10 Days of Birding in Sri Lanka
Day 1
Day 01 - Airport – Sigiriya (160 Kms / Approx. 04 hrs)
SCHEDULE
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Meet and greet our representative at the Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to Sigiriya.
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Check in to the hotel in Sigiriya (after 2 pm).
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Time for relaxing in the afternoon.
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Short birding trail around hotel premises in the evening.
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Overnight stay at the hotel in Sigiriya (BB).
Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Sigiriya. Before the dinner, you can do a short birding trail in the vicinity of the hotel. The endemicCheck in at the hotel in species found in this area include Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka yellow-fronted barbet, Sri Lanka hanging parakeet, Sri Lanka wood pigeon. You may spot many resident species also, such as barred buttonquail, Indian roller, pheasant-tailed jacana, common kingfisher, stork-billed kingfisher, grey-headed fish eagle, changeable hawk eagle, shaheen falcon, banded bay cuckoo, Malabar pied hornbill, peacock, white-browed bulbul. The migratory species include Indian pitta, brown-breasted flycatcher and brown shrike.
Day 2
Day 02 - Sigiriya
SCHEDULE
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Early breakfast at the hotel.
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Birding trail in Sigiriya Sanctuary.
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On conclusion, visit the Sigiriya Lion Rock.
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Return to the hotel.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Sigiriya (BB)
The UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sigiriya is well-known not just for the rock fortress, but also for its birdlife. For example shaheen falcon, peregrine’s resident species, can be spotted in Sigiriya Sanctuary.
The fortress itself, built by the young king Kashyapa in the 5th century, was a royal citadel. The central part takes the form of a lion figure with gigantic paws. In English, Sigiriya translates to 'Lion Rock', alluding to the time when travelers could climb through the open throat, “giriya", of a lion, “sinha”. Today, the only remains are the lion’s gigantic paws, sculpted into the side of a 600-foot-tall rock rising above lush, green jungle.
Day 3
Day 03 - Sigiriya – Dambulla – Kandy (100 Kms / Approx. 03 hrs)
SCHEDULE
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Early morning birding trail in Sigiriya.
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After breakfast, transfer to Kandy.
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En route visit the Dambulla Cave Temple.
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Arrival in Kandy and check in to the hotel.
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Visit to the Temple of Tooth in the evening.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Kandy (BB).
Dambulla Rock Temple, constructed by King Valagambahu, is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. With 157 statues and mural paintings covering an area of 2100 square meters, it has been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site. This place is worth visiting not only for the cave temple, but also for the beautiful view over the countryside from the caves situated at around 150 meters above the road.
Upon arrival in Kandy, you will visit another sacred site of pilgrimage. Famously known worldwide as The Temple of the Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa, dates back to the 16th century, though most of the present buildings were built in the 19th century. The Sacred Relic of the Tooth of Buddha is kept in a gold casket and stored amidst great security in the Inner Chamber. The impressive temple complex is made up of numerous buildings, decorated with paintings and carvings depicting Buddha.
Day 4
Day 04 - Kandy – Kitulgala (70 Kms / Approx. 02h30)
SCHEDULE
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Early morning birding trail at Udawatta Kele Sanctuary.
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Return back to the hotel for breakfast.
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Transfer to Kitulgala.
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Check in at the hotel in Kitulgala
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Short birding trail in a nearby village.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Kitulgala [BB]
Udawatta Kele is known as a birder’s paradise with its plethora of bird species and its easy accessibility. The forest has a host of nocturnal birds as well including the brown fish owl. Apart from the birds the forest is also home to other animals including toque macaque, wild boar, fishing cat and water monitor lizards. There are around 460 plant species in this forest which makes it an important site for botanists and researchers.
In Udawatta Kele Forest Sanctuary, you may spot Sri Lanka yellow-fronted barbet, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka hanging parakeet, Sri Lanka Layard’s parakeet, brown fish Owl, brown-capped babbler, common kingfisher, Oriental dwarf kingfisher, crested serpent eagle, white-bellied fish eagle, black-naped monarch, velvet-fronted nuthatch, Asian paradise flycatcher, Indian pitta and brown breasted flycatcher among others.
Around noon, you will be transferred to Kitulgala, located in western Sri Lanka and considered as one of the most important holdings of the country’s biodiversity. Recently, Kitulgala has stated attracts outdoor enthusiasts to its beautiful setting, used in 1956 for the filming of the Academy Award-winning 'The Bridge on the River Kwai'. The nature trails and forests are ideal for bird watching, and Kitulgala is considered as one of the island’s hotspots for endemic species.
Day 5
Day 05 - Kitulgala
SCHEDULE
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Early morning birding trail in MakanForest is home to many wet zone edawa Forest with packed breakfast.
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Return back to the hotel.
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Leisure time in the afternoon.
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Short birding trail in another village nearby.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Kitulgala (BB)
Spanning over 192 hectares, Makandawa Forest Reserve is one of the oldest forest reserves in the country. This area has a very unique biodiversity, and the rare and endemic birds make it a must for all the bird enthusiasts !
Makandawa Forest is home to many wet zone endemic species such as orange-billed babbler, Sri Lanka brown-capped babbler, chestnut-backed owlet, Sri Lanka hanging parakeet, Sri Lanka layard’s parakeet, Sri Lanka yellow-fronted barbet,, Sri Lanka black-capped bulbul, Sri Lanka grey hornbill and Sri Lanka spot-winged thrush. Also the serendib scopes owl can be spotted here. The common species found in this area include white-rumped shama, Sri Lanka paradise flycatcher, common Iora, black-hooded oriole, crested serpent eagle, changeable hawk eagle and white-bellies fish eagle.
