Guides - Sri Lanka

Mike, Jenny with Shyami and Rahula, owners of TOC and Starron Tours (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

Experience the Wild is delighted to partner with Sri Lankan private company 'Starron Tours' and offer you a wonderful wildlife experience in Sri Lanka. In January 2017 Mike and Jenny met up with Rahula and Shyami Dassenaieke at there beautiful wildlife resort called 'The Other Corner' near Habarana. We then embarked on an extensive 15 day wildlife tour with Upali Ekanayake (see trip report). Mike and Upali have constructed the 'Experience the Wild Sri Lanka' itinerary to expose you to the very best of Sri Lanka's wildlife experiences.

Mike and Upali (photo copyright Mike Jarvis)

Mike Jarvis has been a nature enthusiast from earliest memories. At sixteen he found a copy of Neville Cayey’s ‘What Bird is That?’ in a second and bookshop and began his study of Australian birds. Having lived in Perth, Geraldton and Carnarvon on the west coast Mike was familiar with the flora and fauna in those areas. On visiting Darwin for the first time, Mike was amazed to find the bush alive with new sounds and unfamiliar trees, and took to the task of identifying them, building up a working knowledge of the bird species, their calls, and plants, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates. Mike and his wife Jenny are Wildcare volunteers and care for injured and orphaned wildlife, mainly birds and reptiles, and Mike has had training in handling dangerous wildlife (venomous snakes). With decades of research, observation and wildlife experiences behind him, he enjoys the privilege of sharing this with others by leading tours to wild places in Darwin and the Top End.

Mike has completed Certificate IV Tourism (Guiding) which was a comprehensive immersion in flora, fauna, geology, history and culture of the Top End, with an emphasis on minimal impact on the environment, respect for Indigenous culture and duty of care for the guest.

Upali Ekanayake worked as a research officer for the Department of Zoology of the University of Peradeniya and trained further in terrestrial ecology and conservation, with special emphasis on birds, at the universities of Cambridge and Aberdeen, UK. Upali has carried out avifaunal and biodiversity surveys in various protected areas on the island and has written many scientific research papers. Upali has been leading bird tours since 1992, and has a comprehensive knowledge of Sri Lanka’s birds, mammals, butterflies and plants. He has been involved in training and assisting many up and coming bird guides in Sri Lanka, passing on his field skills, enthusiasm for avi-tourism, and passion for preserving the Sri Lankan environment. Jenny and I felt honoured to be shown Sri Lanka and its wildlife by him.

Upali Ekanayake is the senior most Ornithological Tour Leader (Regd.No. N/TGL/775) in Sri Lanka and has been leading bird tours for more than 30 years. He is also a highly accomplished all-round naturalist. He was previously attached to the Zoology Department of the University of Peradeniya. He has undergone training in the U.K. in Terrestrial Ecology and Conservation with attachments at Aberdeen and Cambridge Universities, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (R.S.P.B.) and the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (I.T.E.).

He is one of the local representatives of the Oriental Bird Club (O.B.C.). He is also a Life Member of the Ceylon Bird Club where he has served in the Executive Committee and the Rarities Committee for a number of years. Also he has Life Membership of the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka. A popular lecturer on Birds and was a Lecturer at the Tourism Training Centre of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism & Hotel Management from 2004 to 2006. He worked for the IUCN, The World Conservation Union in Sri Lanka for two years from 1994 as a National Consultant (Fauna) surveying the faunal diversity of all Sri Lankan forests which are more than 200 hectares in extent.

Why Sri Lanka? We specialize in providing Northern Australia 'Top End' tours operate during the dry season from May to November. This is the perfect time to visit as the weather is good and birdlife is easy to see. Not many of our visitors choose to come in the wet season to visit and we understand. In Sri Lanka on the other hand, there is a tropical paradise that offers its visitors the best wildlife experiences during our low season. So we jumped at the opportunity when we were approached by Starron Tours to offer a joint tour on this beautiful island during January and February.

Experience the Wild Accreditations

Kakadu Tour Operator License
Kakadu Knowledge for Tour Guides
Parks and Wildlife NT Tour Operator License
Australian Tourism Accreditation Program
Certificate IV Tourism (Guiding) NT
Member of Wildlife Tourism Australia