sri lanka - mass audubon · sri lanka is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich...

Mass Audubon Travel | massaudubon.org/travel | [email protected] | 800-289-9504

The teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka lies in the Indian Ocean just off the southern tip of India. With its golden sandy beaches, azure blue waters, and warm tropical climate, Sri Lanka is a year-round destination for those seeking sun, sand, and sea.

The island has a rich cultural heritage that dates back over 2,500 years to the origins of Buddhism in the country with a legacy of magnificently constructed stupas and the ruins of ancient kingdoms. Controlled from the 16th century onwards by the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the British prior to gaining full independence in 1948, the influences of colonial powers remain visible in architecture and a number of forts across the country.

Sri Lanka is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich variety of endemic flora and fauna, and iconic mammals such as the Asian Elephant, Leopard, and the largest animal ever to have lived on our planet, the Blue Whale. From palm-fringed beaches to scrub jungles and numerous artificial lakes in the lowlands to tropical rainforests, cloud forests, and highlands laden with waterfalls at its center, this resplendent isle is abundant in natural beauty.

Sri Lanka: A Birding, Nature & Cultural History Tour

Leader: Dave Larson February 12-25, 2021

optional extension:

February 25-28

mailto:[email protected]


PACE AND COMFORT: Our days will be quite varied, but we will start

early. Some days will be long and involve a lot of sitting. On Day 7, we

will drive 5–6 hours from the Highlands to Yala National Park on the

coast (we’ll stop to bird along the way). In the afternoon, we will sit

in open jeeps seeking wildlife and birds inside the park. On Day 10,

the day will start with 3 hours inside Udawalawe National Park

watching elephants, and birding. We will then drive 4 hours to

Sinharaja, stop for lunch along the way, and then take a short bird

walk.

There will be walking in Kithulgala at 5000 ft, Horton Plains at 6500

ft, Sinharaja, and on the extension at most sites. The extended walk

to World’s End on the Horton Plains and the climb at Sigiriya are

optional. There are other areas to bird in these locations. The trails

are generally well maintained but very little is paved. In Sinharaja,

especially after rain, we could encounter leeches. Your local guide

will provide leech socks at the initial briefing.

LODGING: The accommodation is a mix of basic in Kithulgala and

Sinharaja, and comfortable in Ranwelli, St Andrews, Yala, Cinnamon

Lodge at Habarana, and in Colombo. All rooms in all properties have

en suite bathrooms. The bathrooms at Kithulgala and Sinharaja will

not have amenities but our local guide will be carrying supplies.

WEATHER: February is after the monsoon season, so most of our

journey should be dry. Sri Lanka is a tropical island, however, so the

Hill Country may get rain at any time.

ABOUT THIS TRIP

1

Polonnaruwa, Toque Macaques by Toby Sinclair

Above: waterfall in hill country by Jehan Kumara ; below: beach near Chenna huts by Toby Sinclair


OPTIONAL EXTENSION


Boat ride on the Dutch Canal through the mangroves to watch a

variety of waterbirds

Birding around Kithulgala and the nearby Kelani Valley Forest

Reserve in search of lowland endemics

Birding in Victoria Park, for highland species and endemics

A visit to Horton Plains National Park for primates, deer,

highland bird species, and endemics

A walk in Hakgala Botanical Gardens for endemic primates and

highland species

Wildlife viewing from jeeps and birding for dry-zone species and

winter migrants at Yala National Park

Safari at Udawalawe National Park for Asian Elephant and dry-

zone birding

Birding in the Sinharaja Rainforest in search of lowland

endemics, mixed species bird flocks, and amphibians

A visit to one of Sri Lanka’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites --

Sinharaja Forest

Experience five of Sri Lanka’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy

Climb the legendary Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa

Observe Sri Lanka’s primates with a local primate

researcher

Explore Anuradhapura, ancient capital of Sri Lanka

HIGHLIGHTS

1

Birding in leech socks in Sinharaja, by Toby Sinclair

Sri Lanka Spurfowl by Toby Sinclair



Day-to-Day Itinerary – Main Trip

2

Common Kingfisher, Dutch Canal

Day 1, Feb 12: Arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport

You will be met on arrival by our local guide and driven to Ranweli Holiday Village in Waikkal, north of Negombo (~1-hour drive). We’ll begin our adventure with a 6 pm briefing followed by dinner together.

