birdwatching tour - 13 days

---

Welcome to Sri Lanka!

Your driver or tour guide will welcome you on your arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport or meet you at your hotel in Colombo or Negombo.

We will then proceed via Kandy to Elkaduwa where you may immerse yourself in the environment and prepare for your birdwatching adventure.

Overnight at Elkaduwa  3 nights

Take your binoculars, camera and immerse yourself in the pristine Knuckles Range area. This UNESCO world heritage site, originally named Dumbara, was named so because five of its 34 mountain peaks resemble a closed fist when viewed from Kandy.  The area is home to 128 species of birds of which 17 are endemic. You may spot a variety of Bul Buls, Minivets, Flycatchers, Kingfishers, Owls and Eagles, Flycatchers and  Bee Eaters to name a few of the rich bird population of this biodiverse area.

Misty mountain tops, cascading waterfalls and the symphony of nature is yours to discover and enjoy.

We leave Elkaduwa and drive to the coolest climate and highest city in Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya. Known as "Little England" because of its popularity with the colonial rulers. it is surrounded by lush tea estates. Enjoy a visit to a tea factory and estate to learn about the tea making process and to sample the different teas grown in the area.

Then explore the birding trails at Victoria Park and Gregory Lake. Nearby Galway Bird Sanctuary is where you may spot an Indian Blue Robin, the Scaly Thrush or even a Kashmir Flycatcher.

Stay 2 nights at Nuwara Eliya

Mist descends on the Horton Plains around midday so take breakfast with you and make an early start to spend time exploring Horton's Plains National Park. Be on the lookout for sambar deer, a purple faced langur or, if lucky, a shy leopard and other reclusive mammals.

Birds of note include the Yellow Eared bul bul, the Sri Lanka white eye, the Dull-blue flycatcher, Sri Lanka wood pigeon and the Sri Lanka blue magpie. On your way out visit the attractive, cascading Baker's Falls.

In the afternoon visit other local points of interest at your leisure.

Experience more stunning landscapes and the most famous train journey in Sri Lanka when you travel from the Nanu Oya station to Ella. The route passes through rail side villages, market gardens, tea estates and flower gardens as it takes you through some off the most beautiful countryside. Look out for waterfalls on the mountains and experience the local way of travelling through tunnels! Your car with driver and baggage will meet you at the Ella station and transport you to your accommodation.

Stay 2 nights at Ella

While Ella offers very many activities, a gentle hike up Little Adam's Peak is popular while a longer hike through charming villages to the top of Ella Rock offers more chances of spotting more of Sri Lanka's amazing birdlife and awesome vistas. A visit to Ellewala waterfall is sure to delight.

Spend some time relaxing in this popular village.

After breakfast leave the high country and drive to the coastal plains towards Tissamaharama. On the way stop at the fascinating, ancient Buddhist temple, Buduruwalaga Raja Maha Viharaya. This complex of seven Mahayana statues, hewn from the rock, dates back to the 10th Century. Set in a parklike environment, there is plenty of birdlife to observe.

 While Udawalawe is very well known for its elephant population, it is a recognised important habitat for water birds including the Asian openbill, spot bellied pelican and painted stork. Birds of prey such as the grey-headed fish eagle, the white bellied sea eagle and the hawk eagle can be spotted here. Other birds often seen here are the Sri Lankan peacock and peahen, the Malabar pied hornbill and pied cuckoo. 

There are also many other mammals as well as crocodiles for you to enjoy.

Stay at Tissamaharama   2 nights

Tissamaharama, with its proximity to Bundala and Yala National Parks as well as its several lakes, is known as one of the best places on the island for birdwatching. An early morning or late afternoon walk around the lake is the best time to spot egrets, bitterns, cormorants, herons and pelicans.

A short distance away, a jeep ride through a maze of waterways, lagoons and sandhills in tranquil Bundala National Park will reveal an abundance of amazing birds. October through to March is the time the wintering migratory birds arrive to swell the avian population. 

On your exciting safari here you may also see elephants, crocodiles, monkeys, deer, plenty of wild buffalos and hopefully even the shy civet cat.

Yala National Park, which is most often crowded, offers wildlife similar to Bundala National Park with a possibly greater chance of seeing a leopard.

Today we experience a different environment when we enter the Sinharaja Forest Reserve. With two monsoons a year, this lush, tropical wet rainforest has dense vegetation and is home to 154 species of birds, including several endemic species such as the hanging parrot, the Ceylon lorikeet and the red faced malkoha. Other birds you may spot are flocks of crested drongos, green billed coucal, orange-billed babbler and many more.

Keep your eyes peeled too, for a purple-faced langur, mongose, torque macque or a jackal.

Stay at Sinharaja  1 night

Enjoy continuing your bird watching while you relax on the beach. Perhaps visit the Secret Beach where the sea is calm, the bay sheltered and the sunsets amazing. 

Stay at Mirissa 2 nights

Today  we make our way to Colombo or the airport for your departure.

Along the way we will visit the historical Galle Fort which, surprisingly, is another good bird watching spot!

After a walk around the ramparts of this famous site, and perhaps visiting one of the great restaurants there, we will continue to your drop off point.

It has been our mission to enable you to have the best holiday experience but sadly we must say "Goodbye and go well."

Ayubowan

Tour cost  1 - 5 people  AUD 1,105  or AUD1,625