reality of wildlife tourism in Sri Lanka is that many operators put getting close ahead of acting responsibly. We take a different approach. Every guide at Hasthi Trails Sigiriya signs a strict code of conduct.
We never crowd
If several jeeps already surround a sighting, we do not join them. We wait, or track another herd. The animals must never feel boxed in or stressed.
We turn the engine off
At every sighting the engine goes off. It cuts noise, lowers stress for the animals and, as a bonus for you, removes vibration from your photographs.
We never chase
If an animal moves away into the forest, we let it go. We do not drive off-road after it, and we never rev the engine for its attention.