Safari

Wildlife Jeep Safaris are one of the most popular tourist activities in Sri Lanka, and the destinations are numerous. Approximately 14% of Sri Lanka’s landmass is set aside for sanctuaries, national parks and forest reserves. The larger national park Udawalawe, Yala, Wasgamuwa, Bundala, Minneriya and Wilpattu make provisions for wildlife enthusiasts to enter and observe wildlife mostly in the form of Jeep Safaris. There are numerous Jeep Safari service providers around these parks so finding one is easy.

Ideal times for safaris are late afternoons and early mornings since most animals retreat to the cool of the shade during daytime. If you’re planning to go in the afternoon, plan to be at the national park entrance by 2:30 p.m. as it may take a while to organise your entrance tickets. Your driver or guide will help you out with this. Once you have your tickets, a tracker from the wildlife department will accompany you along the drive. It’s imperative that you listen to the trackers advise as they are familiar with the habits of the animals around.

Sri Lanka Leopard, Elephants, peacocks, bears, jackals and deer are few of the animals seen in the national parks. A game drive is a definite “not to be missed” when on a tour in Sri Lanka.