Birdwatching and Wildlife Tour (10 Days)

Sinharaja

Two days are spent in and around the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, a wet-zone rainforest reached from Colombo and explored partly on foot and partly by jeep, with an overnight stay at a forest lodge each night.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Morning and afternoon visits to the rainforest on the first day, followed by a short jeep drive into the forest on the second day for birding through to evening. Possible bird highlights include Ceylon Spurfowl, Serendib Scops Owl, Ceylon Junglefowl, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Ceylon Frogmouth, Green-billed Coucal, Red-faced Malkoha, Layard's Parakeet, Ceylon Hanging-parrot, Malabar Trogon, Crimson-backed Flameback, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Black-capped Bulbul, Spot-winged Thrush, Ceylon Scaly Thrush, Rufous Babbler, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, Legge's Flowerpecker, White-faced Starling and Ceylon Crested Drongo. Mammals that may be seen include the wet-zone races of Toque Macaque, Purple-faced Leaf Monkey and Sri Lanka Giant Squirrel, along with Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris, Sri Lanka Flameback Squirrel, Dusky-striped Jungle Squirrel, Sri Lanka Yellow-spotted Chevrotain, Sambar and several bat species including Woolly Horseshoe Bat, False Vampire Bat and Rainbow Bat.

Sinharaja → Udawalawe

The tour leaves the rainforest for Udawalawe, with the afternoon given over to a visit to the national park.

Udawalawa National Park
An afternoon visit after checking in to a hotel in Udawalawe by lunchtime, for one night. Bird highlights here include Crested Hawk-Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Indian Peafowl, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha, Indian Scops Owl, Alexandrine Parakeet, Plum-headed Parakeet, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Marshall's Iora, Crested Treeswift, Coppersmith Barbet, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Jerdon's Bushlark, Blyth's Pipit, Ashy-crowned Sparrow-Lark, Lesser Adjutant and several prinia and babbler species. Mammals seen may include Asian Elephant, Ruddy Mongoose, Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat and Indian Flying Fox.

Udawalawe → Yala

Two nights are spent at Thissamaharama, with jeep safaris into Yala National Park and the surrounding wetlands, covering wetland, grassland, scrubland and forest habitats.

Yala National Park
An afternoon jeep safari on arrival through wetlands, dry grasslands, scrubland and forest, looking for waterbirds, shorebirds, forest and nocturnal birds including endemics, plus butterflies and mammals. Bird highlights include Black-necked Stork, Spot-billed Pelican, Lesser Adjutant, Ceylon Junglefowl, Indian Nightjar and Jerdon's Nightjar. Mammals that may be seen include Asian Elephant, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Chital, Sambar, Tufted Grey Langur, Rusty-spotted Cat, Jungle Cat and Wild Water Buffalo.

Bundala National Park
A morning safari drive on the second day, looking for water birds and other wildlife in a different dry-zone park.

Tissa wetlands
Birding around the wetlands near Tissamaharama in the afternoon and evening, looking for water birds such as Great Thick-knee, Black and Yellow Bitterns, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Small Pratincole and Watercock, alongside owls and babblers. Mammals in the area include Asian Elephant, Chital, Sambar, Golden Jackal and Wild Water Buffalo.

Nuwara Eliya

The tour moves up into the hill country for two nights at Nuwara Eliya, combining a highland national park visit with birding in and around the town.

Victoria Park
An evening visit in the town on arrival, and again on the second day, looking for Indian Pitta, Pied Thrush, Kashmir Flycatcher and other highland species. Other highland birds recorded in the area include Yellow-eared Bulbul, Ceylon Whistling Thrush, Ceylon Wood Pigeon, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Indian Blackbird, Ceylon Hill White-eye, Ceylon Bush Warbler and Black-throated Munia.

Horton Plains National Park
An early morning visit on the second day. Highland mammals that may be seen in the wider area include the highland races of Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Toque Macaque and Sri Lanka Giant Squirrel, along with Sambar, Dusky-striped Jungle Squirrel, Striped-necked Mongoose and Golden Palm Civet.

Nuwara Eliya → Kitulgala

The route drops back down to the wet lowlands at Kitulgala, where a dugout canoe crossing leads into another stretch of rainforest.

Kitulgala rainforest
An afternoon crossing of the river by dugout canoe near the rest house to visit the rainforest. Bird highlights include Ceylon Spurfowl, Serendib Scops Owl, Ceylon Junglefowl, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Ceylon Frogmouth, Layard's Parakeet, Green-billed Coucal, Malabar Trogon, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Ceylon Hill Myna and Ceylon Blue Magpie. Mammals that may be seen include the wet-zone races of Toque Macaque, Purple-faced Leaf Monkey and Sri Lanka Giant Squirrel, Sri Lanka Red Slender Loris, Sri Lanka Yellow-spotted Chevrotain, Sambar and several bat species.

Kitulgala → Colombo

A final morning of birding in the Kitulgala forest precedes the transfer to the airport for onward flights.

Kitulgala
Morning birding in wet lowland forest, looking for forest birds, butterflies and other wildlife, before an afternoon drive to the airport.