In the evening, you will be taken across the river in another village. The main interest in this birding trail is the endemic Sri Lanka green-billed coucal, but you may spot greater flameback woodpecker and black-rumped woodpecker too.
Day 6
Day 06 - Kitulgala – Nuwara Eliya (80 Kms / Approx. 02h30)
SCHEDULE
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Early morning birding trail in Kitulgala.
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Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Nuwara Eliya.
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Check in to a hotel in Nuwara Eliya
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Evening birding trail in Victoria Park.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Nuwara Eliya (BB).
After the early morning birding trail and breakfast, you will be transferred to Nuwara Eliya, also known as Sri Lanka’s ‘Little England’. Set in the heart of the Tea Country at altitude of 1890 meters, Nuwara Eliya has a climate unlike anywhere else in Sri Lanka. For bird enthusiasts, the colonial Victoria Park offers an excellent location where about 50 different species of birds can be spotted.
In Victoria Park, you may see species such Sri Lanka yellow-eared bulbul, Sri Lanka white-eye, Sri Lanka scimitar babbler, Sri Lanka dull-blue flycatcher, brown-headed barbet, white-breasted kingfisher, Asian koel, rose-ringed parakeet, pied bushchat, common mynah, large-billed crow, spotted dove, white-bellied drongo and grey-headed Canary flycatcher. Also, some migrant species such as Indian blue robin, Indian pitta and Kashmir flycatcher can be found here.
Day 7
Day 07 - Nuwara Eliya – Udawalawe (160 Kms / Approx. 04h30)
SCHEDULE
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Transfer to Horton Plains National Park early in the morning with packed breakfast.
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Half-day birding trail in Horton Plains.
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Transfer to Udawalawe.
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Check in to the camp site.
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Dinner and Overnight stay at the safari campsite in Udawalawe (HB).
At 5.00 in the morning you will be taken to the Horton Plains National Park, located in the highest plateau of Sri Lanka at an altitude of 2,100-2,300 metres. Characterized by gorgeous landscapes over the rolling hills, this nature reserve is recognized as one of the Important Bird Areas (IBAs). The forests and grasslands offer a perfect ground to observe many rare and endemic highland birds (out of 87 species 14 are endemic). On the way to Udawalawe, we will do a couple of stops to spot some rare species like wood owl.
Horton Plains is home to several endemic bird species such as the Sri Lanka yellow-eared bulbul, Sri Lankan white eye, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Sri Lanka scimitar babbler, Sri Lanka yellow-fronted barbet, Sri Lanka dull-blue flycatcher, Sri Lanka bush warbler, and most importantly, the endangered Sri Lanka whistling thrush and Sri Lanka scaly thrush. The resident species include pied bush chat, black bulbul and great tit. You may spot some migrant species too, such as Indian blue robin, Indian pitta, brown-breasted flycatcher and Kashmir flycatcher. Horton Plains hosts also 24 species of mammals including elk, deer, giant squirrel, wild boar, wild hare, porcupine, leopard and the endemic purple-faced monkey.
Day 8
Day 08 - Udawalawe
SCHEDULE
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Birding safari at Udawalawe National Park early in the morning with packed breakfast.
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Return to the campsite for lunch.
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Evening birding trail by the border of the national park.
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Dinner and overnight stay at campsite in Udawalawe (FB).
Udawalawe National Park is located on the boundary of Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones, which provides diversity in both flora and fauna. With approximately 400 elephants residing within the park's boundaries, it is not unusual to see big herds gathering to feed and bath at the waterholes. In addition to this main attraction, Udawalawe is home to many water buffalo, water monitor lizards, sambar deer, monkeys and the occasional leopard. The bird enthusiasts shall be in their own winged paradise with not only the variety, but the quantity of bird species in the park.
In Udawalawe National Park, you may see an array bird species including endemics such as Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka brown-capped babblers, Sri Lanka jungle fowl, Sri Lanka yellow-fronted barbet, greater flameback, Sri Lanka hanging parakeet, Sri Lanka pompadour green pigeon. Also, peacock, Asian open bill, Oriental darter, small cormorant, great egret, Indian pond heron, lesser whistling duck, spotted dove, white-bellied fish eagle and crested serpent eagle can be spotted in Udawalawe. The migrant birds such as paradise flycatcher, forest wagtail, Indian pitta and blue-tailed bee-eater are very common too.
Day 9
Day 09 - Udawalawe – Negombo (200 Kms / Approx. 05h30)
SCHEDULE
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Early morning bird safari at Udawalawe National Park.
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Return to the campsite for breakfast.
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Transfer to Negombo.
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Check in to the hotel around 4 pm.
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Evening city tour in Negombo.
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Overnight stay at your hotel in Negombo (BB)
Today, you will be taken for another birding safari in Udawalawe National Park before proceeding to Negombo, a fishing town with a fascinating colonial past. British, Dutch, and Portuguese all fought over this town as it was a lucrative source of cinnamon. The spice trade impacted the future of this town, but so did the Catholic church too. Today, Negombo is alive in its own blend of culture, religions and colonial-style architecture, but local traditions appear to have outlived the colonizers. The lagoon has abundant with marine life, and fishermen have been harvesting lobsters, crabs, and prawns here for centuries.
