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Experience the ultimate bird watching in Sri Lanka with our one-of-a-kind birding tour, taking you across diverse climatic zones to explore and observe some of the island’s most unique avifauna and other natural wonders.
Your tour begins in Kitulgala, where you can encounter fascinating species, including the endemic Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, White-faced Starling, and Green-billed Coucal. Then, visit the virgin Sinharaja Rainforest , a biodiversity hotspot home to 95% of Sri Lanka’s 34 endemic bird species. Udawalawe National Park is another highlight, popular among bird enthusiasts and home to species such as the Red-faced Malkoha and Crested Serpent Eagles, allowing us to “bag” a good number of “dry zone” residential birds.
Tour the Bundala Park , Sri Lanka’s first Ramsar site, hosting 197 bird species.Then explore the renowned Yala National Park, which boasts 215 different bird species and Sri Lanka’s flagship mammals: the Asian elephant, sloth bears, and leopards. On the way to Nuwara Eliya , visit Hakgala , where the endemic Dull-blue Flycatcher is the star attraction of the botanical garden. Witness the awe-inspiring Horton Plains and spend a night in Sri Lanka’s hill capital, Kandy. We will also take you to the KuruluKele Bird Sanctuary in Kegalle to spot any birds you may have missed before unwinding on the sandy beach of Negombo for a final day of relaxation.
Your accommodation will consist of handpicked hotels and glamping sites, designed to minimize travel time and maximize your birding experience. This will allow you to fully enjoy your Endemic Birding Tours Sri Lanka and immerse yourself in the stunning landscapes, comfortable accommodations, and delicious cuisine.
Ideal For: Bird lovers who are eager to explore the wilderness and admire the beauty of these avifauna, especially the endemic birds of Sri Lanka.
Our birding tours are perfect for solo travelers, couples, friends, families with kids and teenagers, and small groups of friends and family.
Join us for an unforgettable journey through the heart of Sri Lanka’s birding paradise and witness the beauty of endemic birds in Sri Lanka . Book your Endemic Birding Tours Sri Lanka today!
Upon your arrival in Sri Lanka, you will be transferred to Kitulgala which was used as a location in the filming of David Lean’s award-winning film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ and is considered one of the island’s most picturesque locations as well as a hotspot for endemic birds. Depending on your time of arrival, you can choose to rest at your hotel, or do a short bird-watching trail with your personal guide and hope to encounter some of Sri Lanka’s endemic bird species including the Orange-billed Babbler and the Chestnut-backed Owlet that have been recorded here.
Accommodation : The Plantation Hotel or Similar
Meals Included : Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy a full-day tour of the Makandawa rain forest in Kitulgala which boasts an impressive list of endemic, migratory and resident birds. Many of the wet zone endemics such as the Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Black-capped Bulbul and the Spot-winged Thrush can be sighted here. Afterwards, you will spend the night close to nature at a comfortable hotel.
Accommodation : The Plantation Hotel or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
After breakfast you will then be taken to the Sinharaja rainforest, which is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Another highlight of this forest is the mixed-species of bird flocks, averaging up to 42 individual species, which make this the world’s largest mixed-species bird flock. The mixed-species bird flock study of the Sinharaja forest has been continuing since 1981 and is considered the World’s longest bird flock study. Birding highlights include: the Red-faced Malkoha, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, White-faced Starling and Scaly Thrush. After lunch, check-in to your hotel in Sinharaja before a bird-watching tour in the forest. We have also planned a night birding trail, where you may spot some of Sri Lanka’s nocturnal species including the Chestnut-backed Owlet and Serendib Scops Owl. Your overnight stay will be at a hotel selected given its close proximity to the forest.
Accommodation : Blue Magpie Lodge or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
Following an early breakfast, enjoy a day of exploration (with packed lunches) in the beautiful Sinharaja rain forest where we will search for more wet lowland forest birds including endemics. Depending on your interest, our guide will also help you to identify many butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles, forest mammals and other wildlife. If you are feeling up to it, you could also do a night-walk along the peripheries of the reserve. At the close of the day, you will spend the night at a hotel close to Sinharaja Forest.
Accommodation : Blue Magpie Lodge or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
Enjoy a pre-breakfast trail before you are taken to Udawalawe where you will check-in at the Glamping Tented Camp. Go on a safari at this 30,821-hectare dry zone game park in Udawalawe, where you may see an array of resident bird species including Grey Hornbills and Brown-capped Babblers, as well as birds of prey such as the White-bellied Sea Eagle and the Crested Serpent-Eagle. This Park is famous for its herds of elephants, seen feeding and bathing at watering holes with their playful calves. Among the migrant birds found here are: the Purple Kingfishers, Forest Wagtails, Indian Pittas, Whiskered Terns, Osprey Sandpipers and Terns. A night-time birding trail is also scheduled for you, after dinner, once you have settled in at the Glamping site in Udawalawe.
