National Parks, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has an abundance of national parks, where you can go on safari and see monkeys, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and with a little luck spot the elusive leopard. Camping within the parks themselves is not permitted but we work with Leopard Safaris who have camps in the buffer zones of Wilpattu and Yala which we feel offer a comparable experience. Wilpattu in the north–west has been open for the last 3 years so is not as populated with wildlife as the more established Yala in the south east. Yala has some of the best accommodation (outside of the park) and you stand a much better chance of spotting a leopard but it can get busy when this does happen! Minneriya Park in the Cultural Triangle is home to the largest gathering of elephants in the world during the dry months of July-September. You can go on elephant safari here or enjoy the sights from the comfort of your jeep. Accommodation is widely available; from eco-lodges such as Vil Uyana, Cinnamon Lodge Resort or Ulagalla - a converted mansion with beautiful chalets dotted around its 60 acre grounds. Udawalawe is home to the Elephant Transfer Home and is the best park to see elephants in the wild and then it’s just a drive of an hour or so down to the coast and you’ll be in your hotel – The Last House for example, or Cape Weligama, reclining in a planter’s chair, sipping a cold cocktail overlooking the ocean.