Sri Lanka’s wildlife safaris are in some of the best national parks for spotting elephants, leopards, sloth bears, deer, crocodiles and exotic birds.
We were fortunate to go on 2 safaris in Sri Lanka.
Our first safari was in the northern part of the country near Minneriya National Park, which is generally the best place to find elephants in their natural habitat.
They are endemic to Sri Lanka, meaning they are found only on the island, primarily in dry-zone national parks like Minneriya, Udawalawe, and Yala.
Elephants are an important part of Sri Lanka’s culture, history and ecosystem.
Elephants are deeply respected in Buddhism and Hinduism, often associated with wisdom, strength, and prosperity.
Historically, they were used by kings for war, transportation, and religious processions.
There are an estimated 7,000 wild elephants in Sri Lanka today.
The more elephants (“chang”) a Thai king had the more status and power he enjoyed.
Known for their size, strength and intelligence, elephants were important in battle and used as weapons in warfare from the fifteenth century.