Overnight: Ranweli Holiday Village | http://www.ranweli.com/ (D)

Day 2, Feb 13: Birding the Dutch Canal

We’ll enjoy an early morning and late afternoon boat ride along the Dutch Canal, through the mangroves and woodland to watch a variety of waterbirds. We’ll explore the unique ecosystem around the mangroves, including water monitors, butterflies and dragonflies, and indigenous aquatic and terrestrial plants amidst this wonderland. A variety of waterbirds including Gray Heron, Purple Heron, four species of kingfisher (White-throated, Common, Stork-billed, and Pied), Gray-headed Swamphen, Black Bittern, Yellow Bittern, Indian Pond-Heron, Little Cormorant, and Oriental Darter are often seen. Migrant species seen here include Rosy Starling, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Barn Swallow, and the Indian Paradise-Flycatcher. Endemics including the Sri Lanka Swallow and the Crimson-fronted Barbet have been recorded here.

Lunch will be at the hotel. During the day, there will be an opportunity to walk along the beach and look for pelagic birds. The shore is often quiet, but a limited number of terns and gulls will be seen with White-bellied Sea-Eagles and Brahminy Kites overhead.

Overnight: Ranweli Holiday Village | (B,L,D)

Day 3, Feb 14: Kithulgala and Kelani Valley Forest Reserve

In the morning, we’ll depart for Kithulgala (4.5-hour drive). Birding along the way could include the Sri Lanka Swallow, various kingfishers, Brahminy Kite, and parakeets. We’ll check into our hotel before heading out to bird the Kelani Valley Forest Reserve.

The reserve was established to protect the watershed of the Kelani River, home to many of Sri Lanka’s endemic fauna and flora. We’ll access the reserve via a river crossing in dugout canoes and search for lowland endemics. Our target birds here include Sri Lanka Hanging-Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Green-billed Coucal, Chestnut-backed Owlet, Orange-billed Babbler, Spot-winged Thrush, and subcontinental endemics such as the Malabar Trogon and Sri Lanka Frogmouth. It is also one of the few locations where the elusive Serendib Scops-Owl may be seen.

Overnight: Palmstone Retreat (B,L,D)

Day 4, Feb 15: Kelani Valley Forest Reserve

We’ll spend the day birding around Kithulgala and the nearby Kelani Valley Forest Reserve in search of lowland endemics, returning to the hotel for lunch.

Overnight: Palmstone Retreat (B,L,D)

Yellow-eared Bulbul, by S. Ramachandran

Lesser Goldenback morph, by S. Ramachandran


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Day 5, Feb 16: Nuwara Eliya and Victoria Park

In the morning, we’ll head to Jetwing St. Andrews in Nuwara Eliya (3-hour drive) with stops en route to bird in small valleys and streams. After we check in to our hotel, we’ll have lunch there or at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we’ll explore Victoria Park for highland species such as Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, Pied Thrush, and endemics including Sri Lanka White-eye, Dull-blue Flycatcher, and Yellow-eared Bulbul. Migratory species such as Indian Pitta, Kashmir Flycatcher, and Forest Wagtail are also seen here during the winter months.

Overnight: Jetwing St. Andrews | (B,L,D)

Day 6, Feb 17: Horton Plains National Park

We’ll head out before dawn with a packed breakfast to visit Horton Plains National Park for primates, deer, highland bird species, and endemics.

Horton Plains is Sri Lanka’s highest-elevation national park (~7,000 ft) and contains cloud forests and open grassland. The island’s second and third highest points are here: Kirgalpotta at 7860 ft and Thotupola Kanda at 7733 ft. There is a high level of both floral and vertebrate diversity here.

We will bird along the main track hoping to follow small flocks and individual montane species. Tree Ferns are conspicuous in this woodland.

We’ll work our way toward park headquarters, with a stop en route for a picnic breakfast. Later, we’ll take a guided walk along nature trails to a viewpoint known as World’s End with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. (Anyone not wanting to do a 90- to 120-minute hike can venture along other less-demanding tracks.)

