Sri Lanka’s Brilliant Birds (16 days) SLK114

Introduction

All of Sri Lanka’s endemic birds are likely on this tour – that’s 33 depending on which list you work from!

Explore Kithulgala with chance of numerous endemics – the camouflaged Serendib Scops Owl and Chestnut-backed Owlet, comical Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, stocky Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill and the island’s very vocal National Bird Sri Lanka Junglefowl as well as many more species.

Lush lowland rain forests of Sinharaja are draped in epiphytes and showcase wonderful pitcher plants.  This magical place offers another chance to catch up with most endemic species.  Striking Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Red-faced Malkoha and Layard’s Parakeet, roving flocks of Orange-billed Babblers and Ashy-headed Laughingthrushes all share their varied forests with Spot-winged Thrush, White-faced Starling, Legge’s Flowerpecker and the rather elusive Sri Lanka Thrush.

Moving on to Nuwara Eliya and Horton Plains in search of the highland endemics, your guide will seek out Sri Lanka White-eye, Sri Lanka Bush-warbler, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush and Yellow-browed Bulbul.

Yala has endemics, too, but there’s also stunning Chestnut-headed, Green and Blue-tailed Bee-eaters, White-browed Fantails and, of course, a sighting of Leopard is very likely.   Both at Yala and Udawalawe you can also see magnificent White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Brahminy Kite and the widespread Blue-faced Malkoha and Indian Pitta.

In the vicinity of Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a World Heritage Site,  more endemics await you, but equally enjoyable are views of Golden-fronted and Jerdon’s Leafbirds and a chance of the nocturnal Grey Slender Loris.

If you’d like to include Blue Whale watching, just let us know and we can price it for you.

 

