Review Author: Emma D

Review Date: 14 Mar 2019

Review Body: After visiting Yala the day before (where we were lucky enough to see a leopard but a bit scared at the jostling jeeps racing to get to the front) Bundala was a nice change of pace- much slower and more relaxed- Srimal sat in the back with us to answer all of our many questions. We saw an adjutant bird (very rare! We did some research after and there is about 1000 left in the wild worldwide of which 4 can be found in Bundala), a black legged stork (only one in the park), loads of crocodiles and monkeys, eagles, a star tortoise and our favourite- 2 elephants very close by! Srimal was very knowledgeable- with over 10 years experience and a house literally at the park’s doorstep (watch out for the freshly painted elephant picture). He could even tell us the approx age of the elephants we saw. He also spotted animals that probably we would have missed (nesting eagles and the lil star tortoise, a monitor lizard living in a termites nest and parrots peeking in to their nest in a dead tree). There was also a nice stop off by the Indian Ocean- where we even spotted a sea turtle and a drive back through the salt flats. Srimals details are as follows: 0094779599397 Khsrimal@yahoo.com I organised the day before and got a response very quickly! Would highly recommend a trip to Bundala as well as Yala when in the area.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Russell D

Review Date: 08 Jan 2019

Review Body: We went on a morning tour to Bundala with Srimal based on the good reviews here. The morning safari cost 13,000LKR for 2 people and was definitely worth it. We were the only people in his Jeep and Srimal sat in the back with us to point at all the features and identify the animals. We were also provided a pair of binoculars to use. The safari started at 5:30am from our hotel (for a 6am entry to the park) and lasted for a bit over 3 hours. 3 hours was more than enough time to see the park and we never felt rushed. During the tour we managed to see a really wide variety of birds plus crocodiles, elephants, mongooses, monkeys and tortoises. Best of all, the safari was very quiet and private. There only seemed to be 7-8 other jeeps in the park and apart than the first 30 minutes we barely saw anyone else at all. The safari finished off with a breakfast stop (our hotel provided the food) on a cliff next to the ocean. We'd highly recommend Bundala and Srimal's tour. We got into contact with Srimal directly by email (Khsrimal@yahoo.com) and he also has WhatsApp (0094779599397). Booking was really easy - we didn't have to wait more than a few hours for a response to any of our questions.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Lawbow11, United Kingdom

Review Date: 12 Feb 2019

Review Body: We have just finished our afternoon safari with Srimal and his excellent driver. He is an excellent guide as all the other reviews say. He was easy to communicate with when booking - responded quickly. He arrived on time at our hotel. He lives right near the park - it’s like his back garden, and has been guiding for 10 years. He sits with you not in the cab and so he is able to explain everything, identify the birds and wildlife and answer questions. He is alert - using both his eyes and ears. We saw crocodiles, monkeys, land monitors and loads and loads of birds. Then, because of his excellent guiding skills he heard then saw an elephant hidden to us in the trees. A large older male, who walked in front us before disappearing again. Srimal thought he was going to a nearby water hole and we waited there lo and behold the elephant came to drink and cool down. What a treat. Yes it’s hard to see elephant in this park but..... the whole experience is peaceful and quiet, fewer jeeps and calm when viewing. It was a great afternoon Thanks Srimal and good luck WhatsApp 94779599397 khsrimal@yahoo.com book him in advance if possible to be sure to get him

Review rating: 5

Review Author: H75travel, United Kingdom

Review Date: 16 May 2019

Review Body: My husband is a bit of a birder so we planned a morning (3h) safari at Bundala National Park having booked with the fantastic Ceylon Safari Tours. We wanted an extra pair of eyes so hired a bird guide at the gate and we were so glad we did as he was brilliant at identifying some of the more obscure birds. While Bundala is very much about the birds there are a few elephants here too. There are a number of different parts of Bundala to explore, with different terrain and water salinity meaning that you get a range of different birdlife. It most definitely is worth coming early as one of the lakes we visited at sunrise, which was full of birds at the time, was practically empty when we came back that way at the end of our safari about 2 hours later. We saw a large number of birds - my favourite being the pied Kingfisher, the Eurasian Spoonbill and the purple swamphen. I'm not a birder at all, but I still enjoyed being out and about enjoying the wildlife and scenery. A 3 hour tour from Tissa was plenty of time to explore the park. It's way less crowded than nearby Yala so much more relaxed.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Annie V, Australia