A variety of wildlife including endemic Rhino-horned and Hump-nosed Lizard, sambar, and leaf monkey may be

seen. Highland bird species including the Sri Lanka White-eye, Dull-blue Flycatcher, and Yellow-eared Bulbul are found here and can be seen close to the entrance. Horton Plains is one of the few known locations where elusive highland endemics such as the Sri Lanka Whistling-Thrush and Sri Lanka Bush Warbler can be found with effort and perseverance. Other sightings could include Black Eagle, Legge’s Hawk-Eagle, Jerdon’s Baza, Sri Lanka Scimitar-Babbler, Forest Wagtail, Dark-fronted Babbler, and Sri Lanka Thrush. We’ll return to our hotel for lunch.

There’ll be afternoon birding at Hakgala Botanic Gardens for highland endemics including the whistling-thrush. Hakgala is a botanic garden that borders a small patch of cloud forest. Birds often seen there include Rufous-bellied Eagle, Pied Thrush, Large-billed Leaf Warbler, Velvet-fronted Nuthatch, various flycatchers, woodpeckers, and the Sri Lanka Wood-Pigeon. This is also one of the most reliable locations for seeing the Bear Monkey, the highland race of the endemic and Endangered Purple-faced Leaf Monkey. Close-up encounters are possible here due to their habituation to visitors.

Overnight: Jetwing St. Andrews | (B,L,D)

Day 7, Feb 18: Yala National Park

Today will involve a lot of driving, but we will stop en route to stretch our legs and do a little birding along the way, including at Tissa wetlands. These are large waterbodies surrounded by mature trees and paddy fields beyond. Many of the trees have Fruit Bat colonies. Garganey, Lesser Whistling-Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, swamphen, moorhen, Pheasant-tailed Jacana, and kingfishers should be seen here.

After checking into our lodgings, we’ll eat lunch at The Pugmarks Bar, and review the afternoon plans for Yala National Park based on up-to-date local bird sightings. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring Yala, Sri Lanka’s most popular national park especially for watching the larger animals including Leopard, Sloth Bear, Asian Elephant, Spotted Deer, Jackal, and Mugger Crocodile. Consequently, it is often very busy with numerous other jeeps. We will look for these mammals in tandem with birding. The varied habitats from rocky outcrops, riverine forests, scrub jungle, and numerous waterholes make it an excellent destination for birders, especially for dry-zone species and waterbirds. The park’s landscape includes grassland, scrub, mixed dry evergreen forest often interspersed with spectacular rocky outcrops, riverine forest, lagoons, coast, and small reservoirs. Malabar Pied-Hornbill, Orange-breasted Green-Pigeon, the endemic Sri Lanka Green-Pigeon, Eurasian Hoopoe, Indian Pitta, and Pied Cuckoo are commonly seen here.

Overnight: Cinnamon Wild (B,L,D)

Green Pigeons, by Surya Ramachandran



Day 8, Feb 19: Yala National Park

We’ll start our day by moving slowly through the buffer area toward the park gates and study the scrub jungle terrain interspersed with a few waterbodies. This is another excellent location for dry-zone birding and waterbirds. Carrying a packed breakfast, we’ll continue toward more forested areas looking for Leopards and Sloth Bears. We will probably be out for at least 6 hours before returning to the hotel for lunch. This is a good time to check out the lagoon behind the hotel.

In the afternoon, we will visit the nearby Palatupana Saltern, which is an excellent location for watching waders and a variety of snipes, plovers, and sandpipers. Lesser Whistling-Duck and Garganey are among species of migratory waterfowl that can be seen here. Jerdon’s Nightjar, Indian Nightjar, Oriental Scops-Owl, Brown Fish-Owl, and Jungle Owlet are often heard in the woodland around the hotel.

Overnight: Cinnamon Wild (B,L,D)

Day 9, Feb 20: Yala and Udawalawe National Parks

We’ll start our day with wildlife viewing in Yala National Park and birding for dry-zone species. After breakfast, we’ll drive to Udawalawe (2.5-hour drive).

