Day 1 - Katunayake
Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by our Sri Lankan naturalist guide with the warm words “Ayubowan” which is the traditional greeting of Sri Lanka meaning “may you live a long life”. From the airport we will make the short transfer to the hotel nearby.
After checking into our hotel we can spend the remainder of the day at leisure and birding the grounds if we wish. If time permits those interested can take a short birding jaunt within the property to get a first taste of the local birdlife, including the endemic Crimson-fronted Barbet which is regular on the Hotel grounds.
Day 2 - Wilpattu
We will get an early start with a packed breakfast as we make our way North, towards Wilpattu National Park (4 hour drive).
En-route, we will make a stop for some birding at the Anawilundawa wetlands. This is the perfect introduction to Sri Lankan birds, with many of the common water birds such as Yellow, Black and Cinnamon bittern being seen here, along with Lesser Whistling Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Black-headed Ibis, Painted Storks, Eurasian Spoonbill, Asian Openbill and many other species in this RAMSAR Wetland site. We will keep an eye out for a few rare migrants which are sometimes seen during this time of year such as the Fulvous Whistling Duck and Golden Oriole.
After a couple hours, we will continue on our way to Wilpattu. We will aim to arrive at Wilpattu in time for a late-ish lunch after which we can have a bit of down-time or explore the lodge grounds before our first game drive. Around 3.00 PM we will hop into our safari jeeps and head into Wilpattu for our first crack at some big game!
Popularly dubbed as ‘the land of the lakes’, Wilpattu National Park is famous for watching wildlife within its picturesque villus (wetlands/water holes) and dry evergreen forests. It is Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest national park which re-opened in 2010 after being closed for nearly three decades due to the civil war. Similar in wildlife and habitat to the popular Yala National Park in the south of the country, Wilpattu sees much fewer visitors making for a more enjoyable experience.
Wilpattu is one of the top spots in Sri Lanka for watching Leopard and Sloth Bear. Other larger animals seen regularly here include Asian (Sri Lankan) Elephant, Sri Lankan Golden Jackal, Mugger Crocodile, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer and Water Buffalo are among the larger animals regularly encountered.
Wilpattu is also an excellent birding location with over 200 recorded species including a variety of raptors such as Crested Serpent Eagle, Changeable Hawk-eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagles and Brown Fish Owl. The endemic Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Woodshrike and a large number of water birds and waders can be found along the water’s edge near the villus.
We will return to our lodging around dusk and enjoy dinner before calling it a night. In the evening we will keep an eye and an ear out for owls, such as Brown Boobook, Brown Fish Owl, Indian Scops Owl and Collared Scops Owl, which are often seen in the property at night.
Day 3 & 4 - Wilpattu
The next two days will follow a similar routine:
5.00 AM wake up and 6.00 AM leave for a full day game drive with a packed breakfast and lunch into Wilpattu National Park.
Being the largest national park in Sri Lanka, the park is quite vast and one needs full days to truly venture into the center of the reserve and to truly witness the wonder of the birds and wildlife found here.
March is a great time to keep an eye out for migrants such as the Orange-headed Thrush and Indian Pitta which can be seen on the forest floor. Endemics such as the Brown Capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Black Capped Bulbul and Sri Lanka Lesser Flameback can all be seen in this park.
The park is also great for spotting the “jewel of the forest” the Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher.
If we are particularly lucky, we might encounter Spot-bellied Eagle Owl as well as the Malabar Trogon and Malayan Night Heron.
Sloth Bears are seen almost daily if we have the patience, and Leopard sightings are quite good in this park, and with two full day safaris our chances are very high.
We will leave the park around 6.00 PM, during dusk and return to our lodging.
Day 5 - Habarana
Today will be a bit of a flexible day depending on what most interests the group. After breakfast, we will checkout from the lodge and make our way towards Habarana. En route, we will be passing by the UNESCO World Heritage Site and ancient Kingdom of Anuradhapura where we can choose to spend some time.
Anuradhapura is an ancient historical city comprising of religious places of worship and Buddhist shrines constructed by the past Kings of Sri Lanka and was the island’s capital between the 5th century BC and the 11th century AD. Here one can see some of the most famous as well as the tallest dagobas in Sri Lanka, remains from palaces, temples, monasteries, ceremonial baths and the temple of the holy Bo-tree. This tree was grown from a sapling of the very tree under which more than 2500 years ago the Buddha found enlightenment.
