Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival

Meet and greet at the airport and transfer to Ranweli, a perfect place to start a birding holiday in paradise. The afternoon is a chance to acclimatize to the tropics while appreciating the birdlife around Ranweli.

Overnight: Ranweli Holiday Village

(Ranweli is a bird friendly eco hotel uniquely located on a sliver of land between the ocean and the lagoon 20km north of the airport on the west coast.)

Day 2: Mangroves & Kelanivally Forest Reserve

After having early breakfast glide along the waterways of the lagoon in a local boat and explore the unique mangrove ecosystem. Look for Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Yellow and Black Bitterns. Passerines we can expect are Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Brown Shrike and Black-hooded Oriole.

Leave for Kitulgala passing villages, rice paddies and pockets of palm trees.

After lunch we cross the river by dugout canoe to visit Kelanivally Forest Reserve with its endemics, Green-billed Coucal, Orange-billed Babblers and Dark-fronted Babblers and, perhaps, the secretive Sri Lanka Spurfowl.

Target Species: Pheasant-tailed Jacana, Yellow and Black Bitterns, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Brown Shrike, Black-hooded Oriole and Long-billed Sunbird, Green-billed Coucal, Orange-billed Babblers & Dark-fronted Babblers and Sri Lanka Spurfowl.

Overnight: Plantation Hotel, Kitulgala (The Plantation Hotel is a small 08 roomed guesthouse located on the bank of the Kelani river.)

Day 3: Kelanivally Forest Reserve & Gilimale Forest Reserve

A second visit to the Kelanivally Forest Reserve and adjacent village gardens for Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot, Black-rumped Flame back, Blue-winged and Golden-fronted Leaf birds which visit flowering shrubs and trees.

There after we drive to Ratnapurna for a two-night stay. Gilimale Forest Reserve is en route and hosts Indian Black Eagle, White-browed Bulbul, Brown-capped Babbler and Tickell's Blue Flycatcher.

Target Species: Black-rumped Flameback, Blue-winged and Golden-fronted Leafbirds, hosts Indian Black Eagle, White-browed Bulbul, Brown-capped Babbler, Sri Lanka Hanging-parrot, & Tickell's Blue Flycatcher.

Overnight: The Ratnaloka Hotel, Ratnapura. (The Ratnaloka Hotel is a simple 03 star hotel it has all modern amenities including a pool.)

Day 4: Sinharaja

Leave early morning with a packed breakfast for Sinharaja the last virgin rainforest in Sri Lanka. Sinharaja is home to most of Sri Lanka's endemics. Bird activity is at its height at dawn with mixed flocks of birds offering us our best opportunities to see the endemic Spot-winged Thrush, Ashy-headed Laughing Thrush and Sri Lanka Myna. Also making the Singharaja its home is the enigmatic Red-faced Malkoha, White-faced Starling, Chestnut - backed Owlet, and Blue Magpie. We also look for the rare Sri Lanka Frogmouth and of course Sri Lanka's latest endemic The Serendib Scpos Owl.

Target Species: Spot-winged Thrush, Ashy-headed Laughing Thrush, Sri Lanka Myna, Red-faced Malkoha, White-faced Starling, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Blue Magpie, Serendib Scpos Owl and Sri Lanka Frogmouth

Overnight: The Ratnaloka Hotel, Ratnaloka

Day 5: Udawalawe National Park

Leave Ratnapurna for Embilipitiya which is situated near a large reservoir 20 km away from the Udawalawe National Park.

In the afternoon we embark on our first safari to Uda Walawe National Park. Birds of prey are a specialty and include Changeable Hawk Eagle and Grey-headed Fish Eagles. Also look for Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Barred Buttonquail, Indian Robin, and Yellow-wattled Lapwings. Others we hope to spot include the Malabar Pied Hornbills and the kingfishers and water birds. The surrounding scrub jungles are good for Plaintive Cuckoo and Blue-faced Malkoha.

In addition to being very good for birds The Udawalawe National Park is the best park in the country for Elephant.