After lunch at the hotel, we’ll head out on an afternoon safari in Udawalawe National Park for Asian Elephant and dry-zone birding. Udawalawe is one of the most reliable locations to watch Asian Elephant, but is also an excellent

birding location with close to 200 recorded species. Around the waterholes, Painted Stork, Asian Openbill, Eurasian Spoonbill, Spot-billed Pelican, Woolly-necked Stork, Great Egret, Little Egret, and Intermediate Egret can be seen. The park is also excellent for raptors and commonly encountered species include the Crested Serpent-Eagle, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, Gray-headed Fish-Eagle, Brown Fish-Owl, Oriental Honey-buzzard, and Black-winged Kite. Green Bee-eater, Paddyfield Pipit, Indian Roller, and Indian Peafowl, and endemics including the Sri Lanka Junglefowl and Sri Lanka Woodshrike may also be seen.

Overnight: Centuria Wild (B,L,D)

Day 10, Feb 21: Udawalawe National Park and Sinharaja Rainforest

We’ll do a morning game drive in Udawalawe for elephants and dry-zone birding. It will be more or less the same area as the previous afternoon but seen in different light.

After breakfast, we’ll drive to Sinharaja (3.5-hour drive) and en route visit a site for White-tailed Iora, a sought-after subcontinental endemic whose occurrence in the country was discovered very recently.

Our lodging for the next three nights is a rustic lodge nestled amid a small tea garden on the edge of the rainforest, perfectly sited for us to explore the surrounding rainforest.

We’ll check in, have a late lunch, and then bird in the area around the lodge in search of lowland endemics and mixed species bird flocks. Among the birds we may see are Orange Minivet, Sri Lanka Drongo, Layard’s Parakeet,

Spotted Deer by Toby Sinclair



Crimson-backed Flameback, and possibly a crake in one of the small streams. The forest is also renowned for its amphibian diversity.

Overnight: Jansen’s Bungalow (B,L,D)

Day 11–12, Feb 22-23: Sinharaja Rainforest

We’ll do some early morning and afternoon birding in the Sinharaja Rainforest for lowland endemics and mixed species bird flocks, determined by weather and most recent bird reports.

The Sinharaja Rainforest is the largest tract of natural rainforest in the country and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains a wide variety of endemic plant species some of which are only found in this region. Sinharaja is a top birding location for endemics where 28 of Sri Lanka’s 34 species have been recorded including the recently discovered Serendib Scops-Owl and other rarities such as the Chestnut-backed Owlet, Sri Lanka Spurfowl, and White-faced Starling. Flocks of Sri Lanka Blue-Magpie, one of the most sought-after endemics due to their bright-blue-and-red plumage are often seen close to the research station on the Sinhagala walking trail.

The mixed-species bird flocks found moving through the rainforest canopy within Sinharaja are believed to be the longest-studied and largest in the world, which is popularly dubbed the Sinharaja Birdwave. An average of 35–50 individuals from over 14 species can often be encountered when sighting a bird wave, which includes endemics such as Green-billed Coucal, the striking Red-faced Malkoha, and Crimson-backed Flameback on the middle and upper canopies. Spot-winged Thrush and noisy flocks of Orange-billed Babblers can be seen foraging for insects at ground level. Other species of fauna encountered during a rainforest walk include Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Giant Squirrel, Kangaroo Lizard, Hump-nosed Lizard, and Sri Lanka Keelback.

Overnight: Jansen’s Bungalow (B,L,D)

Day 13, Feb 24: Sinharaja Rainforest and Colombo

There always seems to be a few endemics that are trickier to see/hear, so today we’ll focus on finding them based on information from the Reserve staff and the local guide’s experience.

After breakfast and some birding, we’ll leave for Colombo (4-hour drive), then check in at our hotel and have a late lunch.

Colombo is a relaxed post-colonial city with more modern buildings along the seafront. We will do a short afternoon tour of the city and then adjourn to The Gallery restaurant for our final dinner.

Overnight: Taj Samudra (B,L,D)

Day 14, Feb 25: Return Home

After breakfast, we’ll be driven to Bandaranaike Airport for flights home (~1–2-hour drive, depending on time of day). Plan on being at the airport at least 3 hours before departure.

