Day 1Arrive in Sri Lanka, to be met at the airport by Red Dot. Transfer to Ranweli Holiday Village just 30 minutes from the International Airport on a coastal wetland estuary. A short ferry ride across a scenic river glides you to the hotel situated in a peninsula surrounded by two rivers, a lagoon and the Indian Ocean. After resting, much adventure awaits: take a boat ride into the Muthurajawela marshes and the serene waters of the Negombo Lagoon. These wetlands cover an area of about 6,000 hectares inclusive of the Negombo lagoon. The daily high tide brings in seawater from the ocean into the wetland. Continuous mixing of these two waters over thousands of years, has led to a brackish, integrated coastal ecosystem that is biologically diverse and teeming with life. A variety of mangroves and other types of flora including medicinal plants; numerous types of birds, butterflies and fish, some of which are endemic, are found in this habitat. Crocodiles, monitor lizards, and Sri Lanka’s largest snake – the Python, is also found here.

Day 2 & 3After breakfast head north along the coast to the Mudhouse, an eco-retreat located in the North West district of Puttalam. Turning off at the main road at Anamaduwa, along a gravel road, amidst a jungle thicket shaded by Tamarind trees, is the Mudhouse – a village style escape where guests stay in wattle and daub huts, eat traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry cooked over a hearth and share the surrounding wilderness with birds, butterflies, and buffalo. The surrounding areas offer many interesting and adventurous activities. The lake adjacent to the Mudhouse is ideal for swimming or bird watching. The Paramankanda Rock Temple, just minutes away from Mudhouse, has ancient frescoes, rock inscriptions and Buddha statues that are being studied by the Archeological Department. Explore the surrounding village and experience rural village life. Visit the Annaiwilundawa wetland sanctuary with its seven tanks are recognized as some of the most important habitats for both resident and migratory birds. These wetlands are also some of the most important nesting sites for water birds such as the Asian Open-bills, Painted Storks, all specie of Egrets, Little Indian & the endangered Great Cormorants, Spot-billed Pelican and Black-headed Ibis. This wildlife sanctuary is also very good for Butterfly and Dragonfly watching.

Day 4, 5 & 6This morning you head to Sigiriya situated within the Cultural Triangle. Stay two nights at Back of Beyond Pidurangala, an eco retreat situated at the base of the gigantic Pidurangala and a few minutes away from the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Back of Beyond is a birders’ paradise with over 100 species of birds including several endemics. Spotted deer, sambur, and even the occasional wild elephant can be spotted in these jungles, if you’re lucky. Take an early morning jungle trek up Pidurangala rock accompanied by the naturalist. Sigiriya rock fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is just a ten minute walk down the road. Built in the 5C AD by king Kasyapa as a fortress-palace, Sigiriya is one of the most dramatic, inspiring and beautiful historical locations in the world. Worthy of being called the eighth wonder of the world, Sigiriya astounds many with its staggering ancient engineering on and around the cliff face and sweeping views from the summit. Visit the recently opened Sigiriya archeological museum situated nearby.

The surrounding Sigiriya sanctuary is home to numerous species of birds including the Orange-headed Thrush, Purple Sunbird, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Asian Paradise Flycatcher, White-rumped Shama and Shahin Falcon. Look for the rare Blue-eared Kingfisher around the Sigiriya Moat. You can also get a chance to see all three types of Primates here: the dry zone race of the endemic Toque Monkey, Purple-faced Leaf Monkey and the Grey Langer. When climbing the Sigiriya Rock Fortress look out for the Shaheen Falcon (sub species of the Paragin Falcon) hawking for House Swifts close to the Rock.

After an early breakfast the next day, leave for Ritigala, a walk on hilly terrain. Remains of an ancient monastery can be seen on the hillside, as well as several drip- ledge caves with pre-Christian inscriptions. Picnic lunch is optional at the site. Ritigala is a refuge area for many threatened species. You could see spot-winged thrush, jungle fowl, grey hornbill, and mammals including sloth bears, elephant and lizards. Ritigala is a wet-zone forest found in the dry zone and 110 documented trees are found here.

Wake up early the next day, preferably before dawn armed with a picnic breakfasts, for a morning safari at Minneriya National Park - an important wetland park feeding thousands of hectares of paddy fields and supporting many aquatic birds and about 300 wild elephants. This 8,890 hectare park of dry evergreen forest, scrub jungle, and grassy plains are dominated by the Minneriya Tank. During the dry season in August/September, herds of upto 150 elephants can be seen here.

Day 7 & 8Journey to Sri Lanka's hill capital - the small lakeside city of Kandy to Elkaduwa and check into the Hunnas Falls Hotel. The hotel enjoys one of the most scenic settings in Sri Lanka. Explore the surrounding mountains and the wilderness. There are several nature trails that take you along lakes, forests, open pastures, tea estates, and to the summit of Mount Hunnas Giriya. A six-hour trek to and from Hunas Falls Hotel to the peak of the Hunnas Giriya range, 4642ft above sea level, provides one of the finest walking experiences in Sri Lanka. You will walk along an estate road, crossed by several waterways, through scattered villages, tea estates, forest plantations and grasslands. The summit of Hunnas Giriya is 4642 feet and, above 4,000 feet, as the tea estates recede, the steep-sided slopes are covered by forest. Picnic lunch is optional. A shorter 8km trek can also be arranged, if preferred, to Simpson’s Forest. Return to the Hotel (Hunas Falls) for your overnight stay. Waterproofs and walking shoes are advisable.

