Sri Lanka · Bird Watching

Bird Watching Sri Lanka

9 Days Round trip from Colombo Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights
  • 01 9-day bird-watching journey across Sri Lanka
  • 02 Explore Sinharaja Rain Forest and Horton Plains National Park
  • 03 Search for endemic, resident, and migratory bird species
  • 04 Visit Sigiriya Sanctuary and Anawilundawa Wetlands
  • 05 Birding walks in Negombo, Nuwara Eliya, Habarana, and Hakgala
  • 06 Travel with an English-speaking guide in a private A/C vehicle

Discover Sri Lanka’s remarkable birdlife on a 9-day journey through wetlands, rainforests, highlands, and cultural landscapes. From Negombo and Sinharaja to Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains, Habarana, Sigiriya, and Anawilundawa, this itinerary is designed for travellers who want to experience the island’s rich variety of habitats and the many resident, endemic, and migratory species they support.

Enjoy guided bird-watching walks in some of Sri Lanka’s best-known natural areas, including Sinharaja Rain Forest, Horton Plains National Park, Victoria Park, Sigiriya Sanctuary, and Anawilundawa Wetlands. Along the way, stay in 3-star and 4-star hotels, travel in an air-conditioned vehicle, and benefit from included breakfasts, selected dinner, airport assistance, and entrance fees to key sites.

Discover Sri Lanka’s remarkable birdlife on a 9-day journey through wetlands, rainforests, highlands, and cultural landscapes.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 9 Days
Tour type Shared
Activity level Easy
Accommodation Included
Transport Included
Wheelchair access Not applicable
Cities Colombo, Negombo, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Habarana, Horton Plains National Park, Sinharaja Forest Reserve
Languages Arabic, English, German

Day by day

The itinerary

9
Day 09

Bird Watching Sri Lanka

Day 01 - Airport to Negombo

  • Meet & greet at the Airport
  • Proceed to Negombo – 20 minutes drive approximately
  • Visit the Negambo City & Beach area
  • Negombo is located approximately 37 km north of the commercial capital of Colombo in Sri Lanka. It is located at the mouth of the Negombo lagoon. The major beach resort on the West Coast is Negombo. The wide sandy beaches and the safe sea are the main attractions of Negombo and it is perfectly located within 7 km from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, Sri Lanka.
  • Overnight at the Hotel Negombo

Day 02 - Negombo to Sinharaja

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Transfer to Sinharaja Rain Forest near Kudawa entrance 
  • Walk for bird watching in a bordering village of Sinharaja Rain Forest to see birds such as Munias, Flower peckkers, sunbirds, fly catchers, Mynas, Babblers, Monarchs, Wobblers, Prinias, Bul Bulls, Wagtails, Drongos, Orioles, Lea, Woodpeckers, barbets, Pigeons, Nuthatchs, Hornbills, Blue Magpie, Owls and Coucals
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Sinharaja

Day 03 - Sinharaja Rain Forest

  • Early breakfast at the guest house
  • Full day bird watching in Sinharaja Rain Forest in search for birds such as Munias, Flower peckkers, sunbirds, fly catchers, Mynas, Babblers, Monarchs, Wabblers, Prinias, Bul Buls, Wagtails, Drongos, Orioles, Lea, Woodpeckers, barbets, Pigeons, Nuthatchs, Trogans, Hornbills, Blue Magpie, Frogmouths, and Coucals
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Sinharaja

Day 04 - Sinharaja to Nuwara Eliya

  • Breakfast at the guest house
  • Morning bird watching village walk by the border of Sinharaja Rain Forest to see birds such as Munias, Flower peckers, sunbirds, fly catchers, Mynas, Babblers, Monarchs, Wabblers, Prinias, Bul Buls, Wagtails, Drongos, Orioles, Lea, Woodpeckers, barbets, Pigeons, Nuthatchs, Hornbills, Blue Magpie, Owls and Coucals
  • Proceed to Nuwara Eliya 
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Day 05 - Nuwara Eliya

  • Proceed to Horton Plains National Park 
  • Early morning bird watching walk in Horton Plains National Park to see bird such as Pigeons, Parrots, Barbets, Minivets, Cisticolas, Priniyas, Green Wabblers, Thrushes, Chats, Flycatchers, sunbirds, flower peckers, bul buls and White Eyes (Picnic breakfast will be provided during the walk)
  • Proceed back to Nuwara Eliya 
  • Afternoon bird watching walk in Hakgala Botanical Garden to see birds such as Mainas, Bul buls, Pigeons, Parrots, Woodpeckers, Shrikes, Blue Magpie, Drongos, Prinias, Warblers, Mynas, Thrushes and flycatchers
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Day 06 - Nuwara Eliya to Habarana

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Bird watching walk in Victoria Park Nuwara Eliya to see birds such as Parrots, Pigeons, sunbirds, flower peckers, fly catchers, Chats, Thrushers, Wabblers, and Wagtails
  • Proceed to Habarana 
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Habarana

Day 07 - Bird Watching Sigiriya and Habarana

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Morning jungle walk in Habarana to see birds such as migratory birds, resident birds, eagles, water birds, swifts and swallows
  • Late afternoon bird watching in Sigiriya Sanctuary to see endemic birds, migratory and resident birds, eagles, water birds, swifts, swallows, and Falcons
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Habarana

Day 08 - Habarana to Negombo

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Morning bird watching in Sigiriya Sanctuary to see endemic birds, migratory and resident birds, eagles, water birds, swifts, swallows and Falcons
  • Transfer to Anawilundawa 
  • Afternoon bird watching in Anawilundawa Wetlands which is one of the two most important birding sites in Sri Lanka named by RAMSAR. In Anawilunda Wetlands you would be able to see birds types such as Cormorants, ducks, egrets, herons, storks, eagles, terns, swallows, swifts, kingfishers and other resident birds
  • Overnight at the Hotel in Negombo 

Day 09 - Departure Sri Lanka

  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Transfer to Airport for departure 

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map
Round trip from Colombo 7 cities · 9 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

  • Accommodation at 4 * and 3 * Hotels with Breakfast for 08 Nights.
  • Entrance Fees - Sinharaja, Sigiriya, Horton Place
  • Dinner at Sinharaja Rain Forest
  • Transportation in A/C Vehicle with English speaking guide for the entire stay and tours
  • Meet and assist at the Airport on arrival and departure transfers
  • All Govt. Taxes and Surcharges

What's Not Included

  • Any tours to cities not mentioned above
  • Any other services not mentioned above

Know before you go

  • Hotel Check In and Check Out Times
    Check-in time: 2pm
    Check-out time: 12 noon
  • A flexibility of 2 or 3 hours early check in and late checkout could be arranged if hotel do not have high occupancy.
  • Please Note, all rates quoted are in US Dollars (US$) and are non-commissionable. The rates in this document are subject to change/revision based on any increase / decrease in the hotels’/suppliers’ rates or the taxes imposed by the government.
  • IMPORTANT
  • The consumption of alcohol during “Poya Days” at bars, clubs and other public areas of the hotel and operation of similar forms of entertainment establishments is prohibited by law in Sri Lanka. It is recommended that clients contact the Reception to obtain their respective formalities during their holiday.
  • All transfer times mentioned above are subject to variations depending on traffic flow and road conditions.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point
Colombo, LK
Tour start
Colombo, LK
Tour ends at the same location as the start point.
End of the journey

Your 9 days finish where they began, in Colombo.

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