Did you know that Sri Lanka has some of the most incredible wildlife safari experiences in the world? Most of the time when we think about safari we think of East Africa and the Big Five animals you can discover there (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and Cape buffalo). HOWEVER…Sri Lanka boasts some of the richest safari experiences anywhere in the world in a completely different environment. In Sri Lanka you can see the Big Four: Asian elephant, leopard, sloth bear and blue whale. Sri Lanka is an island with its own specific and endemic flora, fauna and animals that are indigenous to the island. Because it is an island there are things that you are able to see there that you can’t see anywhere else in the world.

We decided early in our trip planning that a safari was in order. We had never been on a safari before and honestly didn’t know what to expect or if we would like it. I researched countless safari outfitters and programs before I found one that ticked all of the boxes I had. I wanted to see the elusive leopard in the wild…which meant that Block 1 in Yala National Park was to be our safari destination. Drilling this down further, I knew I wanted us to stay in a luxury tented camp (think glamping to the max) with a guide and driver and meals all worked in. There are a number of high end safari outfitters in the Yala area that fit most of the boxes…but Leopard Trails fit them ALL.

Leopard Trails operates two different sites; one in Yala National Park and one in Wilpattu National Park. We were most interested in seeing the large leopard population for this safari so we chose to spend time at their Yala location. From start to finish, Leopard Trails is a class act. We were picked up from our driver who was bringing us from Unawatuna in a safari jeep and taken to the camp which lies behind a tall gate deep in the bush. Our bags were taken and we were greeted with cold scented washcloths and drinks, both of which felt and tasted heavenly. We soon met Krishan, our guide for our entire experience. He explained the tented camp, facilities and meals and then took us through what each of the upcoming four safari game drives would be like. Leopard Trails wants their guests to see as many animals as they can safely while also being able to also eat and sleep luxuriously. We spent time with Krishan in the “living room” of the camp, a large fully enclosed and air conditioned tent with comfortable couches, rugs and tables. It in no way felt like we were in the bush or the jungle…until you looked outside!

Leopard Trails prides itself on having “Old world hospitality with a contemporary flair” , giving guests the feel of those classic African safari tents but with modern, luxurious amenities. Everything has a British Colonial flair, from the rugs and blankets to chairs and beds. We truly felt transported to a different era.

We stayed in the Leopard Trails Suite tent, which is about 700 square feet plus an outdoor veranda. This tent has a double sink, large shower and flush-able toilet – full plumbing! It contained two large AC units and a fan so we were always the perfect temperature regardless of how hot and humid it was outside (and trust me, it was hot and humid). Our bed was king size and piled with smooshy pillows, cool sheets and a warm duvet. It also contained plenty of lamps and outlets which was great for our tech heavy needs, as well as plenty of storage for our clothing and bags. In short, it was a little bit of lodging paradise in the bush.

I know that you can stay in a hotel near the park and arrange with a separate driver/guide to take you on safari but doing everything though Leopard Trails made the entire safari experience seamless and immersive. You are staying on the same type of land and environment that the animals you will be viewing live on. Staying in the bush is a WILD experience! There are literally animals and critters everywhere and you are constantly reminded that you are a visitor in their natural habitat. That is an experience I don’t get to have very often and while it took me out of my comfort zone I can say I loved it. Also, it rained several times while we stayed at Leopard Safari and listening to the rain pounding on our tent was SO COOL. Hearing the wind whip through the trees and a fierce rainstorm outside was one of my favorite experiences of the entire trip.

Leopard Trails wasn’t just about the accommodations, however. They operate on a different level when it comes to food. Meals were multi course and SO tasty. From huge Sri Lankan breakfasts featuring string hoppers and curries to a spread of barbecued meats and sides to large platters of fresh fruit and jams to delicious chocolate desserts – wow. We ate like royalty. Again, all of this occurred under a dining tent in the middle of the wilderness, oftentimes while listening to rain above. What an experience.

Our driver/guide also made sure to pack our jeeps with water, sodas, fruit and snacks for game drives which usually lasted 3-4 hours.