Experience the ancient Kandyan heritage with a visit to the Temple of the Tooth were a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined Buddha is enshrined since 4th Century A.D. The temple has decorative walls, a golden roof and fine woodwork. Religious services (pooja) are held daily at dawn, midday and dusk. The services are accompanied with traditional music and drumming. We also recommend a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens with over 60 hectares of tranquil, immaculately designed lawns, borders, pavilions and plant houses, including a famous orchid selection.

Day 9 & 10After breakfast, leave for Haputale, a small village in the southern highlands perched on a ridge with magnificent sweeping views. Check in to Kelbourne Mountain View Cottages for your three nights stay. The views from Kelburne extend over five provinces including the eastern, southern, Sabaragamuva and Uva province which are the central highlands. On a clear day much time can be spent identifying the many large water bodies that can be seen at a distance including the Uda Walawe, Handapangala and Tissamaharama reservoirs and several mountain peaks including the highest, Pidurutalagala, which stands 7,400 feet above sea level. Trek through the Kelburne Tea plantation, from the tea leaf weighing station just at the entrance to the Cottages to the factory where you will gain insight into the manufacturing process as well as an opportunity to taste and purchase the different grades of Ceylon Tea. Take a train journey from Haputale to Idalgashena and take a walk back through villages and tea plantations. En route, visit the Tangamalai Bird Sanctuary home to numerous species of birds and butterflies. Adisham, a Benedictine Monastery, and several waterfalls including Dunhinda, Diyaluma, and Ravana Ella are all located nearby in the towns of Haputale and Ella. Visit the Hortain Plains National Park. An early mooring start is advisable for you to see more of the nature. Drive up to Horton plains to start the 8km trek. Trek through the jungle and, with our expert advice, sample edible jungle berries. This stark yet scenic landscape includes wild orchids, scarlet rhododendron, stunted trees with 'old man's beard' moss, dwarf marsh bamboo, stobilanthes, which bloom once every ten years, tree ferns, and many rare and endemic species of butterflies. Birds include jungle fowl, babblers, magpies, the Ceylon hill muniya, bull-blue flycatcher, pied bush chat, and the Sri Lanka whistling thrush. This national park is the only one in Sri Lanka where walking is allowed. You may see sambur deer (more than 3000 live on Horton Plains), and monkeys, squirrels, wild cats and wild boar. Sample the famous view at 'World's End' where the escarpment drops 3000 ft. to the 'Nagrak' tea estate and take a look at Bakers Waterfall. After lunch, the more energetic may wish to conquer Totapola, the third highest mountain in Sri Lanka (7746 ft.), which adds about 6km to the 8km Horton Plains trek.

Day 11 & 12After a restful time at Kelbourne Cottages savouring the wonderful views, leave first thing in the morning for Yala, the national park at Sri Lanka's southeast tip. En-route visit Buduruvagala to see Sri Lanka's tallest rock-cut Buddha statue, 51 ft. in height, and other Mahayana Buddhist statues dating back to the 8th-century AD. Close to Buduruvagala you could visit the Handapangala Tank, a watering hole for Yala elephants in the summer months (you may consider organising a picnic lunch with the hotel before your departure). In the afternoon check into Yala Village for your two nights stay.

At dusk, visit the Yala National Park located nearby. With a total protected area of 126,768 hectares, Yala consists of scrub plains, lagoons and rocky sections and offers the broadest cross-section of the country’s flora and fauna. In terms of game-viewing this is probably the best place to see all of the ‘big three’: elephant, leopard and water buffalo. It is estimated that Yala is home to about 35 Leopard making it one of the world's densest leopard populations. However, they are not always easy to spot. Countless other animals including sloth bear, deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and numerous species of birds can also be seen.

Visit the serene and tranquil town of Tissamaharama (or “Tissa” as it is most frequently referred to), which was the capital of the ancient Ruhunu Kingdom in the 2nd century B.C. Tissa is dominated by lakes and gigantic Buddhist Dagobas (temples), lush green paddy fields and lotus-filled lakes attracting many species of water birds including cormorant, purple heron, Caspian tern and the painted stork.

Day 13 & 14Rise early to head for the Sinharaja rain forest, a large reserve of virgin rainforest that contains a vast wealth of biodiversity and is home to endemic birds and flora. Check into the Rainforest Edge – a tranquil eco retreat for your two nights stay. Moist and muggy, murky and mysterious – an experience of Sinharaja is like nothing else in Sri Lanka. Trekking through this magnificent tropical jungle – the last surviving stretch of virgin rainforest on the island – you should be ready to pour with sweat as they make their way through a bewildering land of exotic colours and wonderful sounds. From top to bottom the forest is teeming with life whether it be gushing waterfalls, gurgling streams, ants marching, leaves rustling, leeches waiting (you’ve been warned!), crickets creaking or butterflies fluttering by. Apart from the very distinct atmosphere, which is created by this great cacophony of noise and movement, Sinharaja is particularly renowned as a hotspot for bird life. There are 140 bird species seen here during a calendar year including 34 out of 36 species endemic to Sri Lanka. And should your tracker manage to find you one of the ‘mixed hunting flocks’ all you will need to do is stand and savour. Roads around the area are not renowned for their quality and although it requires a certain amount of dedication to get yourself there, this is partly what protects the place and makes for a relatively exclusive experience.

Day 15Today you head back to the capital city of Colombo for your final night. Check into Villa Talangama, a luxurious villa set on a quiet lakeside, in the suburbs of Colombo. The villa setting is best described as a 'village in the city' surrounded by paddy fields, a lake and birds everywhere perched on the veranda, on trees, and on the buffalo that relax on the lakeside. The surrounding Talangama wetlands is a birder’s paradise with over 45 species of birds inhabiting this area including Purple Swamp hens, Pheasant-tailed Jacanas, White-breasted Water hens and Spotted Doves, along with the endemic Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys, water monitors and numerous species of butterflies.