Birding with Culture

Starting from USD

1,170
(PP Twin Share)
Duration: 13N | 14D

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Summary and Map

This 14-day birding and nature-focused journey across Sri Lanka offers an immersive experience combining prime wildlife habitats, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and cultural landmarks. Beginning in the Cultural Triangle, the tour blends birding with iconic attractions such as Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, and Kandy. Guests then move through the hill country and wet zone, exploring Horton Plains, Nuwara Eliya, Yala, Bundala, Udawalawe, and the renowned Sinharaja Rainforest. The itinerary is well-paced, balancing travel with extensive birding and safari activities across diverse ecosystems. It concludes with final forest exploration near Ingiriya before departure, making it ideal for serious birders and nature enthusiasts.

This tour is ideally suited for serious birdwatchers, wildlife photographers, and nature enthusiasts seeking in-depth exploration of Sri Lanka’s diverse ecosystems. It also appeals to culturally curious travelers who enjoy combining slow-paced nature experiences with heritage sites and national parks.

Birding with culture

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01 - Arrival | Sigiriya
  • Morning, arrival at Colombo International Airport and proceed to Sigiriya
  • Afternoon Birding around the hotel garden
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Sigiriya
  • Possible noteworthy species: Ceylon Green Pigeon, Black Rumped Flamback, Indian Pitta, Brown Headed Barbet, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, Asian Paradise Lycatcher, Black Capped Bulbul, Orange Headed Thrush, Tickell’s Blue Flycatcher, Thick BilledFlowerpecker, Black Hooded Oriole
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 5 hrs | Total activity time – 2 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 02 - Sigiriya
  • Morning, After breakfast birding in Sigiriya santuary
  • Afternoon, visit ancient city of Polonnaruwa
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Sigiriya
  • Possible noteworthy species: Shaheen (Local race of the Peregrine), Grey Bellied Cuckoo, Square-Tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Indian Cuckoo, Coppersmith Barbet, Indian Pitta, Ceylon Woodshrike, Large Cuckooshrike, Back headed Cuckooshrike, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Ceylon Small Barbet, White Browed Fantail, Tawny-Bellied Babbler, Orange headed Thrush, Jungle Prinia, White Rump Shama, Thick Billed Flowerpecker, Greater Racket-Trailed Drongo
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 2 hrs | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 03 - Sigiriya
  • Morning, after breakfast climb Sigiriya Lion Rock
  • Afternoon, birding in Sigiriya sanctuary
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Sigiriya
  • Possible noteworthy species: In addition to the species seen in the morning Ceylon Green Pigeon, Green Imperial Pigeon, Alexandrine Parakeet, Brown Fish-Owl, Jerdon’s Nightjar, Asian Paradise Flycatcher
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 0.5 hr | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 04 - Kandy
  • Morning, After breakfast leave for Kandy visiting Dambulla rock temple en-route
  • Afternoon, Birding in Hantana Area
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Kandy
  • Possible noteworthy species: Black Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Crested Hawk-Eagle, Ceylon Hanging Parrot, Alexandrine, Rose-Ringed, Plum-Headed & Layard’s Parakeet, Lesser Yellownape, Black-Rumped Flameback
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 3.5 hrs | Total activity time – 4.5 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 05 - Kandy
  • Morning, After breakfast birding in Udawaththakele sanctuary and visit Temple of the sacred tooth relic
  • Afternoon, Royal Botanical Garden at Peradeniya
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Kandy
  • Possible noteworthy species: Emerald Dove, Ceylon Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet,Black-Blacked Dwarf Kingfisher, Yellow-Fronted Barbet, Ceylon Small Barbet, Crimson -Backed Flamback, White-Rumped Shama, Tickell’s Blue Flyctacher, Common Hawk-Cuckoo, Alexandrine Parakeet, Ceylon Small Barb
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 1 hr | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 06 - Nuwara Eliya
  • Morning, Leave for Nuwara Eliya
  • Afternoon, Birding in Victoria Park
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
  • Possible noteworthy species: Forest Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Yellow-Eared Bulbul, Indian Blue Robin, Pied Ground-Thush, Indian Pitta, Kashmir Flycatcher, Ceylon White Eye
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 4 hrs | Total activity time – 3 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 07 - Nuwara Eliya
  • Early morning visit to Horton Plains National Park, with picnic breakfast
  • Afternoon, Birding around Nuwara Eliya
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya
  • Possible noteworthy species: Ceylon Woodpigeon, Yellow-Eared Bulbul, Pied Bush Chat, Ceylon Whistling Thrush, Common Blackbird, Sri Lanka Bush-Warbler, Grey -Headed Canary, Kashmir & Duscky Blue Flycatcher, Velvet-Fronted Nuthatch, Ceylon White Eye

