The Warden's House, an intimate safari lodge near Block 5 of Yala National Park. The Warden's House
A big cat yawns as it steps out of the rocky boulders before dusk settles. Across the island, flamingos wade in a series of marshy coastal lagoons. Sea turtles nest on the shoreline, and sperm whales pass through the surrounding deep blue waters. Whether you snorkel, walk, or hop in a 4WD or boat, wildlife experiences in Sri Lanka – both on land and in water – are truly magical.
Although it may appear small on the map, the island boasts an impressive list of 28 national parks, along with protected wetlands, sanctuaries, and forest reserves sheltering leopards, wild elephants, sloth bears, 522 bird species, and five out of the seven sea turtle species in the world. Scattered near these locations are independently owned, world-class safari camps, nature lodges, design-led glamping sites, treehouses, and luxury cabins offering guided bushwalks, game drives and comfortable stays.
This is our pick of Sri Lanka's best safari lodges, hotels and tented camps.
1. Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala National Park – Block 1
Best for luxury, all-inclusive stays
Set in the bounds of the Yala National Park by the Indian Ocean, Wild Coast is one of Sri Lanka’s most spectacular game lodges. And it’s easy to see why. The infinity pool stretches into the bamboo-built, dome-shaped dining pavilion that houses the hotel's bar, restaurant, and air-conditioned library with arched openings. Cocoon-shaped tented lodgings spread out in the bushland with private pools, outdoor viewing decks, teak-floored interiors, and copper baths. A typical stay at the safari lodge includes all meals, afternoon tea, sundowners by the beach, and a selection of beverages, including alcohol. The restaurant's menus are hyperlocal, with dishes such as baked, lake-caught fish served on a lotus leaf, and a mixologist’s list of cocktails incorporating native spirits like arrack.
Yala National Park is divided into five sectors, and the lodge is closest to Block 1, the park’s most popular section. Daily safaris are included in your stay and deliver epic sightings, like leopard cubs scampering after their mom, playful elephants, and families of sloth bears.
2. Wild Glamping Gal Oya, Gal Oya National Park
Best for glamping with indigenous culture
This charming safari lodge with tented camps, rain showers and a small pool is set in Rathugala, a remote village surrounded by the lush mountains, 385km (239 miles) east of Colombo. It’s mostly home to the Veddah, some of Sri Lanka’s last remaining indigenous communities. When massive irrigation schemes that took place after Sri Lanka’s independence from the British in 1948 led to clearing of the forested areas, many indigenous groups, most of whom were forest dwellers, lost their original homelands.
And until recently, the indigenous community didn’t have a chance to meaningfully contribute to Sri Lanka’s tourism growth. Wild Glamping, though, is different. The lodges are built by the Veddah community, and the hotel actively employs them as guides for bush walks, hikes, birdwatching trips, and cave tours in the jungle. And of course, there’s the chance to hop on a 4WD safari to one of the country’s least visited national parks, Gal Oya, as well as take a boat safari in Senanayake Samudraya (the island’s biggest artificial reservoir) to see wild elephants swimming in the lake’s waters. Don’t miss the hotel’s food as it easily serves the best creamy coconut dhal, kiri bath (rice cooked in coconut milk), and lavariya (sweet caramelized coconut wrapped in thin, delicate rice noodles).
3. Thamaravila, Wilpattu National Park
Best for secluded luxury
This all inclusive game lodge is only a 10-minute drive (4.3km/2.7 miles) from Wilpattu National Park, one of the island’s oldest and largest protected reserves. With stunning landscapes consisting of dry shrubland and open plains dotted with natural lakes, Wilpattu is one of the best places to spot the elusive leopard without the crowds. Stay at the one of the five tented chalets with thatched roofs, wooden flooring, mini private pools and rattan furnishing, each built with private sit-outs to enjoy the surrounding nature. The Loris Chalet – named after the small, nocturnal slender loris native to the island – is particularly intimate and private as it sits on the edge of the property, completely concealed in the forest. Try the excellent rice and curry spreads, champagne sundowners in the garden, and join the safaris – they are included in your stay and are guided by a naturalist.
4. Kalundewa Retreat, Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks, near Dambulla
Best for lush nature
Spread over 100 acres with just nine chalets, Kalundewa Retreat is built to blend seamlessly with the natural landscape, with large open spaces, incorporating materials like burned bricks, local wood, glass and concrete. Every chalet comes with a plunge pool and a deck shaded by massive trees. Surrounded by a freshwater lake, about 55 acres of the land is dedicated to paddy farming. While some chalets (like Bakmee) are submerged in the lake’s waters, there’s also a floating villa designed by the Sri Lankan luxury yacht manufacturer Neil Marine. For wildlife, head to nearby Minneriya or Kaudulla, where large herds of elephants – about 400 – gather at the parks’ lakes to feed, bathe and play. If you are a birder, expect an excellent viewing experience from your room itself, as Kalundewa is home to 96 resident bird species and migratory birds. Eat dinner in a traditional farming house built beside a threshing floor still used by local farmers.
5. The Warden's House, Yala National Park – Block 5
Best for an intimate experience
Warden’s only opened in 2024, but it’s quickly gaining popularity as one of Sri Lanka’s most intimate safari lodges. You’ll sleep in one of the four artfully decorated rooms, each named after a national park in Sri Lanka, in a secluded bungalow located in a 7-acre garden. The Menik River rumbles past the edge of the property, where the staff arrange picnics when the water runs low. Dining is alfresco, with meals, arrack-infused cocktails, and afternoon tea served under the estate’s large tamarind trees or by the pool, as the garden is lit up every night with kerosene lanterns and bonfires. While these things can be experienced at several safari hotels in Sri Lanka, the compact size of Warden’s makes it feel more intimate and homely.
