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Are you visiting Sri Lanka and wondering what the best wildlife tours in Sri Lanka are? The tropical island nation is a hidden gem when it comes to wildlife experiences, with an array of national parks and reserves teaming with diverse animals that you may expect more to see in the plains of Africa.
From beautiful, graceful elephants and elusive leopards, to the colourful birds and primates, and whales and dolphins, Sri lanka’s wildlife is sure to impress you. In this article I’ll help you find the best wildlife tours for your trip, highlighting the top national parks and reserves to visit.
Best Wildlife Tour in Sri Lanka
If you don’t have time to read the whole article, I’ll let you know my two favourites.
If you are after something affordable and plan to stay in Udawalawe, I’d recommend booking one of the budget Udawalawe safari tours. These are quite cheap and as long as you’re not besieged by rain, you have a good chance of spotting herds of elephants in this national park.
I saw the most elephants in Udawalawe as I did in any of the national parks I visited.
Alternatively, i you’ve got leopards on your mind, I recommend the tour that goes to both Yala National Park and Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home (see prices here).
Here you get to go to the national park with the highest chance of seeing leopards (you can see elephants too), and get to watch small elephants in a conservation environment.
What Wildlife Can You See in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is home to a range of diverse wildlife, with numerous species of birds and animals found throughout the country’s national parks and reserves.
One of the most popular animals to see on a wildlife tour in Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan elephant, which is the largest land mammal on the island. Visitors can watch these magnificent creatures as they forage and bathe in rivers, or even spot them in the natural habitats during the safari tour.
Sri Lanka is also home to leopards, which are a rare and elusive species that can be found in Yala national park and Wilpattu national Park. These big cats are known for their speed and agility, and they are one of the top attractions for wildlife enthusiasts visiting tralinka.
In addition to elephants and leopards, Sri Lanka is home to a wide variety of bird species. The country is a bird watchers paradise, with over 400 species of birds found throughout it’s parks and reserves.
Some of the popular birds to see in Sri Lanka include the Sri Lankan junglefowl, which is the national bird of Sri Lanka, and the Indian pitta, which is a brightly coloured bird that can be found in the forests and wetlands of the country.
Other notable bird species found in Sri Lanka include the Sri Lankan frogmouth, the Sri Lankan hanging parrot, and the Sri Lankan blue magpie, among many others.
Overall, Sri Lanka’s wildlife offers visitors unique and unforgettable experience that is shorter leave a photographic imprint.
Best Wildlife Tours in Sri Lanka: Whales
Morning Whale Watching Tour
This tour has been quite popular recently, and with good reason. The half day tour begins with an early start to get ahead of most of the boats, in its efforts to spot whales. GPS tracking equipment on board helps to find whales, which gives you a 90% chance of spotting atleast one of these beautiful giants.
Some reviews have mentioned the boat has been a little packed, but overall, past visitors were happy with the whale watching tour. Being a tour with lots of reviews, I’m more inclined to suggest this option instead of taking a chance on a tour with next to no reviews.
You can find more information for this tour by clicking here.
Best Wildlife Tours to See Whales & Leopards
2 Day Whale & Leopard Spotting Tour
This 2 day tour gives you a good chance to spot a wide range of Sri Lankan wildlife, leaving from Bentota. You start off with a tour to Marissa to find blue whales and sperm whales.
You’ll then stop at a temple before arriving at Yala National Park to try and spot not only leopards, but also elephants, monkeys and crocodiles.
This tour is a good option if you want to see whales, leopards and elephants in a short period of time. Sri Lankan public transport is not the most convenient way to get around, so you the tour is good for getting you to both places without hassle.
Find out more about the tour here, including prices.
Best Safari Tours in Sri Lanka: Leopards
These tours are focused around Yala National Park, as this is where you have the best chance of spotting leopards. However, you may also see elephants, sloth bears and different types of monkeys here too.
Yala National Park Private Safari at Golden Hour
If you’re short on time or money, this half day tour is the perfect option. Attend Yala National Park for an early morning or late afternoon safari to try your luck at finding the park’s most famous animal. Your best chance at finding a leopard is at one of those two times.
See the latest prices here.
Yala National Park Full Day Tour
If one game drive isn’t enough, this full day tour lets you hop on the jeep twice – once in the morning, and another in the afternoon. This is a great option if you’re visiting at a time where leopards are less commonly sighted and you want to double your chances.
You can see more details about the tour by visiting this tour website.
Best Wildlife Tours to See Leopards and Elephants
Yala National Park & Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home
This day trip starts off with a early morning trip to Yala National Park to get a chance to spot leopards. A safari at ‘golden hour’ is optimal, as it gives you the highest chances. You may also spot elephants here.
