Wildlife Safaris in Sri Lanka – a chance to encounter the world’s rarest endemic species
It’s a warm, humid day that makes everyone thirsty every fifteen minutes. The distance between your comfy room and the refrigerator, the closest water source, is too much to bear. There’s also the danger of encountering a nosy relative, or worse, another clingy animal who doesn’t understand the meaning of heat. Given the slightest of chance, both will latch onto you and never leave.
You somehow gather enough courage and energy to walk on your toes and reach the water source. You bend down to pick up a chilled water bottle while constantly turning your head around to check for possible intrusions. You keep the water bottle back and shut the door of the fridge, realising a millisecond too late that the glass water bottles will make a clinking sound as soon as the door shuts. So you instantly leap back from the refrigerator, stride straight into the thicket of your room and lock yourself until the next pang of thirst.
This is probably how deer and other animals feel while trying to drink water from reservoirs and water catchment areas in tropical forests. And you can get to witness them, empathise with them, and have many other wildlife encounters around Sri Lanka’s national parks. Let us tell you why you should include a wildlife safari in your Sri Lanka travel itinerary.
Reasons to go on a Wildlife Sri Lanka Safari
‘Nature connectedness’ is a concept described by psychologists as an individual’s relationship with the natural world around them. Being able to directly connect with the natural world has often shown to improve psychological wellbeing in many studies. This includes being in the presence of plants, animals, natural scenery, walking through forests, and more. But with our city lives and office jobs, most of us don’t get to have that connection anymore.
Worry not, Sri Lanka, offers many ways through which you can get back in touch with nature. Here are a few reasons you should go on a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka:
- Being in a biodiversity hotspot: Sri Lanka is one of the only thirty six biodiversity hotspots in the world. That means it has at least 1500 native plant species that don’t exist elsewhere in the world. It’s also got a large variety of endemic animals, especially reptiles and amphibians. Going through the forests and natural reserves will give you a chance to empathise with all sorts of spectacular species. Perhaps, it will help with getting rid of a fear of some animals too.
- Birdwatching galore: If you’re somewhat of a birdbrain (cough), Sri Lanka’s got you covered for that too. Right from the national bird of the country, the Sri Lanka junglefowl, to the endangered Sri Lanka Serendib scops-owl, there’s thirty four endemic bird species to spot in Sri Lanka. Other than that, 400-odd other species of birds are also found, mostly across the wet and hilly regions of the country. Sri Lanka is also a hotspot for migratory birds too, such as ibis, heron, egrets, and pelicans. You can read more about the birds in Sri Lanka at the Ceylon Bird Club that started way back in 1943.
- Being part of conservation efforts: While Sri Lanka has a rich biodiversity, it’s also one of the top countries affected by the climate crisis. So, conservation efforts are always at the forefront of the country’s environmental mandate. You can get to be a part of it via volunteering at a recognised NGO, attending ecological workshops, verified donations, or other innovative ways of helping the natural world and the local grassroots community. A couple of examples are Dilmah Conservation and the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka.
National Parks in Sri Lanka
National park is known as Jātika Vanōdyānaya in Sinhalese and Tēciya Pūṅkā in Tamil. By The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) definition, a Category II area, also known as a national park, is “a protected area managed mainly for ecosystem conservation and recreation.” Sri Lanka has twenty six national parks compatible with IUCN’s definition for “providing scientific, educational, recreational and aesthetic opportunities to visitors.” They are spread across the country too, so you can plan a visit to one based on your itinerary. Here’s a list of all twenty six national parks in Sri Lanka:
S. no. | National Park | Major towns around | Region |
1 | Adam’s Bridge | Mannar | North |
2 | Angammedilla | Polonnaruwa | North-Central |
3 | Bundala | Hambantota | Southern |
4 | Chundikulam | Kilinochchi, Jaffna | North |
5 | Delft | Jaffna | North |
6 | Flood Plains | Polonnaruwa | North-Central |
7 | Gal Oya | Ampara | Uva, Eastern |
8 | Galway’s Land | Nuwara Eliya | Central |
9 | Hikkaduwa | Hikkaduwa | Southern |
10 | Horagolla | Nittambuwa | Western |