Those travelers on the extension will have a late breakfast at 7 am, and then leave at 8 am for Kandy.

(B)

Day 14, Feb 25: Kandy and the Temple of

the Sacred Tooth Relic

After a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, we’ll drive to Kandy (~4 hour drive)

Hidden away at the very heart of the island, Kandy is one of Sri Lanka’s cultural highlights, home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The city offers visitors a glimpse into its colonial past with its graceful architecture, while also being home to the unique and traditional Kandyan dance and music.

We’ll check into our hotel, and then either lunch there or at a local restaurant.

After lunch, we’ll visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), the most revered site in the country. The temple was built in the 16th century AD and is located adjacent to the Royal Palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, overlooking the expanses of Kandy Lake. Housing the sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha, the building has held a significant role in local politics since ancient times, with a belief that whoever holds the relic has the right to govern the country. The sacred tooth was smuggled into Sri Lanka from India by a princess in the 4th

Jansen’s Bungalow, courtesy Jansen’s.

Picture and photographer info

Day-to-Day Itinerary – Optional Extension



century AD and was initially kept in Anuradhapura and then moved to various spots across the country before finally being housed in Kandy. This sacred temple attracts thousands of white-clad pilgrims on a daily basis bearing lotus blossoms and frangipani for their offerings which are known as pujas. (Please wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders, and remove your shoes before entering the holy temple.)

We’ll end the day with dinner at our hotel or a local restaurant.

Overnight: Mahaweli Reach Hotel (B,L,D)

Day 15, Feb 26: Habarana and Sigiriya Rock Fortress

After breakfast we’ll drive to Habarana (~3-hour drive). En route, we’ll stop at our third UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Dambulla Caves are sited halfway up a huge granite rock with commanding views to the east. It takes about 12-15 minutes to walk up to the caves. Their use by humans dates back almost 2,000 years, but the decorations and masterful paintings now seen there date back to the 17th century.

After, we’ll have less than an hour’s drive to our hotel where we’ll check in, then enjoy a leisurely lunch. The extensive grounds behind the hotel include a wetland. Some of the trees within the compound are home to giant squirrels.

In the afternoon, we’ll walk up to the legendary Sigiriya, a 3rd- to 6th-century site surrounding a magnificent natural fortress.

Referred to as Lion Rock by locals, the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sigiriya became the capital during the reign of King Kashyapa in the 5th century AD. After slaying his own father, King Dhatusena of Anuradhapura, to take the throne and, fearing a retaliatory attack from the rightful heir Moggallana who fled to neighboring India, the king constructed his royal palace on the summit of this 600-ft-high rock with an encircling fortress. On our way to the base of Lion Rock, we’ll walk through the landscaped Royal Gardens. (The climb to the summit is optional; travelers may choose to spend more time in the gardens looking for dry-zone birds.) Along the trail to the summit, there is a fresco gallery with its ancient paintings of the king's maids-in-waiting and the Mirror Wall with ancient transcripts that closely match the modern-day Sinhalese language. In 495 AD, Moggallana returned from his exile and defeated the king reinstating Anuradhapura as the capital. Sigiriya was then used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century prior to being mysteriously abandoned.

Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 16, Feb 27: Polonnaruwa

We will have an early start and continue to another UNESCO World Heritage Site, taking a packed breakfast with us. Polonnaruwa is a well-preserved, forested site with 12th-century ruins and impressive sculptures. It is one of the highlights of Sri Lanka. Following the fall of Anuradhapura, the invading army adopted the more secure Polonnaruwa as its capital. After this short period of Hindu rule, it became the new Sinhalese capital in 1056. In addition to its spectacular history, Polonnaruwa is an outstanding

Dambulla by Toby Sinclair



location for watching primates.

We will start early and spend a few hours exploring with a local researcher from the Smithsonian Primate Research Center. Three species of monkey—the Toque Macaque, the canopy-dwelling Purple-faced Leaf Monkey (both endemics), and the Gray Langur can be observed here. Polonnaruwa’s Temple Troop of Toque Macaques” has been featured in numerous natural history documentaries and is part of one of the world’s longest-running studies on primates (run continuously since 1968). Most recently the troop was the focus of Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom (2015).

