Dave Williams
Well-known member
My latest travel blog is in the writing and you can catch up with it here
http://davewilliamsnaturephotograph...2/sri-lanka-novemberdecember-2015-part-1.html
It might take a while to complete it but I can give a quick overview now.
Sri Lanka offers some great birding, it's inexpensive and it's totally safe. The people are more than accommodating and you get a warm smile wherever you go. Accommodation is easy to find and at all price levels.
Travelling around the island can be done inexpensively by train and bus.To hire a car and driver is not beyond the average pocket but to us it made more sense to get a taxi when needed rather than have a driver sitting around doing nothing.
Wildlife guides are available, in fact mandatory, in all the National Parks. The ones we have had have always been knowledgable but it helps if you request one that is fairly fluent in your own language.
Typical NP entry fee is 3200 rupees per person per day including tax, that's around £15.
Jeep hire appears to cost around 5500 rupees for half a day, 12000 for a full day. Going for a full day to places like Yala is highly recommended as it puts you in the heart of the park before the afternoon trippers arrive. You can apparently take your own vehicle but of the parks I have been to you need a 4x4 and the open topped jeeps provided offer the best viewing. Consequently a day trip for two in a jeep works out at around £85-90 plus a tip.
There are of course many spots which are free to enter so some days will be less expensive than others but overall, with flights from the UK at around £500 per person and accommodation of a high standard available for £60 per night including food and drink for two people I would imagine a budget of around £2500 for two people would give you an outstanding 2 week holiday. Given that organised tours are asking nearly £3000 per person with items like drinks still to consider, going DIY is a no brainer unless you want the company of fellow birders.
My only word of warning is to choose your time of year carefully. Although it's not a particularly large island the monthly climate changes need noting depending on which part you visit. This year the monsoon rain continued well in to December and this meant access to places was severely hindered by flooding or simply horrible wet,slippy clinging mud underfoot in many places you could walk.
Hopefully my blog might both entertain and inform you if you are considering a visit.
Happy Christmas and a fulfilling birding New Year to you all.
Best wishes Dave.
http://davewilliamsnaturephotograph...2/sri-lanka-novemberdecember-2015-part-1.html
It might take a while to complete it but I can give a quick overview now.
Sri Lanka offers some great birding, it's inexpensive and it's totally safe. The people are more than accommodating and you get a warm smile wherever you go. Accommodation is easy to find and at all price levels.
Travelling around the island can be done inexpensively by train and bus.To hire a car and driver is not beyond the average pocket but to us it made more sense to get a taxi when needed rather than have a driver sitting around doing nothing.
Wildlife guides are available, in fact mandatory, in all the National Parks. The ones we have had have always been knowledgable but it helps if you request one that is fairly fluent in your own language.
Typical NP entry fee is 3200 rupees per person per day including tax, that's around £15.
Jeep hire appears to cost around 5500 rupees for half a day, 12000 for a full day. Going for a full day to places like Yala is highly recommended as it puts you in the heart of the park before the afternoon trippers arrive. You can apparently take your own vehicle but of the parks I have been to you need a 4x4 and the open topped jeeps provided offer the best viewing. Consequently a day trip for two in a jeep works out at around £85-90 plus a tip.
There are of course many spots which are free to enter so some days will be less expensive than others but overall, with flights from the UK at around £500 per person and accommodation of a high standard available for £60 per night including food and drink for two people I would imagine a budget of around £2500 for two people would give you an outstanding 2 week holiday. Given that organised tours are asking nearly £3000 per person with items like drinks still to consider, going DIY is a no brainer unless you want the company of fellow birders.
My only word of warning is to choose your time of year carefully. Although it's not a particularly large island the monthly climate changes need noting depending on which part you visit. This year the monsoon rain continued well in to December and this meant access to places was severely hindered by flooding or simply horrible wet,slippy clinging mud underfoot in many places you could walk.
Hopefully my blog might both entertain and inform you if you are considering a visit.
Happy Christmas and a fulfilling birding New Year to you all.
Best wishes Dave.
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! Some beautiful shots again in episode 5! That Flameback is really special and the Tickell's Blue Flycatcher at iso 8000 is incredible. Keep them coming, it's grey and wet here and your stories bring some colour and anticipation!