 

 

 

icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 2 hrs | Total activity time – 7 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 08 - Tissamaharama
  • Morning, leave for Tissamaharama, birding en-route
  • Afternoon, birding wetland around Tissamaharama area
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Tissamaharama
  • Possible noteworthy species: Purple Heron, Black Crowned Night Heron, Yellow Bittern, Black Bittern, Brahminy Kite, Shikra, Purple Swamphen, Pheasant-Tailed Jacana and other common water birds, Pipits & Wagtails, Streaked & Baya Weaver

 

 

 

icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 6 hrs | Total activity time – 4 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 09 - Tissamaharama
  • After breakfast, Jeep Safari in Yala National Park
  • Afternoon, birding arround Tissamaharama tank
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Tissamaharama
  • Possible noteworthy species: Spot Billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Painted & Black NeckedStork, Lesser Adjutant, Black-Winged Stilt, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Great Thick-Knee, Small Pratincole, Yellow-Wattled & Red Wattled Lapwing Pacific GoldenPlover, Grey Plover, Little-Rined, Kentish, Mongolian & Greater Sand Plover, Marsh, Wood & Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Brown-Headed Gull, Caspian, Gull-Billed & Whiskered, Tern, Bengal Bushlark, Ashy-Crowned Finch-Lark

 

 

 

icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 1 hr | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned) | 4-wheel Safari Jeep
Day 10 - Tissamaharama
  • After breakfast, Jeep Safari in Boondala National Park
  • Afternoon, birding around Tissamaharama wetlands
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Tissamaharama
  • Possible noteworthy species: Greater Flemingo, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Watercock, Black-Winged Stilt, Eurasian Stone Curlew, Great Thick Knee, Small Pratincole, Yellow-Wattled & Red Watted Lapwing Pacific Golden Plover, Grey Plover, Little Ringed, Kentish, Mongolian & Greater Sand Plover, March, Wood Terek & Curlew Sandpiper, Little Stint, Brown-Headed Gull, Caspian, Great-Crested, Lesser Crested, Gull-Billed, Whiskered, White Winged, Saunders’s & Little Tern, Bengal Bushlark, Oriental Skylark, Ashy Crowned Finch-Lark, Jerdon’s & Indian Little Nightjar

 

icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 2 hrs | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 11 - Kalametiya | embilipitiya
  • Afterbreakfast leave for Embilipitiya,visit Kalametiya bird santuary  en-route
  • Afternoon, jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Embilipitiya
  • Possible noteworthy species: Purple Heron, Purple Swemphen, Pheasant-Tailed Jacana and Other Common Water Birds, Pipits & Wagtails, Spot-Billed Pelican, Oriental Darter, Cormorants, Lesse Adjustant, Montagu’s Harrier, Pied Harrier, Crested Hawk-Eagle, White -Blellied Sea-Eagle, Grey-Headed Fish-Eagle, Barred Buttonquail, Ceylon & Orange-Breasted Green-Pigeon, Plum-Headed Parakeet, Blue-Faced Malkoha, Sirkeer Malkoha, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Prinias, Toque Monkey, Grey Langur, Golden Jackal, Mongoose, Asian Elephant, Spotted Deer, Water Buffalo, SL Gaint Squire
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 3 hrs | Total activity time – 5 hrs   
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 12 - Sinharaja
  • Very early start with picnic breakfast to visit Sinharaja world heritage
  • Wilderness Area for full day birding
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Sinharaja
  • Possible noteworthy species: Oriental Honey Buzzard, Rufous-Bellied Eagle, Shikra, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Eagle, Mountain Hawk-Eagle, Ceylon Spurfowl, Ceylon Junglefowl, Ceylon woodpigeon, Red-Faced Malkoha, Green-Billed Coucal, Chestnut-Winged Cuckoo, Serendib Scops-Owl, Chestnut-Blacked Owlet, Ceylon Frogmouth, Malabar Trogon, Yellow-Beowed Bulbul, Himalayan Black Bulbul, Spot-Wigned Ground Thrush, Ceylon Scaly Thrush, Ceylon Rufous Babbler, Ashy-Headed Laughing Thrush, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, Ceylon Blue Magpe, White-Faced Starling, Ceylon Hill-Myna
icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 4 hrs | Total activity time – 7 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 13 - Sinharaja
  • After breakfast, birding in Sinharaja
  • Lunch dinner and overnight stay in Sinharaja
  • Possible noteworthy species: Same as Above