The monkeys here are habituated to the presence of humans enabling excellent opportunities to observe their social interactions at close range. Whether play-fighting, feeding, or grooming each other, there is never a dull moment. We’ll then have lunch at a local restaurant in Polonnaruwa before returning to Habarana to spend the afternoon birding on the Cinnamon Lodge grounds.

Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge (B,L,D)

Day 17, Feb 28: Return Home

After breakfast, we’ll visit the first capital of Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura, our sixth and final UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We will spend a few hours visiting various sites located within this ancient city. Dating back to at least 1000 BC, Anuradhapura was capital to much of Sri Lanka between the 5th century BC and the 11th century AD. When Buddhism was established in Sri Lanka during the 3rd century BC, this quickly became the main center. The city grew and was a major secular and religious site that today covers over 15 sq mi. Many places are still sites of worship and prayer. One site contains the Sacred Bo Tree (Ficus religiousa) grown from a cutting brought from Bodhgaya (India) in the 2nd century BC. Other sites of interest are the Ruwanweli Saya Stupa, the Isurumuniya Temple, and remains from palaces, temples, monasteries, and ceremonial baths situated within the sites. The rapid development that Anuradhapura was experiencing came to an abrupt halt with the invasion of the Pandyans in the 9th century AD and the Colas from South India in the 10th century AD.

We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant in Anuradhapura. Afterwards, we’ll take you to the airport for your departure flight (~4-hour drive). For those flying out of Colombo between 9 and 10 pm, we expect to be at the international airport by 6 pm (we advise being at the airport 3 hours prior to your flight). For those leaving after 10 pm, there is the option to have dinner together at the Gateway Hotel (not included). Rooms can be booked for anyone leaving later that night or the following morning (not included).

Hill Swallow, by Surya Ramachandran

Red-faced Malkoha, by Surya Ramachandran



Mass Audubon Naturalist

David Larson is Director of Mass Audubon's

Birder's Certificate Program, a college-level

ornithology course, and taught a bird ecology

course for naturalist guides in Belize. He is the

Science and Education Coordinator for Mass

Audubon's Joppa Flats Education Center in

Newburyport, where he designs and leads

educational programs and field trips for

adults. He holds a PhD in zoology from the

University of Minnesota and served on the

faculty of Boston University. He is the

immediate past president of the Nuttall

Ornithological Club and writes a regular

column for the journal Bird Observer. He has

birded and led tours throughout North

America, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Trinidad, Belize,

Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina,

Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, England,

Hawaii, Mongolia, and Japan.

Main Tour Price: $6250 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $1550 (Only 1 single is available). Price based on a minimum of 8 travelers (maximum of 10). Price Includes:

All meals and accommodations as shown in the itinerary Services of Mass Audubon naturalist leader Local guides and naturalists All excursions and entrance fees Extensive trip preparation notes and bird checklist Transportation within Sri Lanka Medical evacuation insurance Carbon offset credits for your international flights All tips and gratuities (included if we have the minim um of 8)

Price Excludes:

International airfare Passport and visa fees; trip cancellation insurance Airport taxes; excess baggage charges Items of a personal nature, including alcoholic beverages, laundry,

and telephone calls; other items not specifically mentioned as included.

Kandy Extension Price: $1550 per person, double occupancy. Single supplement: $350 (single rooms are very limited). Price Includes:

All meals and accommodations as shown in the itinerary Services of Mass Audubon naturalist leader (with a minimum of

6 travelers) Local guides and naturalists All excursions and entrance fees Extensive trip preparation notes and bird checklist Medical evacuation insurance Carbon offset credits for your international flights All tips and gratuities (included if we have the minim um of 4)

Exclusions: same as main trip. HOW TO BOOK

Email or call us at [email protected] or 800-289-9504 to reserve your place.

