11 Unique Wildlife Encounters In Sri Lanka + Which National Park is Right for You

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Sri Lanka is an unsung hero when it comes to ethical wildlife encounters. Not zoos or animal tourism. Wildlife in Sri Lanka, instead, remains wild. And on such a teeny teardrop of land in the vast expanse of blue known as the Indian Ocean, it offers the most bang for your buck of any wildlife destination. It turns out, this island nation has a lot more to offer than jungles and beaches (although those are pretty spectacular too).

So, why exactly is Sri Lanka such an amazing wildlife destination?

Because it’s a small country which makes it more likely you’ll run into the animals. And it has tons of national parks. Also, loads of diverse native wildlife to choose from both marine wildlife and terrestrial. Another bonus– you can spot all this wildlife year-round. There’s no “season” for spotting these species unlike the whales in Baja Mexico or bears on Vancouver Island.

Sri Lanka is easily one of my favorite destinations I’ve ever visited. I spent a month surfing, hiking, snorkeling, on private jeep safari’s, staying in guesthouses, & stuffing my face with AMAZING local cuisine. Check out my blog post about all the things that surprised me about this amazing destination.

11 Best Sri Lanka Wildlife Experiences

Ready to dive in? Sometimes literally. Here are the best wildlife encounters you can have on the pearl of the Indian Ocean. Each reason enough to book a trip there right now.

1. Raja & The Whales in Mirissa

Despite growing up in the Pacific Northwest & driving the Oregon Coast highway 101 MANY times, I had never been blessed with a wild whale sighting. But Sri Lanka is one of the only places in the world where Fin Whales and Blue Whales shirk thier usual migrations and live in the temperate fish-filled seas around the island year-round.

Unfortunately, there are many small tour operators looking to make a quick buck at the expense of the whales and it’s EXTRA important that you research the company before you sail with them.

This is why we chose Raja & the Whales (not sponsored in any way). As budget travelers, we originally balked at the $52 per person price point. BUT after finding out that this boat is one of the only companies that maintains a safe distance from the whales and abides by all safe-whale practices & will give you a free replacement tour if you don’t spot any whales.

This is a whole day excursion. You should book ahead and hope to see both the whales and dolphins. They also provide motion-sickness tablets because the ocean can really toss you around.

2. Spotting Reef Sharks in Mirissa

For all my ocean-lovers, out there Mirissa is a beach paradise. Aside from whale tours, you can also spot black-tipped reef sharks from the safety of Parrot Rock. This popular tourist attraction is only reachable at low tide (well, easily reachable) and provides a shelter for the baby sharks from the waves.

3. Wrestling with Hanuman Langurs in Polonnaruwa

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Unlike the ferocious macaque monkeys that are ubiquitous throughout mainland Asia, Hanuman Langurs are grey lanky animals with soft black faces. They love the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and are often found climbing among the crumbling buddha’s and rolling in the grass.

4. Swimming with Sea Turtles at Polhena Beach

There are a handful of places that you can swim with Green Sea Turtles in Sri Lanka. But the best, for you and the turtles, is Polhena Beach. Blindingly white sand and calm waters provide a haven for the hungry turtles, some as large as 4-5 feet in diameter, as well as nearly invisible sting rays fluttering along the bottom.

Although the turtles aren’t shy, try not to touch them or feed them. Just watch them graze on seagrass and enjoy a close-up encounter with one of my favorite marine animals. Another great place for turtle encounters is the Gili Islands near Bali.

5. Lounging with Leopards in Yala or Wilpattu National Park

Undoubtedly, the biggest bucketlist attraction for wildlife lovers in Sri Lanka is a chance to spot the elusive wild leopards in either Yala National Park or Wilpattu National Park. I chose Wilpattu NP but I’ll get to why later. Leopards are the most sought-after encounter but they are near impossible to spot.

I highly recommend booking a full-day jeep tour at either park so that you can enter the park early and stay until dusk because this is when the cats are most active. Also, spring for the extra cost of a local guide in addition to the jeep driver because you’ll find it nearly impossible to spot wildlife on your own without the help of a trained eye.

The entire cost of my private full-day jeep tour of Wilpattu National Park + Driver + Guide was only $100 for the two of us.

6. Soak Up the Sun With Wild Elephants

Elephants are my favorite animal and despite spending a significant amount of time in parts of the world where they live…Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, India, I had never seen a truly wild elephant before.

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Sri Lanka has tons of places where you can hang out near elephants both wild and in sanctuaries. But why see elephants behind fences when you can see them roaming free in one of the many National Parks. We spotted two on our visit to Wilpattu but you can also see them in…

• Yala National Park
• Udawalawe National Park
• Horton Plains National Park

If you are planning on visiting a sanctuary please thoroughly research the organization and read ALL the reviews. You can also read my guide to Ethical Elephant Tourism that I made after visiting many sanctuaries throughout Southeast Asia.

