You do not need a separate safari holiday for Sri Lanka. Our tours already include one or two jeep safaris; a private tour can add as many parks as you like.
Five places for wildlife
Each park has its speciality. We plan the route so you are there at the right time.
Best months per park
Rough guide – wildlife does not read calendars.
How we watch animals
Good wildlife travel is quiet, patient and at a distance.
Safari questions
In Yala, good – especially with two safaris. There is never a guarantee, but most of our guests see at least one.
Both are good. Mornings are cooler; afternoons often bring animals to the water.
Yes, jeep safaris are fine for children of any age.
For leopards, Yala from February to July. For elephants, Minneriya from July to October and Udawalawe all year. Wilpattu is the quietest park. We combine them to suit your dates.
Plan a wildlife holiday
Planning a wildlife holiday
Sri Lanka’s parks are close together, so a single two-week holiday can include leopards in Yala, elephants in Minneriya or Udawalawe and whales off Mirissa. We plan the order around the season, so that you are in each park at the right time, and include both morning and afternoon safaris where it makes a difference.
For keen photographers and birders we can arrange private jeeps, specialist naturalist guides and longer full-day safaris.
Sri Lanka’s “Big Five”
Sri Lankans speak of their own big five: leopard, Asian elephant, sloth bear, blue whale and sperm whale. Seeing all five on one holiday is possible with good timing – leopards and bears in Yala or Wilpattu, elephants in Minneriya or Udawalawe, and whales off Mirissa or Trincomalee.
Beyond the big parks
Birdwatchers head to Sinharaja, a rainforest reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site with many species found only in Sri Lanka. Bundala National Park on the south coast is a wetland paradise for flamingos and waders. Kumana, beyond Yala in the east, is quiet and remote. Tell us your interests and we will build a wildlife route around them.