14 Day Nature & Bird watching Tour Sri Lanka

Today you will go bird watching in Talangama Wetland, which is located close to Colombo. This urban oasis is an excellent excursion to photograph birds, butterflies and dragonflies as it houses over 100 species of birds and various species of butterflies and dragon flies. There are also a few mammals residing in the wetland.  Some noteworthy sightings would be ; Herons, Cormorants, Egrets, Ibis, Painted Stork, Raptors and Kingfishers ( 4 varieties).

After breakfast leave for the hill capital of Kandy; on the way you will visit Pinnawala elephant orphanage which looks after a large number of Elephants. The main attractions are the feeding and bathing of the elephants. In the evening enjoy a visit to the Sacred Temple of the Tooth followed by a viewing of a traditional cultural dance performance.

Today you will visit the Udawattakele Sanctuary. This 257 acre forest sanctuary which lies north of the Tooth Relic Temple, is home to various species of birds, animals and butterflies. Some birds you will often find in this forest are ; Sri Lanka Yellow-fronted Barbet , Sri Lanka Layard’s Parakeet , Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Sri Lanka spot-winged thrush , Emerald Dove, Black-Backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Crimson-Backed Flameback, White-Rumped Shama, Tickell’s Blue Flyctacher and many more.

Afterwards visit Peradeniya Botanical Garden which is Sri Lankas largest botanical garden which has nearly 4000 varieties of plants, flowers, spices, palm trees and medicinal herbs. This garden is wonderful for bird watching as there are about 80 species of birds including 10 endemic  birds and rare migrant birds. Some birds you will find in this park are ; Sri Lanka Small Barbet, Indian Pitta,  Common Hawk-cuckoo and Large Cuckooshrike.

Prepare to leave for Nuwara Eliya after breakfast. On the way you will visit a tea factory. Often referred to as the “Little England” of Sri Lanka it is the heart of the tea industry which began its journey to produce the green gold of the country after the British influence in the colonial era. You will see many bungalows, houses and hotels with a touch of British taste.

Option : If you wish you may visit the Hakgala Botanical Gardens  which attracts many visitors with its picturesque surroundings. The garden is ornamented with a touch of English cottage garden flowers, curious little nooks and corners of ferns and rocky pathways, vibrant rose gardens and glorious orchid house which houses an endemic mountain orchid.

Spend a day in Horton Plains National Park as you go trekking in this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The strange and mysterious silence of the surrounding is almost meditative. This high altitude plateau is stretched out in grassland with intervals of forests. Some birds you may sport here are ; Eurasian Blackbirds, Grey-headed Canary-flycatcher, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler, Pied Bush Chat, Greater Flamebacks, Orange-billed Babbler, Great Tit, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Kashmir & Dusky Blue Flycatcher.

In the evening visit Victoria Park. This 27 acre public park was once a research field for Hakgala Botanical Gardens. The Nanu Oya river flows through this park and you will find hill country birds such as Kashmir Fly Catcher or Grey Tit cozying up in the cool climate.

Birding around Tissa tank,  Kataragama Kovil, Kirivehera.

After breakfast prepare to leave for Tissamaharama, where you will have your over night stay. Once you arrive at Tissamaharama you may do some bird watching around the Tissa wetland. Bird species you may spot in this area are; Herons, Yellow andBlack Bittern, Brahminy Kite, Pheasant-tailed Jacana and other common water birds. In the evening you may visit the Kataragama Kovil and the Kirivehera Buddhist Stupa.

Enjoy the wonders of the wilderness in an exciting full day safari at Yala National Park. The second largest and most visited national park in Sri Lanka is reputed to have the highest density of leopards within a single area. Consisting of 215 bird species it is one of the 76 Important Bird Areas in the island.  Some noteworthy birds you may spot here are ; Spot-Billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Painted & Black-Necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant, Black-Winged Stilt, Great Thick-Knee, Small Pratincole, Grey Plover, Little-Ringed, Kentish, Mongolian & Greater Sand Plover, Marsh, Wood & Curlew Sandpiper and many more!

This park is an important wetland for resident and migratory birds and is declared a Ramsar Wetland. The lagoons in the park attract nearly 160 species of migratory birds during the winter. Some bird species you may spot here are ; Northern Pintail, Great Thick-Knee, Eurasian Stone Curlew, , Yellow-Wattled & Red-Wattled Lapwing, Pacific Golden & Grey Plover , Bengal Bushlark, White-Winged, Saunders’s & Little Tern and more. This park is also the last refuge for Greater Flamingos. There are also rare sightings of other animals such as spotted dear, sambar, crocodiles and even turtles that come to lay eggs in the night.

Leave Tissamahrama and head to Singharaja, Sri Lanka’s tropical rainforest the “Kingdom of the Lion” situated in the south-west lowland wet zone. A hotspot for bio diversity this stretch of virgin rainforest is home to endemic and rare trees, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. Check in to your hotel for overnight stay.

A full day trek in Singharaja rain forest will take you through this unique wilderness. This is possibly one of the best places to spot endemic birds as 95% of them are found in this forest. Singharaja is also famous for having the world’s largest mixed species of bird flock, with an average of 42 individual birds in a flock.  Some noteworthy bird species you may spot here are; Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Orange-billed Babbler, Red Faced Malkoha, Green-billed Coucal, Serendib Scops Owl, Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl,  Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and more…

After breakfast prepare to leave for Bentota, which is well known for luxurious accommodation and Bentota Beach Hotel (this was built on the site of an Old Portuguese Fort.) Check into you hotel and relax by the beach or indulge yourself in one of the many spa treatments available.

Today you can enjoy a boat ride along Madhu River, which is home to many aquatic plants and animals. It was declared a Ramsar Wetland and is the 2nd largest wetland habitat in Sri Lanka.  In the evening you can relax on the beach or enjoy some water sports.

Check out from your hotel and transfer to the airport for your return flight.