 

icon Accommodation: 3* Hotel (4* 5* on request | subject to additional cost)
icon Meal Plan: Bed & Breakfast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 0 hrs | Total activity time – 6 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)
Day 14 - Ingiriya | Negombo | Departure
  • After breakfast leave for Ingiriya forest reserve (Bodinagala), Lunch in Ingiriya
  • Proceed to a hotel near the airport for changing room and Dinner
  • Late night Departure
  • Possible noteworthy species: Green Billed Coucal, Chestnut-Blacked Owlet, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, Malabar Trogon, Black-Backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Yellow-Fronted Barbet, Crimson-Backed Flameback
icon Accommodation: N/A
icon Meal Plan: Break Fast
icon Travel Time: Total travel time – 4.5 hrs | Total activity time – 3 hrs
icon Transport: Private vehicle (Air conditioned)

Inclusion, Exclusion & Conditions

  • Inclusions
  • Exclusions
  • Conditions
  • Comfortable accommodation in eco-lodges and nature resorts near key birding sites
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary. Breakfast only (On request possible to add meals)
  • Private transport with airport transfers and two 4x4 jeeps for safaris
  • Daily guided bird watching walks and safaris in top locations like Sinharaja, Horton Plains, Bundala, and more
  • Services of a professional birding guide and local trackers
  • Use of birding checklists, spotting scopes, and ID guides
  • On-tour first aid and 24/7 local support
  • Three 500ml water bottles per day per person
  • One free sim card to fulfill the local communication requirements
  • International air travel to/from Sri Lanka
  • Visa processing fees for Sri Lanka (ETA)
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended but not included unless requested}
  • All entrance fees of the national parks and attractions
  • Personal items: laundry, mini-bar, room service, souvenirs, etc.
  • Alcoholic drinks and beverages not mentioned in the inclusions
  • Optional activities not included in the official itinerary (e.g., spa treatments, night safaris)
  • Professional photography equipment rental or high-end optics (binoculars may be available upon request)
  • Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers, and lodge staff
  • Meals/snacks not included in the itinerary
  • Tour prices may vary based on the travel season, exchange rate changes, and applicable government taxes. All rates are based on current market conditions and will be confirmed at the time of booking.

  • Please ensure that you have secured the relevant visa / entry permits & valid passport. The best source of visa information is the embassy of the country itself.

  • If you are interested in going ahead with this booking, we would require deposits or payments as follows either in the form of cash or cheque:

    – 30 days to 21 days prior to arrival date: 50%.

    – 21 days to 01 days prior to arrival: 100%.

    Prices in this quotation are subject to availability. Wind & Wild reserves the right to offer services of similar or higher standard based in the event of non-availability at the time of booking, at amended cost.

  • CANCELLATION POLICY 

    – If cancelled 30 days or more prior to arrival – No charge – Any payments made prior to this date will be reimbursed (less any bank charges).

    – If cancelled between 14 to 29 days (inclusive) prior to arrival – 30% of the total booking value will be charged.

    – If cancelled between 7 to 14 days prior to arrival – 75% of the total booking value will be charged.

    – If cancelled less than 7 days prior to arrival – 100% of the total booking value will be charged.

Travel Tips

Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island nation in South Asia. It sits in the Indian Ocean, just southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea. Known as “the pearl of the Indian Ocean” for its shape and setting, it blends British colonial heritage, lush scenery and very friendly people. Since the 26-year civil war ended in 2009, this tropical isle has attracted many more travellers.

Trip Planning:

Planning your trip well can make all the difference and even become part of the fun. You’ll have many choices to make—from where to stay to what to see—and plenty of details to work through.

Entry and Exit Formalities:

Your passport must be valid for at least six months beyond your arrival date. Some visitors can get a visa on arrival; others should apply in advance. For requirements and applications, visit the official Sri Lankan ETA website: www.eta.gov.lk.

Transportation:

Deciding how to travel around Sri Lanka is a major choice before you go. Our holiday experts can guide you on trains, buses, cars or tuk‑tuks based on your itinerary. You’ll also find many practical tips for getting around smoothly.

Money:

Use your funds smartly. Learn when to pay with cash or card, and how to avoid extra fees. Don’t forget to follow local tipping customs.

Phones and Technology:

Smartphones and gadgets can save time or drain your budget. Check our advice on using tech abroad, including calls home with or without your own SIM card.

Packing Light:

You’ll meet two types of travellers: those who pack just what they need and those who end up hauling too much. Travelling light makes moving between places easier and more fun.

Sleeping and Eating:

Choosing where to sleep and dine can feel like a chore—or an adventure. Your hotel and restaurant picks can help you connect with local culture and people.

Health & Hygiene:

Rest assured: clinics, hospitals, laundries and restrooms here are much like back home. Managing your health and cleanliness can even add an interesting layer to your trip.