Madu Ganga River Safari

Madu Ganga River Safari, Bentota Overview

Madu Ganga River, one of Sri Lanka’s most prized possessions and the home of the mangroves is located in the Galle district. The river covers at least 150 acres of land and consists of 14 mangroves out of the 24 mangrove species found in Sri Lanka. The river having the mangrove environment has different species of both flora and fauna living inside of it, which makes it a haven for the ecologists and the botanists.

The river is a different world in itself; consisting of varied species of both flora and fauna that co-exist harmoniously with each other. The visitors can book themselves for boat rides and bird-watching rides. Accompanied along with trained professionals and local fishermen, the visitors can engage themselves in the amusements of the river. The river also consists of 25 islands, out of which only 15 are of sizeable landmass and safe to visit. The river is used for various sources of economic income such as boating, fishing and the cinnamon industry.

Boat Rides at Madu Ganga River

The visitors could explore the beautiful and the charming river and also the various lives existing within it. There are various boat rides available at this river such as group boat rides and family boat rides. The group boat rides usually have four to five different families together in one big boat, but the family boat rides consists of only one family and the boat rides are child safe and comfortable for the elderly as well. The pricing of the boat rides depend upon the distance that one would want to cover.

Bird Watching at Madu Ganga River

Along with the boat rides, visitors can also opt for bird-watching activity. While accompanied with local fishermen and professionals, the visitors can glance at the lives of the birds that live within these dense mangroves. Birds such as kingfisher and cormorants are easily to find. In total there are around 111 bird species living inside the dense mangroves.

Fish Spa at Madu Ganga River

Fish spa is one of the most common activities that takes place at the river. A large space of the river is constricted with nets and the visitors with the payment of a little fee can just put their feet in the river, enjoying a relaxing time after a long day. The fish spa always has professionals guiding the tourists so that no unfortunate events take place.

Small Scale Businesses in Madu Ganga River

The local fishermen take visitors on a tour of the enthralling mangroves and the islands at cost-effective prices. The fishermen also earn money by trading fresh water fishes. Because of their environment these river water fishes are high in demand and are usually sold at high prices. There is also a cinnamon industry that operates here, which is also the main source of income. Fresh cinnamon is brought in by local fishermen, which is then peeled on the islands and sold off. Because of the existence of such a large industry, the fresh cinnamon here is sold off in bulk at very reasonable rates.

Best Time to Visit Madu Ganga River

The best time to visit the river is during the month of October till the month of April. These months provide with the ideal temperature in which not only the visitors are comfortable while travelling but also for the animals and birds living in the dense mangroves.