Sri Lanka Bird Watching Tour
8 DAYS / 7 NIGHTS
- Start Colombo
- End Colombo
- Best Time:
Nov – April: Migratory birds + dry weather. Best for Horton Plains + Yala area
May – Oct: Rainforest is best, Sinharaja at peak. West coast can be wet
From $560 Per Person
Minimum 2 Pax Per Tour
Endemics & Wetlands Birding Tour”
YOUR 8 DAY JOURNEY
1
Arrival – Negombo
- Wetlands around Negombo Lagoon: Indian Cormorant, Little Egret, White-bellied Sea Eagle. Easy birding after flight.
- Stay
2
Negombo → Anuradhapura → Sigiriya ∼4.5hrs
- Stop at Thalawathugoda Wetlands en route.
- Afternoon: Sigiriya Rock gardens – Oriental Magpie Robin, Brown-headed Barbet, Crimson-backed Woodpecker.
- Stay
3
Sigiriya & Dambulla
Dawn: Minneriya National Park – Tank birds + forest edge species. Look for Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork, Sri Lanka Woodshrike.
Evening: Dambulla Cave Temple surroundings for endemics like Sri Lanka Junglefowl.
- Stay
4
Sigiriya → Kandy → Nuwara Eliya ∼4hrs
Morning: Kandy Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya – 80+ species. Legge’s Flowerpecker, Yellow-fronted Barbet.
Drive to hill country: Ambuluwawa or Hanthana for montane birds.
- Stay
5
Nuwara Eliya & Horton Plains
- Pre-dawn: Horton Plains National Park – THE spot for endemics.
- Target birds: Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon.
- Afternoon: Victoria Park, Nuwara Eliya – Pied Thrush in season.
- Stay
6
Nuwara Eliya → Sinharaja Rainforest ∼5hrs
UNESCO rainforest. The #1 place for lowland endemics.
Afternoon walk: Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Green-billed Coucal, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie.
- Stay
7
Full day Sinharaja
- 2 guided walks with local tracker. Dawn chorus is insane here.
- Also look for mixed feeding flocks and pitta species in season.
- Stay
8
Sinharaja → Bentota / Galle → Airport
Coastal stop at Muthurajawela Marsh or Bentota River: Kingfishers, Storks, Brahminy Kite.
Drop at CMB airport.
- End of Tour
Tour Inclusions
- Greet and meet at Airport
- Air-conditioned vehicle of your choice with driver & fuel
- Hotels & meals as per your requirement
- Driver meals & accommodation
- Bottled mineral water throughout tour
- All government charge, taxes & administration fee
Tour Exclusions
- All entrance fees to sites & Safaris (optional)
- Train tickets(optional)
- Any other sundry expense
What makes this tour amazing
- Endemics count: 25-28 of 34 endemics possible in 8 days
- Habitats covered: Wetlands, dry zone, hill country, rainforest, coast
- Guides: Birding specialist guide + local trackers who know calls
- Comfort: Private AC vehicle, 4:30AM starts with coffee, binoculars + scope on request
- Add-ons: Photography hides, macro for butterflies/dragonflies, night walks for owls & frogmouths
FAQ
How many bird species can we see?
Best places for birding?
Do I need to bring my own binoculars?
Top 10 birds you’ll likely see
| Sri Lanka Junglefowl | Sri Lanka Blue Magpie |
| Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot | Yellow-fronted Barbet |
| Crimson-backed Woodpecker | Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush |
| Red-faced Malkoha | Sri Lanka Spurfowl |
| Brown-capped Babbler | Legge’s Flowerpecker |
Best Time to Go
Ready to Experience Sri Lanka’s Beaches?
Let our travel experts create a memorable Sri Lankan beach holiday tailored to you.