Itinerary and price

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Meals: Dinner Arrive Colombo (likely to be early afternoon).  Your Sri Lankan guide will be there to meet you and will remain with you till you reach Colombo at the end of the tour. From the airport you’ll drive (approx. 3 hours) to Kithulgala.  Check in at your lodge/hotel and with any time remaining you’ll explore the tranquil forests and Kelani river at Kithulgala, an area famous as the scene for the 1957 award-winning film The Bridge Over the River Kwai. For birders and naturalists this area has biodiversity by the bucketful!  Many endemic birds are seen here including the comical and colourful Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, the skulking Green-billed Coucal and the rare Serendib Scops Owl, first recorded as recently as 2001. Have dinner and relax for the evening. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Take advantage of the best hours for birding, nice and early in the morning.  Other endemics to be found include Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Black-throated Munia and Spot-winged Thrush along with many more exciting species such as Malabar Trogon, Crimson-backed Flameback, Lesser Hill Myna, Crested Treeswift and Mountain Hawk Eagle.   You’ll have a hot or packed lunch (payable directly), depending on the birding and the search for endemics will continue in the afternoon.  Return to your hotel/lodge for dinner and relax for the evening. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Spend the early morning birding around the hotel (no entrance fee required), then after breakfast drive to Sinharaja National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Nature Reserve.  You should reach the first visitor centre in approx. 3 hours and your guide must acquire your permits from here.  The itinerary is priced for a stay at Rock View Motel. There is great birding inside Sinharaja National Park, but also outside.  The track to the main Park entrance offers some superb birding opportunities including several endemics so it’s good to walk that at some point or it will be a short 30 – 40 minute bumpy journey by 4WD to reach the entrance gate.  Note:   It is difficult to predict the weather here, so your guide will be flexible.  The entrance fee is payable each time you go into the Park and at some point many will find it beneficial to have lunch just outside the entrance at Martin’s Lodge (payable directly), especially if the weather is inclement. Birding is great around the lodge too! One of the most interesting and colourful spectacles Sinharaja has to offer is the mixed species flocks of foraging birds, a phenomenon commonly found in rainforests.  Studies of many such flocks revealed that some were made up of over 40 species including 12 endemics.  Almost 95% of Sri Lanka’s endemic birds occur at Sinharaja and these include Serendib Scops Owl, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Layard’s Parakeet, Green–billed Coucal, Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler, Black-capped Bulbul, Sri Lanka Drongo, Orange-billed Babbler, Spot-winged Thrush, Sri Lanka Thrush, Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, White-faced Starling and Sri Lanka Swallow. However, birding here can be challenging, as with many dense forest habitats. A high percentage of Sri Lanka’s endemic mammals occur here too and these include Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Toque Macaque and Layard’s (Flame-striped) Jungle Squirrel to name a few.  As with birding, mammal watching in dense forest can be equally if not more challenging. Meals: Breakfast and dinner You’ll be able to enter Sinharaja Forest Reserve again today, and, depending on the success of yesterday afternoon and this morning, you may prefer to walk down to the end of the track towards the visitor centre where birding can be extremely productive.  Endemic species may include Green–billed Coucal, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Red-faced Malkoha, Layard’s Parakeet, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, Sri Lanka Woodpigeon and you may even see Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher if you are lucky! Have lunch at Martin’s Lodge or elsewhere if more suitable (payable directly) with more birding from the dining area where you’ll benefit from shelter if there is some tropical rain. Night at Rock View Motel. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Spend the whole day birding.  We have factored in another visit inside Sinharaja National Park, with a half day to explore down the track from the entrance gate.  Chestnut-backed Owlet occurs here and those interested in invertebrates may enjoy the giant millipedes!  At some point you'll be able to visit a local garden where you'll have a chance of seeing Sri Lanka Spurfowl. Night at Rock View Motel Meals: Breakfast and dinner You can do some early morning birding outside of Sinharaja National Park before commencing the journey to Udawalawe (approx. 3 – 3 ½ hours).  Check in at your hotel and in the afternoon take the short drive to reach Udawalawe National Park and enjoy a jeep safari.  Many endemics occur here, though several are quite tricky to see as you are birding from the jeep most of the time.  Crested Hawk Eagles sit in prominent trees – seemingly everywhere – and the Park is home to several pairs of White-bellied Sea Eagle, another species easily seen here.  The arid scrubland is home to Black-headed Munia, Blue-faced Malkoha, Marshall’s Iora, Indian Pitta, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Malabar Pied Hornbill and the widespread and rather pretty Orange-breasted Green Pigeon.  While taking in the birdlife you will most certainly encounter herds of Asian Elephant and perhaps Golden Jackal, Wild Boar and a mongoose or two.  Golden Palm Civet, Rusty-spotted Cat, Fishing Cat, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Asian Palm Civet, White-spotted Chevrotain (Mouse deer) are all present but more difficult to see.  Return to your hotel for a one night stay. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Today you’ll leave after breakfast and drive (2 ½ hours) to the town of Tissamaharama (Tissa for short), near Yala.  There will be time to enjoy birding at local tanks (wetlands) near Tissa, where species may include Watercock, Black and Yellow Bitterns, White-winged Black and Whiskered Terns, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Zitting Cisticola, Baya Weaver, herons, storks and egrets.  Check in at your hotel and in the afternoon prepare for your first  jeep safaris in Yala National Park. The Park is mainly semi-arid thorny-scrub, with pockets of fairly dense forest, moist monsoon forest, freshwater and marine habitats. Yala also has a few patches of mangrove vegetation along the coastal lagoons. A large number of important cultural ruins bear testimony to earlier civilisations, but most people visit Yala for its wonderful wildlife and excellent opportunities to see some great mammals.  It is reputed to have one of the highest densities of Leopard in the world and is of course home to Asian Elephant. With luck you will see wild Water Buffalo, Toque Macaque and Tufted Grey Langur as well as Asian Elephant and Leopard.  Ruddy Mongoose, Black-naped Hare and Wild Boar are also very likely to be encountered; more difficult to see are Golden Palm Civet, Red Slender Loris, Stripe-necked Mongoose, Sloth Bear, Golden Jackal, Fishing Cat and Rusty-spotted Cat. Yala is one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in Sri Lanka. Of the 215 bird species recorded, some are endemic to Sri Lanka and these include Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Swallow, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Black-capped Bulbul and Brown-capped Babbler. Other species include Blue-faced and Sirkeer Malkohas, Orange-breasted and Sri Lanka Green Pigeons, Crested Treeswift, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Indian Pitta, Chestnut-headed, Blue-tailed and Green Bee-eaters.  Many species of common waterbirds inhabit Yala’s wetlands including Great White and Spot-billed Pelicans, Black-necked Stork, Lesser Adjutant and a wide range of other storks, egrets, herons and waders such as Yellow-wattled Lapwing and Pin-tailed Snipe. Return to your hotel/lodge. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Enjoy a full day safari inside Yala National Park.  Access is restricted to the jeeps only. Walking is not permitted inside the park, except for designated picnic spots, including one by the beach and another by the river.  While at the river make sure you don’t leave your bags unattended as the Toque Macaques are likely to ransack them! Meals: Breakfast and dinner After breakfast you will drive to Nuwara Eliya.  There are lots of excellent birding sites in the vicinity including Victoria Park where you may see Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka White-eye, Kashmir Flycatcher, Pied Thrush and Indian Blue Robin, to name just a few of the species.  There are other places to check for the endemics too, including waterfalls and a golf course!  Today locally you should also see Yellow-eared Bulbul and Orange-billed Babbler. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Located on the highest of three peneplains (horizontal lands formed by erosion to create an area resembling a plain) the not-to-be-missed Horton Plains National Park is another great place to look for highland endemics and the montane race of Purple-faced Leaf Monkey is often seen on the journey.  Endemic birds in the Park include Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Sri Lanka Thrush, Dark-fronted Babbler and Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush which is best looked for at dawn and dusk.  Other species include Hill Swallow.  You'll return to Nuwara Eliya by lunch time (meal is payable directly) and continue birding in the afternoon.  Return to your hotel for a second night. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Today you’ll drive (3 hours) to Kandy.  During your brief stay you’ll visit the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, a few kms to the west of the city.  Species to look out for include both Yellow-fronted and Crimson-fronted Barbets.  Yellow-browed Bulbul is also likely along with White-rumped and Scaly-breasted Munias.  For anyone interested in culture, and if time permits, you could visit the Temple of the Tooth and watch a dance performance in Kandy (entrance to both would be on direct payment). Meals: Breakfast and dinner Today you’ll drive to Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the North Central Province.  This World Heritage Site offers great birding (Jerdon's Nightjar can be seen in the public areas) along with culture and even some mammal-watching if you are lucky as Grey Slender Loris occurs here.  Other species include Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Crimson-backed Flameback and Sri Lanka Green Pigeon.  Check in at your lodge/hotel, have dinner and then venture out in search of nocturnal species. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Spend another enjoyable day locally and you’ll see plenty more including Sri Lanka Swallow, Dark-fronted Babbler, White-naped Woodpecker, Common Iora, Black-headed Cuckoo-shrike, Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, White-browed Bulbul, White-rumped Shama, Golden-fronted and Jerdon’s Leafbirds. Meals: Breakfast and dinner Today you’ll start your journey back towards Colombo.  You’ll enjoy birding on the way as directed by your guide.  The drive should take around 4 ½ hours and the plan will be to reach your hotel near the airport around 1700 hours.  You'll say goodbye to your guide this evening and relax for your final night in Sri Lanka. Meals: Breakfast Enjoy breakfast (served from 0700 hours), then a driver meet you at your hotel and will take you to the airport in good time to check in for your international flight home.  Note: The airport has a wide range of reasonably-priced souvenirs to purchase from several stalls and most will take US$ or Sri Lankan Rupees.  Be prepared to discuss the prices! Tour ends Note: A shortened version of this tour is SLK111 and SLK113.  Alternatively you could include Whale Watching from Mirissa.  Please email us for details. Price per person for mid budget hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) US $2125 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) US $1700 Single room supplement approx. US $300 Please note: There is a supplement for the Christmas/New Year period and we can supply this on request. Mid budget price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Kithulgala	Plantation Hotel, Standard Room or similar	2
Sinharaja	Rock View Motel, Standard Room	3
Udawalawe	Niwahana Hotel, Standard Room	1
Yala	Grand Yala Hotel, Standard Room	2
Nuwara Eliya	Lake View Hotel or similar, Standard Room	2
Kandy	Nature Walk Resort, Standard Room	1
Sigiriya	Inn On The Tree, Standard Room	2
Colombo	Euro Star Hotel, Standard Room	1

