Safaris
Five national parks, each with its own character. Your driver gets you there for first light and arranges the jeep, then waits while you head into the park.
The parks
01 · Leopards
The most famous park on the island, and one of the best places in the world to see a leopard. Busy at peak times, so we aim for the quieter blocks. Blocks 1 and 2 usually close for one to two months around September and October, and we plan around it.
02 · Elephant herds
Open grassland around a large reservoir. Sightings of elephant families are almost guaranteed, often close to the jeep.
03 · Quiet lakes
The largest of the parks, dotted with natural lakes. Few jeeps, slow tracking and a real sense of wilderness.
04 · Dry-season herds
Elephant herds gather on the shores of an ancient reservoir as the water drops. Numbers change from year to year with the water level, so we check where the herds actually are and take you to neighbouring Kaudulla or Hurulu if the sightings are better there. Easy to add from Sigiriya.
05 · Birdlife
Lagoons and salt pans near the south coast, and a Ramsar wetland. Thousands of migratory waterbirds arrive over the winter months.
Parks can close at short notice in a drought or heavy rain, and entry fees are set by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and change from time to time. We check both before your date and tell you if anything has moved.
How it works
Getting there
Your driver takes you out to the park, usually from a hotel nearby so you can be at the gate when it opens at six.
The jeep
Only registered safari jeeps are allowed inside the parks, so we arrange a local jeep and pass on the price we pay. Private for your group, or shared to keep the cost down.
Inside
The jeep driver buys your tickets at the gate, and a Department of Wildlife Conservation tracker joins you when one is free. Mornings suit leopards; evenings have softer light and fewer jeeps.
Afterwards
Your driver is waiting outside with your bags, and you carry on to your next stop whenever you are ready.
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