Sri Lanka Birding Tour with Cultural Sites

On arrival at the Bandaranayaka International Airport, you will get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality. Representative from Luxury Holidays Asia Travels will welcome you at the airport and proceed to Sigiriya. (Approx.: travel time 4 hrs.)

Check into the Hotel in Sigiriya.

Birding around the hotel garden.

Possible Noteworthy Species: SL Junglefowl, Shahin ( Local race of the Peregrine Falcon, Brahminy Kite, White- bellied Sea Eagle, Green Imperial Pigeon, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Alexandrine Parakeet, Indian Cuckoo, Drongo Cuckoo, Blue-fased Malkoha, Jerdonn’s Nightjar, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Crested Treeswift, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Crimson- fronted Barbet, SL Grey Hornbill, Rufous Woodpecker, Crimson- backed Goldenback, Large Cuckooshrike, Indian Pitta, SL Woodshrike, Greater Racket- tailed Drongo, SL Brown- capped Babbler,White- rumped Shama,Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Thick- billed Flowerpecker, Indian Blue Robin, Orange- headed Thrush.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel in Sigiriya.

After breakfast birding in Sigiriya Sanctuary.

Possible Noteworthy Species in Sigiriya: SL Junglefowl, Shahin ( Local race of the Peregrine Falcon, Brahminy Kite, White- bellied Sea Eagle, Green Imperial Pigeon, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Alexandrine Parakeet, Indian Cuckoo, Drongo Cuckoo, Blue-fased Malkoha, Jerdonn’s Nightjar, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Crested Treeswift, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher, Crimson- fronted Barbet, SL Grey Hornbill, Rufous Woodpecker, Crimson- backed Goldenback, Large Cuckooshrike, Indian Pitta, SL Woodshrike, Greater Racket- tailed Drongo, SL Brown- capped Babbler,White- rumped Shama,Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Thick- billed Flowerpecker, Indian Blue Robin, Orange- headed Thrush.

Afternoon visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. (Approx Travel time: 1 ½ hrs)

Polonnaruwa, the capital from 11th -13th century A.D. Here the monuments are better preserved. The circular relic house (Vata-da-ge) Lankathilaka, Thuparama, Royal Palace,Rankoth vihara and Galvihara with the beautiful rock cut Buddha statues are the most interesting.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel in Sigiriya.

Have breakfast at the hotel thereafter climb the Sigiriya Rock fortress while birding inside the Sigiriya Archaeological site.

Sigiriya - the 5th Century Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The 'Lion Rock' is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. A Moat, Rampart, and extensive Gardens including the renowned Water Gardens ring the base of the Rock.

Visit the world-renowned Frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the Rock approached by a Spiral Stairway. These Frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel in Sigiriya.

After breakfast proceed to Kandy, (Approx.: travel time 03 hrs.)

Enroute do birding.

Possible noteworthy species: Black Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Hawk-Eagle, Ceylon Hanging Parrot, Alexandrine, Rose-Ringed, Plum-Headed & Layard’s Parakeet, Lesser Yellownape, Black-rumped Flameback.

On completion proceed to Kandy.

Kandy where traditional culture abounds was the last stronghold of Sri Lankan kings conqueredby the colonial rulers. It is richly set against Tea and Spice lands, surrounded with hills through which the Mahaweli, the longest River in the Island, beautifully winds it’s way.

In the evening visit the Dalada Maligawa, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, is the major tourist attraction in Kandy and is located spectacularly against a vast serene lake. The Tooth Relic is a symbol of sovereignty and receives state protection.

The preserved stuffed Tusker that ceremoniously carried the tooth relic in the past during the annual parade is an inspiring sight. There are also British colonial buildings that had been established in 1815.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel in Kandy.

After Breakfast start birding at Udawattakele.

Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, often spelled as Udawattakele, is a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy. It is 104 hectares (257 acres) large. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawatta Kele was known as "Uda Wasala Watta" in Sinhalese meaning "the garden above the royal palace". The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many of small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might be seen. Udawatta Kele was designated as a forest reserve in 1856, and it became a sanctuary in 1938.

Possible Noteworthy Species: Emerald Dove, Ceylon Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Black-Backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Yellow-Fronted Barbet, Ceylon Small Barbet, Crimson-Backed Flame back, White-Rumped Shama, Tickell’s Blue Flyctacher.