Review Date: 19 Apr 2019

Review Body: We just did a 3 hour safari in Bundala national Park, which was well worth it. We are low level amateur bird watchers from Australia and have our own binoculars and bird book (binoculars are highly recommended). We used Srimal as a guide, based on the reviews we had read here on Trip Advisor, and were not disappointed. We contacted him through WhatsApp and he replied immediately. He was easy to communicate with, was punctual and came with a driver. The vehicle was fine. Inside the park Srimal sat at the back with us and was great at spotting birds and identifying them. He lives on the edge of the park and does know his birds. Apart from birds we saw a few crocodiles, lots of monkeys, a small monitor lizard , an elephant and two small spotted deers. Srimal's contact details are: Khsrimal@yahoo.com 0094779599397 He charged us 15000 LKR and we recommend him as a guide.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: tsbright, Australia

Review Date: 01 Nov 2019

Review Body: We had an early morning visit to Bundala. The landscape, in parts, is really quite beautiful. We were lucky that there was a bi of water around, and the birds and wildlife very active. We saw plenty of bird life including painted storks, spoonbills, ducks, toucans, hawks, water hens, peacocks etc. Quite a site to look over a small lake and see a tree denuded of leaves, but full of cormorants drying their outstretched wings. Wildlife included crocodiles, several troupes of grey langurs, wild boar, domestic cattle, water buffalo (a lot of them) and land monitors. The biggest surprise was driving to the coast and pulling up on a rocky outcrop at the Indian ocean. This particular spot also overlooks a fishing village. Having been to Yala, Minneriya and Udawalawe as well - Bundala deserves a place on the must do list for it's contrast to the others.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: KoosDina, Australia

Review Date: 01 Apr 2019

Review Body: We were drawn to visit Bundala NP for its reputation as a bird destination and because it is less visited. It turned out to be fabulous indeed. Fantastic birding destination however we also saw a lot of other animals among which several up-close elephants, huge crocodiles, marine turtles, mongooses. We visited the park with Chaminda (bundala jeep safari chaminda) who is an excellent spotter, very knowledgable (!) and we can't recommend highly enough! We also had a great spotter join us from the Department of Conservation, L.b. Chathuka Lakshitha, a young but knowledgable and passionate guy - we felt very lucky to have him. It was a relief to not have to share the park with too many other jeeps. We absolutely loved the park and would highly recommend it.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: cormacnoone, Ireland

Review Date: 20 Mar 2019

Review Body: We arrived in Bundala after an early and full morning searching for the elusive leopard in Yala. Consequently we were quite tried before our afternoon safari in Bundala. We are also not really bird people so despite the good reviews our expectations were low for the afternoon. Srimal has a driver with him so he concentrates on spotting wildlife. Yes there are some lovely birds but he also managed to spot a Python, star tortoise and some carefully camouflaged crocs. We were also lucky to see the Elephants. There is also a nice cliff overlooking the rugged sealine. This and numerous pretty watering holes adds to ambience. The park is relatively small but overall a very pleasant way to spend an afternoon.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Highland-Bircher, United Kingdom

Review Date: 20 Mar 2019

Review Body: My wife and I visited here twice during our recent Birdwatching Tour of Sri Lanka . The park itself isn’t particularly large and can be quite easily covered in a day. Tour with an experienced guide is essential to get the best out of a visit. The bird life can be somewhat overwhelming to the experienced Birders never mine the less experienced. The park consists mainly of wetlands, scrub and the added bonus of Salt Pans. During our visit we’re saw a spectacular array of Birds and even managed to find a couple of very rare winter visitors in the form of - Bay-backed Shrike and Black-capped Kingfisher. A lovely well maintained park and should be top of anyone’s must visit site. Highly Recommended.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Aman M, United Kingdom

Review Date: 06 Oct 2019

Review Body: Great national park in sri lanka and would advise anyone who is looking to visit to use Chaminda who organised the tour for use and even picked up from our hotel which was 3 hours away!!!. Very peaceful and beautiful place with loads to see from birds, crocodiles, spotted deer cheeky monkeys and not forgetting the famous elephants.you will not see no more than 2-3 other jeeps in the park at anyone time Chaminda is very experienced and will explain all the animals to you and will go all the way to make sure you get to see the elephants in the park like he did with us. Chamindaweerasooriya@gmail.com tel +94713095115

Review rating: 5

Review Author: steverudy, Australia

Review Date: 23 Mar 2019

Review Body: After reading the great reviews about Srimal and his expert knowledge of Bundall Park. We booked a early morning safari with him. We were picked up on time from hotel and greeted with a smile from Srimal. We spent the next 3 hours gently touring the park seeing wonderful bird life, elephants, monkeys, mongoose, tortoise and much more. Srimal is kind and gentle and has a passion for all wildlife which is obvious with his approach. We would highly reccomend his company for a private Safari in Bundala National Park. You will not be disappointed !! Khsrimal@yahoo.co Mobile No. 0094779599397

