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Where to see wild elephants in Sri Lanka

Discover the best places to see wild elephants.
It’s World Elephant Day and there’s no better way to celebrate than by meeting the big-eared mammals yourself. Seeing wild elephants roaming around their natural habitat is a truly special sight, and Sri Lanka is one of the best places in the world to experience this. Over 6,000 Sri Lankan elephants call the island home, and you’ll find them in national parks marching across grasslands, chomping on trees and bathing in rivers. You might even catch baby elephants being reared by their mothers or getting bottle-fed at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe National Park. There’s also a unique organisation called the Elephant Freedom Project where you can enjoy a day in the life of an elephant for yourself (yes, really). Founder of the project, JR Beltman says, ‘visitors will get an exclusive experience spending the day with our two retired working elephants, following them on their walks and helping to wash them in the river. The interaction is totally safe and the whole project aims to give the elephants the best life possible.’ So, if you’re ready to plan an elephant safari, here’s our round-up of the best places to see them…

UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

With its stark, open landscape and a herd of around 250 elephants, Udawalawe National Park is a great place to spot one of these incredible creatures. The best way to see them is on a safari-style jeep tour where you’ll explore the landscape with a knowledgeable guide, learning all about the endangered creatures along the way. You’ll then get the chance to catch feeding time at the Elephant Transit Home. This Born Free supported rehabilitation centre rescues orphaned baby elephants and cares for them before gradually returning them to the wild. And there’s a viewing platform where you can stand metres from the little ones and watch them being bottle-fed.

YALA NATIONAL PARK

Yala is the most-visited national park in Sri Lanka thanks to its huge variety of wildlife. You can expect to see monkeys, crocodiles and storks as well as the Sri Lankan ‘big four’ – leopards, sloth bears, buffalos and, of course, elephants. Join a Yala excursion to get the most out of your day in the park, and tour the stunning forests, grasslands and lagoons with an eagle-eyed guide. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive hard-to-spot Sri Lankan leopard – there are around 35 of them in this park.

ELEPHANT FREEDOM PROJECT

Fancy spending an entire day with an elephant? At the Elephant Freedom Project you can do just that. The organisation looks after two former working elephants – Manika and Seetha – and aims to give them a comfortable retirement in their own huge enclosure. The project only accepts a few visitors at a time, but while you’re there you can accompany the elephants on a guided countryside walk and help to bathe them in the river. You’ll even get an authentic Sri Lankan cooking lesson from locals and meet some kids from the local school as part of the day. Make sure you book in advance to bag your place on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Ready to plan your elephant safari?

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Author: Selina Akhtar

Last updated: 11.08.2016

Holiday Type

Destination

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