Sri Lanka’s most famous national park, Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards of any protected area in the world. The park is also home to elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, water buffalo, and an impressive range of bird species. Safaris operate in open jeeps through diverse habitats including coastal scrub, lagoons, and dry-zone forest. Block 1, the most visited section, is best from February to July, though the park is open for most of the year.