Tour overviewThe beautiful tropical island of Sri Lanka is situated about 900 miles (1450 km) southwest of the Indian mainland. In the last 10 years the country has emerged as one of the top tourist destinations anywhere on the planet, and with good reason. Sri Lanka boasts 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, ancient Buddhist temples, along with Dutch, Portuguese and British influences in its culture, architecture and food.
Sri Lanka is one of 25 biodiversity hotspots on the planet, and has the highest biodiversity density in all of Asia, as well as an incredibly high endemism percentage. The island has 430 bird species (33 endemics), 123 mammal species (21 endemic), 179 reptile species (109 endemic), 122 species of amphibians (112 endemic) and 3,210 flowering plant species (916 endemics). BirdLife International considers Sri Lanka as one of the world’s Endemic Bird Areas (EBAs).
Get more detail about what to expect on this tour: Go to full itinerary
Safari starts and ends at Bandaranaike International Airport
Tour duration: 12 days / 11 nights
Type of accommodation: Comfortable, mid-range
Next group tour departure dates: December 2024
Private and small group, customised safaris can be booked on request for your preferred travel dates
Kitulgala–
Adventure-sports town on the banks of the Kelani river, boasting a low-country rainforest reserve that holds spectacular endemic species
Nuwara Eliya-
Colonial hill town surrounded by impressive scenery and immaculate tea plantations, and also home to excellent botanical gardens and other birding hotspots
Horton Plains National Park–
Boasts 750 species of plants, 25 species of mammals, 100 species of birds (including 21 endemics) and superb highland scenery
The lake town of “Tissa”–
Beautiful, history-rich and home to an amazing variety of water-associated birds
Lunugamvehera National Park–
Important habitat for Asian Elephants (Sri Lanka subspecies), along with 21 fish species, 12 amphibians, 33 reptiles, 184 birds and 43 other mammals
Udawalawe National Park–
Open grassland park along the Walawe river that hosts about 250 Asian Elephants and provides excellent water-associated bird habitat
Sinharaja Forest Reserve–
The 89 km2 (34 sq mi) reserve is a National Park, a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and boasts the widest variety of forest birds in all of Sri Lanka; it is a treasure trove of endemic species of fauna and flora
Sri Lanka’s unbeatable flavourful cuisine, ancient temples, emerald green tea plantations and rich cultural heritage
Top Birds:
• Sri Lanka Frogmouth
• Sri Lanka Spurfowl
• Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon
• Serendib Scops Owl
• Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot
• Red-faced Malkoha
• Green-billed Coucal
• Orange-billed Babbler
• Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush
• Sri Lanka Blue Magpie
Top Mammals:
Asian Elephant (Sri Lanka subspecies)
Asian Buffalo
Leopard (Sri Lanka subspecies)
Jungle Cat
Fishing Cat
Golden Jackal
Sloth Bear
Sambar
White-spotted Chevrotain
Red Slender Loris
Toque Macaque
Purple-faced Langur
Layard’s Palm Squirrel
Golden Palm Civet
Indian Crested Porcupine
Indian Pangolin
| ITINERARY OVERVIEW |
|---|
| Day 1 | Arrival in Sri Lanka & drive to Kitulgala |
|---|---|
| Day 2 | Kitulgala |
| Day 3 | Kitulgala to Nuwara Eliya |
| Day 4 | Nuwara Eliya |
| Day 5 | Nuwara Eliya to Tissamaharama |
| Day 6 | Tissamaharama (Lunugamvehera NP) |
| Day 7 | Tissamaharama to Udawalawe National Park |
| Day 8 | Udawalawe to Sinharaja Forest Reserve |
| Day 9 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve |
| Day 10 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve |
| Day 11 | Sinharaja to Katunayake |
| Day 12 | Transfer to airport and Departure |
All our tours can be customised according to your specific requirements. Get in touch with one of our team members for more information at info@naturetravelbirding.com
