General Tour Information
Note: The information presented here is an abbreviated version of our formal General Information for Tours to Sri Lanka. Its purpose is solely to give readers a sense of what might be involved if they take this tour. Although we do our best to make sure what follows here is completely accurate, it should not be used as a replacement for the formal document which will be sent to all tour registrants, and whose contents supersedes any information contained here.
TRAVEL TO LONDON: This tour is organized by our British company, Sunbird, and starts and ends in London. The cost of the group flights between London and Colombo, Sri Lanka, is included in the tour cost. We strongly recommend that you join the tour in London, as that removes a range of possible problems that might occur if you attempt to meet the group in the tour country. You can choose, however, to make your own travel arrangements to Colombo. You would receive a corresponding discount in the tour cost should you decide to do this. Please read the Important Travel Information for Participants on Sunbird Tours.
ENTERING SRI LANKA: A passport and onward/return ticket and proof of sufficient funds are required. A no-cost visit visa, valid for 30 days, will be granted at the time of entry into Sri Lanka to bona fide tourists and business travelers. Yellow fever and cholera immunizations are needed if arriving from an infected area.
SRI LANKA MAP AND COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can view maps of Sri Lanka in the University of Texas series here. You can review the U.S. Department of State background notes on Sri Lanka here.
CLIMATE: Sri Lanka enjoys a tropical climate. The northeast monsoon will just be finishing when we arrive, so some rain can be expected. At this time of year rain showers rarely last more than an hour or two, but they can be very intense. Most of the time the weather should be hot, with a day-time maximum around 31°C (87°F) and nighttime lows around 23°C (73°F). This will vary according to our elevation, and we can expect a couple of colder mornings and evenings in the highland areas. The humidity will also vary, being as high as 80% in some parts of the wet zone but lower in the dry zone.
PACE OF TOUR AND DAILY ROUTINE: This tour is not a particularly strenuous one, and although there are a few long walks, these are generally not very arduous and can be tackled by anyone with a reasonable degree of fitness. At Kitulgala we have to cross the River Kelani in a small dugout canoe ferry.
There are some very long days on this trip, with some very early starts and a couple of evening night-birding options. Long days are particularly the case at the start of the tour, when we are at Kitulgala and, especially, on the day we visit Sinharaja, where our hotel (the only one available) is some distance away from the reserve, and we have to set out at around 4:30am to be sure of reaching the reserve for dawn, which is when the birds are most active. There will also be a few days when we stay out after dark to look for night birds. There will be several days where we take a break during the heat of the day.
HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control recommends a malaria preventative. It is very important that you consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which malaria medication is best for you. The CDC also recommends up-to-date vaccinations against typhoid, polio, and Hepatitis A. It is also worth checking that you are adequately protected against tetanus. As some of these inoculations cannot be given concurrently, you should contact your doctor right away to obtain advice about when to start your treatment. You can review the latest CDC advisories here.
ACCOMMODATION: We’ll be staying in a variety of hotels and government rest houses. Hotels such as the ones in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, and Ratnaloka are large modern hotels with excellent facilities and swimming pools. Probably the most basic accommodation is the Rest House at Kitulgala; some of the rooms at the Centuria Inn at Embilipitiya are also basic. These have seen better days but are still more than adequate for our needs. All rooms have private bathrooms and most have air conditioning or fans.
FOOD: Sri Lankan food consists of a variety of dishes served in individual bowls from which you help yourself. Although spices are widely used, only a few of them are very hot. Deepal will advise if you are in doubt. Vegetarians are well cared for. Western or “Continental” food is served some days and is usually available as an option. Traditionally Sri Lankans eat with their fingers, but cutlery is provided for visitors.
TRANSPORT: Transportation between sites is by air-conditioned bus. At three national parks we travel around in large jeeps.
SMOKING: Smoking is not allowed in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, we ask that you do so well away and downwind from the group. If any site where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail.
GENERAL INFORMATION AND CONDITIONS FOR WINGS AND SUNBIRD TOURS: Please take a moment to read the WINGS General Information & Conditions. This section contains important information about how we conduct tours, e.g., what is included in the tour price, refund and cancellation policies, pace of the tours, and other information that will help you prepare for the tour.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A more detailed General Information for Tours to Sri Lanka will be sent to each registrant on receipt of their deposit. Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel address, etc. and your air tickets will be sent to you about three weeks before the tour starts. Other news will be communicated as necessary. If you have any questions about any aspect of the tour, please contact us.
MAP: View Tour Map
NOTE: Viewing this map requires Adobe Acrobat Reader. Most recent computers have this software in place. If yours doesn’t and you wish to obtain the Reader, go to Adobe’s site to download.
Updated: August 2008