Home Tours Wildlife

Sri Lanka wildlife tours

Leopards in Yala, elephant herds at Minneriya and blue whales off Mirissa. Sri Lanka fits an unusual amount of wildlife into a small island, and most of it sits a few hours from the roads we already drive.

See the tours Plan my trip

12 tours in this style
From $75 per person
1 to 15 days
Private, and changed to fit you

Excellent, 73 Google reviews
10 years of guiding Sri Lanka
Private your own driver-guide and vehicle
Registered Sri Lankan company, fully insured
24/7 support while you travel

Wildlife

What a wildlife trip looks like

Game drives start early, because the animals do. Your driver-guide gets you to the park gate for opening, and a park jeep and tracker take you from there. Most people pair two parks in one trip so a quiet morning in one is not the whole story.

Wildlife rarely fills a whole holiday here. The parks sit close to the beaches and the ancient cities, so a safari or two usually slots into a wider route rather than replacing it.

Leopards in the south
Yala and Wilpattu are two of the better places in the world to see a wild leopard, though nothing is guaranteed on any single drive.
Elephants most of the year
Udawalawe has elephants year round. At Minneriya and Kaudulla the herds gather in larger numbers around August and September.
Whales from the coast
Blue whales pass Mirissa between roughly November and April, and Trincomalee from May to September.

Guests watching elephants from an open safari jeep on an Oura Travel trip — Guests on a morning game drive

Wildlife tours

Every route here is a starting point. Tell us what to change and we redraw it around your dates.

View all tours Ask for something different

1 day Wildlife
Day With Turtle
Galle Fort, Bentota
From $75$100 View tour
1 day Wildlife
Safari Excursion
Yala National Park, Udawalawa Natinoal Park
From $110$150 View tour
5 days Wildlife
Soul Serenity Of Sri Lanka
Negombo, Digana
From $785$950 View tour
8 days Wildlife
Sri Lanka Ramayana Tour
Negombo, Chilaw, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Kataragama, Galle, Colombo, Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport
From $895$1,250 View tour
10 days Wildlife
Island of Endless Horizons
Colombo, Elkaduwa, Kandy, Ella, Wellawaya, Galle, Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport
From $1,650$1,850 View tour
10 days Wildlife
Sri Lanka’s Big Five Game
Colombo, Minneriya National Park, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya, Yala National Park, Udawalawa, Sinharaja Forest Gate, Sinharaja Access Road, Mederipitiya, Deniyaya 81500, Galle, Mirissa, Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport
From $1,800$2,400 View tour
12 days Wildlife
Sustainable Luxury – Responsible Eco Tour
Colombo, Dambulla, Kandy, Gal Oya Lodge, Rathugala, Wellassa, Galgamuwa, Inginiyagala Rd, Bibile 91500, Wellawaya, Yala National Park, Deniyaya, Negombo
From $1,700$1,750 View tour
13 days Wildlife
Into the Wild: Sri Lanka’s Nature Escape
Chilaw, Wilpattu National Park, Bowala, Kandy, Gal Oya National Park, Yala National Park, Tangalle, Sinharaja, Ahangama
From $1,850$2,200 View tour
13 days Wildlife
A Journey Through Time In Northern Sri Lanka
Kalpitiya, Wilpattu National Park, Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Dambulla, Trincomalee, Colombo
From $1,875$2,520 View tour
14 days Wildlife
Island Wonders: A Family Adventure in Sri Lanka
Negombo, Habarana, Kandy, Kitulgala, Galle, Bentota
From $1,686$1,999 View tour
14 days Wildlife
Boutique Sri Lanka
Kotugoda, Sigiriya, Kandy, Hatton, Yala, Galle, Bentota
From $3,200$4,000 View tour
15 days Wildlife
Sri Lanka Honeymoon Retreat At Island of Love
Pasyala, Anuradhapura, Kandy, Koslanda, Yala National Park, Bentota, Galle
From $2,985$3,400 View tour

Prices are per person and depend on the season, the hotels and the size of your group. Ask us for a quote on your dates.

Travel styles

Looking for a different kind of trip?

Most of our routes mix several of these. Pick the one that matters most and we build the rest around it.

Romance Honeymoons and quiet corners Family Paced for children Adventure Rafting, cycling, hiking and surf Beaches Two coasts, two seasons Culture and heritage Ancient cities and temples

Questions about wildlife trips

Straight answers on how these trips work. Anything else, ask us.

Full FAQ

When is the best time for wildlife in Sri Lanka?

There is wildlife all year. The southern parks are driest and easiest from roughly February to July, the elephant gathering in the north central parks peaks around August and September, and whale watching off Mirissa runs from about November to April.

Can one trip combine leopards, elephants and whales?

Yes. Yala or Wilpattu for leopard, Udawalawe or Minneriya for elephant and Mirissa for whales fit comfortably into about ten days, and we can tighten or stretch that around your dates.