From Anuradhapura we will continue towards Habarana (2 hours drive) and check into our eco lodge. Depending on if/how long we spend at Anuradhapura we can opt for a game drive in the nearby Hurulu Eco Park. This is the best place in the region to encounter large herds of Sri Lankan Elephants, which is a unique subspecies of the Asian Elephant.
After an early dinner we will have an optional night safari to the outskirts of Habarana. These drives have proven very productive with sightings of owl species such as Brown Fish Owl, Brown Wood Owl, Spot Bellied Eagle Owl as well as mammals including Grey Slender Loris, Fishing Cat, Jungle Cat and the elusive Rusty Spotted Cat as well as the Spotted Chevrotain, Greater Flying Squirrel among others.
Day 6 - Sigiriya to Nuwara Eliya
After a very early breakfast, we will head toward Sigiriya the world famous rock fortress which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This site is also great for many species of birds and we will keep an eye out for Sri Lanka Green Pigeons, Asian Green Bee-eaters, Brown-headed Barbet, Indian Paradise-flycatcher and a couple species of Sunbirds on the tour of this ancient site.
Rising dramatically from the central plains, the enigmatic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilization. The top of this rock contains ruins of an ancient palace complex, built during the reign of King Kasyapa (477AD – 495 AD) and surrounding rock is the Royal Garden. Ruins of various chambers, stairways and pools can be seen at the top of this rock. There is a stone stairway leading from the base to the top of the mountain. Surrounding the palace complex are the ruins of a garden complex consisting of two moats and various pools, some with water fountains still functioning after 1500 years.
In the latter stages of the morning we will begin the 5 hour drive to Nuwara Eliya, in the cooler hill country, making a lunch stop en route.
After a scenic drive, we will hope to arrive with an hour or two to bird the area and become acquainted with a different suite of birds.
Day 7 - Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains
We will leave the hotel with a packed breakfast and lunch at 5.00 AM to arrive early at Horton Plains National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s most biodiversity rich and ecologically significant sites.
Entering the park at 6.00 AM, we will spend the full day exploring this amazing natural wonderland and our lunch will be delivered to us fresh from the hotel in the afternoon!
Horton Plains National Park, which is Sri Lanka’s highest elevated national park lying approximately 7,000 feet above sea level and comprises of cloud forests and open grassland and UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will enjoy a walk along some nature trails to a viewpoint known as World’s End with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. On the walk back we can stop over to see the impressive Baker’s Falls in full flow. Sambar, Sri Lanka’s largest species of deer are encountered regularly in the plains close to the entrance while the shaggy coated Bear Monkey (Highland race of the Purple-faced Leaf Monkey) is occasionally seen within the forested areas. Many species of endemic birds can be found in the park including the Sri Lanka Wood-pigeon, Hill Swallow, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, and Sri Lanka Bush Warbler.
Also a specialty in the park are two endemic species of lizards found exclusively in this eco system, and no where else in the world. These are the Rhino Horned Lizard, with its signature horn on its nose, and the tiny Pygmy Lizard. If we are truly lucky we might catch a quick glimpse of the elusive leopard, which is much larger and has a thicker coat than its lowland counterparts. This national park is truly an ecological treasure and one of the most important natural sites in Sri Lanka. The weather can be cold and windy and it is advisable to wear warm clothing during the visit.
Return back in the evening to Nuwara Eliya and our hotel.
Day 8 - Nuwara Eliya to Kitulgala
After breakfast we will bird the environs of Nuwara Eliya, in particular Victoria Park. This site is famous as one of the best in the world for Kashmir Flycatcher, a difficult species on its restricted breeding grounds. This is also a good site for other scarce migrants such as the spiffy Pied Thrush, Indian Blue Robin, Forest Wagtail and Indian Pitta.
Once we’ve had our fill of the Nuwara Eliya area, we will make the transfer south back to lower elevations at Kitulgala. Once arrived, we will check in to our hotel and commence birding in the surrounding region which will include forest patches, as well as some local home gardens which are excellent to see a specific suite of the lowland wet-zone endemic birds such as the Orange-billed Babbler, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lankan Hanging Parrot and many more.
