Wednesday 19 August 2015

Birds of Sri Lanka - introduction

Just back from a two week family holiday on Sri Lanka. We booked the family wildlife tour with Tikilanka, via the Responsible Travel Company. The tour took us to a number of locations around the island taking in some keys sites for wildlife including all the main national parks. Summer is not the ideal time of the year to visit but with a 15 and 17 year old, all holidays have to be planned around school exams dates etc. It was a private tour with our own driver/guide, Anura, who was lovely, however, we did not have a specialist birding guide and all the birds seen were self found.  

We flew direct (10.5 hours) over night from London Heathrow to Columbo, and after being met by Anura, had a long 4 hour drive to the start location for our tour. Sri Lanka is 4.5 hours ahead of the UK.

Tour itinerary:

Sigiriya          2 nights - jeep safari in Minneriya National Park
Kitulgala        2 nights - jungle walk
Nuwara Ella   1 night
Beragala         1 night - visit to Horton Plains National Park
Uda Walawe  2 nights - 2 jeep safaris at Udawalawe National Park
Tissa              2 nights - 2 jeep safaris at Yala National Park
Tangalle         2 nights - jeep safari at Bundala National Park (bird sanctuary) & boat safari
Galle              1 night - boat safari

Over 140 species of birds were seen and a wide variety of mammals.  

    
        

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