Are safaris suitable for children?

Game drives are bumpy and start early, which suits older children better. With younger ones we often use a shorter afternoon drive or a park with a higher chance of easy sightings.

What travellers say

Rated excellent on Google from 73 reviews, shown here as they were written.

Read all reviews on Google

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 73 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Emily Veit 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wir haben dort eine cooking class gemacht. Da wir in der Off season da waren, waren wir nur zu zweit. Die class war aber trotzdem sehr cool und wir konnten viel ausprobieren. Wir haben bei einer Familie hinten in der Küche gekocht und sie waren alle super nett und konnten auch gutes Englisch.
Uns wurde auch viel zum Essen und zur Tradition beigebracht.
Das Essen hat natürlich auch super geschmeckt.
Also auf jeden Fall eine Weiterempfehlung.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Sonja Kahl 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Wir waren off Session hier und haben einen Kochkurs mit der Familie gemacht.

Sie waren alle super nett und konnten gutes Englisch.
Das Essen war super lecker und man konnte auch selber viel ausprobieren.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Chantal van Eijnatten 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Ik heb recent de regenwoud-tour gedaan van Oura Travel.
Enorm genoten van een fijne dag!!
Top vervoer met enthousiaste gidse en chauffeur, lieve en opmerkzame gids in Sinharaja, fijne lunch en mooi bezoek aan een man die Treacle-siroop en Toddy maakt. Op de terugweg nog een mooie tempel bezocht.
Zeer tevreden over de kwaliteit van Oura Travel! Onze gidse Deepthi heeft nog allerlei fijne ideeën voor komende touristen…ik wens haar alle succes toe!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   elinga markeviciute 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We truly don’t even know where to begin. Our family trip to Sri Lanka was nothing short of perfect, and we honestly cannot imagine having done it with anyone else. From the very first message to the last goodbye, everything was so thoughtfully and professionally planned. Every detail was taken care of, yet the whole experience felt natural, relaxed, and personal.

What made this trip so special was that we didn’t just see Sri Lanka — we experienced the real, authentic side of it. Not the overly touristy version, but the true heart of the country. We visited beautiful hidden spots, met wonderful local people, and got a genuine sense of the culture and daily life. It felt meaningful and real.

The warmth and kindness of the team touched us deeply. They went above and beyond for every single request we had, always with a smile and such sincere hospitality. We felt cared for, safe, and genuinely welcomed — not like clients, but like guests… and by the end, like friends.

And we have to mention the value for money — it is honestly incredible. The quality of service, the organization, the experiences we had — all for such a fair price. The price-to-quality ratio is simply outstanding.

We truly cannot recommend this locally operated company enough. We don’t have a single complaint — not one thing we would change. We are so grateful we met these amazing people and created such beautiful memories together.

We already can’t wait to come back — but next time, it will feel more like visiting friends than booking a trip. ❤️
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Angelica Ferri 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My boyfriend and I had such a great time during this cooking class. It turned out to be one of the most authentic and memorable experiences of our trip.

We learned how to prepare several traditional dishes from scratch, including coconut roti, rice and curry with dhal, chicken curry, beans curry, and onion sambol. Everything started from whole, fresh ingredients, even the coconut, which we grated ourselves, and all the cooking was done over the fire using traditional tools. It felt like a truly hands-on, 360° experience rather than a simple cooking demonstration.

The lady who welcomed us into her home, together with her daughter, was incredibly warm and skilled. It was special to learn directly from them in such a genuine and intimate setting. Deepthi was also fantastic, he translated everything clearly, answered all our questions, and shared extra insights with real passion.

It really felt like being part of a Sri Lankan family for a few hours. And maybe because we cooked it ourselves, but we both agreed it was the best curry we had during our entire trip.

We would definitely recommend this experience to anyone looking for something authentic, welcoming, and truly memorable.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Vita Ezerskyte 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our group is very satisfied with choosing Oura Travel. It was a wonderful tour and a unique experience. Once again, thank you, Udaya 🙏
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   James Taylor 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Booked with this company in UK months prior to travel. On arrival Jan 2026, a few days before the booked trip, a brief correspondence assured all good.

Service was exactly as described. Could not fault the delivery of the service provided.

Warm, honest, polite and simply just do best to ensure you have a positive trouble free experience.

Please feel safe when booking with Udaya and colleagues from Oura Travel Sri Lanka.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rebecca Cook 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Oura Travel have been amazingly helpful in giving valuable recommendations for our trip and hosted an authentic Sri Lankan cooking class for us. We learnt so much and are some fantastic food. Thank you!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Jevgenij Shilko 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. The best or friend after trip, he helped a lot to get best experience!
  
 
  
  
 
     Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified badge is the Universal Symbol of Trust. Only the greatest companies can get the verified badge who has a review score above 4.5, based on customer reviews over the past 12 months. Read more