Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve
Best for: Birds – the mixed flocks here have been subject to the longest study of the phenomenon.
Drive time: Five hours
What’s nearby? Head due south to the laid-back beaches of Mirissa.
Situated in the wet south-west of the island, this is the country’s premier rainforest. The canopy towers up to 45m in places and more than half of the trees here are found nowhere else in the world. Mixed-species bird flocks are a key feature of Sinharaja. Around six endemic birds may make up one flock, including species such as red-faced malkoha, green-billed coucal and Sri Lankan blue magpie. Animals present include leopard, purple-faced langur, barking deer and three types of squirrel.
Minneriya & Kaudulla National Parks
Best for: Seasonal elephants and large flocks of little cormorants.
Drive time: Five-and-a-half hours
What’s nearby? The ruined monasteries and palaces of Polonnaruwa.
These two parks are within half an hour’s drive of each other in the North Central Province, sited around two large reservoirs. Scrub jungle surrounds the lakes and contains many mammals, but game viewing is generally poor – except for the wonderful seasonal congregation of elephants. The ‘gathering’ takes place in Minneriya during September and October, when over 300 elephants come together on the bed of Minneriya Lake, which dries out to create a lush grassland.
Horton Plains National Park
Best for: Birdwatching around the stunning 880m drop-off of World’s End.
Drive time Colombo: Five hours
What’s nearby? The terribly colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya.
Towering up in the central highlands, Horton Plains is the highest plateau on the island. The cloud forests here are rich in endemic plants and animals that have adapted to the cooler climes (nighttime temperatures can fall below zero).
Birds such as the Sri Lankan whistling thrush and Sri Lankan bush warbler are best seen here. The dwarf lizard, found only in the montane zone, has evolved the ability to give birth to live young in order to avoid the problems of laying in such egg-chilling temperatures.
Wilpattu National Park
Best for: Sightings of the elusive sloth bear.
Drive time from Colombo: Four hours
What’s nearby? The sacred 2,000-year-old bodhi tree amid the monuments of the ancient city of Anuradhapura.
Wilpattu, Sri Lanka’s largest park, is situated in the dry lowlands of the island’s north-west and comprises a series of lakes – or villus – with varying degrees of freshness or salinity.
The park reopened in 2003 after nearly 15 years of closure. Over time, the wildlife should recover to its former abundance and become more habituated to vehicles – at the moment the animals are wary of any human presence.
Wilpattu was famous for its leopards, and big-cat enthusiasts are hoping this reputation will return. The park’s fauna is similar to Yala, but visitors also have a chance of seeing the muntjac or barking deer.
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