Birds & Culture
13 Nights 14 Days | Private Guided Tour | 1 – 4 Persons
A complete experience of Migrant Birds in Sri Lanka. Tour perfect to done from September to April to get an overall experience of the bird life in Sri Lanka. 14 Day tour for birding enthusiasts.
What to Expect
A two week Sri Lanka tour featuring bird watching and cultural sites is an absolute must for discerning travelers and as you’ll be accompanied by a local guide you can expect to learn just as much as you could hope to imagine.
Sri Lanka is awash with bird life and is fast-becoming a twitchers’ paradise with well-over 400 different recorded species of birds. In this tour we target to show over 200 birds including all 33 endemic birds to Sri Lanka. Migrating bird species also make for fantastic images within a camera lens or binocular sights with wintering birds coming from as far north as Siberia in a variety of flocks and in great numbers.
Thanks to Sri Lanka’s convenient shape and size, it’s possible to visit pretty much all of the island’s most important nesting sites over the course of a fortnight however, itineraries are flexible so as to incorporate individual traveller wishes and interests. As this two week Sri Lanka tour features not only birdwatching but cultural aspects too you can rest assured that you’ll be treated to a history tour like no other stretching as far back as the ancient Chinese traders, some 10,000 years ago. Some of the characters of the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC are bound to take centre stage as you delve into the history of Sri lanka with Buddhism, Kandy, King Kassapa and the UNESCO site of Sigiriya all notable mentions on any cultural tour of Sri Lanka.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 01& 02 - Airport - Kithulgala
Kitulgala rain forest is where the film “Bridge on the River Kwai” was shot. It is a small rain forest patch which is home to such exciting endemics as the tiny Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Orange-billed Babbler and Sri Lankan Grey Hornbill. As well as these unique Sri Lankan residents, the forest is rich in other bird life such as the shy (but noisy!) Black Bulbuls, Black rumped Falme back Woodpecker, Crested Goshawk and Crested Treeswifts. Watch for as Indian Swiftlets swirling overhead.
Hotel: Palmstone Retreat • Meals: Dinner & Breakfast
Day 03 & 04 - Sinharaja
Sinharaja Man & Biosphere Reserve: This is the single most important site in Sri Lanka in term of endemic birds and you will encounter spectacular mixed feeding flocks of birds. Highlights – Green billed Caucal, Red faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, White faced Starling, Orange billed Babbler, Ashy headed Laughing Thrush, White throated Flowerpecker, Sri Lanka Myna and Sri Lanka Spur Fowl.
Hotel: Rainforest Eco-Lodge • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 05 & 06 - Yala / Bundala
Around Bundala Ramsar Wetlands is the best wetland site for bird watching and not to be missed by the shorebird enthusiast. Highlights – Golden, Greater & Lesser Sand Plovers, Marsh, Wood, Green, & Terek Sandpipers, Turnstone, Red necked Palarope, Pintail Snipe, Black tail Godwit, Greater Flemingo and Terns such as Great Crested, Lesser Crested, Caspian, Gull billed and Little Terns.
Hotel: Jetwing Yala • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 07 - Yala
Yala National Park .This park is situated in the dry zone, comprising a diversity of habitats including scrub jungles, water reservoirs, brakish lagoons and riverine habitats. This is the best park in the country for viewing mammals including Leopard and Sloth Bear. Highlights – Indian Pea Fowl, Black necked, Painted, Wooly necked and Adjutant Storks, Blue faced Malkoha, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Greater Flemingo, Brahminy Myna, Rosy Starling, Elephant, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Wild Boar, Grey Langer, and Marsh & Estuarine Crocodiles.
Hotel: Jetwing Yala • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 08 - Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya (Highlands) Hakgala Gardens: this garden was established in 1860 and more botanically minded visitors will find plenty to interest them. The highland race of the endemic Purple faced Leaf Monkey present here and it is a good opportunity for viewing or photographing. Highlights – Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka White Eye, Dull Blue Flycatcher, Yellow eared Bulbul, Grey headed Canary Flycatcher and Kashmir Flycatcher. Victoria Park: an ornamental park in the heart of Nuwara Eliya town that has gained a reputation for birds, specially northern winter migrants. Highlights – Pied Thrush, Indian Pitta, Grey, Yellow & Forest Wagtails, Kashmir Flycatcher and Indian Blue Robin.
Hotel: Stafford Bungalow • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 09 - Nuwara Eliya
Horton Plains: a highland plateau comprising montane grassland and alfin forest. Highlights – Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Dull Blue Flycatcher, Yellow eared Bulbul, Sri Lanka White Eye, Black Eagle and Mountain Hawk Eagle.
Hotel: Stafford Bungalow • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 10 - Kandy
Kandy : Kandy is a major tourist centre with the famous Sacred Tooth Relic Palace. Udawatta-kele Forest Reserve: a tract of rainforest in Kandy town, rich in bird species, including few endemics. Highlights – Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Yellow fronted & Crimson fronted Barbets, Brown capped Babbler, Greater Flameback, Brown Fish Owl and White rumped Shama.
Hotel: Stone House • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 11 - Kandalama
Sigiriya, Birding at Sigiriya forest sanctuary Highlights – Shaheen Falcon, White rumped Shama, Blue eared Kingfisher, Pigmy woodpecker, Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Orange headed Thrush and Indian Pitta, Grey Hornbill, Rose ringed Parakeet, Crested Serpent Eagle, Grey headed Fish Eagle, Painted Snipe, Black headed Cuckoo Shrike and Blue faced Malkoha
Hotel: Heritance Kandalama • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 12 - Kandalama
Climb Sigiriya rock fortress (culture). Visit to Polonnaruwa famous archaeological site and medieval capital of Sri Lanka, more than one thousand years old
Hotel: Heritance Kandalama • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 13 - Kandalama - Negombo
Finally descend to Negombo where you will wind down and relax before your the departure the following day.
Hotel: Heritance Negombo • Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Day 14 - Colombo - Airport
Today, depending on your departure flight time, you can either relax or check out of the hotel. Don’t forget to recollect the memories of your trip with your chauffer and write your feedback.
Meals: Breakfast
Best time to Travel
This trip can be tailormade at a time to suit you throughout the year. The best time for birding is September to April, when thousand upon thousands of northern winter migrants arrive.
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