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SRI LANKA WILDLIFE ADVENTURE

28 Aug—8 Sept 2026

Unearth Adventure invites you to step off the beaten path and uncover the natural wonders of Sri Lanka. This remarkable island stands as a premier destination for wildlife , offering an tantalising blend of diverse landscapes and rich biodiversity. Sri Lanka’s verdant rainforests, national parks, and unique ecosystems provide an ideal setting to observe an incredible range of tropical wildlife. Embark on an immersive journey with opportunities to encounter species such as the Sri Lankan leopard, Asian elephant, sloth bear, purple-faced langur, and a multitude of exotic biodiversity. Your Sri Lanka adventure awaits.

  • DURATION

    12 days / 11 nights

  • PRICE

    From $7,590 (AUD) pp. twin share

  • FITNESS

    Moderate

  • COMFORT

    Mid Range

  • GROUP SIZE

    Max 6 Travellers

DESTINATION OVERVIEW

  • SINHARAJA FOREST RESERVE

    SINHARAJA FOREST RESERVE

    In Sri Lanka’s south west wet zone, Sinharaja protects the island’s last viable tract of primary lowland rainforest, with an 8,864 ha UNESCO World Heritage core nested within a wider rainforest complex now protected at roughly 36,000 ha. A premier birding destination; around 95% of Sri Lanka’s endemic birds have been recorded here, and the famous mixed species “bird waves” can involve 59 species, sustained by a forest where more than 60% of trees are endemic, many rare, and food and habitat complexity runs year round.

  • RUNAKANDA RAINFOREST RESERVE

    Morapitiya–Runakanda delivers rainforest at a human scale, where forest edge, river corridors and deep interior habitats are all within reach on foot, perfect for slowing down and getting intimate with the surrounds. Staying at the Runakanda Rainforest Conservation Centre means you’re hosted by people who live and breathe this place, with close range birding and macro subjects by day, then guided night walks when the forest shifts gears and nocturnal life comes alive.

  • KUMANA NATIONAL PARK

    KUMANA NATIONAL PARK

    In Sri Lanka’s south east dry zone, Kumana is a striking blend of thorn forest, open floodplains, lagoons and mangroves that reads like a safari classic, only quieter and wilder. Its Ramsar listed wetland complex draws dense waves of migratory shorebirds and waterbirds, while time in the park gives strong chances of elephants, leaopards, buffalo, jackals, deer and, if luck holds, a sloth bear slipping through the scrub.

  • HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK

    HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK

    Up in Sri Lanka’s cool central highlands, Horton Plains distils the island’s altitudinal diversity into a single plateau of wind brushed grasslands, mossy cloud forest and peat rich wetlands. It’s a standout for macro and herp photography, with rich frog and reptile diversity, and a real chance of glimpsing the highland purple-faced langur as the plains wake and the mist starts to lift.

  • Touch down in Sri Lanka’s vibrant capital, where you’ll be greeted by Unearth Adventure’s local team. Airport pick up transfer and overnight in Negombo. Enjoy a welcome dinner.

    Meals: Dinner

  • Following breakfast, check-out and overland transfer to Sri Lanka’s south-east coast to Kumana National Park. Free and easy afternoon and overnight in the coastal village of Panama.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Two full day safari in Kumana National Park, with a single entry planned for a longer park experience. Meals are arranged to suit the safari schedule, allowing us to focus on wildlife viewing and photography across wetland and dry zone habitats.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Enjoy a final morning safari in Kumana National Park, check-out and overland transfer to the central highlands of Horton Plains National Park. Overnight in Ambewela.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Two full day visits to Horton Plains National Park with a packed breakfast. We spend the day exploring the plateau’s grasslands and cloud forest edges, with time built in for relaxed walks in search of wildlife and photography.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • After breakfast, check out and overland transfer to the Sinharaja Forest Reserve region. Check-in and spend the afternoon in search of rainforest endemics and mixed species flocks, with pace set by light and activity.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • This day is designed for depth, patience, and strong chances at key avian endemics in primary lowland rainforest of the south-west wet zone. Morning and dusk spent exploring Sinharaja Forest Reserve.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Enjoy a final morning spent in Sinharaja Forest Reserve. Check-out and overland transfer to Runakanda Rainforest Reserve. Afternoon guided rainforest walk and night walk in search of rainforest specialists and nocturnal wildlife.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • Full day based at Runakanda Rainforest Conservation Centre with guided sessions in the morning and afternoon. Local experts will lead the program, with time to focus on rainforest microhabitats, macro photography, and targeted wildlife observations.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  • After breakfast, we check out and transfer to Colombo Airport for onward flights (approximately 4 hours). Your local team will assist with timing and airport drop off to suit flight schedules.

