Tour Leader: Rockjumper Tour Leader TBC
Pricing notes : *Prices are estimated and dates may change*
Tour price (Per person): USD4,450 * GBP3,552 * EUR4,279 * AUD7,131
Single Supplement: USD740 * GBP591 * EUR712 * AUD1,186
Embark on an 11-day wildlife and nature adventure through Sri Lanka, beginning with an overnight stay in Veyangoda and a journey to the ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Explore the diverse wildlife in Polonnaruwa and Minneraya National Park, including Asian Elephants and endemic primates. Discover the cultural and natural wonders of Kandy, Horton Plains, and Hakgala Botanic Gardens, where you'll encounter unique bird species and stunning landscapes. Enjoy safaris in Udawalawa and Yala National Parks, home to leopards, sloth bears, and an array of other wildlife. Conclude your adventure with a thrilling whale-watching excursion off the coast of Mirissa before returning to Veyangoda for your departure. This tour offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and exceptional wildlife experiences in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Sri Lanka Whistling Thrush, Sri Lanka Blue Magpie, Crimson-backed Flameback, Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Yellow-eared Bulbul, Dull-blue Flycatcher, Sri Lanka Scaly Thrush, Sri Lanka White-eye
Leopard, Asian Elephant, Sloth Bear, Blue and Bryde’s Whale, Spinner and Bottle-nosed Dolphin, Jungle Cat, Grey Slender Loris, Rusty-spotted and Fishing Cat, Golden Palm, Small Indian and Asian Palm Civet, Eurasian Otter, Ruddy, Indian Grey, Brown and Stripe-necked Mongoose, White-spotted Chevrotain, Indian Porcupine, Tufted Grey Langur, Toque Macaque, Purple-faced Langur, Golden Jackal, Indian Giant Flying Squirrel, Indian Flying Fox, Indian Muntjac, Layard’s Palm Squirrel, Dusky-striped Squirrel
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth, Sigiriya, Horton Plains National Park, Yala National Park, Udawalawa National Park, Mirissa, Polonnaruwa, Minneraya National Park
In December, the tour covers locations in Sri Lanka with a tropical climate, featuring warm temperatures ranging from 22-30°C (72-86°F), with occasional rainfall, particularly in Kandy, Horton Plains, and Yala National Park, while the coastal areas like Mirissa enjoy warm, sunny weather ideal for outdoor activities and wildlife viewing.
8 and 1 Rockjumper Leader
Expect abundant photo opportunities at Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Yala and Udawalawa National Parks, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, and the landscapes of Horton Plains and Minneraya National Park.
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.
Another amazing trip with Rockjumper. The quality of not only the Rockjumper guides but the local guides as well was first class. Travelling with Rockjumper means you basically don’t have to worry about anything other than getting the birds in the binoculars, the guides take care of the rest which results in a really relaxing and enjoyable bird watching trip.
This was a fantastic tour and I attribute its success to the guides, Greg de Klerk and Stu Elsom. They are professional and skilled, both at finding birds and handling people, and I learned a lot from them. We saw all of the endemic bird species and had some great views of game, including a jungle cat. At the beginning of the tour, I thought that a group size of 12 was going to be too many, but I had better experiences seeing birds than I have on tours with half as many participants.
The Sri Lanka Exclusive Tour was awesome. Stephan Lorenz was knowledgeable and worked very hard to get all tour members on the birds. I can highly recommend this particular tour and guide for a super life birding experience.
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.
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