Our Sri Lanka birding and wildlife tour takes us to without doubt one of the world's most pleasurable birdwatching and game viewing destinations. This friendly island nation boasts verdant scenery, characterised by terraced tea plantations and forest patches, and is blessed with many surprisingly large national parks brimming with game and birds. These attractions, coupled with a fascinating history and vibrant culture, make this a truly exotic destination and a pleasure to explore. From the central highlands to the rich lowland rainforests, Sri Lanka is one of only a handful of magical destinations where it is possible to see every single country endemic in a well-planned trip such as this, making this extension a ‘must’ for the keen birder!
Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Wood & Sri Lanka Green Pigeons, Green-billed Coucal, Red-faced Malkoha, Serendib Scops Owl, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted & Crimson-fronted Barbets, Red-backed & Crimson-backed Flamebacks, Layard's Parakeet, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Sri Lanka Woodshrike, Sri Lanka Drongo, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Black-capped & Yellow-eared Bulbuls, Sri Lanka Swallow, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler, Sri Lanka Scimitar, Brown-capped & Orange-billed Babblers, Ashy-headed Laughingthrush, Sri Lanka White-eye, Sri Lanka Hill Myna, White-faced Starling, Spot-winged, Sri Lanka Whistling & Sri Lanka Thrushes and Dull-blue Flycatcher.
Leopard, Sloth Bear, Purple-faced Langur, Water Buffalo, Asian Elephant, Stripe-necked Mongoose
lowland dipterocarp forest, teak woodlands, montane forest, lakes, wetlands, mudflats, saltpans
warm in lowlands, cool in highlands, chance of rain in forest areas
8 with 1 Rockjumper leader / 12 with 2 Rockjumper leaders
undemanding
basic to very comfortable lodges and hotels
mostly unchallenging with very few skulky species
+-230
Yala National Park, Sinharaja Rainforest, tea plantations
good
"Both Peter K and local leader were great. Our local leader went so out of his way to find and stake out owls, he'd start roaming the forest at 2 and have reports for us at dawn when we would meet in field. We had all 9 available owls due to his work. He also knew each area so well we found all endemics as he had such intimate knowledge of location and back up sites for each key species. Amazing, he sure pulled some birds out of almost thin air. Sri Lanka Frogmouth, Sri Lanka Bay and Serendip Owls, etc. Also amazing with his knowledge of calls - my guess is Rockjumper has the country's best local guide - keep him happy! The bus was great, more room than we needed but that sure beats the alternative - made the long drives so comfy. Also had WIFI which added a real time killer to travel."
The leadership on this trip was great! Glen Valentine was fantastic as usual. He is very responsive to everyone's needs, and constantly adjusting in response to even casual comments. He is wonderful at spotting and hearing birds up, down, far away, in the dark - wherever they are. I especially appreciated his wizardry with a scope - getting us great views of many birds through impossibly think vegetation. He makes everyone feel comfortable. The local guide Ashoka was absolutely fantastic at spotting, at local expertise, and general natural history background. Some amazing examples, he spotted an Indian Pitta in dark thicket from a moving jeep, and found a clear view of the head of a Legge's Hawk Eagle through thick vegetation that eluded all the rest of us - and then Glen got it in the scope in seconds! Glen and Ashoka were a great team. Ashoka speaks great English and was able to keep in mind what everyone had seen or missed, just as Glen does. Ashoka had great background knowledge on other animals and plants, and was enthusiastic to share.
So much went right on this trip that it is difficult to summarise all of our positive thoughts. One highlight: some of our group had the Sri Lanka Field Guide to birds, while others including ourselves were not able to get it prior to the trip. While en route, we expressed interest in getting this book; soon after the bus pulled over, the guide, Stephan Lorenz, exited to talk to someone, and returned with brand new copies of the field guide for all who needed it. We were flabbergasted! I call that service above and beyond. Everything else worked out very well, from the excellent guiding to the food and accommodations. Thanks again for a great trip experience.
Both Stuart and Greg went all the way to make the group have a pleasant and memorable trip. They both worked hard on ensuring everyone in the group got onto all the birds, and made sure we all were comfortable with our hotels and food.
Rockjumper tour is very well planned, on a good schedule with 2 nights almost everywhere, and local people helping. Andre Bernon was a wonderful and excellent tour leader, listening to us and our needs, very knowledgeable about the birds and their habitat. We would go back with him anytime! He was also of great help for Anne and supported her physically when necessary. As she was the smallest in the group, he always made sure that she could see the birds. Andre was helped perfectly by the very friendly local guide, as well as the driver and his assistant. They all made this first birding tour a wonderful experience and we would not hesitate to choose Rockjumper for another birding tour elsewhere.
21 Nov 2024 - 01 Dec 2024 (11 days)
USD3,395 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: André Bernon
Tour Leader: Nigel Redman
Tour price (Per person): USD3,395 * GBP2,715 * EUR3,164 * AUD5,189
Single Supplement: USD630 * GBP504 * EUR587 * AUD963
21 Jan 2025 - 31 Jan 2025 (11 days)
USD4,495 - 4 Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Carlos Bocos
Tour price (Per person): USD4,495 * GBP3,595 * EUR4,189 * AUD6,871
Single Supplement: USD620 * GBP496 * EUR578 * AUD948
16 Nov 2025 - 26 Nov 2025 (11 days)
USD3,595 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Gregory de Klerk
Tour price (Per person): USD3,595 * GBP2,875 * EUR3,351 * AUD5,495
Single Supplement: USD620 * GBP496 * EUR578 * AUD948
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game (Small Group) 2024 - January 2024
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game 2023 - November 2023
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game (Small Group) 2023 - January 2023
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game 2022 - November 2022
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game (Small Group) 2022 - January 2022
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game 2019 - November 2019
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game Exclusive 2019 - January 2019
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game II 2018 - November 2018
Sri Lanka - Budget Birding Tour 2018 - November 2018
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game I 2018 - January 2018
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game II 2017 - November 2017
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game I 2017 - January 2017
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game II 2016 - November 2016
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game II 2015 - November 2015
Sri Lanka - Endemic Birds & Big Game I 2015 - January 2015
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