11 | Horowpathana | Trincomalee, Anuradhapura | North-Central |
12 | Horton Plains | Nuwara Eliya | Central |
13 | Kaudulla | Habarana | North-Central |
14 | Kumana | Hambantota | Eastern |
15 | Lahugala Kitulana | Pottuvil | Eastern |
16 | Lunugamvehera | Hambantota | Uva, Southern |
17 | Madhu Road | Mannar | North |
18 | Maduru Oya | Polonnaruwa | Eastern, Uva |
19 | Minneriya | Minneriya, Habarana | North-Central |
20 | Pigeon Island | Nilaveli, Trincomalee | North, Eastern |
21 | Somawathiya | Polonnaruwa | North-Central, Eastern |
22 | Udawalawe | Embilipitiya | Sabaragamuwa, Uva |
23 | Ussangoda | Hambantota | Southern |
24 | Wasgamuwa | Matale, Dambulla | North-Central, Central |
25 | Wilpattu | Anuradhapura | North-Central |
26 | Yala | Hambantota | Southern, Uva |
Animals You May Spot in Sri Lanka National Parks
If you’re looking to spot a specific popular animal, these are the best corresponding national parks for them:
- Leopard: Yala, Wilpattu, Kumana
- Elephants: Gal Oya, Udawalawe, Minneriya, Wasgamua
- Sloth Bears: Wilpattu, Yala, Wasgamua
- Birdwatching: Bundala, Kalmetiya, Chundikulam, Horton Plains
Horton Plains is also one of the best places for hiking in Sri Lanka. A walking path across it is part of the 300 kilometer-long, 22-part Pekoe Trails – TIME magazine’s one of the greatest places in the world.
Apart from the abovementioned animals, Sri Lanka is home to several other endemic and protected species. Here are a few of them:
- The Slender Loris
- Purple Faced Langur
- Pangolin
- Fishing Cat
- Red Faced Malkoha
- Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill
- Sri Lankan Jungle fowl
- The Sri Lanka Blue Magpie
- The Spot-winged Thrush
You can read in detail about them on the Department of Wildlife Conservation’s website.
Best Time to Go on a Wildlife Safari in Sri Lanka
Anytime! Well, depending on which season you plan to travel to Sri Lanka, you can visit a national park next to the town you’ll be staying in. The country goes through two monsoons, the southwest and the northeast, during which rains can affect animal patterns like mating and migration. Depending on which animal you wish to spot, you can plan your national parks-inclusive itinerary based on the season. You can read more about the weather in Sri Lanka in our Seasonal Travel Guide. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NXNS4zlDGh4vfrs5vE5toJCHHIYTClojuS67YLVBhoE/edit?tab=t.0)
Here’s a brief seasonal breakdown and which national parks are best visited during each of seasons:
- December to February: Yala, Udawalawe
- March to May: Wilpattu, Gal Oya
- June to August: Kumana, Pigeon Island
- September to November: Minneriya, Delft Island, Bundala
December to April, usually termed the best time to visit Sri Lanka’s southern beaches, is also the best time to go whale spotting from towns such as Mirissa.
Accommodation Options
There are a variety of options to choose from: tents at camps, lodges, and hotels. It all depends on your budget and what sort of wildlife experience you are after. While most camps are located at the edges of the national parks, hotels are a bit further away or at the entrance of the national parks. So, for a more immersive stay, you may choose to stay at a camp, while for a slightly reserved visit, you can make a hotel as a base to visit the national parks. Within the camps too, you can choose between functional ones offering only the bare necessities such as tents, a place to cook and take care of your daily business, and also more luxurious ones with comfortable bedding, private bathrooms, and several dining options. You can also stay at a Wildlife Circuit Bungalow in any of 13 national parks approved by Sri Lanka’s Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Adding Wildlife Safaris to your Itinerary
While most of the safaris in Sri Lanka are offered on jeep, there are walking and boat based safaris to explore too. There are also night safaris to spot nocturnal animals and critters in a given area. Regardless of the type of safari, you’ll always have an experienced guide along with you, who knows the area and its plants and animals.
If Jeep safaris are not your cup of tea, Gal Oya national park also offers boat safaris. You have the opportunity to spot swimming elephants, water buffaloes, muggers, monitor lizards, and a hundred different species of birds.
Adding any kind of wildlife safari is bound to enrich your travel plans in Sri Lanka. Whether you’re a seasoned birdwatcher or a trained ecologist, whether you’re a solo traveller trying to find their purpose or a family looking to make some long-lasting memories, connecting with the natural world is bound to make your trip even more worthwhile. If you’re still confused about choosing which national parks to include during your visit to Sri Lanka, hop on a free call with us and let us help you plan your itinerary.
