Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe is the surest place in Asia to see wild elephants — the park's open grasslands around its great reservoir hold several hundred, and sightings on a game drive are effectively guaranteed. Herds graze in the open rather than hiding in scrub, so you watch whole family groups: matriarchs shepherding calves, young bulls sparring, elephants bathing in the shallows against a backdrop of distant hill-country peaks.

The park also shelters crocodiles, water buffalo, and superb birdlife, from painted storks to hovering kestrels. Just outside the gate, the Elephant Transit Home rehabilitates orphaned calves for release — feeding times are open to visitors and worth planning around.

We've walked the trails, paid the fees, and rated every guide. Below: how to get there, when to skip it, and what nearby places pair well — the kind of advice a local friend would give.