Accommodation : Big Game Tented Safari Camp, Udawalawe or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
Early in the morning you will transfer to the Bundala National Park for a special jeep safari. Bundala has been internationally recognized as an important wintering ground for migratory birds. An evening safari at the Yala National Park is organized with a night birding trail and an overnight stay at the glamping Camp in Yala. Boasting the highest leopard population density in the world, the Yala National Park is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts while being widely noted as the best place in the world to film and photograph the Sri Lankan Leopard. At the close of your adventures for the day, you can look forward to your overnight stay at Glamping site in Yala.
Accommodation : Big Game Tented Safari Camp, Yala or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
Venture back into the Yala National Park for a morning safari to see some of the 215 different bird species that reside within the Park. You may be able to spot species such as Barbets, Blue-Breasted Quail and Barred Buttonquail as well as mammals like the Asian elephant, sloth-bears and leopards. Then we will whisk you off to the hills of Nuwara Eliya where on the way you will visit the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, with an array of flowers and plants. You will spend the night at a Nuwara Eliya hotel.
Accommodation : Seasons Villa or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
Before dawn, with packed breakfasts, you will be taken to the Horton Plains National Park in the central highlands of Sri Lanka which is recognized as an Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Horton Plains is home to several resident and endemic species of birds including: the Yellow-Eared Bulbul, Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Bush Warbler and most importantly, the endangered Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush and Scaly Thrush. We should also be able to sight the Sambar Deer and the endemic Purple-faced Monkey. After a late lunch, you will next proceed to the hill capital of Kandy with an overnight stay at a hotel.
Accommodation : Thilanka Hotel or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
In the morning, after a birding trail, your next stop will be Negombo, with the option of visiting Kandy’s cultural sites en route. If there’s time, you may even visit the Kurulu Kele Bird Sanctuary in Kegalle. Kurulu Kele is a protected area of just over 113 hectares where once again you will be able to spot some of the 95 recorded bird species, including 10 endemics, such as the Spur fowl, Yellow-Fronted Barbet, Ceylon Small Barbet and the Legge’s Flowerpecker – that grace the island-paradise. Then you will spend the night at a hotel, before the final day.
Accommodation : Morning Star Resort or Similar
Meals Included : Breakfast | Dinner
We’ve reached the end of your 09-night bird watching holiday to Sri Lanka and it is time to depart. Your chauffeur will take you to Colombo Airport in time to catch your departure flight.
Accommodation : NA
Meals Included : Breakfast
This was an amazing experience from start to finish! We spotted 29 endemics, including the Sri Lanka Hill Myna and the rare Green-billed Coucal. The birding locations were incredibly diverse, from forests to wetlands, ensuring a rich variety of species. The local guides were outstanding at spotting, and our driver-guide was friendly, professional, and always ready to help.
The eco-lodges and small hotels were charming and in beautiful natural settings, which enhanced the experience. While some accommodations could have been more comfortable, that wasn’t our priority—we were here for the birds! A well-planned and highly rewarding trip for any bird enthusiast.
If you love birding, this trip is a must! We saw 30 endemic species, including the stunning Sri Lanka Blue Magpie and Red-faced Malkoha, along with countless other rare birds. The guides were incredibly skilled at locating birds and ensuring we got great views. Our driver-guide was also fantastic, making sure everything ran smoothly.
The accommodations were simple but full of character, with a strong focus on sustainability, which we really appreciated. One small downside was that some of the local guides, while excellent at spotting, had limited English, making detailed discussions difficult. But overall, this was an incredible and well-organized trip that exceeded our expectations.
This was an unforgettable birding experience! Over 10 days, we spotted an impressive 28 out of Sri Lanka’s 34 endemic bird species, including the elusive Serendib Scops Owl and the Sri Lanka Spurfowl. The local guides were exceptional at spotting birds, even in dense forests, and our driver-guide ensured a smooth and well-paced journey.
The accommodations were charming and eco-friendly, perfectly blending into the natural surroundings. While some were quite basic, it was all part of the adventure—we were here for the birds, not luxury! Travel distances between locations were sometimes long, but that’s expected when covering such diverse habitats. Overall, a fantastic tour for any serious birder!
As a solo traveler, I found this tour to be well-structured and a great way to experience Sri Lanka’s birdlife. We saw 27 endemic species, including some really special sightings like the Sri Lanka Thrush and Chestnut-backed Owlet. The expertise of the guides was outstanding—they had an incredible ability to spot birds even in the thickest vegetation.
The only challenge was the long travel distances between some locations, which could be tiring. However, our driver was excellent, ensuring comfortable journeys and making stops along the way when needed. The accommodations were basic in some areas, but the focus here is on birding, and in that aspect, the tour was exceptional!