Sri Lanka Bird Photography
This expertly curated bird photography tour is designed for passionate photographers seeking an authentic, in-depth exploration of Sri Lanka’s avian beauty. Over the course of eleven days, we’ll immerse ourselves in the island’s diverse ecosystems, ranging from dense forests to coastal wetlands, with every moment focused on capturing the essence of Sri Lanka’s rich birdlife, stunning landscapes, and unique wildlife.
Our adventure begins in Wilpattu National Park, where we’ll spend full days in Sri Lanka’s largest and most untamed reserve. Known for its ancient dry forests, serene lagoons, and diverse wildlife, this park offers unparalleled opportunities to photograph endemic birds, including the elusive Sri Lanka Junglefowl, as well as leopards, elephants, and other iconic creatures. With private safari vehicles and expert guides, we’ll maximize our time in the field, ensuring you have plenty of opportunities to capture the park’s hidden gems in their natural habitat.
Next, we journey to the misty highlands of Horton Plains National Park, a pristine plateau renowned for its cool climate and diverse birdlife. This UNESCO-listed park is a haven for bird photographers, with opportunities to capture the spectacular Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, the elusive Blue Magpie, and the endangered Yellow-eared Bulbul, among many others. As we trek through the park’s lush forests and open grasslands, we’ll also encounter a range of wildlife, including sambar deer and the occasional wild boar. The park’s panoramic views, with rolling hills and dramatic cloud forests, provide a stunning backdrop for capturing the beauty of Sri Lanka’s highland ecosystems.
Finally, we’ll explore the mystical Sinharaja Primary Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the last remnants of Sri Lanka’s tropical rainforest. With the help of expert guides and local trackers, we’ll search for endemic species like the Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Layard’s Parakeet, and the elusive Red-faced Malkoha, while also indulging in macro and night photography opportunities of amphibians, reptiles, and other small wildlife.
Throughout the tour, we ensure comfort with well-selected lodges offering modern amenities, air conditioning, and exceptional cuisine. All meals, airport transfers, and logistical details are taken care of, so you can focus on what matters most: capturing breathtaking images of Sri Lanka’s natural wonders.
This exclusive tour is ideal for photographers looking to elevate their skills while immersed in one of the most biodiverse environments on Earth. Accompanied by expert guides and a professional photographer, you’ll receive personalized advice and hands-on support, ensuring an unforgettable and productive photographic experience.
Day 1: Arrive Sri Lanka
Upon your arrival at the Colombo International Airport, we will collect you and transfer you to the Negombo Beach resort. Here, you can unwind and enjoy the beautiful surroundings for the rest of the day. You will spend the night in Negombo, ensuring that you are fully rested and ready to begin your adventure the next day.
Day 2: Anawilundawa Wetlands
In the morning, drive to the Anawilundawa Wetlands, one of Sri Lanka’s most important birding sites recognized by RAMSAR. Here, you can spot a variety of birds, including cormorants, ducks, egrets, herons, storks, eagles, terns, swallows, swifts, kingfishers, and other resident species. In the afternoon, transfer to the area near Wilpattu National Park.
Day 3: Wilpattu National Park
Enjoy a full-day safari in Wilpattu National Park from 6 AM to 6 PM, where you can see eight endemic birds, eagles, water birds, and other resident species. Picnic meals will be served during the safari.
Day 4: Sigiriya Sanctuary
This morning, transfer to Sigiriya. In the afternoon, enjoy birdwatching in Sigiriya Sanctuary to observe endemic birds, migratory and resident species, eagles, water birds, swifts, swallows, and falcons.
Day 5: Royal Botanical Gardens Peradeniya
Drive to Kandy in the morning and take an afternoon walk in Peradeniya Botanical Garden. Here, you can see a variety of birds, including parrots, pigeons, woodpeckers, barbets, bulbuls, warblers, sunbirds, flowerpeckers, ioras, and flycatchers.
Day 6: Udawatta Kale Santure
In the morning, take a walk in Udawattakale Sanctuary in Kandy for birdwatching. Look out for birds such as parrots, pigeons, woodpeckers, barbets, bulbuls, warblers, sunbirds, flowerpeckers, and flycatchers. In the afternoon, transfer to Kitulgala.
Day 7: Makandawa Rain Forest in Kitulgala
Spend the morning birdwatching in Makandawa Rainforest, Kitulgala, to see species like munias, flowerpeckers, sunbirds, flycatchers, mynas, babblers, monarchs, warblers, prinias, bulbuls, wagtails, drongos, orioles, leafbirds, woodpeckers, barbets, pigeons, nuthatches, hornbills, owls, and coucals. In the afternoon, transfer to Nuwara Eliya with an optional birdwatching walk in Hakgala Botanical Garden.
Day 8: Horton Plains National Park
Early morning birdwatching walk in Horton Plains National Park to see birds such as pigeons, parrots, barbets, minivets, cisticolas, prinias, green warblers, thrushes, chats, flycatchers, sunbirds, flowerpeckers, bulbuls, and white-eyes. A picnic breakfast will be provided during the walk. Transfer to Tissamaharama near Yala National Park.
Day 9: Yala National Park
Enjoy a full-day safari in Yala National Park, focusing on birdwatching.
Day 10: Bundala National Park
Start the day with a morning safari in Bundala National Park from 6 AM to 10 AM. Here, you can see terns, gulls, ducks, snipes, cormorants, egrets, quails, seasonal flamingos, storks, ibises, bitterns, herons, pelicans, eagles, kites, ospreys, crakes, rails, watercocks, plovers, lapwings, snipes, godwits, curlews, sandpipers, stints, pigeons, cuckoos, malkohas, swifts, swallows, bee-eaters, kingfishers, shrikes, pipits, larks, prinias, tailorbirds, fantails, starlings, weavers, and munias. A picnic breakfast will be served during the safari. In the afternoon, enjoy a birdwatching walk near Tissa Lake and Debarawewa Lake.
Day 11: Sinharaja Rainforest
Drive to Deniyaya and join an afternoon trek in Sinharaja Rainforest, an ideal spot for bird photography.
Day 12: Departure
Transfer to the airport for your departure.