THE WILDLIFE OF SRILANKA

Colombo – Sigiriya – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Yala – Sinharaja – Kitugala - Colombo

 Day 1 Travel to Colombo  Day 2 Arrive at Colombo. Drive to Sigiriya. Afternoon animal watching on foot in the surrounding area  Day 3 Morning and afternoon – birding on foot with local guide  Day 4 Today morning you will be driven to Kandy. Afternoon bird watching at Botanical Gardens  Day 5 Today morning driven to Nuwara Eliya. Afternoon birding in the Nuwara Eliya area  Day 6 Today morning drive to the Victoria plains or the Horton Plains area  Day 7 Today morning you will be driven to the Yala National Park. Afternoon jeep safari  Day 8 Morning and afternoon jeep safaris at Yala  Day 9 Morning and afternoon jeep safaris at Yala  Day 10 Today morning you will be driven to Embilipitiya. PM visit Udawalawe sanctuary  Day 11 Morning, driven to Sinharaja. PM birding at Sinharaja National Park  Day 12 Morning till afternoon – birding at Sinharaja National Park  Day 13 Today morning you will be driven to Kitugala. PM birding at Kelani Reserve Forest  Day 14 Morning till afternoon – birding at Kelani Reserve Forest in Kitugala  Day 15 Today morning driven back to Colombo to fly back home

Day 1 Depart the UK to Colombo arriving early next morning.

Day 2 Arrive Colombo & drive to Sigiriya Arrive into Colombo. On exiting the baggage reclaim you will be met by a representative and transferred in an air conditioned vehicle to your hotel in Sigiriya (4 hours drive) Kasappa Lions Rock. Time permitting, you will enjoy a privately guided birdwalk Overnight – Kasappa Lions Rock, Sigiriya – Lunch & Dinner only.

The Sigiriya Rock

Day 3 Sigiriya Today morning till afternoon and later in the evening, you will be exploring the surrounding area on foot looking for mammals like the Rusty Spotted Cat, Ruddy Mongoose, Brown Mongoose, Small Indian Civet, Common Palm Civet, Toque Macaque, Gray Slender Loris, White Spotted Chevrotain and few other mammals. There will be a number of bats that can be found in the near and surrounds of Sigiriya – it depends on your interest in bats that will decide what your leader and guide will try and show you. Searching for bats might mean a bit of trek in the nearby villages of Sigiriya. Overnight – Kasappa Lions Rock, Sigiriya – All meals included.

Day 4 Sigiriya to Kandy After early breakfast – you will be driven to Kandy (3 hours drive). On arrival check in at the Amaya Hills Hotel for an overnight stay. The hotel is located high up on a hill with excellent views of the surrounding areas. After some rest – you will be driven to the Botanical Gardens for an hour or so of birding on foot. After birding you can visit the Temple of Tooth and watch the evening ceremony there. After the ceremony you will be driven back to the hotel. Overnight - The Amaya Hills - All meals included

Day 5 Kandy to Nuwara Eliya Early morning you will stop for a while at the Udawatakele Reservoir looking for the endemic Brown Capped Babbler and few other birds. After that you will be driven to the Nuwara Eliya area (3 hours drive). On arrival at Nuwara Eliya, check in to the Jetwing St. Andrews. After leaving the bags in your hotel, you will drive to the nearby Hortons Plains area looking for endemic birds like the Srilanka Whistling Thrush, Indian Blackbird, Dusky Blue Flycatcher, Yellow Eared Bulbul, Srilanka Wood Pigeon, Srilanka Scimitar Babbler and a few more species. The mammals include Sambar, Toque Macaque, Bear Monkey and some more. There are possibilities of finding a Leopard in this area. Overnight - The Jetwing St. Andrews – All meals included.

Dusky Blue Flycatcher and the Srilanka Junglefowl

Day 6 Nuwara Eliya After breakfast, you will be driven to the Hortons Plain or the Victoria area looking for some of the target mammals and birds of this area. Some birds like the Pied Thrush, Srilanka Whistling Thrush, Indian Blue Robin etc are very shy and might take long time to be found. This area also has a small population of the Kashmir Flycatcher that needs some dedicated searching in this area. The day will be spent in Hagkala Botanical Garden, the Victorian Plains National Park and Hortons Plain National Park – not necessarily in that order. Overnight - The Jetwing St. Andrews – All meals included.

