Itineraries

This page suggests some basic sample itineraries for those wishing to visit some of the places I've been - I can create an itinerary for you too, so please feel free to get in contact for a consultation:

Two Weeks in Sri Lanka:

This sample itinerary suggests a viable route through Sri Lanka giving the enthusiast the best chance of seeing as much wildlife as possible, as well as some of Sri Lanka's history and culture, over a two week period. Sri Lanka is small, so this itinerary is very, very doable: 

Day One: Fly into Colombo

Day Two: Train: Colombo > Galle

Day Three: Galle (fort city, Colonial architecture + birds, monkeys, squirrels, bats)

Day Four: Drive: Galle > Yala National Park

Day Five: Yala NP (leopards, elephants, bears, monkeys, deer etc)

Days Six + Seven: Yala NP

Day Eight: Drive: Yala NP > Sigiriya

Day Nine: Climb Sigiriya Fortress (views, monkeys, squirrels, birds) and visit the ruins of Polonnaruwa (more monkeys, squirrels, bats, birds etc)

Day Ten: Visit Minneriya National Park (elephants and other wildlife)

Day Eleven: Drive: Sigiriya > Wilpattu National Park

Days Twelve + Thirteen: Wilpattu NP (leopards, bears etc)

Day Fourteen: Drive: Wilpattu NP > Colombo, fly home from Negombo Airport (Colombo)

If you have a third week, include 1-2 nights in Kandy, a full day in Colombo, Horton Plains National Park, Sinharaja Forest and an extra night in Galle - especially if you are interested in whale watching.

Two weeks in Southern India:

India is a huge place and distances are long - so it's not realistic to try to see too much in a short period of time. If you only have a few weeks, choose a part of the country that interests you and focus on that corner. Here is a realistic wildlife focused two weeks in Southern India:

Day One: Fly into Bengaluru

Day Two: Drive from Bengaluru > Nagarhole National Park (Tigers, elephants, leopards, deer, monkeys, gaur etc), pm safari

Days Three + Four: Nagarhole NP am + pm safaris

Day Five: Nagarhole NP am safari, Drive: Nagarhole NP > Bandipur National Park (same animals as Nagarhole NP), pm safari

Days Six + Seven: Bandipur NP am + pm safaris

Day Eight: Bandipur NP am safari, Drive: Bandipur NP > Ooty (hill station)

Day Nine: Drive: Ooty > Valpari

Day Ten: Valparari + surrounding areas (tea plantations + leopards, lion-tailed macaques, gaur, Indian giant squirrels, birds etc)

Day Eleven: Drive: Valparai > Kumily

Days Twelve + Thirteen: Kumily + Periyar National Park

Day Fourteen: Drive: Kumily > Thrippunithura Airport, Fly home

Nagarhole and Bandipur National Parks are the big drawcard here, but don't underestimate how much wildlife you will see in and around Valpari and Kumily either. If you have a third week, spend more time in each location or choose from any number of destinations along the same route, such as Hidden Valley National Park.

Two Weeks in Tasmania (Australia):

Two weeks is an ideal amount of time for a wildlife watching trip to 'The Apple Isle' (Tasmania):

Day One: Fly into Hobart

Days Two + Three: Hobart and surrounding areas (try to time your visit so that you spend a Saturday in Hobart due to the world-famous Salamanca Market)

Day Four: Drive: Hobart > Bruny Island (yes drive - there is a car ferry)

Days Five + Six: Bruny Island (wallabies, seals, penguins, endemic birds)

Day Seven: Drive: Bruny Island > Hobart 

Day Eight: Drive: Hobart > Maria Island (another ferry)

Day Nine: Maria Island (wombats)

Day Ten: Drive: Maria Island > Cradle Mountain

Days Eleven + Twelve: Cradle Mountain (assorted wildlife)

Day Thirteen: Drive: Cradle Mountain > Tamar River > Launceston

Day Fourteen: Launceston, Fly out of Launceston in the evening to get a full day of sightseeing or photography

This itinerary is quite Hobart-centric, but you can skip some time in the South if you want more time in the North around Launceston.