Udawalewe National Park is an area of 31,800 hectares, which was declared a protected sanctuary with full national park status in 1972. The park area which falls within two provinces of Sri Lanka has a annual rainfall of 1,520 mm and an average temperature of 29.4 C. Surrounded by mountain ranges, the terrain of the park is a mixture of grassland, which of all Sri Lanka's wildlife reserves, best rivals the Savanna of Africa and shrub jungle. Teak plantations, water holes and two important factors make this park special - the large Udawalewe Reservoir and the Walewe River, which ensure a supply of water for the fauna within. Internationally renowned for its large herd of elephants, the park is also known for several species of Deer, Wild Boar, the dangerous Wild Buffalo, Jackal and very rare sightings of Leopard.

Target Species: Changeable Hawk Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagles, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Barred Buttonquail, Indian Robin, Yellow-wattled Lapwings, Malabar Pied Hornbills, Plaintive Cuckoo, Blue-faced Malkoha and kingfishers and water birds.

Overnight: Centuria Hotel or Udawalawe Campsite (Centuria is a basic but comfortable 03 star hotel which is a 45 minute drive away from the National Park entrance. Our campsite is located by a river inside the National Park. Accommodation at the campsite is in two person, insect and water proof tents. Camp toilets and all camp equipment are provided.)

Day 6: Tissamaharama & Yala Nationa Park

After a camp breakfast drive south to Tissamaharama. Evening birding around the guest house which is superbly located by the side of the Tissamaharama Tank (reservoir). Depending on the water level, you will be able to see many water birds such as the Red-faced Malkoha, Little Cormorant, Purple Heron, Purple Coot, Wood Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, and Painted Stork. Also look for White-bellied fish eagle, Oriental Pratincole and Little Ringed Plover.

Evening jeep safari of Yala Nationa Park.

Yala - Sri Lanka's most known national park is popular for Elephant, Leopard, Bear, Crocodile and Wild Boar. More than three times larger than Undawelewe at 97,800 hectares, this is the second largest of Sri Lanka's national parks. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has also received much fame through publicity by National Geographic and the Discovery TV channels, which focused on a leopard research/conservation and identification project. Claims have subsequently been made that Yala National Park has the world's highest concentration of leopard per square kilometer. This park is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and fresh water lagoons. The areas popular with leopard are rock strewn hillocks with dense shrub in which the animals hide.

Target Species: Red-faced Malkoha, Little Cormorant, Purple Heron, Purple Coot, Wood Sandpiper, Caspian Tern, Painted Stork, White-bellied fish eagle, and Oriental Pratincole.

Overnight: The Tissa Rest House, Tissamaharama

Days 7: Bundala National Park, Nuwara Eliya Highlands & Victoria Park

Early morning Jeep Safari of Bundala National Park: The saltpans of Bundala National
Park will give us another chance searching the Sri Lanka Junglefowl and many coastal species such as White-bellied Sea Eagle, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pallid Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Black-tailed Godwits, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Little Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Greater Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Brown-backed Needle Tail, and Blyth's Pipit

Leave in the afternoon for the cooler highlands of Nuwara Eliya driving through the scenic mountainous landscape passing waterfalls and tea plantations.

Evening visit to The Victoria Park. The Ornamental Park in the centre of the small Nuwara Eliya town, is a good place to spot a number of hill country bird species. Look out for Yellow-eared Bulbul, Pied Thrush, Kashmir fly catcher, Indian blue robin, grey tit, Indian pitta, and the pacific swallow. Along the stream that runs through the park, we look for the Green Sandpiper.

Target Species: Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Yellow-eared Bulbul, White-bellied Sea Eagle, White-winged Tern, Whiskered Tern, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Pallid Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Broad-billed Sandpiper, Yellow-wattled Lapwing, Gull-billed Tern, Greater Crested Tern, Lesser Crested Tern, Brown-backed Needle Tail, and Blyth's Pipit, Pied Thrush, Kashmir Flycatcher, Indian Blue Robin, Grey Tit, Indian Pitta, and Pacific Swallow.

Overnight: The Galway Forest Lodge, Nuwara Eliya

Day 8: Horton Plains & Hakgala Botanical Gardens

Leave early morning with a packed breakfast for Horton Plains.

