Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s wild beauty is as rich and varied as its landscapes – from the sunlit plains of Yala to the emerald rainforests of Sinharaja, life thrives here in remarkable abundance. Elephants wander in great herds, sloth bears shuffle through the undergrowth, brilliant birds flash between the trees – and yet, it is the leopard who reigns supreme. With no rival predator to challenge its place, the Sri Lankan leopard is the undisputed monarch of this island kingdom. In India, leopards live in the tiger’s shadow – cautious, elusive, always aware. But here, they move with a rare confidence, padding openly along game tracks, reclining on ancient boulders, and meeting your gaze with an unflinching calm. Since 2014, I have returned to this island again and again, each visit offering intimate moments with these extraordinary cats, as majestic as the tiger yet carrying a uniquely feline grace. In Sri Lanka, the leopard is not just an animal to be seen – it is the living emblem of the wild, the heartbeat of a land where nature still writes its own rules.