APPLICATIONS, RESERVATIONS, DEPOSITS Early applications are strongly encouraged. Trip rosters usually must be finalized 4 months before departure! All applications must be accompanied by a completed reservation form and $500 deposit. Deposits can be by check or credit card (Visa or MasterCard). We reserve the right to decline your application. In the case of questionable health, we reserve the right to require a physician’s certification to affirm you are capable of the activities. Final payment is due 90 days before the departure date. Final payment must be by check or money order.


mailto:[email protected]/%20800.289.9504


RATES: All tour prices are based on double occupancy. If you would like us to find you a roommate, we will do our best, but cannot guarantee a share. If we cannot find a share, you will need to pay the single supplement. All forms and fares are accurate at the time of publication (February 2020) but are subject to change at any time prior to departure. It is our policy to only pass on the actual amount of any increases in airfares or land costs such as those increases due to the devaluation of the dollar. Rarely, a price increase may be called for if the group falls below the minimum, as listed in the itinerary.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: A U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the trip’s departure date is required.

FLIGHTS: You, the traveler, are responsible for booking and paying for your own international flights. Once you reserve your space, we will provide you with suggested flights and tell you which flights our staff will take. You may book flights directly with the airline, online, or with a travel agent. Please be aware that most tickets are non-refundable, therefore you should not book your flight arrangements until you have checked with us to be sure the tour has the minimum number of participants for the trip to go. We ask that you provide us with your flight details

TRIP INSURANCE: A brochure and application for optional trip cancellation, illness, and baggage insurance will be sent to you upon registration. We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance to protect yourself. See insuremytrip.com.

PHOTOS: Mass Audubon reserves the right to make use of any photographs taken on the tour. We guarantee that no photos of a compromising nature will be used. If you have questions or concerns, please contact us.

PHOTO CREDITS: Blue Magpie, courtesy of our partner, &Beyond. Common Kingfisher by Jan Arendtsz: via Flickr, CC by ND 2.0.

CANCELLATION POLICY: If you need to change your booking, you must inform us immediately in writing. All cancellations must be done in writing and are effective upon receipt in the Massachusetts Audubon Travel Office. Cancellations received up to 121 days prior to departure will be refunded deposits less a $300 per person fee. For cancellations between 120 and 90 days prior to departure, no deposits will be refunded, but any payment balance will.

There are no refunds for cancellations 90 days or less from departure. We strongly urge all travelers to purchase trip cancellation insurance. You will be sent information from the Massachusetts Audubon Society upon receipt of your deposit. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY: Although every precaution is taken to safeguard you and your belongings, group travel trips by their nature involve a certain amount of risk. Trip participants should understand that the domestic and international trips sponsored/operated by Massachusetts Audubon Society (Mass Audubon Tours)—hereafter collectively ”M.A.S.”—involve known and unknown risks. M.A.S. assumes no responsibility for injuries, death, financial losses or damage to clients’ property caused by or occurring during participation in any of the travel trips sponsored/operated by M.A.S. Trip participants must assume responsibility for having sufficient skill and fitness to participate in the trips and activities offered or sponsored by M.A.S. Trip participants must also certify that they have no medical, mental or physical conditions which could interfere with their abilities to participate in the activities and/or trips they are participating in and they must assume and bear the cost of all risks that may be created, directly or indirectly, by any such condition. It is the responsibility of trip participants to have in place adequate insurance to cover any injury, damage or emergency transportation costs related to their travel and/or participation in trip activities and/or to bear the costs of such injury, damage or emergency transportation costs. Because of the risks associated with the travel trips sponsored by M.A.S. we urge all trip participants to supplement their own insurance with travel or vacation or emergency response types of insurance. M.A.S. requires that all trip participants acknowledge and assume these risks by reading and signing an M.A.S. Release and Waiver and Assumption of Risk contract prior to departure. CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL: Travelers will be provided with an itinerary and trip preparation information. It is expected that travelers will read this information prior to trip departure. Travelers will be responsible for completing an application reservation form, including the personal information and a release of liability (see attached). Travelers will be expected to abide by the terms set for in the invoice. During the tour, travelers are asked to respect and follow the directions of their guide and leader.


http://www.insuremytrip.com

https://www.flickr.com/photos/janarendtsz/10887609406/in/faves-50926127@N00/

sri lanka - mass audubon · sri lanka is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich...

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