Wildlife & Safari Tours in Sri Lanka

Top wildlife and Safari sites in Sri Lanka we visit

1. Yala NP

   Yala national park is Sri Lanka’s oldest and most famous National Park, comprising of a diversity of habitats including scrub jungles, water reservoirs, brackish lagoons and riverine habitats. 
   Mugger and Estuarine Crocodiles frequent the riverbank. In the southern sector of the park, plenty of Tufted Grey Langurs will be found, as one watch eagerly for mammals such as Sambar and Spotted Deer. Leopards are probably easier to see here than anywhere else in Asia, and Yala is world famous for its large population of this most beautiful ‘big cat’. Sloth Bear is also common in the park, but less easily seen. Asian Elephants and wild boars will make into tour tick list

   These are the bird highlights in Yala: Indian Pea Fowl, Black necked, Painted, Wooly necked and Adjutant Storks, Blue faced Malkoha, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Greater Flamingo (M), Brahminy Myna (M), Rosy Starling (M), Southern Sirkeer, 

   The beautiful early morning sunrises at the coastal boundary and other scenic areas are interesting attractions for photographers.

   

    

2. Wilpattu National Park

   This is one of the oldest and biggest national parks in Sri Lanka. This is the place for leopards and sloth bear sightings. The unique feature of this park is the existence of "Willus" (Natural lakes) - Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka.
   Best time to visit: June to October

3. Minneriya National Park

   This park is located in the North Central province, close to Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. It is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts. This is called "The Gathering" and it is one of the top spectacular wildlife events in the world. There are many ideal opportunities to take elephant photos here.
   Along with Kaudulla and Girithale, Minneriya forms one of the 70 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) of Sri Lanka. 
   The best time to visit is June to October

4. Kaudulla National Park

   Kaudulla National is located in the North Central province close to Minneriya park. The best time to visit the park is between June to October.
   The main attraction here is also Elephants (including herds of juvenile males) there are gatherings too. Good photography opportunities are there. This is also a very good place for spotting birds.

5. Kumana National Park

   Kumana is renowned for its birdlife, particularly its large flocks of migratory waterfowl and wading birds. It is a paradise for wildlife photographers. Kumana is contiguous with Yala National Park and was formerly known as Yala East National Park. 
   Here it is possible to see leopards and you can also see wild elephants. 

   Best time to visit: May to October

6. Horton Plains National Park

   Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. Here vehicles are not allowed and this the only National Park that you have to walk. 
   Best time to visit: March to August. 

   Species: Leopards are there but not easy to spot them. Sambar Deer, Barking Deer, Highland Toque Monkey, Highland Giant Squirrel and Highland Dusky Squirrel are seen here but the Highland Race of Purple faced Leaf Monkey (widely known as Bear Monkey) is the highlight among them. 

   Also if anybody like to see lizard this is the best place to see Sri Lanka endemic Rhino Horn Lizard and Black cheek lizard. 

7. Udawalawa National Park

   Udawalawa National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country. 
   Best time to visit: all year around. 

8. Wasgamuwa National Park

   Wasgamuwa is one of protected areas where Sri Lankan Elephants can be seen in large herds. It is also one of the Important Bird Areas in Sri Lanka. The name of the Wasgamuwa has derived through the words "Walas Gamuwa"."Walasa" is Sinhala for sloth bear and "Gamuwa" means a wood

9. Sinharaja Rain Forest

   Sinharaja world heritage rain forest is the last remaining significant primary forest patch in the island. It is called Sinharaja Man & Biosphere Reserve and is home to most endemic flora & fauna species. This is the single most important site in Sri Lanka in terms of endemic birds and encounter spectacular mixed feeding flocks of birds. 

   This forest in the wet zone has an extensive bird list includes most of the country’s endemics and we have a good chance of seeing the majority of them, although some are easier to find than others. The ground-dwelling Sri Lanka Spurfowl requires stealth and sharp eyes, whereas roving flocks of Ashy-headed Laughing Thrushes and Orange-billed Babblers are much more obliging.  Ceylon Hill-Mynas call loudly and clearly from exposed positions while Ceylon Hanging-parrots shriek past. 

   Purple faced leaf monkey, Wet zone race of Giant squirrel, Leopards are there but very difficult to spot, Sri Lanka Endemic Layard's Squirrel, Wet zone race of Taque Monkey.

