Wildlife and Ornithology in Sri Lanka

You are welcomed by your driver and guide at your exit from Colombo Airport.

You have arrived in tropical lands, with Colombo, the commercial capital of the country, as your first stop.

Check-in at your hotel and rest.

Depending on your flight arrival time, we can arrange an excursion.

Short transfer to the wetlands and Thalangama Lake. This is the best place to spend the afternoon birdwatching, on the outskirts of Colombo.

The best time to visit is early morning or late afternoon, when birds and other wildlife are seen in abundance.

Visitors can also rent a pedalo and enjoy the lake, an excellent opportunity to examine the lake wildlife more closely.

Return to Colombo.

Optional activity: early morning boat ride on Bolgoda Lake.

Route to Horana. Discover the Bodhinagala forest reserve, located around an ancient Buddhist monastery.

This reserve is a little-visited tropical forest but considered one of the best places to observe birds in Sri Lanka. Its size is quite modest at low altitude, but it is surprisingly rich in flora, and endemic fauna can be found there.

Then travel south to reach Sinharaja Nature Reserve, a nature reserve with a precious ecosystem, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Check-in at your hotel located north of the reserve.

Dinner and overnight stay here.

Today you head east to the wild Udawalawe area.

Around 3:00 PM, you set off on a jeep safari through this park with tall grass, which is worth the detour for its elephant population and its abundance of birds. You can also see crocodiles and monitor lizards.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you, and you will benefit from their keen eyes to spot animals in the brush. The park was created in 1972.

Check-in at camp, dinner and overnight stay.

Early in the morning, you set off for a new jeep safari through the Udawalawe National Park. The first hours of the day are ideal for bird watching.

Transfer to Tissamaharama.

Free afternoon to enjoy your hotel and relax by the pool.

Optional:

Set off for a half-day jeep safari in Yala National Park. The territory of this park is immense and is home to a wide variety of animals such as leopards, elephants, crocodiles, bears, mongooses, monkeys, spotted deer and birds in abundance.

Safaris are a matter of luck but also experience. The spots where you are most likely to observe animals are often the water points, where they come to drink. Keep your eyes, ears and nose wide open!

Or

Head to Lunugamvehera National Park for a half-day jeep safari. Come and encounter Sri Lanka's wild animals!

If you are lucky, you will see leopards, elephants, crocodiles, Sambar deer, exotic birds and perhaps also a sloth bear as well as many other animals.

Or

Set off for a hike in the Weerawila Sanctuary.

Dinner and night at your hotel.

Early in the morning, set out to discover Bundala National Park, a still little-visited place yet renowned for the richness of its bird population.

Located at the southern tip of the island, and featuring numerous wetlands, this territory of choice for large wading birds is an important nesting center as well as a stopover for many migratory birds.

You may also encounter many other wild species including the buffalo which particularly thrives in this area.

Drive towards Mahiyanganaya further north, a small village off the beaten path.

On the way, stop to see the Buddha statue at Maligawila.

Check-in at your hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

In the morning, you depart for a jeep safari in the Wasgamuwa National Park.

You can see many wild animals such as crocodiles, buffalo, deer, monitor lizards, cormorants as well as a multitude of aquatic birds including the majestic pelican.

The park is also interesting for its landscapes, between marshes, lakes and mountains outlined on the horizon. It is possible that you will be alone in this park!

Travel to Dambulla.

Discover the Buddhist caves of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, perched at the top of a hill.

You will be able to discover incredible murals, Buddha statues in different postures, all scattered throughout a maze of 5 caves. Also enjoy the very beautiful panorama of the surroundings.

Installation at your hotel, dinner and night.

Early in the morning, set off for a jeep safari in the Minneriya National Park, renowned for its elephant population of around 400 individuals.

You can see many other wild animals there: crocodiles, buffalo, deer, monitor lizards, cormorants, pelicans and a multitude of other birds.

The park is also interesting for its landscapes stretching across the horizon, between marshes, lakes and mountains.

If however, animal observation was better at the Kaudulla National Park, the safari would change location (to be decided on site, at the last moment).

In the afternoon, visit the Lion Rock of Sigirîya, which overlooks the village at a height of 200 meters.

Your English-speaking guide will take you through the different parts of the site, from the gardens to the natural caves, from the frescoes of the Maidens to the ruins of Kassapa's palace at the summit.

This site owes its reputation to this megalomaniac king who built his residence here in the 10th century. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the most visited site in Sri Lanka.

Return to your hotel.

Departure towards Wilpattu. On the way, there is an opportunity to make a stop at Aukana. Located to the west of the large Kalawewa lake, you can admire the Aukana Buddha statue.

Standing at 12 meters high, it is one of the tallest statues in the country and also one of the oldest and best preserved. It should be known that sculpting from a single block of stone requires very advanced skills; this statue is moreover the largest Buddha effigy with this specificity on the island.

In the afternoon, set off for a half-day jeep safari in the Wilpattu National Park. This park covers an area of 1320 km2, making it one of the largest parks on the island.

You can find numerous water points on its territory, as well as historical ruins. Safari enthusiasts will tell you that this is the park not to be missed, but you must be patient to see animals there.

Besides numerous birds and reptiles, you can see approximately 30 mammals, such as the Sri Lankan leopard, the Sri Lankan sloth bear, as well as elephants or sambar deer.

It can be visited year-round, but the best season is between February and October.

Installation at your camp.

In the morning, last half-day of safari in the Wilpattu park.

Drive to Kalpitiya.

This region is located on the northwest coast of the country. Still little frequented by mass tourism, this beautiful wild coast is renowned for its coral and its dolphins.

It is also a recognized spot for kitesurfing. Several excursions are available to you in the Kalpitiya area.

You have the possibility to snorkel on the "Bar Reef" reef, a coral barrier where the ecosystem is well preserved.

Check-in at your hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Early in the morning, depart for a boat ride on the Indian Ocean, to meet the dolphins. Depending on the weather of the day and your good fortune, you may be able to admire sometimes several dozen or even hundreds of them playing in the water.

Last moment of relaxation to enjoy the beach.

Then set off to discover the Anawilundawa reserve. The paths lead you along magnificent stretches of water, bordered by century-old trees. You will have the opportunity to see beautiful migratory birds.

Drive to Negombo and check-in at your hotel. Negombo is a popular beach resort for a final stop before departure.

Enjoy the evening strolling along the lively street of restaurants, shops and bars.

Dinner and overnight stay here.

Depending on your departure time, transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Your journey in one of the most beautiful islands in the world (as per Marco Polo) ends here…