The second part of the tour takes you to the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home after lunch, to see orphaned baby elephants. The centre takes in orphaned juveniles and has decent success in releasing them later.
The Transit home is not your typical wildlife safari, but is instead a conservation centre. When I visited the elephants seemed well looked after, and I liked that there was information posted showing they do try to release the elephants.
Side note: I believe this the transit home is okay to visit, however there are other places in Sri Lanka which seem less ethical. Please carefully evaluate elephant conservation programs when searching for ones to visit.
See the prices and more information for this day tour here.
Best Wildlife & Safari Tours in Sri Lanka: Elephants
Budget Udawalawe Safari
This tour is a great option if you have a smaller budget and need just one safari in the national park. You have a good chance of spotting elephants in Udawalawe, in fact I saw at least twenty on my safari here, so this is definitely one of the places where I’d say one jeep ride is enough.
There are a few operators who run this type of tour, so I’ve included my two favourites which have good reviews. This tour is quite cheap as it doesn’t include transport from nearby towns, however there are other options below that include transfers elsewhere. Its a good option therefore if you’re already staying near the national park.
See the prices for these budget tours here and here.
Udawalawe Tour from Colombo
If you’re not venturing too far into the middle of Sri Lanka you could choose this tour to Udawalawe National Park that includes a transfer from Colombo. The day trip includes transport to the park and a safari to spot elephants, of which Udawalawe is known for.
You should know that its a 5 hour drive to the park, so it will be a long day, however if you want to have a great chance of seeing many elephants, Udawalawe might be your best bet.
See the prices for this tour here.
Udawalawe Safari from Ella
If you are instead staying in Ella, this Udawalawe safari tour offers pick up and drop off to Ella. The drive from Ella is about two hours so its a good option without a super long transfer time.
Like mentioned above in the other Udawalawe tours, you have a really good chance of spotting elephants here, herds too.
Learn more about this tour and see prices here.
Wilpattu National Park Safari
A 4 hour drive from Colombo will get your to Wilpattu National Park. The park is one of the quieter, less visited options in Sri Lanka so would be a great option if you like peace and quiet. It’s also a good option if you want to go on a safari that leaves from Colombo (as most don’t).
My recommendation is to make sure you pick a time of year where elephant sightings are high, as the park may have a smaller chance of sightings than some of the bigger national parks.
You may see elephants, sloth bears, peacocks and deer here. Sometimes leopards are spotted, but the chance is not as high as it is at Yala National Park.
Find out more about the safari here.
Best Wildlife Tours in Sri Lanka for Birds
Mangrove Cruise for Bird Spotting
Slow cruise through a mangrove and keep a watch for eagles, kingfishers, cormorants and more. You might also spot monkeys and crocodiles on this tour. The area you’ll be cruising through is a protected riverine forest.
This is a nice, easy tour with pick up from your hotel in Colombo, and also includes a stop at a turtle rehabilitation centre.
See prices for this tour by clicking here.
Other Options
If you’re feeling a bit loosey-goosey, you can also book safaris at the national parks at your hotel once you arrive. Not all hotels have this service, and you wont have any foresight about the quality of the tour they organise, but this is definitely an option if you don’t want to book a tour beforehand.
If you choose this option I’d recommend making sure you are staying for a few days incase there is no next day availability, which may happen at more popular parks. If you are on a planned schedule and like to have things organised beforehand, booking one of the above tours may be a better option.
I personally did both in Sri Lanka, but was not visiting during peak season, and I had plenty of time on my hands.
Why is Sri Lanka a Great Place to See Wildlife?
Sri Lanka is a great place to see wildlife due to it’s rich biodiversity. The country is home to a large number of endemic species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
With numerous national parks and reserves throughout the country, visitors have the opportunity to see a wide range of animals and birds and their natural habitats, including elephants, leopards, sloth beers, dear, and a variety of primates.
In addition to the abundance of Wildlife, Sri Lanka’s parks and reserves are easily accessible, with well-developed infrastructure and knowledgeable guides that made wildlife-viewing safe and enjoyable. Whether it’s exploring the dense forests or watching animals roam the open grasslands, Sri Lanka offers and unparalleled wildlife experience that is sure to leave you awestruck.
A Note Entrance Fees for National Parks
Many tours wont add the park entrance fees in the tour price due to logistical issues, so make sure you check before hand. This is common across many tours and its important to know beforehand so you can make sure you have the appropriate amount of cash on hand.
As you can see, there are so many different opportunities for wildlife spotting in Sri Lanka. I split the above wildlife tour suggestions by animal to help you focus on what you want to see the most.
Booking a tour is often easier than trying to get around by yourself (I can confirm that by my own experience in trying), and there are tons to choose from.