And YES. Let’s talk about those game drives. Our first one occurred the first afternoon we were in camp, around 3 PM to Yala Block 1. This is the block typically containing the most wild leopards (there are approximately 90 in Block 1). There are no guarantees that you are going to see a leopard but we did on our very first drive. It walked right behind our jeep and we were able to observe it for about 20 minutes. We were also able to see on our first safari alone countless colorful birds, crocodiles (so many crocs!), water buffalo, peacocks, spotted deer (which are my new favorite breed of deer), monkeys, wild boar, and monitor lizards. Speaking of monitor lizards, we had several in camp that we became well acquainted with. For our first game drive it was only me and Sam in the jeep along with a dedicated driver (who may be the most talented driver in all of Sri Lanka – those safari roads are no joke to navigate), Krishan our guide and an official from the national park.

I found our first game drive to be like something out of a movie. At one point Sam and I turned to each other and I said that I had the theme song to “Jurassic Park” running through my head half expecting a T-Rex to come bounding out of the brush! It really had that feel. You KNOW that just off of your path there are so many animals and critters just out of sight. Not gonna lie, it’s a little unnerving but still awesome at the same time. ALSO. You really have to know this before going on a safari: the roads/paths are EXTREMELY bumpy and rough. Your stomach is going to mind it; it is rough!

We went on three more game drives over the following two days, visiting Block 1 again, then Block 4 and 5 and finally 3. Like I said, the leopards are mainly found in Block 1 and the elephants are often seen in Block 4. The next two photos were taken by my new friend Camy on her giant camera of the next leopard we saw:

Wow, right? Having never seen a leopard in the wild before and this close up I was fascinated by them. Their undercoat is white with black spots that warms to that golden spotted color on the top of their body. They move so languidly and you can tell they are just one big muscle. I know that there have been game drives where people have been able to see a leopard during or right after a kill; we did not have this experience. It was absolutely amazing.

Krishan asked me what I REALLY wanted to see that we hadn’t already seen and I said elephants. We had seen two in the wild but they were a ways off and so we did not have that close up encounter I was hoping for. “I’d really love to see one on the road like I have heard so much about” I told him on our last day. He paused, told the driver something, we drove five minutes and BOOM. Huge elephant in the road.

No joke, I kind of lost my mind. He was just hanging out here on the road. Cars carefully waited or went around him. They often tossed a bunch of bananas out or some branches as they drove past. Unfortunately this particular elephant is known in these parts as one that wants to hang out by the road because people feed him. While this is awesome for tourists like me to see, it is not a healthy or safely sustainable life for this guy. He isn’t quite as interested in foraging in the brush like his counterparts and instead relies too much on “handouts”. If he isn’t in a good mood (and we heard lots of stories about this) he may get aggressive towards cars/buses/tuk-tuks as creating a safety issue for people. So it was awesome to see but I could definitely appreciate the seriousness of the flip side.

You can see from the photo above that our elephant is much larger than the tuk tuk holding those people. There wasn’t a problem…but you can see how there could be if the elephant is feeling aggressive or territorial!

The above photos show two additional elephants we met on our travels down two different roads. The first one was a younger elephant, estimated to be 15 years old. A teenager! The second one walked RIGHT up to us in the car and I was able to get that shot without a zoom at all. It was so so cool.

HUGE Thank you to Leopard Trails, to Krishan who was the best guide, to our amazing driver and the entire staff at Leopard Trails for making our three day safari experience the highlight of our trip to Sri Lanka. It was truly a bucket list experience and we were so happy to make memories with Leopard Trails. There are a number of great luxury safari outfitters working around the Yala area but the care and classiness of Leopard Trails cannot be beat. They truly love and respect the animals they are coming into contact with and want their guests to have the best experience possible. If you are traveling to Sri Lanka and want a stellar safari experience Leopard Trails will not disappoint.

*Note: Thank you Leopard Trails for sponsoring this post and for hosting Sam and I at your property. All opinions here are my own and happily I have only the best opinions about Leopard Trails!

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