Review rating: 5

Review Author: lucie799, United Kingdom

Review Date: 04 Sep 2019

Review Body: Absolutely amazing afternoon close up with a herd of elephants, monkeys, more birds than I knew existed, crocodiles, water buffalo, jackals and lizards. Srimal was our guide, his knowledge of the park and the animals is excellent. He organised everything including transport to Bundala from our accommodation. He had his own jeep and skilled driver and Srimal sits in the back with you to spot animals. He is very considerate, engine off when animals are close. Brilliant day out! You can contact Srimal on WhatsApp on 0094779599397 or email on Khsrimal@yahoo.com

Review rating: 5

Review Author: lucieo799, United Kingdom

Review Date: 04 Sep 2019

Review Body: Absolutely amazing afternoon close up with a herd of elephants, monkeys, more birds than I knew existed, crocodiles, water buffalo, jackals and lizards. Srimal was our guide, his knowledge of the park and the animals is excellent. He organised everything including transport to Bundala from our accommodation. He had his own jeep and skilled driver and Srimal sits in the back with you to spot animals. He is very considerate, engine off when animals are close. Brilliant day out! You can contact Srimal on WhatsApp on 0094779599397 or email on Khsrimal@yahoo.com

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Erin N

Review Date: 23 Aug 2019

Review Body: We used Chaminda’s company and while he was out with another tour to Yala, we were well taken care of by his wife’s cousin. Bundala was wonderful! We only saw two other jeeps the three hours we were there, much different from the other safari we took with countless jeeps and hundreds and hundreds of other people. In Bundala we saw not only a wide variety of birds, but also an elephant, spotted deer, crocodiles, monkeys, wild boars, water buffaloes, a hare, and more. Definitely recommend visiting here, my 11 year old daughter loved it.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: AussieVague, Australia

Review Date: 14 Jan 2019

Review Body: Our family had a terrific safari with srimal at bundala national park. He is very knowledgeable about the area and all that Bundala has to offer. Our wonderful experience of the park was largely due to the way he went about his work. He uses a driver which allows him to focus on spotting, unlike our experience at Udawalawe. We would highly recommend seeing bundala and using srimal. This is a beautiful place - and we only saw 5-6 other deeps in the park.

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Julia A

Review Date: 27 Dec 2018

Review Body: We had a wonderful time with Srimal at Bundala. He was very knowledgeable and great at spotting wildlife. We saw elephants, crocodiles, langurs, wild boar, and many beautiful birds. The scenery itself is gorgeous too and the park wasn’t overrun with jeeps, like I have heard about other parks. Srimal took really good care of us and we would definitely recommend him for a great time in Bundala. Srimal’s email: khsrimal@yahoo.com WhatsApp: 0094779599397

Review rating: 5

Review Author: botsjack, Botswana

Review Date: 18 Apr 2019

Review Body: Coming from Africa, we were not so interested in the elephants and leopards of nearby Yala, but the wetlands that make up this park have a great variety of birds, and by our count, only five other jeeps full of tourists (people just like us!)! We saw spotted deer and wild water buffalo, but if birds are your thing, this is the place to come. A government guide joined us (free of charge) and he knew his birds well! A very enjoyable morning!

Review rating: 5

Review Author: traceyhW6114KJ, Australia

Review Date: 28 May 2019

Review Body: I recently visited Bundala National Park on Safari with Srimal. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. We saw lots of crocodiles, monkeys, water buffalo, peacocks, turtles and many other species of birds. The park is also home to a herd of elephants but we were unable to find them that day. I would highly recommend a safari with Srimal, he is an excellent guide! Contact him via email or whatsapp to book. Khsrimal@yahoo.com 0094779599397

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Michi74, Italy

Review Date: 10 Aug 2019

Review Body: Despite the weather,, our safari in Bundala was great. The place is very peaceful: beautiful landscapes and not crowded at all (we saw just one jeep!). We saw many birds but also buffalos, monkeys, crocodiles, a mangoose and a big elephant. We made our safari with Srimal (really recommended). He knows the park very well and he spots animals that a "normal" eye would never catch! His contacts are khsrimal@yahoo.com +94779599397

Review rating: 5

Review Author: Catriona B

Review Date: 28 Apr 2019

Review Body: As someone who hasn't done any bird watching before I found Bundala fascinating with lots of different bird species as well as crocodiles, monkeys, buffalo and wild pigs We took a three hour safari tour with Siri who was great at spotting things and explaining the names of all the different kinds of birds and wildlife. After we left bundala he even took the time to show us some bats on the way home Piyasiriubewana@gmail.com

Review rating: 5

Itinerary Day 1

Itinerary Summary: Today you will be going to see greater flamingo and other Flora Fauna

Itinerary Description: 6:00 AM: We’ll enter the park. We’ll be able to listen to the nice Bird Songs and then we drive towards the wetlands area and find birds. Breakfast will be provided on the way. 2.00 AM: We go back to the hotel.