If you’re a wildlife and nature enthusiast, Sri Lanka is definitely the place to be. The country has been consistently drawing in large numbers of nature enthusiasts over the years and tourists are able to see diverse wildlife and tropical forests in Sri Lanka in a short space of time.
The country’s ‘big five’ are the Asian elephant, leopard, sloth bear, blue whale and sperm whales and you are able to see the two largest mammals on earth, the elephant and the whale, in the same place.
The leopard is the apex predator here, making it the perfect place for leopard sightings in quick time and the Yala Wildlife Sanctuary has one of the highest leopard densities in the world. Incidentally, the park is home not just to leopards, but also elephants, sloth bears and 44 other mammal species.
Sri Lanka is also home to ‘The Gathering,’ at number six on Lonely Planet’s ‘The Greatest Wildlife Spectacles’. Elephants trundle in from reserves around the region, and 300 or more thirsty pachyderms graze the lush grass, drink and play in the water at the Minneriya Tank. It’s a unique opportunity to watch how elephants interact.
The country boasts several unspoiled beaches, national parks, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries, beautiful tea estates, forest reserves and scenic mountains.
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