WASGAMUWA NATIONAL PARK

BEST FOR: Elephants – 150 to 300 occupy the park’s scrublands.

DRIVE TIME FROM COLOMBO: 5 hours.

WHAT’S NEARBY? The fascinating Buddhapacked caves of Dambulla.

Wasgamuwa is in the dry lowlands of the North Central Province, 40km north of the richly bio-diverse Knuckles Mountain Range. All of the big game is found in Wasgamuwa, but bear and leopard are pretty elusive. However, it is very good for observing family units of elephants, still relatively wild with unpredictable temperaments.