“Endemics & Wetlands Birding Tour” - 8 Days / 7 Nights

Day 1: Arrival – Negombo
Wetlands around Negombo Lagoon: Indian Cormorant, Little Egret, White-bellied Sea Eagle. Easy birding after flight.
Stay: Negombo

Day 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: Sigiriya

Day 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: Sigiriya

Day 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: Nuwara Eliya

Day 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: Nuwara Eliya

Day 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: Rainforest lodge

Day 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: Sinharaja

Day 8: Sinharaja → Bentota / Galle → Airport
Coastal stop at Muthurajawela Marsh or Bentota River: Kingfishers, Storks, Brahminy Kite.
Drop at CMB airport.

End of tour

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

Best season
*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

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