If you’re hoping to get an up-close look at elephants, you need go no further than the national parks in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. The elephant population here moves around depending on the season, so your guide may take you beyond Minneriya to other parks close by to keep up with the herd. When it comes to the best spots for sightings, you can trust these local guides, who have lived alongside these giants for generations.

Bumpy dirt tracks wind through lush forest, grassland, marshes and small natural lakes, and though you will come across other jeeps during your safari, it's nowhere near as crowded as Yala. Since there are usually enough elephants to go around, drivers often spread out a bit more, hoping to get solitary sightings up close. Though this area is renowned for its elephants, you could also see crocodiles, water buffalo, deer, monkeys and an array of birds. In such a beautiful setting, and so close to Sigiriya, it’s an easy way to slot in a wildlife adventure.