Private park days
Leopard blocks in Yala, Kumana, and Wilpattu, birding in wet and dry zones, or a mixed week. You set the focus. Indika shapes the daily rhythm around it.
About Kelaya Photography
Wildlife photographer and field guide in Sri Lanka
Private wildlife and birding trips for international guests, led from Negombo near Bandaranaike International Airport.
Meet the guide
Indika Hettiarachchi
Wildlife photographer and private field guide
Years in the field, one clear way of working
Indika founded Kelaya Photography after long seasons photographing and guiding in Sri Lanka's parks. His base near the airport keeps arrivals and departures simple for guests flying in from abroad.
Days are built around early starts, calm waits, and evening light. He plans private trips for small groups and independent travelers who care about Sri Lankan leopards, endemic birds, elephants, and quieter species that only show if you give them time.
He runs good vehicles for park roads and handles the practical side of a trip so guests can focus on watching and photographing. Routes follow seasonal windows, proven tracks, and enough space in the schedule to wait when something is close.
Training and credentials
First Certificate in Ornithology, with Merit
In August 2023 Indika completed the First Certificate in Ornithology with Merit, run by the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka (FOGSL) at the Department of Zoology and Environment Science, University of Colombo. The FOGSL programme is linked to a BirdLife International affiliate network.
Lifetime
Lifetime member of the Ornithology Club (FOGSL)
What a trip includes
Private guiding built around your priorities
Photography support
Positioning for light and backgrounds, patient waits when an animal is near, and honest advice on when to move on.
Travel from overseas
Help with dates, park order, and how many nights each block needs, so the plan fits a flight schedule and a realistic pace.
Parks and habitats
Where Indika works most often
These are the landscapes he returns to again and again, each with its own season, light, and species focus for Sri Lanka wildlife photography and guiding.
Yala, Kumana, and Wilpattu
Core leopard habitat, dry-zone light, and long morning and evening drives.
Rainforest and wet zone
Endemic birds, mixed flocks, and early starts under the canopy.
Open country and waterholes
Elephants, wider frames, and soft light at the end of the day.
Highlands and quieter roads
Cooler air, deer country, and a change of pace between park blocks.
Ready to plan a trip with Indika?
Send your dates, group size, and what you most want to see in Sri Lanka. You will get a clear first outline.