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A White-throated Kingfisher perched above the water in the Knuckles range
Knuckles Mountain Range · Sri Lanka

Birdwatching in the Knuckles Mountains

Birds, nature, consciousness. Discover the birdlife of Sri Lanka from inside the forest, not from the edge of it.

12 to 22 January 202711 days, 10 nights
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Welikande sits within the Knuckles Conservation Forest, part of the Central Highlands of Sri Lanka UNESCO World Heritage property.

Although the range covers a small fraction of the island, it holds a remarkable share of its biodiversity: around 128 bird species, 17 of which are found nowhere else on earth.

The reason is habitat. In a short walk you pass from semi-evergreen forest with tall trees in the valleys, through tropical montane rainforest on the upper slopes, into cloud forest at the top. Each layer holds different birds.

We walk with local guides who know these routes and these calls. Mornings begin before dawn, which is when the forest species are most active.

A guided group scanning the ridge line for endemic species
12 to 22 January 2027

Birds, Nature & Consciousness

Explore mountains, forests, jungle, lakes and wildlife with our professional local guides. Accommodation, meals, guides, transport and excursions are all arranged.

Length
11 days, 10 nights
Sharing a room
USD 2,500 per person
Single room
USD 2,700 per person
  • Two licensed guides, and 13 endemic species on the list
  • Accommodation, three meals a day and transport included
  • Small group, so everyone gets the scope
Ask about this expeditionSee the day by day
Your own group

Bring your own group

If you lead birdwatching trips, we can host your group and take care of accommodation, meals, guides, transport and excursions.

Talk to us about a group
Day by day

Eleven days, from Welikande to Polonnaruwa and back

Routes and birding sites are chosen each day by the guides, according to the season, the weather and the birds.

  1. WelikandeDays 1 to 4 · 4 nights
  2. WasgamuwaDay 5 · 1 night
  3. PolonnaruwaDays 6 to 7 · 2 nights
  4. WelikandeDays 8 to 10 · 3 nights
  5. DepartureDay 11
Scanning the ridge line with binoculars
Days 1 to 4

Welikande and the Knuckles

Day 1 · Tue 12 JanArrival at Welikande and openingNight at Welikande
  • Arrival at Welikande, room allocation and time to rest and acclimatize.
  • Opening gathering, group introductions, program overview and briefing.
  • Short guided breathing and relaxation practice followed by free time to enjoy Welikande.
Day 2 · Wed 13 JanYoga, Sri Lankan cooking and night birdingNight at Welikande
  • Morning yoga.
  • Sri Lankan cooking experience featuring local spices and traditional dishes, followed by a shared meal.
  • Free time and traditional or Ayurvedic massage.
  • Evening: night birding and wildlife
  • An evening excursion with the guide in search of nocturnal birds and other wildlife. The exact location, departure time and route are chosen by the guide according to seasonal conditions, weather and current wildlife activity.
Day 3 · Thu 14 JanGomara: birding, nature and Saree Ella WaterfallNight at Welikande
  • Early departure for birding in the Gomara area, one of the successful locations of the previous expedition.
  • Birding through mountain habitats, forest and local vegetation, with opportunities for observation and photography.
  • Saree Ella Waterfall
  • A beautiful waterfall in the Gomara and Bambarella area of the Knuckles region, reached by vehicle followed by a short walk. A gentle nature experience, without a strenuous hike.
  • The exact route and birding locations are chosen by the guide according to conditions and current bird activity. Return to Welikande for rest and afternoon yoga.
Day 4 · Fri 15 JanKnuckles birding dayNight at Welikande
  • A full day of birding in the Knuckles region.
  • Exploration of forest, open landscapes and different mountain habitats.
  • The day also includes a visit to the Buddhist temple with gardens recommended after the previous expedition.
A White-throated Kingfisher on a branch above the water
Days 5 to 7

On the road: Wasgamuwa and Polonnaruwa

Day 5 · Sat 16 JanWasgamuwa National ParkNight at Wasgamuwa area
  • Early departure from Welikande towards Wasgamuwa.
  • Birding on the way and around the national park area.
  • Afternoon safari in Wasgamuwa National Park with a focus on birds, Asian elephants and other wildlife.
Day 6 · Sun 17 JanWasgamuwa to PolonnaruwaNight at Polonnaruwa
  • Early morning birding around Wasgamuwa, then on towards Polonnaruwa.
  • Afternoon birding around reservoirs, wetlands, agricultural areas and other aquatic habitats.
Day 7 · Mon 18 JanPolonnaruwa: a full birding dayNight at Polonnaruwa
  • Early morning birding beginning around sunrise.
  • A full day dedicated to birding across the habitats of the Polonnaruwa region: reservoirs, wetlands, woodland and open agricultural landscapes.
  • The day also includes a visit to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, combining birding and nature with Sri Lanka's cultural and historical heritage.
A tea picker at work in the plantations, on the cultural tour
Days 8 to 11