This well-kept residence also sits in a small village away from the tourist crowds, but it’s only a 20-minute drive from the Block 5 of Yala National Park, which is a quieter section of the forestland. Here, you could see leopards emerging from the bush after monsoonal rains, dancing peacocks, eagles and Malabar hornbills. You’ll also always come across two wild elephants on the highway to the park’s entrance. The rangers call them the “gentlest” elephants you’ll meet, though remember to maintain distance and not feed the wildlife.
6. CBeyond, Pigeon Island Marine National Park, Nilaveli
Best for marine life
The Pigeon Island Marine National Park, located just 1km (0.6 miles) off the coast of Nilaveli, is one of Sri Lanka’s best snorkeling destinations, with nearly 300 species of reef fish, blacktip reef sharks, and hawksbill turtles swimming in the coral gardens. Most visitors set base in Nilaveli in Sri Lanka’s east coast, a 6-hour drive from Colombo (279km/173 miles). Locals call Nilaveli the island’s best beach, and it’s still relatively quiet compared to other destinations along the coastline. For something spectacular, head to CBeyond in Nilaveli’s northern edge. This seven-bedroom villa, designed by late artist Laki Senanayake – one of Sri Lanka’s finest – is set against the Indian Ocean with an infinity pool. With easy access to rock pools, lagoons, natural ponds and the marine park, you are in for a treat. Pick from snorkeling trips or boat tours to spot hundreds of playful spinner dolphins leaping out of the ocean waters.
7. Jetwing Surf & Safari, Arugam Bay, near Kumana National Park
Best for a safari and surfing vacation
Jetwing Surf & Safari does exactly what the name suggests. That is combining an exciting safari experience in the wild with chasing the waves in some of Sri Lanka’s best surf points in Arugam Bay. Located on the east coast of Sri Lanka, this stunning eco-luxury resort comes with 20 beachfront cabanas with thatched roofs made of woven coconut fronds. The sunrise from the rooms is not to be missed, along with claypot-cooked mutton curry and wood apple-infused beef stew inspired by the region’s cuisine. Safaris by 4WD are arranged to nearby Kumana National Park, which feels completely raw and wild with crocodiles basking beside rainfed pools, flocks of hornbills retreating to skeleton trees in the sun, ruins of ancient monasteries and scattered boulders. The park is also home to leopards and the Sri Lankan elephant, the largest subspecies of the Asian elephant. In the morning, hop on a boat to see the lagoon come alive in nearby Pottuvil, where birds chitter and chatter, fishers cast their nets, and elephants wade through the salty waters.
8. Banyan Camp, near Uda Walawe National Park
Best for rustic chic
Banyan Camp is unlike any other accommodations you’ll find in Sri Lanka. This simple but magical lakefront rustic lodge is set deep in rural countryside, brought to life with repurposed materials like 7000 discarded wine bottles, and sleeping spaces built inside a reinvented Mercedes truck. Come here to completely shut off from the world and immerse yourself in the wilderness. You’ll wake up to the sound of birds and troops of monkeys, and dine under the stars on floating pontoons. The best thing? You don’t – quite truly – have to go far to spot wildlife. Experiences include paddleboarding or canoeing in the lake to see hundreds of migratory birds and bull elephants in their solitude. If you still want a full safari, it’s easy to arrange a 4WD to nearby Uda Walawe National Park and the Elephant Transit Home, which shelters young, injured and abandoned calves before releasing them back to the wild.
9. The Palmyrah House, Mannar
Best for bird-watching
Hundreds of greater flamingos arrive in flocks to the sprawling salt flats, their soft pink feathers and long, curved necks emerging from the vast, open landscape in Mannar Island. This rural area located in northern Sri Lanka has recently cropped up as a popular destination for bird-watching. The island is connected to the mainland by a causeway with a road and railway bridge, making it easier to access for visitors. Despite the influx of avid photographers and birders heading to the island from October to March every year during the migratory season, the Palmyrah House remains one of the only luxury stays here with 14 rooms. The accommodation is excellent with a swimming pool, reading room, bird-watching sessions conducted by expert naturalists, and local food, such as fragrant rice served in palmyrah (a type of fan palm abundant in northern Sri Lanka) leaves and crab curry.
The location is equally outstanding as the hotel surrounds sandbars, mudflats, lagoons and shallow coastal waters frequented by migratory birds. Bird-watching spots include Erukkalampiddy Lagoon brimming with waders and shorebirds; Vankalai Ramsar Wetland home to hundreds of flamingos; Keeri Beach with salt pans, also ideal for sea bathing.
10. The Plains Green, near Horton Plains National Park
Best for cozy chic
Horton Plains National Park is ideal for those looking for enjoyable walks in an otherworldly, mist-wrapped landscape of grasslands, waterfalls, pockets of tree cover, and bright, red rhododendrons. In fact, it’s the only national park in Sri Lanka where walking is permitted. And while many visitors stay in either Nuwara Eliya or Ohiya to visit the park, Ambewela is more picturesque with its dairy farms, strawberry orchards and rolling hills. The Plains Green, located on a 30-acre estate high up in the mountains, blends sustainability with cozy, comfortable stays. Think sipping hot chocolate by the fire pit as the rain pours outside; catching the first light of the day from your bed; and campfires in the garden under starlit skies. Head out on a signposted trail through the national park, home to sambar deer and over 90 species of birds, go on a naturalist-led walk outside the hotel to spot endemic species, and join a nature trail through nearby conservation forests nestled among some of the island's highest mountains.