Day 9 - Kitulgala
We will have our usual early morning start and set off into the lush lowland rainforest of Makandawa, which is across the mighty Kelani River. This is one of the best places to view some of the endemics from the lowlands, such as the Green-billed Coucal, the Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, Yellow-fronted Barbet, and the charismatic Chestnut-backed Owlet. Malabar Trogon and Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher can be found here with some luck while Sri Lanka Swallow can sometimes be seen overhead.
We will spend the full day exploring the rainforest and surrounding villages and home gardens, which too are excellent for many species of endemics. Some of the local gardens can produce specialties such as the Spot-winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot and if lucky, roosting owls.
Day 10 - Kitulgala to Sinharaja
After one more session of birding in Kitulgala for any missing targets we will checkout and head towards Sinharaja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Sri Lanka’s largest tract of lowland rainforest, and arguably the most biodiversity rich area in the country.
After check-in and lunch at our hotel, we will have a quick rest before setting out for an afternoon of birding the lush rainforest. We will be accompanied by amazing local spotters who know the park inside out and will help us spot some of the many amazing bird species found in the surrounding region.
The basic composition of species one can find here is similar to Kitulgala but many are easier here. In particular, Sinharaja is renowned as the best spot for the Serendib Scops Owl, a species only described to science in 2004. The local naturalists usually know of one or two roost sites for both this and the bizarre Sri Lanka Frogmouth. If we are truly lucky they might help us encounter of one of the most elusive and rarest birds, the Sri Lanka Bay Owl.
Days 11 & 12 - Sinharaja
We will have the next two days to explore this exquisite rainforest ecosystem. We will be on the lookout for the large mixed feeding flocks where we will have chances to see many endemics like the White-faced Starling, Red-faced and Green-billed malkohas, several species of babblers and many more. Sri Lanka Mynas are to be looked for on prominent perches in the canopy while overhead we will scan the skies for Brown-backed Needletails and Crested Treeswifts as well as raptors including Legge’s Hawk-Eagle and Black Eagle.
In the undergrowth and on the forest floor we will keep our eyes peeled for skulky species such as Asian Emerald Dove, Spot-winged and Sri Lanka thrushes and the coveted Sri Lanka Spurfowl, a very shy and skittish bird.
One of many star birds at Sinharaja is the Sri Lanka Blue Magpie which can sometimes be seen right around the park buildings and accommodations. Sometimes this stunning bird can be easy and other times it can make one work for it! Other key birds here include Crimson-backed Flameback and Legge’s Flowerpecker.
The rainforest is filled with amazing wonders besides birds, such as the endemic and beautiful Green Pit Viper, Lyre Headed Lizard, Sri Lanka Kangaroo Lizard and many other amazing reptiles and the endemic Purple Faced Leaf Monkey.
Day 13 - Sinharaja to Mirissa
After a final couple hours at Sinharaja to cover any bird species we might have missed in we will checkout and journey south towards the coast with a packed lunch.
We will do something a bit different than what we have done thus far on the trips and hop on a boat for a river cruise on the Nilwala River which will bring us up close with the largest reptile on the planet the Saltwater Crocodile. This riverine eco system has the highest concentration of these giant reptiles (reaching as big as 18 feet!). We will also spot many water birds and riverside species including herons, egrets, kingfishers and more.
When we return back to dry land we will head to our hotel in Mirissa for check in, followed by dinner and overnight stay.
Day 14 - Mirissa Whale watching
This morning we will take our packed breakfast and make the short trip to the Mirissa Fisheries Harbour and head out to sea to look for the largest animal that has ever lived, the Blue Whale! Mirissa in southern Sri Lanka is regarded as one of the world’s top location for watching Blue Whales with sightings occurring on most mornings during the season which spans from November through to April. Pods of Spinner Dolphin are seen on most mornings while Bryde’s Whale, Sperm Whale, Orca, Risso’s Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin and Striped Dolphin are among the other species of cetaceans which are intermittently seen.
We will of course also keep an eye out for any pelagic birds as well. While not particularly productive for birds, terns such as White-winged, Whiskered, Bridled and both Lesser and Greater Crested are regularly to be found. The occasional jaeger and shearwater (most likely Wedge-tailed or Flesh-footed) can make an appearance as well.
After our oceanic adventure we will return back to dry land and head back to the hotel for lunch.
As this is the final full day of the tour, we will spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure by the beach or birding the quiet environs around the hotel.
Day 15
After breakfast, we will checkout from and head towards the airport (2.5 hours drive) where the tour will end.