Price per person for standard hotels option: 2 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) US $2400 4 people travelling together (on a twin share basis) US $2050 Single room supplement approx. US $350 Please note: There is a supplement for the Christmas/New Year period and we can supply this on request. Standard price is based on the following hotels:

Place	Hotel name	No. of nights
Kithulgala	Plantation Hotel, Standard Room or similar	2
Sinharaja	Rock View Motel, Standard Room	3
Udawalawe	The Grand, Deluxe Room	1
Yala	Hibiscus Garden, Standard Room	2
Nuwara Eliya	Lake View Hotel or similar, Standard Room	2
Kandy	Hotel Thilanka or similar, Standard Room	1
Sigiriya	Fresco Water Villas, Standard Room	2
Colombo	Tamarind Tree, Standard Cottage	1

Price includes

• Accommodation in the above mentioned hotels with meals as listed (breakfast and dinner)
• Services of an accompanying birding driver/guide from Colombo to Colombo
• All mentioned transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
• Entrances to the National Parks, Sanctuaries, Gardens and Sigiriya Rock Fortress mentioned in the itinerary
• Jeep safaris as listed inside Yala National Park with local tracker/guide
• One half day jeep safari inside Udawalawe National Park with a local tracker
• An experienced tracker to search for Serendib Scops Owl and Sri Lanka Thrush inside Sinharaja with five entries per person included in the price
• All jeep safaris to the National Parks will be exclusive
• All currently applicable taxes

Price excludes

• Any international airfare
• Lunch and any meals not listed
• Tourist visa and travel insurance
• Camera fee
• Any additional taxes levied on the tourism sector in future
• Any expenses of personal nature such as hard/soft drinks, laundry, phone/fax calls, tips etc.
• Any item not mentioned in the price includes section
• Any increase in the entrance fee to National Parks or Sanctuaries in the future. The price is based on the current entrance fee
• Cost incidental to any change in the itinerary/stay on account of flight cancellation due to bad weather, ill health, roadblocks and/or any factors beyond control

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