Where to go for wildlife

Yala National Park is the country’s top spot for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts – and it’s the place to go to see elephants, sloth bears and an incredible diversity of flora and fauna. If you’re lucky, you might even see the Sri Lankan leopard. The park is vast so, even at peak season, you can find a few quiet spots. You can self-drive the park (though a ranger is obliged to join you as a passenger for your safety), or there are plenty of group and private tours that can be easily organised. Choose Yala Safari Private Game Tours (full day from £103 per person: yalasafariholidays.com) and have lunch watching the water buffalo graze.