Back at Welikande, and departure

Day 8 · Tue 19 JanMorning birding and return to WelikandeNight at Welikande
  • Early morning birding in the Polonnaruwa area, then return to Welikande.
  • Afternoon rest and recovery after three nights away. Evening yoga.
Day 9 · Wed 20 JanSeven Gaps: forest walk and tea countryNight at Welikande
  • Morning departure for the Seven Gaps area.
  • A forest walk of about 5 km through the mountain landscape, with opportunities to observe birds, small mammals, endemic lizards and the surrounding natural environment. The distance can be adjusted to the group's energy and interest, and extended if conditions and time allow.
  • Lunch in a local village.
  • 15:30 Visit to a tea factory, with an explanation of how tea is produced.
  • 16:30 Return to Welikande. 17:30 Evening yoga.
Day 10 · Thu 21 JanBirding, nature and closingNight at Welikande
  • Final sunrise birding around Welikande.
  • Later, a visit to local craftspeople combined with a nature and waterfall experience, according to the selected route.
  • Time for massage and relaxation.
  • Review of the bird and wildlife species observed during the expedition.
  • Final sharing and closing gathering.
Day 11 · Fri 22 JanDeparture
  • Breakfast and final time at Welikande.
  • Transfer to the airport according to the flight schedule.
The head guide and his assistant, on a ridge of the Knuckles
Your guides

Your head guide and his assistant

Your expedition is led by a veteran head guide with about 20 years of experience, with his assistant.

He is widely appreciated for his deep knowledge of the local flora and fauna, from birds to lizards, as well as spice plants and the villages of the region. He guides across the Knuckles Mountain Range and the surrounding area near Kandy.

What you might see

Thirteen of the birds on this list live nowhere else on earth

This is the list our guides look for on these routes. It is not a promise of sightings: birds are wild, and the best mornings come with patience.

  • Sri Lanka Blue MagpieUrocissa ornata
  • Yellow-eared BulbulPycnonotus penicillatus
  • Spot-winged ThrushGeokichla spiloptera
  • Dull-blue FlycatcherEumyias sordidus
  • Sri Lanka Whistling ThrushMyophonus blighiBest at dawn
  • Sri Lanka Bush WarblerElaphrornis palliseri
  • Layard's ParakeetPsittacula calthrapae
  • Sri Lanka Hanging ParrotLoriculus beryllinus
  • Sri Lanka Grey HornbillOcyceros gingalensis
  • Crimson-backed FlamebackChrysocolaptes stricklandi
  • Sri Lanka Green PigeonTreron pompadora
  • Black-capped BulbulRubigula melanicterus
  • Sri Lanka Scimitar BabblerPomatorhinus melanurus
  • Black EagleIctinaetus malaiensis

Found nowhere else on earth. The other birds on the list are seen elsewhere in Sri Lanka or beyond. All are seen at any time of year, unless noted.

In the field

What a morning looks like, and the birds you may meet

Click any photograph to see it large.

Scanning the ridge line with binoculars
Scanning the ridge line with binoculars
Watching from the covered hide above the valley
Watching from the covered hide above the valley
Photographing from the edge of the paddy fields
Photographing from the edge of the paddy fields
A giant squirrel in the canopy above the estate path
A giant squirrel in the canopy above the estate path
Rice paddies and village houses on the Heeloya trek
Rice paddies and village houses on the Heeloya trek
Cloud filling the valley below the estate at dawn, the mountains standing above it
Cloud filling the valley below the estate at dawn, the mountains standing above it

The birds

A Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot feeding beside a ripening rambutan
A Crimson-backed Flameback, an endemic woodpecker, gripping a mossy trunk in the forest
A Sri Lanka Scimitar Babbler calling from a moss-covered branch in cloud forest
A Black-capped Bulbul, endemic to Sri Lanka, among wet leaves after rain
A Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, endemic to the island, its long tail hanging below the branch
A Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, endemic to the island, catching the first sun in the canopy
A Yellow-eared Bulbul, endemic to the highlands, on a bramble against an open sky
A Black Eagle quartering the forest canopy, wingtips spread like fingers
A white-eye, its eye ringed in white, perched on a thin branch
A drongo watching from a bare branch, its tail deeply forked
Where next
A walker standing on a rock above the Knuckles range

A new adventure every day

A different afternoon every day

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The Knuckles hills above the estate, tea and jungle under a blue sky

Getting to Welikande

45 minutes from Kandy, transfers arranged

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Enquire about birdwatching at Welikande

Join the next expedition, or bring your own group. Our guides will answer your questions directly.

Optional. Many guests prefer to talk on WhatsApp, and so do we.

Our guides answer these directly, usually within a day.

5.080 Google reviews
Every review, unedited, on Google

"A really lovely retreat with knowledgeable yogis and tour guides. Really enjoyed the activities, the food was delicious and the yoga was invigorating and relaxing. Rooms were clean and the beds were comfortable, wish there was more time in the day to enjoy the views!"

Hayley Ward

"Welikande is one of those places that feels like home from the second you arrive. From the delicious home-cooked food, yoga and meditation twice daily, and the fantastic experiences and excursions: massage, pottery, waterfalls. All you need to do is turn up, and the rest is taken care of. Can't wait to go back."

Gemma, who stayed at WelikandeGemma, London

"Arriving at Welikande is like reaching the top of the world. Mountains and lakes as far as the eye can see, and no photo will ever come close. The property is gorgeous, as are the lovely hosts whose hearts and souls are poured into this paradise. The experiences on offer are totally unique. I spent six weeks in Sri Lanka and nothing came close to the unusual daily adventures we had."

Rachel, who stayed at WelikandeRachel, United Kingdom
Next expedition12 Jan to 22 Jan
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