Best birding holiday we have ever had; fantastic, exciting, very enjoyable and worry free

April and Bill Goudie with Sandun and Silva

23 February – 8 March 2014
PEACE BEGINS WITH A SMILE

My husband and I have just returned from a two week birding tour with Walkwithjith.com, the trip was fantastic, possibly the best birding holiday we have ever had.  Jith’s attention to detail made the trip exciting, very enjoyable and worry free.  Everything was organised for us, all the accommodation,  travelling, entrance to bird reserves and even the supply of bottled water for the duration of the trip.  All the accommodation was good, clean rooms and good food, friendly service and wonderful people.  Our forays into the National Parks and the Sinharaja Rain Forest was also organised - Jeep Safari and Sinharaja trackers, and even a trip to a tea factory, all costs included in the total cost of the trip.  Our bird guide was a wonderful man, very knowledgeable and helpful, friendly and amusing, Sandun Jayawardene is highly recommended by us, also is the driver assigned to us - known only as Silva, again a lovely friendly man, who will do anything for you to help you enjoy the trip - a good steady driver, but more than a driver, he too is highly recommended by us.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful place, with beautiful people and we would recommend anyone to visit, however for birders, this place is somewhere that cannot be missed, it was our first visit and we saw over 150 new species of bird, mostly thanks to Sandun, but the birdlife is incredible, wildlife also, we saw giant squirrels, land and water monitors, marsh crocodiles, elephants, toque monkeys, grey languor’s, purple faced leaf monkeys, wild boar and even a leopard.  We arrived on 23rd February and left on the 9th March, the weather was wonderfully sunny and hot, with only the occasional shower.  Leeches were present in the forest, much to my horror, but they really were not a problem, and to spend a couple of nights at Martin’s Lodge with it’s clean but basic facilities, has to be experienced, to sit in the dining area looking out over the forest and listening to the monkeys calling to each other, watching the bats in the evening chasing moths, was a wonderful experience.

The whole trip was just the best.  Treat yourself, go to Sri Lanka, but make sure you go with Walkwithjith.com

April & Bill Goudie
March 2014.