Sri Lanka Safari is the new emerging rival of the popular Africa Safari. The Island Country provides a lustrous Safari experience to its seekers having 22 National Parks to choose from, but with the increasing number of tourists, the ecosystem of Sri Lankan National Parks is highly affected by crowded vehicles. So, if you are a big fan of nature and want to contribute to responsible travel in the wild, here is how you can spend 5 eco-friendly holidays in Sri Lanka:

Destination

Going for a Safari but want it to be eco-friendly, you have a lot to choose from, here is a list:

1. Wilpattu National Park

Wilpatuu National Park is the largest and oldest National Park in Sri Lanka. Located in the north-west of the country, this park is famous for its pools of water that form after rain. Wilpattu is also known for its leopards which can be easily spotted in this area.

<em>Wildlife in Wilpattu National Park</em>

• Common reptiles include the mugger crocodile, common cobra, and Indian python.
• 31 different mammals have been found including elephants, leopards, and red-spotted deer.
• More than 30 different birds are found including the painted stork, the open bill, and little cormorant.

Wilpattu is an underestimated National Park due to its closure during the civil war in Sri Lanka. Now that it has been reopened for tourists, Wilpattu is slowly gaining its reputation back. There are a lot of endangered species in this National Park whose ecosystem is highly affected throughout the year.

1. Yala National Park

Located around a 6-hour drive from Colombo, the Yala National Park is the most popular safari destination in the country. It gives Safari experiences worth remembering to its visitors. It covers an area of more than 900Km square.

<em>Wildlife in Yala National Park</em>

Due to its large area, Yala National Park has a wide range of animals inhabited in the wild. These include:

• 47 different reptiles including the Sri Lankan flying snake, Indian Cobra, and saltwater crocodile.
• 215 different bird species.

44 mammals including the Sri Lankan elephant, leopards, and sloth bear.

The Yala National Park is the most popular and hence the most affected one in Sri Lanka. It is known for its leopard population and tourists do come here from all around the world. The ecosystem of this park is highly affected by hundreds of jeeps in the park most of the time.

1. Uduwalawe National Park

The Uduwalawe National Park is a very popular Safari Park. Located in the south of Sri Lanka it is just a 4-hour drive away from Colombo. This Park is known for the population of its elephants so you have a bright chance of spotting herds of them. It covers an area of more than 300 Km square.

<em>Wildlife in Uduwalawe National Park</em>

Uduwalawe National Park has a wide range of animals inhabited:

• 42 different mammals including the Sri Lankan elephant, leopards and sloth bears.
• 32 species of reptiles including mugger crocodiles, garden lizards, and snakes.
• Over 180 species of birds including red-faced malkoha, Sri Lankan grey hornbill, and Sri Lankan Spurfowl.

After Yala, Uduwalawe National Park is the most popular and hence the most affected. Known for its elephants, the Uduwalalwe National Park is visited by elephant lovers throughout the globe.

Accommodation

The hotels for accommodation are available near every National Park offering Safari. But few are offering eco-friendly facilities to tourists. Moreover, these hotels charge a little bit higher than the average prices of hotel accommodation. So, do book your rooms in these hotels so that you can contribute to saving the wilderness of Sri Lankan National Parks.

Private Eco-friendly Safari organizers

Many private organizers offer eco-friendly Safaris but do charge a bit higher than the average. They make sure that the extra charges are made worth so that Sri Lankan National Parks are preserved with their natural environment.

Low Season

Everyone wants a little privacy in a Safari to reconnect with nature. If you want to make sure that your Safari holidays are ecofriendly for the wild, you better plan your trip to Sri Lanka in the low season.

Every National Park has its low season in a year and the population of tourists is at its lowest during this period. Being a nature-friendly person, you probably don’t want to see a herd of elephants surrounded by 4x4 jeeps, and obviously, don’t want to be in one of those jeeps. So, to avoid giving the wild a hard time, plan your safari in the low season.