    Meals: Breakfast

DETAILED ITINERARY

Enquire Now

YOUR TRIP LEADS

Your trip leaders, Nick and Sonny Royal, are ecologists, nature photographers, and seasoned adventurers with a deep passion for exploring and sharing Sri Lanka’s remarkable biodiversity. With years of experience working in conservation and nature-based travel across the Indo Pacific, they lead with a calm, science-led approach, helping you read habitat, understand what’s driving wildlife activity, and make sense of the landscapes you’re moving through. With photography always in mind, they’ll also guide you on timing, light, and field craft, so you’re ready when the best moments unfold and you experience Sri Lanka at its best.

WHAT TO EXPECT

The activity level for this trip is rated as moderate, but days can be long. Wildlife runs on its own schedule, so we’re often out at first light and, at times, into the evening to take advantage of the best viewing conditions, including night walks in the rainforest. Daily plans are responsive rather than rigid, shaped by weather, wildlife movements, access, and the group’s energy and interests. If something is happening, we’ll stay with it. If conditions are tough, we’ll ease off.

Most dry zone wildlife viewing is from private safari jeeps, while the highlands and rainforests include short trail walks, guided sessions, macro focused time, and night walks, plus periods of standing while observing or photographing. Walks are typically 2 to 4 hours (around 2 to 5 kilometres) on well formed trails with undulating terrain, often warm and humid in the lowlands and cooler, wetter and wind exposed in the highlands where mist and rain can move through quickly.

We’ve built the itinerary to feel comfortable and unhurried, with lighter scheduling and free time after check in on travel days, and flexibility on non travel days so you can opt in or out and dial the pace up or down.

Accommodation

Our accommodation is hand picked to align with Unearth Adventure’s values: nature first, low impact, and a genuine connection to place. Expect comfortable mid-range stays with a strong nature-based feel, chosen for their setting, access to key habitats, and the kind of quiet atmosphere that suits early starts, late finishes, and time to reset between field sessions.

Across the trip, we include 11 nights across five locations: 1 night near Colombo Airport (Negombo or similar), 3 nights at Wild Edge, Panama (Kumana), 3 nights at The Plains Green (Horton Plains), 2 nights at Martin’s Lodge, Kudawa (Sinharaja), and 2 nights at Runakanda Rainforest Conservation Centre (Sinharaja region).

Adventure Team

Nick and Sonny, your Unearth Adventure trip leaders, will guide the group for the full journey. They’re knowledgeable ecologists, nature photographers, and wildlife enthusiasts, with years of field experience across tropical Asia and Australia, and they’ll support you with practical photography guidance while sharing the ecological context behind what you’re seeing.

You’ll also be joined throughout by Mevan Piyasena, a Sri Lankan naturalist and internationally recognised nature photographer who has guided since 2000 through his company Wild Angles with Mevan. With formal training in wildlife management and tourism, deep roots in Yala, and long running involvement in leopard conservation and identification work through the Yala Leopard Centre, Mevan brings an exceptional level of local insight, from seasonal patterns to individual territories and behaviour. Together, the guiding team blends science, local knowledge, and calm field craft to keep the trip grounded, safe, and focused on meaningful time in nature.

Transportation

This itinerary will start and finish in Colombo and whilst guests are responsible for their inbound and outbound flights, all overland transport will be included in both the itinerary and pricing. If you wish to arrange additional travel not included in the itinerary, your trip leads will be more than happy to recommend convenient transport options.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

  • Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) pick-up/drop-off

  • Overland transfers between destinations

  • All accommodation and meals as outlined in the itinerary, including tea, coffee and water

  • Daily guided activities as outlined in the itinerary

  • All park registration, permits and tourism taxes

  • Entry fees to conservation centres

  • Travel with Purpose conservation donation

WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED

  • International flights to and from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

  • Visas if applicable (please ensure you are aware of any visa obligations)

  • Travel insurance and other insurance

  • Optional extra activities not outlined in the itinerary

  • Additional transport outside of itinerary inclusions

  • Drinks other than tea, coffee and water

  • Tips and gratuities for local nature guides and trip leaders

  • Guidebooks and reference material (trip leaders will have various guides for on-trip use)