On completion visit Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya.

Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya, was started as a pleasure Garden by a Sinhala King, with it’s amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers. Sixty-Seven hectares of exquisite beauty and botanical treasurers containing more than 4,000 species, this is heaven, not only for Scientists but to every nature lover as well.

Possible Noteworthy Species: SL Hanging Parrot, Alexandrine Parakeet, Stork-billed kingfisher,Yellow-fronted Barbet, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Crimson-backed Goldenback, Indian Pitta, Black-naped Monarch, Forest Wagtail, Dark-fronted Babbler , Green Warbler, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Common Hill Myna, White-rumped Shama, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Brown-breasted Flycatcher, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast proceed Nuwara Eliya. (Approx Travel time: 3 ½ hrs)

Do birding at Victoria Park in Nuwara eliya.

Possible noteworthy species: Forest Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow-Eared Bulbul, Indian Blue Robin, Pied Ground-Thrush, Indian Pitta, Kashmir Flycatcher, Ceylon White-Eye.

Early morning visit to Horton Plains National Park, with a picnic breakfast.

Horton Plain is a gently undulating highland plateau at 2,100m, lying at the south and of the Central Highlands, its surroundings forests and the adjoining Peak Wilderness, constitute Sri Lanka’s most important catchment area of almost all major rivers. The plains are also of outstanding scenic beauty and conservation importance, containing most of the habitats and endemic fauna and flora representatives of the country’s wet and montane zones. The western slops support the most extensive area of montane cloud forest surviving in the country.

Do birding at Horton Plain.

Possible Noteworthy Species: Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard, Mountain Hawk Eagle, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Crimson- backed Golden back, SL Blue Magpie, Pacific Swallow, Yellow- eared Bulbul, SL White- eye, SL Bush Warbler, Green Warbler, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, SL Scimitar Babbler, Dark- fronted Babbler, Velvet- fronted Nuthatch, SL Whistling Thrush, Indian Blackbird, Pied Bushcht, SL Dull blue Flycatcher, Grey-headed Canary Flycatcher, Black- throated Munia.

Witness the Baker’s Falls and World’s End during your trekking excursion at Horton plains. Baker's Falls is a famous waterfall in Sri Lanka. It is situated in Horton Plains National Park on a tributary of the Belihul Oya. The height of the Baker's waterfalls is 20 metres (66 ft). The falls were named after Sir Samuel Baker, who was a famous explorer.

Dinner & overnight stay at hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast proceed to Tissamaharama via Ella. (Approx.: travel time 04 hrs.)

In the afternoon birding around Thissamaharama wetland.

Possible Noteworthy Species: Purple Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Brahminy Kite, Shikra,Purple Swamphen, Pheasant-tailed Jacana and other common water birds, Pipits & Wagtails , Streaked & Baya Weaver.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Tissamaharama.

Early morning proceeds to Yala National Park by jeep.

Do a full day safari game drive at Yala National Park.

Possible Noteworthy Species: Barred Buttonquail, Indian Peafowl, Woolly- necked Stork, Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Spot- billed Pelican, Darter, Common Kestral, White- bellied Sea Eagle, Grey- headed Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Booted Eagle, Changeble Hawk Eagle, Eurasian Thick-knee, Great Thickknee, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Gray-bellied Cuckoo. Blue-faced Malkoha, Sirkeer Malkoha, Jerdon’s Nightjar, Inddian Nightjar, Oriental Scops Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Crested Treeswift, Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, Coppersmith Barbet, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, SL Woodshrike, Marshall’s Iora, White-browed Fantail, Ashy Drongo, Racket- tailed Drongo, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Ashy-crowned Sparrow Lark, Grey-breasted Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Ashy Prinia, Tawny-bellied Babbler, Yellow-eyed Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Rosy Starling, Brahminy Starling, Baya Weaver, Indian Silverbill.

Yala is considered the best place in the world to watch leopards in their natural habitat.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Tissamaharama.

After an early breakfast or with a packted b’fast proceed to Bundala National Park by jeep.

