18 Nov 2025 - 29 Nov 2025 (12 days)
USD3,995 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Ryan Tyrer
Tour price (Per person): USD3,995 * GBP3,189 * EUR3,837 * AUD6,152
Single Supplement: USD670 * GBP535 * EUR644 * AUD1,032
19 Nov 2026 - 30 Nov 2026 (12 days)
USD4,200 - Spaces Available
Tour Leader: Rockjumper Tour Leader TBC
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD4,200 * GBP3,353 * EUR4,034 * AUD6,467
Sri Lanka is a friendly island nation boasting verdant scenery, characterised by terraced tea plantations and forest patches, and blessed with many surprisingly large national parks brimming with game and birds. 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, and potentially even photograph, every single country endemic on a well-planned trip such as this. Overall, the opportunities for photography are some of the finest in Asia making this Bird Photo Tour a ‘must’ for the keen bird photographer! Sri Lanka is also blessed with a fascinating history, vibrant culture and delicious cuisine, making this a truly exotic destination and a pleasure to explore.
Highlights
Sri Lanka Spurfowl; Sri Lanka Junglefowl; Sri Lanka Wood & Sri Lanka Green Pigeons; Green-billed Coucal; Red-faced, Blue-faced & Sirkeer Malkohas; Serendib Scops & Sri Lanka Bay Owls; Spot-bellied Eagle-Owl; Chestnut-backed Owlet; Sri Lanka Frogmouth; 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, Yellow-browed, White-browed & Square-tailed Bulbuls; Sri Lanka & Hill Swallows; Sri Lanka Bush Warbler; Sri Lanka Scimitar, Brown-capped, Orange-billed, Dark-fronted, Tawny-bellied & Yellow-billed Babblers; Ashy-headed Laughingthrush; Sri Lanka White-eye; Sri Lanka & Southern Hill Mynas; White-faced Starling; Spot-winged, Sri Lanka Whistling, Sri Lanka & Pied Thrushes; Dull-blue & Kashmir Flycatchers; Indian Pitta; Black-headed Cuckooshrike; Marshall's Iora; Jerdon's & Indian Nightjars; Slaty-legged Crake; Barred Buttonquail; Small Pratincole; Black-necked Stork; Lesser Adjutant; Black, Cinnamon & Yellow Bitterns; Legge's Hawk-Eagle; Grey-headed Fish Eagle; Malabar Trogon; Malabar Pied Hornbill; Orange Minivet; Loten's Sunbird; Black-throated Munia.
Leopard; Sloth Bear; Purple-faced Langur; Water Buffalo; Asian Elephant; Stripe-necked Mongoose.
Lowland, hill & Montane forest, teak woodlands, lakes, coastal & inland wetlands, mudflats, saltpans
Warm and humid in lowlands, cool in highlands, chance of rain in forest areas
10 with 1 Rockjumper Tour Leader
Mostly undemanding. Suitable for all birding & wildlife interest levels. Comfortable tour for the reasonably fit. A few very early mornings & long days. Optional owling. • Our Bird Photo Tours are a hybrid between our Classic birding tours and dedicated photographic tours. You don’t have to be a professional photographer or have the biggest lens; this is for everyone with an interest in photography and birding. Whether you’re using a bridge camera or the latest body and prime lens, our aims are the same. • These tours are not aimed at seeing the most species possible on the route, rather taking time to photograph key targets and any other interesting species we may find. Naturally, the overall species list will be lower than a comparable birding focused tour. • Whilst we may use blinds, feeders and hide setups on some of these tours, we will not be spending an entire day nor even several hours fixed in one spot. • These tours are suitable for photographers who prefer opportunistic photography over entire days in a hide. • Our leaders will assist in helping everyone secure good photographic opportunities and advise as much as they can on camera setup. However, they are not professional photographic tour leaders.
Comfortable.
Moderate to easy. Most species provide good visuals in open conditions. A few trickier/skulking species. Not unusual to record all endemics on a single tour.
Yala National Park, Sinharaja Rainforest, tea plantations, Horton Plains & surrounding mountains
Generally excellent but no dedicated hides or ad hoc feeders.
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.
Loved Clayton, his bird skills and all-over knowledge of everything.
This was my last hard core birding tour, and I did it so that I could have David Hoddinott as my guide again. He is so very superb and I got quite teary giving him a hug goodbye! I also enjoyed Holly Faithfull a great deal. And our entire group was most delightful.
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.
Clayton is a wonderful addition to the Rockjumper family. I look forward to being on tour with him again. He is highly skilled, friendly and aware of the participant's needs.
Sri Lanka - Weakland 2024 - October 2024
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