Sprawled over 979 square kilometres, Yala National Park in southeast Sri Lanka is the nation’s largest and most-visited wildlife conservation zone. As Sri Lanka’s oldest wildlife sanctuary, Yala shelters a vast area of unspoiled jungles, grassland, and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean. It is home to the highest population of leopards on the planet, alongside Sri Lankan elephants, crocodiles, and over 400 bird species.

Yala National Park is sectioned into five blocks, and there are eco-friendly campsites everywhere. The fascinating thing about hiking here is discovering the park’s diverse terrain, which includes marine wetlands, deciduous and thorn forests, and freshwater lakes and ponds, mainly composed of Precambrian-era metamorphic rocks.

A large section of the park is covered by marshes and sandy beaches, where families enjoy picnics and swimming. Further inland, Sithulpawwa is an ancient Buddhist monastery where caves display centuries-old rock paintings. Magul Vihara is another pilgrimage site within the park displaying ancient ruins. The best way to enjoy a Yala National Park tour is to take Jeep safaris with a driver, but you can blaze your own trails with bicycles. Yala National Park remains closed for rejuvenation for six weeks from 1 September to 15 October every year.