All of Sri Lanka’s national parks have natural beauty and wildlife in abundance, but Gal Oya offers something special – true seclusion. It’s also the only park to offer both jeep and boat safaris, so you can see elephants bathing, and crocodiles basking from every vantage point. You may also see toque macaque and gray langur monkeys swinging through the trees. Wild boar, water buffalo, deer and sloth bears roam freely through the dense forest and grassland. There is also a population of particularly elusive leopards in Gal Oya, along with other wild cats such as the fishing cat, the jungle cat and the rusty spotted cat.

When it comes to sightings, the lack of tourists is a blessing and a curse. You may not see another jeep while you’re there, but this means the fauna tends to be a little more skittish and can be harder to spot. That said, safaris in Gal Oya are more about being quietly immersed in the wild than ticking animals off your safari checklist.