Sri Lanka Safari Explore the Wild Heart
of the Island

A Safari for everyone

Whether you’re a solo traveler, family, honeymooner, or a photography enthusiast, Sri Lanka’s safari offerings can be tailored to suit your interests and travel style.

Sri Lanka Elephant Safari Experience

Sri Lanka is renowned for its majestic elephants and the spectacular gatherings that occur in its national parks during the dry season. The most famous is the Minneriya National Park “Gathering”, where hundreds of elephants converge near the Minneriya Tank, creating one of the largest elephant congregations in Asia. Nearby Kaudulla National Park offers a quieter but equally impressive viewing experience, as migrating elephants feed, bathe, and socialize. For year-round sightings, Udawalawe National Park is ideal, with large herds of elephants roaming freely alongside water buffalo, leopards, and diverse birdlife. Lesser-known parks like Lunugamwehera, Bundala, Wasgamuwa, and <1b>Maduru Oya provide more secluded opportunities to observe elephants in their natural habitats, often set against scenic landscapes and rich biodiversity.

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe is famous for its elephants and visitors can witness free roaming them, in herds. It’s a very open terrain and easy to jeep out on. Anyone who wants to see wild animals up close and personal in a relaxed setting will feel right at home here.

Minneriya National Park

Best known for the “Elephant Gathering” where hundreds of elephants congregate near the lake. It’s a striking sight, especially in the dry season. Bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts will find the park of interest as well.

Sri Lanka Leopard Safari Experience

Sri Lanka is one of the best places in the world to spot the elusive Sri Lankan leopard, a subspecies unique to the island. The most famous destination for leopard safaris is Yala National Park, which holds one of the highest leopard densities globally. Visitors here often witness leopards resting in the shade, prowling grasslands, or hunting near waterholes. Kumana National Park (Yala East) offers a quieter, less crowded environment with excellent leopard sightings alongside large flocks of migratory and resident birds. Wilpattu National Park provides a serene alternative with dense forests, lagoons, and occasional leopard encounters. Even Horton Plains, nestled in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, adds a unique element to the safari experience, offering glimpses of leopards and other endemic wildlife amid misty grasslands, cloud forests, and dramatic landscapes. Udawalawe National Park, while best known for elephants, can also provide occasional leopard sightings for keen wildlife enthusiasts.

Yala National Park

One of the most popular parks in Sri Lanka, Yala is known for its leopards. But it’s not just big cats, you’ll spot elephants, crocodiles, and many birds too. The park’s mix of jungle and dry plains makes every safari different.

Wilpattu National Park

One of the oldest parks in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu is famous for its “willus” natural water basins. It offers a chance to see leopards, elephants, and a variety of other wildlife in a wild, less-touristy setting.

Bird watching experience in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a paradise for bird watchers, home to over 430 species, including more than 30 endemic birds found nowhere else. The island’s diverse habitats—wetlands, lagoons, mangroves, forests, reservoirs, grasslands, and highlands—make it ideal for both resident and migratory species, offering year-round birding opportunities. Key destinations include Bundala National Park, famous for flamingos, pelicans, storks, and ducks; Kumana National Park (Yala East), ideal for both resident and migratory birds; Minneriya and Udawalawe, where wetlands and grasslands attract herons, egrets, storks, kingfishers, and more; and Horton Plains, with highland grasslands and cloud forests hosting endemic species like the Sri Lanka whistling-thrush. Other notable sites include Kalamatiya Bird Sanctuary and Chunnakudiram for waders and quiet wetlands, Lunugamwehera and Anavilundawa for reservoirs and freshwater habitats, and Lahugala-Kithulgala and Maduru Oya, where lush forests and tank ecosystems support rare, endemic, aquatic, and terrestrial birds, making Sri Lanka a top destination for immersive birding experiences.

Kumana National Park

Renowned for having a wide spectrum of birds, particularly migratory ones. Kumana has beautiful lagoons and sandy beaches, making it a peaceful spot for bird watching and quiet safaris.

Bundala National Park

A coastal sanctuary with lagoons, mangroves, and salt marshes. Bundala attracts many flamingos and water birds. It’s a great place to see wildlife near the sea.

Sinharaja National Park

A lush rainforest full of rare birds and plants. Walking through Sinharaja feels like stepping into another world, with thick green canopies and cool, fresh air. It’s a must for nature lovers and hikers.

Wasgamuwa National Park

A quieter, less-visited park with plenty of elephants and deer. The mix of forest and grassland here gives animals space to roam. It’s a great place if you want wildlife without the crowds.