Going to Yala offers the best opportunity to spot a Sri Lankan leopard and there’s a significant chance of seeing elephants too. We visited Yala national park during a brief drought, which led the elephants to stick close to the permanent lakes deep inside the park, away from the main routes. Despite this, we were lucky to spot an isolated male munching away amidst the foliage. If you visit Yala when it’s not facing a drought, it’s almost certain that you’ll witness herds of elephants freely wandering the park in full view.