Possible noteworthy species: Painted Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Spot-billed Pelican, Black -headed Ibis, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Lesser Whistling-duck, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Black-necked Stork, Little Grebe, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Gray-headed Fish Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Changeble Hawk Eagle, Watercock, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Eurasian Thick-knee, Great Thick-knee, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Pin-tailed Snipe, Greater Painted-snipe, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Little Ringed Plover, Kentish Plover, Lesser sand Plover, Greater Sand Plover, Black-tailed Godwit, Common Red shank, Marsh Sandpiper, Common Greenshank, Ruddy Turnstone, Little Stint, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Small Pratincole, Brown-headed Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Greater Crested Tern, Little Tern, Whiskered Tern, Jerdon's Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, Pied Kingfisher, Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant, Great Cormorant, Darter, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Striated Heron, Grey Heron, Purple Heron, Cattle Egret, Great Egret, Intermediate Egret, Little Egret.

In the evening do birding in the Tissamaharama Wetland area.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel in Tissamaharama.

In the morning proceed to Embilipitiya (Approx Travel time: 2 ½ hrs)

en route visit Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary.

It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938, originally with 2,500 hectares but was abolished in 1946 due to the opposition by local residents. It was once again declared a sanctuary in 1984 but with a considerably reduced area. The Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary is an area of coastal lagoons and mangroves, which is rich in marine and home to four nationally threatened birds: Indian Reef Heron (Egretta gularis); Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus); Black-capped Purple Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata); Sri Lankan Junglefowl (Gallus lafayettii), as well as other birdlife.

Late afternoon visit Udawalawa national park by a jeep.

The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country.

Possible Noteworthy Species: Barred Buttonquail, Indian Peafowl, Painted Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Spot-billed Pelican, Black-winged Kite, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Montagu’s Harrier, Osprey, Crested Serpent Eagle, Booted Eagle, Crested Hawk Eagle, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Plum-headed Parakeet, Grey-bellied Cuckoo, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brown Fish Owl, Crested Tree Swift, Coppersmith Barbet, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Yellow-crowned Woodpecker, Rufous Woodpecker, Crimson-backed Goldenback, White-naped Woodpecker, SL Woodshrike, Marshall’s Iora, White-browed Fantail, Black-naped Monarch, Forest Wagtail, White Wagtail, Blyth’s Pipit, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Grey-breasted Prinia, Jungle Prinia, Ashy Prinia, Blyth’s Reed Warbler, Green Warbler.

After Breakfast proced to Sinharaja. (Approx.: travel time 04 hrs.)

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is a national park and a biodiversity hotspot in Sri Lanka. It is of international significance and has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The hilly virgin rainforest, part of the Sri Lanka lowland rain forests ecoregion, was saved from the worst of commercial logging by its inaccessibility and was designated a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and a World Heritage Site in 1988. The reserve's name translates as Lion Kingdom.

The reserve is only 21 km (13 mi) from east to west, and a maximum of 7 km (4.3 mi) from north to south, but it is a treasure trove of endemic species, including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.

Early morning start visit Sinharaja World Heritage Wildernes for birding.

Possible Noteworthy Species: SL Spurfowl, SL Junglefowl, Crested Goshawk, Shikra, Besra, Oriental Honey- buzzard, B lack Eagle, SL Wood Pigeon, Emerald Dove, SL Green Pigeon, SL Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Red- faced Malkoha, Green- billed Coucal, SL Frogmouth, Serendib Scops Owl, Chestnut- backed Owlet, Spot- bellied Eagle Owl, Malabar Trogon, SL Yellow- fronted Barbet, SL Grey Hornbill, Lesser Yellownape, Crimson- backed Goldenback, Black- headed Cuckooshrike, SL Blue Magpie, SL Drongo, SL Scimitar Babbler, Orange- billed Babbler, Ashy- headed Laughingthrush, SL Hill Myna, White-faced Starling, SL Spot- winged Thrush, SL Thrush, SL Legge’s Flowerpecker, Black- throated Munia.

Breakfast at the hotel & thereafter visit the Bodinagala forest reserve in Ingiriya.

Possible noteworthy species: Green-Billed Coucal, Chestnut-Backed Owlet, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, Malabar Trogon, Black-Backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Yellow-Fronted Barbet, Crimson-Backed Flameback.

Proceed to a Hotel near the airport for dinner before the departure flight.