A lifetime memory of wilderness - Organising an outdoor camping is no easy feat. Organising it inside a national park is next to impossible. Making it a lifetime experience- well that’s real Achilles heel given the challenges in the logistics and red tapes. Such a work could only be pulled by a real professional with not just equipped with camping gear but also with passion, dedication and character. When my fiancé decided to visit Sri Lanka , I wanted to give her a truly unique experience. Chandana at ‘ Via Ceylon ‘ was  not only the person who helped me deliver that but also the maestro who did an outstanding job. Our choice of the national park was Udawalwa since my fiancee had a preference for Elephants. The camping site was called Pilimaddara by the Walawa river. A beautiful location under a lovely jungle canopy. The table setup , delicious food near the Walawa River when we checked in followed by hot Ceylon tea was concluded with an evening Safari. When we returned from the wilderness a camp fire ,a grandiose  barbecue dinner and a comfortable tent to safely take the night break was awaiting us. The food , service , safety , comfort was a combination of excellent planning and inherited hospitality traits. This campsite has an existing Moroccan toilet. If you need a commode , you have to discuss with Chan before hand. The food menu, beverages, meal timings, standard of required luxury , number of jeep rides could be discussed at the initial level and in the run up to the event. Chan and his team at Via Ceylon are very attentive to detail. If you are a non Sri Lankan you need to check the price of the ticket for your stay with the park. If you are an expat married to a Sri Lankan , you could enjoy the local rate provided you have proof. Since wildlife department like every other government agency is bad at providing specific details and information , make sure to check with a multiple sources. You also need to have an idea about the weather since camping under rain is as bad as walking in shorts in a snow storm. When the season is extremely dry , Udawalawa Elephants cross the river and go to the other side making the park with less herds. Chan could advice you about all those and perhaps you can opt for any other national park. This whole experience need considerable planing time and obtain various permits from government departments. So plan it well ahead. Me and Agathe would love to recommend " Via Ceylon" and its owner Chan for your camping experience in Sri Lanka. They will deliver what one can call " The most uniquely memorable wilderness dream of a lifetime"