Wilpattu National Park Jeep Safari från Negombo / Waikkal (all inclusive)

On this safari, something rare happened; we spotted two leopards at once and observed them for about 2 hours. Exciting and fascinating - even if the leopards were rather taking it easy. We observed a number of other animals such as water buffalo, crocodiles, and deer. And tons of birds. Wilpattu is a beautiful and not so crowded nature park with a lot of forest and shrubs as well as watering holes and lakes. Regarding the tour operator: The pickup and return trip were perfect, punctual, and with a very safe driver. The tour guide through the national park was very knowledgeable and very nice. Incredible how he saw the animals while driving - I usually had no clue before he pointed them out to me. This experience is an absolute recommendation.

The Sri Lankan government have a nature reserve and not game park attitude to safari experiences. Huge queues of cars to enter the park, limited access - roads open to the public heaving with safari jeeps. You have to start queuing at the park gate at 4:30 am to be one of the first jeeps in the park at 6 am if you have any chance of seeing any wildlife when it crosses one of the few roads briefly. The Sri Lankan park authority do not allow radio contact so the guides cannot coordinate when there is a rare sighting either. The park is predominantly wooded so if you are lucky you may spot one of their big three early in the morning crossing a road. For safari lovers don’t bother. You will see beautiful landscapes and very few animals. Safari’s in Africa are on another league both in terms of organization, hospitality and above all wildlife you can see during a 2-3 day trip.

There are lots of parks in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu came up as one that people said was less busy and very peaceful. I choice to do a full day Safari it was an early 4am start as I was coming from Negombo but the driver was really good and we got there in 2hrs. It was a long day but the time flew. I got to see a lone male elephant that was having fun in the water, 5 water buffalos, family of deers, amazing different birds and some new animals too! Not to mention the beautiful landscapes in the park. I had a home cooked Sri Lankan lunch by a lake and watch butterflies all around me it was really magical. All day we tried to see the famous leopards, a few other jeeps that day said they had seen them but many said they haven’t. On our way back to the entrance we stopped by a water pond as there had been a baby crocodile in there in the morning, the next minute the driver said I think there is a leopard up in the bush! It had been sitting there watching us by the time I got my phone out to take a picture it was running away a 4 second view lol 😂 but the guide got a picture of it watching us. So you really never know what’s lurking 👀 in the jungle. As I was traveling on my own the day trip was expensive but I had the opportunity jeep to myself and the driver asked me what things I wanted to see. It was a different experience and it was wonderful to be with nature so if you want a relaxed day watching nature take this tour. We should remember the park is the animals home so we can’t expect them to just show up because we want to see them. Go to the park with the view to explore nature and you won’t be disappointed. Seeing the Leopards and the other big animals is a bonus. Thank you Abeyrathne for getting the final picture of the day you can see it was watching us 🥰

Very nice guide, really had an eye for it and knew a lot about the animals and we spotted many. Along the way, the guides always keep each other informed which animals are where. It was a very long day, I didn't expect that for what I paid for it. The breakfast and lunch was also really fantastic. Highly recommended!

We had an incredible experience on our Wilpattu safari from Negombo. Our guide was exceptional – knowledgeable, friendly, and really made the wildlife experience come alive. The day was long, starting with a 4 AM hotel pickup and returning around 7 PM, but it was absolutely worth it. The drive from Negombo to Wilpattu took over 3 hours, and our driver was excellent – safe, smooth, and very accommodating. The highlight? Spotting not one, but two leopards in the wild! The park itself is stunning and less crowded than other national parks, which made the experience feel truly special. If you’re considering a safari from Negombo, this is the one to do. Incredible wildlife, a fantastic guide, and a memorable adventure from start to finish.

We stayed 2 nights at the Leopards trails, a very upmarket camp site about a mile outside the entrance to Wilpattu National Park. The accomodation, food and the staff service were all excellent. Unfortunately we didn't see any leopards but we saw four bears , including a mother and her cub, amongst other wild life.

Fantastic well organised knowledgeable and great fun. Speed boat across lagoon then tuk tuk to park then jeep safari. Great day out for all.

We would highly recommend this experience. We were picked up from our hotel in Kandy by Charith. He got us safely to the safari and the car was comfortable and bottled water was in the vehicle for us. Which was appreciated on the long journey to Wilpattu. Our driver/guide was very friendly and had an excellent knowledge of the park and the animals. He provided us a delicious breakfast and lunch as well as snacks and drinks throughout the day. The highlight of the day was a very hungry Sloth Bear.

It was an amazing experiance in wilpattu and the tour was well organized from negombo to wilpattu within 3 hours.jeep and included a well knowledgable guide and the breakfast and lunch was fantastic.it was a memorable day and thanks for organize a successful safari and highley recomonded for a full day tour

Incredibly great safari! Our guide/chief was incredibly knowledgeable and service-minded. And he was genuinely interested in the animals. Oh, my God, so many animals we saw!