Horton Plains- Sri Lanka's highest plateau 7200 ft above sea level in the central mountain country. This 'Fen" is a very scenic region with an astounding variety of scenery from mountains to grasslands, from marshes to trout streams. Sri Lanka's best flavored high grown teas are grown in the surrounding areas. Spectacular view from 'Worlds End' where the plateau plunges a thousand feet in a straight sheer drop. Cool and bracing climate, excellent for trout fishing and very good hiking country. Distinctive flora (many English field flowers grow on the plains) colourful butterflies and many rare highland birds.

We look for Velvet-fronted nuthatches, scimitar babblers, white-eyes, pied shrikes and orange minivets. Also spot the endemic Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler, Sri Lanka Magpie, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Dull-blue Flycatcher and Sri Lanka White-eye. A special treat will be the evasive Laughing Thrush

Evening visit the Hakgala botanical gardens in search of Sri Lanka Woodpigeon, Sri Lanka Whistling Trush, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike.

Target Species: Velvet-fronted Nuthatches, Scimitar Babbler, White-eye, Pied Shrike, Orange Minivets, Evasive Laughing Thrush, Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler, Sri Lanka Magpie, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka White-eye, Sri Lanka Woodpigeon, Sri Lanka Whistling Trush, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler and Bar-winged Flycatcher-shrike.

Overnight: The Galway Forest Lodge, Nuwara Eliya

Day 9: Kandy

Early morning departure for Kandy. The road winds its way through tea plantations where we stop and make a short visit to a tea factory for Hill Swallow [a visit to the factory is optional].

Late afternoon - visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens - a birdwatcher's delight where we will get a chance to look for Greater Flameback, Layard's Parakeet, Asian Brown Flycatcher, and Indian Pitta.

Kandy - This lovely city, the Hill Capital and last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings retains an aura of grandeur, which time has not affected. Encircled by hills, with a tranquil lake in its center, it is the site of the renowned "Temple of the Tooth" and the Royal Botanical gardens home to one of the best collections of Orchids. Kandy and its satellite villages are the centre of the islands handicraft industry and its traditional dances are the most spectacular in the country.

Target Species: Hill Swallow, Greater Flameback, Layard's Parakeet, Asian Brown Flycatcher, and Indian Pitta.

Overnight: The Citadel Hotel , Kandy

Day 10: Udawattakele Forest Sanctuary

Early morning visit the Udawattakele forest sanctuary situated at the northern edge of Kandy. Another chance for birding, specially to see the Sri Lanka Gray Horn-bill and Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot the smallest endemic parrot in Sri Lanka. We also hope to see the brown headed barbet the biggest local barbet.
Proceed to Habarana via Dambulla driving through typical rural countryside - Rice fields, coconut plantations and forest areas and check in to eco-friendly hotel based amongst mature woodland bordering a lake.

Optional visit to the Cave Temple of Dambulla en route.

Dambulla-Dating back to the 01st century BC, this complex of 05 caves was used as refuge by an ancient king who on regaining his throne, commissioned magnificent carved of the paintings are from the early 19th century.

PM Walk along the Bird Trail of the hotel and by the lake where over 130 species have been recorded. Endemics commonly seen are the Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill and the Yellow fronted Barbet. Also look for the Fish Owl and the Brown-headed Barbet

Target Species: Greater Flameback, Layard's Parakeet, Sri Lanka Gray Hornbill, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Asian Brown Flycatcher, Indian Pitta, Fish Owl and Brown-headed Barbet.

Overnight: The Lodge Habarana

Day 11: Sigiriya & Kaudullawewa National Park

Leave after an early breakfast for Sigiriya. The surrounding jungle and scrub are home to many species including Chestnut-winged and Bay-banded Cuckoos and White-rumped Sharma.

Afternoon Jeep Safari to Kaudullawewa National Park. Apart from the huge numbers of herons and egrets, we can expect White-bellied and Grey-headed Fish Eagles and, at dusk, the Indian Nightjar.

Target Species: Chestnut-winged and Bay-banded Cuckoos, White-rumped Sharma, White-bellied and Grey-headed Fish Eagles and Indian Nightjar.

Overnight: The Lodge Habarana

Day 12: Ranweli

Leave after breakfast for Ranweli, the enchanting spot where the adventure began..

Overnight: The Ranweli Holyday Resort

Day 13 Departure

Departure transfer to airport.