Sri Lanka has an amazing array of wildlife and natural parks. Monkeys and water monitors openly roam the land but elephants and leopards can be seen in their natural setting by visiting the national parks. I spent the day getting up close and personal with the wildlife and also stopping to experience the culture and people of the community.
The Elephant Gathering
We had jam-packed our day yesterday so we could make time today to come to one of the national parks and see the elephants up close and personal. The best viewing time is in the dry season, which starts in June and ends in October, so we were catching the tail end of this event. The drier the weather, the better the chance for the elephants to come out for the grasses and the water areas.
As we drove in our jeeps to the clearing, I was shocked at just how many of these amazing creatures were actually congregating here. We were hoping for a few but were shocked to see hundreds of elephants wandering the open areas. Most were moms and their young, although you would see the occasional male elephant walking on his own away from the herd.
It is absolutely amazing to be so close to these magnificent animals. They are majestic and yet so gentle. Our jeeps didn't seem to bother them but we did have one elephant walk directly towards us and it was up to our driver to edge up enough to get out of his way.
To cap things off, we were surprised by a Sri Lankan cocktail, fresh pineapple and deep fried fish at the end of our viewing. Seeing the wildlife was a great break from the myriad temples that cover Sri Lanka.
As we drove in our jeeps to the clearing, I was shocked at just how many of these amazing creatures were actually congregating here. We were hoping for a few but were shocked to see hundreds of elephants wandering the open areas. Most were moms and their young, although you would see the occasional male elephant walking on his own away from the herd.
It is absolutely amazing to be so close to these magnificent animals. They are majestic and yet so gentle. Our jeeps didn't seem to bother them but we did have one elephant walk directly towards us and it was up to our driver to edge up enough to get out of his way.
To cap things off, we were surprised by a Sri Lankan cocktail, fresh pineapple and deep fried fish at the end of our viewing. Seeing the wildlife was a great break from the myriad temples that cover Sri Lanka.
Avukana Buddha Statue
Before we begin our second safari to find the leopard, we stopped in Avukana to see the Buddha statue. The significance of this statue is it's size (more than 40 ft) and the details of the elaborately carved robe. The statue is carved out of a single piece of granite rock and is very impressive to behold.
On the way out, we decided to stop at a roadside shop for some local snacks. All this touring does make you hungry and no better way to learn about the culture of a country than through it's food. We sampled corn (safe because it's boiled in hot water), snacks, and I even found relief for my chocolate craving. This was our best attempt to "eat local"!
On the way out, we decided to stop at a roadside shop for some local snacks. All this touring does make you hungry and no better way to learn about the culture of a country than through it's food. We sampled corn (safe because it's boiled in hot water), snacks, and I even found relief for my chocolate craving. This was our best attempt to "eat local"!
The Elusive Leopard
The next day we continued on to Wilpattu National Park to see the Sri Lankan leopard. Our guide Asiri had been keeping tabs on the sightings with the park rangers and we purposely started very late in the day in hopes of getting a glimpse. Although we did see the water monitor, more monkeys, deer, and even peacocks, we never did get to see the much anticipated leopard. All was not lost, we certainly saw an amazing sunset on the ride back to the hotel.
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