   Highlight birds – Green billed Caucal (E), Red faced Malkoha (E), Sri Lanka Blue Magpie (E), White faced Starling (E), Orange billed Babbler (E), Ashy headed Laughing Thrush (E), White throated Flowerpecker (E), Sri Lanka Myna (E), Sri Lanka Spur Fowl (E), Serendib Scops Owl (E), Brown capped Babbler (E), Scaly Thrush (E), Spot winged Thrush (E), Sri Lanka Crested Drongo (E) to name just a few endemics.

FAQ

1. What is the difference between your birdwatching tours and wildlife & safari tours? 

   Of course, you will never miss birds in the wildlife and safari tours. After all, birds too are wildlife. 

   All our wildlife and safari tour guides are specialists in birdwatching too. 

   In a birdwatching tour, the focus is on birdwatching; tally counting, checklists. So, we spend more time in birding sites more than game sites. As an example, in a normal birding tour, we may do a full or half-a-day jeep safari in a place like Yala National Park. But in Wild life and safari tours we recommend at least two full days or more in Yala National Park.

2. What about camping? 

   Camping inside National Parks is not allowed in Sri Lanka. It is a government rules. All of the camping sites are outside the National Parks. Camping is expensive. So normally in our tours we do not include camping sites in our accommodation places. If there are special requests we can definitely organize camping.

3. Can we include whale watching? 

   Definitely yes. The best whale watching site is Mirissa in the South coast. Whale watching is seasonal; between November to April.

4. Do you facilitate photography?

   Yes, of course. Please see our Wildlife, Bird and Nature Photography Tour page.

5. I heard Yala is crowded with tourists and jeeps at times. Is that true?

   Yes, some times it is the case and our expert guides knows this.

   Yala is the most famous and most visited national park in Sri Lanka. Lot of ordinary tourists visit there especially to see leopards and elephants. When we organize a wildlife jeep safari in the Yala National Park, we focus on overall wildlife inside the park, not only on elephants and leopards. We use good, experienced jeep drivers too. We always try to avoid traffic and go to more isolated, calm and quite areas to watch wild life. Also we drive very slowly and give good enough time inside the forest to spot and photograph animals.

6. What are the best site in Sri Lanka to see and photograph leopards?

   Yala National Park is the best place for leopard watching and photographing. It has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. But Wilpattu National park is the second best place leopard watching and there are chances in Kumana National Park too.

7. What is the best site in Sri Lanka to see and photograph sloth bear?

   Sloth bear is the most difficult animal to encounter form the Big Five in Sri Lanka Game Safari. From our experience, the most probable place to encounter the bear is Yala. There may be good chances in Wilpattu National park too.

8. What is the best TIME to see leopards in Sri Lanka?

   May to November is the best time. This is the dry season and they come near water sources. 

9. What is the best TIME to see sloth bear in Sri Lanka?

   June and July are the best months when they occasionally venture out in the day to eat the seasonal palu and weera fruit. Sloth bears are nocturnal animals. So during the rest of the year they are rarely seen during the daytime and usually at dusk and dawn would be the best time to spot them.

Why choose Walk With Jith for your safari?

Excellent reviews

In our tour reviews we have been highly commended for expertly planning and smooth execution of tours. And since 2006, on ResponsibleTravel.com we have 4.5 to 5 star ratings.

• Reviews on Sri Lanka Birding Trip Reports
• Reviews and testimonials on Walk With Jith website.
• Reviews on ResponsibleTravel.com

Recognized

We are recognized as a Bird Friendly Facilitator for more than a decade by the top birding organization, the Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka. For the last 10 years, Walk With Jith has been present at the British Bird Watching Fair.

Benefits of being local

We are local. We live here and we know Sri Lanka well. We ourselves are passionate travelers who travel to all locations and accommodation places. We keep up-to-date with news and reviews on the locations and accommodation places, so that we can offer you our honest, informed and unbiased advice.

Financial safety

We operate with trusted banking facilities of NatWest in the UK.

Catering exactly to your specific needs; time and budget.

We don’t organize fix date tours. We listen to and probe your very specific requirement. And provide tailor-made tours.

Economic responsibility

We ensure that the money you spend will directly and positively affect people at the village level. We seek to improve the lives of the people who affect & conserve habitats by buying products and services from them especially, guiding services.

Social responsibility

We make sure that the travelers also interact more with the locals, rather than with commercialized businesses. By doing so we hope that there is valuable knowledge sharing and inter-cultural linking, beneficial for both you and the locals.