Elephant Fact: 97% of Sri Lankan elephants are tuskless. Before the National Parks were protected places elephants with tusks were mercilessly hunted in Sri Lanka. This left the breeding pool mostly tusk-free and thus today they have “evolved” (in a very manmade way) to have none.

7. Bird Watch Till Your Heart Sings

This might not be the most exciting wildlife experience for most travelers but Sri Lanka has a huge array of colorful tropical birds. The peacock is after all the national symbol of Sri Lanka & they are everywhere. But in the various parks, you can also find regal Serpent Eagles, Kingfisher, bright green Parakeets, Bee Eater (my favorite), massive colorfully-beaked Hornbills, Brown Fish Owls, and more.

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The easiest way to spot many of these birds is to join a safari with a guide.

Except for peacocks. You’ll see them everywhere. Early in the morning and just before sunset they fly to the top of the highest palm trees and make an obscenely loud calling noise. It’s a noise you’ll forever associate with this magical island.

8. Chase After Mongoose

If you’re from the United States like me, Mongoose count as wildlife. The only place you’ll find these adorable little rodents is in Hawaii.

You’ll see them in national parks, in small towns, and often near the road.

9. Steer Clear of Water Buffalo & Crocodiles

If you’ve been in Asia for any amount of time you’ve seen lots of water buffalo. But these are not the tame farmer-friendly kind from the mainland. These are wild. But aside from dangerous buffalo you also have crocodiles and venomous snaked to contend with. Saw Scale viper, the Hump nose viper, and the Green pit viper not to mention flying snakes. Yes. Flying.

10. Get Mugged by Monkeys in Ella

I don’t care how many times monkeys bite me. I still love them to death. They are just so interesting to watch.

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11. Watch the Flying Foxes Soar Overhead in Colombo or Kandy

Right before dusk, the sleeping black shadows hanging in the town’s trees come alive and spread thier 2-foot wide wings. Even in the huge sprawling city of Colombo, you’ll be surprised to find these adorable bats every evening.

Bonus: Sloth Bears!

There are also sloth bears in many of the Sri Lankan national parks but unfortunately, during our month-long stay, we didn’t see a single one!! Let me know in the comments if you were luckier.

Which National Park Is Right for You?

Wondering where to go to see wildlife in Sri Lanka? One of its many national parks is a good bet.

Wilipattu National Park

Wilpattu offers tons of wildlife experiences- including a chance to spot elephants and leopards.

It’s also off-the-beaten-path. North of Colombo in the region of Sri Lanka that few travelers visit (although the ancient city of Anuradhapura and Jaffna up north make it worth the trek).

Pros: It is the cheapest of the national parks when considering the bang for your buck. There are far fewer travelers here, which means fewer jeeps- good for wildlife and good for you. There is a hugely diverse population of animals here…more than almost any other park. It’s one of two parks where you can still spot wild leopards.

Cons: If you have only a short amount of time in Sri Lanka it can be too far away from the other tourist attractions. It also is the largest park which can make it more difficult to find some of the wildlife.

Where to Stay near Wilpattu National Park

My very favorite homestay in Sri Lanka (although with so many great ones it truly is difficult to choose) is in the town of Anuradhapura. Sweet Home Tourist Rest was above the rest, however. For only $12 a night this lovely A/C room kept us cool in the sweltering heat. The host picked us up at the train station, gave us a free tour of the town, hooked us up with the best wildlife guides, cooked us dinner, and even showed us his wedding video and stayed up chatting with us into the evening. He knows all the best guides for reasonable prices.

Yala National Park

This is Sri Lanka’s most popular national park. Partly because it’s so conveniently located near the best beaches in Sri Lanka and partly because it is the only other park that offers a chance at leopard sightings.

Pros: Leopards in a convenient location for any traveler’s itinerary. Great tourist infrastructure in the area. Wild elephants are another commonly spotted animal here.

Cons: It’s very expensive. The sheer number of tourists here can make the park incredibly crowded and at times it feels like your chasing the animals around the small park.

Udawalawe National Park 

The big attraction here is the resident population of elephants that reside in the park.

Pros: Far fewer tourists than other parks. One of the best chances at seeing lots of elephants. Close to the town of Ella which is likely on your itinerary anyway.

Cons: Unless your only goal is to see elephants other parks seem to have more variety of wildlife.

Minneriya National Park

If you happen to visit Sri Lanka in August this is the best park to see elephants hands down. During this time period, they all congregate in this part of the island.

Wasgamuwa National Park

Pros: This park has the highest density of bears in Sri Lanka. It’s very close to Polonoruwa- the ancient city & therefore likely to be already on your itinerary.

Cons: Aside from sloth bears and elephants there is very little other wildlife in the area.