Yala holds the highest recorded density of wild leopards per square kilometre anywhere on earth, and a full day here, ideally with both a dawn and an afternoon drive, gives the best possible chance of a genuine sighting. Wild elephants, sloth bears, mugger crocodiles and rich coastal lagoon birdlife round out an already exceptional day. A private jeep with a dedicated specialist tracker makes a considerable difference to what you see and how it is interpreted. Block 1, the park’s most productive zone, closes annually between roughly 1 September and 15 October for conservation, with dates shifting depending on rainfall.