Day 7 Nuwara Eliya to Yala Early morning you will be driven to the Yala village where you will check in to the Leopard Safaris tented camps. After leaving the bags there you will be birding in the near and surrounds looking for birds like the Yellow Wattled and Red Wattled Lapwings, Great Thicknee, Pintail Snipe, House Swift, Crested Treeswift, Asian Paradise Flycatcher and many more. This afternoon you will be driven to the Yala National Park for a jeep safari. The main attraction is the Srilankan race of the Asiatic Leopard. Apart from that Ruddy and Stripe Necked Mongoose, Sloth Bear, Marsh Crocodile, Water Monitor, Asiatic Elephant are some of the other mammals that are expected to be sighted here. After the safari, you will be driven back to the hotel. Evening is at leisure. Overnight – The Leopard Safaris Tented Camps - All meals included

Day 8 Yala National Park The whole day is at Yala with morning and afternoon jeep safaris. You might be driven to the nearby Bundala National Park and the Udawalwe National park as well. These are quieter areas and excellent habitats for a number of key species that can be sighted with relative ease. Mammals include Asiatic Elephant, feral Buffalo, Asian Palm Civet, Ruddy and Stripe Necked Mongoose, Golden Jackal, Sloth Bear, Tufted Gray langur, Toque Macaque etc. And birds include Malabar Pied Hornbill, Brown Fish Owl, Mongolian Sandplover, White Bellied Sea Eagle, Marsh Sandpiper, Srilankan Swallow, White Winged terns etc. Overnight – The Leopard Safaris Tented Camps - All meals included

Stripe-Necked Mongoose and Leopard at Yala

Day 9 Yala National Park Morning and afternoon jeep safaris to Yala National Park – can be altered with Bundala or Tissamharama area as well – this will depend on the interest levels of the guests and the guidance from the local leader. Overnight – Leopard Safaris Tented Camps – All meals included.

Day 10 Yala to Sinharaja National Park Leave in the morning for a long drive to Sinharaja National Park (6 hours drive). On arrival check in at The Rain Forest Lodge for overnight stay. This afternoon explore the Sinharaja Rain Forest with your guide. Overnight – The Rain Forest Lodge – All meals included

Elephant at Yala and The Serendib Scops Owl Day 10 Sinharaja Rain Forest After breakfast you will be driven up to the Sinharaja Rain Forest where you will be birding for the day with your guide. The main targets here include the Serendib Scops Owl, Sri Lanka Woodpigeon, Black-capped Yellow Bulbul, Sri Lanka Crested Drongo, Crimson-backed Flameback, Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Sri Lanka Myna, White-faced Starling, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, Sri Lanka Spurfowl and Sri Lanka Frogmouth. Among mammals you might see the Brown Mongoose and the Purple Faced Leaf Monkey or Bear Monkey. After birding – you will be driven back to your lodge. Evening is at leisure. Overnight – The Rain Forest Lodge – All meals included

Day 11 Sinharaja Rain Forest Whole day – birding in the Sinharaja Rain Forest with your private guide. Overnight – The Rain Forest Lodge – All meals included

Day 12 Sinharaja to Kitugala After breakfast – drive to Kitugala (three hours drive with birding and photo stops) and on arrival check in at the Royal River Resort. Later cross the river using a dugout canoe and start birding in the Kelani Reserve Forest – targets included Black Backed Dwarf Kingfisher, Chestnut Backed Owlet, Indian Pitta, Brown Capped Babbler, Green Billed Coucal, Ceylon Small Barbet, Legge’s Flowerpecker, Srilanka Swallow, Srilanka Hanging Parrot, Srilanka Grey Hornbill, Tawny Bellied Babbler, Orange Billed Babbler and many more. Birding and wildlife-watching will be happening throughout the day and hence it is best to keep the binoculars and the scope nearby. Overnight – The Royal River Resort – All meals included.

Chestnut Backed Owlet

Day 13 Kitugala Whole day at Kitugala with your private bird guide. Overnight – The Royal River Resort – All meals included.

Day 14 Kitugala to Colombo After breakfast, driven back to Colombo (3½ hours) to connect to the flight back home.

PRICE INCLUSIONS: • Accommodation for 12 nights on Twin share basis and meals as specified in the itinerary • Transportation by air conditioned saloon vehicle - mineral water will be provided in the car for Sightseeing and long drives • Porterage fee at the hotel/airports only • Local English speaking guide and entrance fees (single entry) to monuments in the itinerary • All entrance fees, jeep and boat safari charges at the national parks • At each place a local naturalist will be provided

PRICE EXCLUSIONS: • International, visa fees, airport tax or any kind of insurance cover • Drinks and other meals than those mentioned in the itinerary • Tips or gratuities • Any car arrangements on free days • Still and video camera fee at monuments and game parks • Items of personal nature like drinks, laundry, telephone calls, tips, camera fees, etc

TRACKS SAFARIS – WE GET YOU CLOSER TO SRI LANKA