Backcountry Journeys invites you to experience one of the world’s best-kept secrets for big cat photography—Sri Lanka, home to the elusive and majestic Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya). This is not just another wildlife safari. This is an elite photographic expedition to a land where ancient jungles, shimmering lakes, and sun-drenched plains converge to host one of the densest leopard populations on Earth. Unlike their African cousins, Sri Lanka’s leopards reign unchallenged, creating unmatched daytime viewing and photographic opportunities. And best of all? You’ll explore remote, low-traffic parks that maximize your chances of capturing these apex predators without the usual crowds.

This trip is your all-access pass to two of the island’s most iconic—and yet contrasting—leopard habitats: Wilpattu National Park, a vast canvas of forested lakes and sandy tracks, and Kumana National Park, a rugged paradise of rocky outcrops, coastal lagoons, and ancient trees. Each location has been meticulously chosen to offer something different, ensuring every game drive presents new compositions, light, and behavioral moments. Whether it’s a leopard draped across a tree limb bathed in golden light, or slinking across the white sands of a hidden villu (natural lake), your memory cards will be filled with rare, portfolio-worthy frames.

Wilpattu National Park
Wilpattu National Park, located in the northwest of Sri Lanka, is the country's largest and one of its oldest protected areas, spanning over 1,300 square kilometers. Renowned for its unique “willus”—natural sand-rimmed water basins that fill with rainwater—Wilpattu offers a striking landscape of dense scrub jungle, open plains, and coastal lagoons. It's a top destination for spotting elusive Sri Lankan leopards, as well as sloth bears, elephants, mugger crocodiles, and over 200 species of birds, including the painted stork and white ibis. Unlike many parks, Wilpattu’s charm lies in its tranquility and low visitor numbers, offering a more intimate wildlife experience. The park was closed for 16 years due to civil conflict, and when it reopened in 2003, it revealed an ecosystem that had thrived in human absence!

Kumana National Park
Kumana National Park, located on Sri Lanka's southeastern coast, is a haven for birdwatchers and nature lovers, covering about 357 square kilometers. Famous for its Kumana Villu, a 200-hectare mangrove swamp, the park is a vital nesting ground for migratory waterbirds like the painted stork, Eurasian spoonbill, and rare black-necked stork. It also supports a range of other wildlife, including elephants, leopards, golden jackals, and mugger crocodiles. The landscape features coastal lagoons, mangroves, and dry zone scrub forests, offering a rich ecological tapestry. Kumana lies along an ancient route taken by pilgrims to the sacred city of Kataragama, blending natural beauty with cultural heritage.

Beyond leopards, you’ll have the chance to photograph an astonishing variety of wildlife including Sloth Bears, Asian Elephants, Fishing Cats, and up to three endemic monkey species. Wilpattu is particularly rich with species like the Golden Jackal, Mugger Crocodile, and the ever-watchful Ruddy Mongoose. Meanwhile, night safaris around Habarana and Kumana add an entirely new dimension, targeting rare nocturnal predators such as the Rusty-Spotted Cat—the smallest wild cat in the world—and the elusive Jungle Cat and Fishing Cat. These nighttime excursions are a unique highlight exclusive to our tour, designed with photographers in mind and led by expert naturalist guides.

Bird photographers will find paradise here too. The parks are teeming with vibrant birdlife—from endemic jewels like the Sri Lanka Junglefowl (National Bird of Sri Lanka) and Grey Hornbill, to charismatic species like the Painted Stork, Malabar Pied Hornbill, and several striking bee-eaters and kingfishers. In Kumana, the rare Black-necked Stork graces the lagoons, adding to the diversity of your avian portfolio. Raptor enthusiasts can also look forward to frequent sightings of Fish Eagles, Serpent Eagles, and possibly a Brown Fish Owl or two.

What makes this journey truly exclusive is its rhythm and depth. You won’t be racing from park to park, but instead soaking in extended game drives—some spanning the full day—offering time to wait, watch, and truly connect with wildlife behavior. Our intimate group size ensures you’ll have plenty of space in the vehicle for gear and shooting angles, and personalized instruction from our photography pros who know how to anticipate the moments that matter.

During our time at Kumana, our remote eco-lodge trades luxury for authenticity, which offers a truly immersive experience in nature! It’s not about high-thread-count sheets or infinity pools—it’s about waking up to the calls of jungle birds, sipping tea as elephants pass in the distance, and falling asleep under a canopy of stars. With its rustic charm and raw beauty, this place feels more like an outpost on the edge of the wild than a traditional lodge, making it the perfect base for photographers and adventurers seeking an unfiltered connection to the landscapes and wildlife of Kumana.

This is not a photo safari you'll find with others; it’s a finely tuned, immersive expedition that combines world-class photographic potential with the wild soul of Sri Lanka. From early-morning safaris beneath a jungle dawn to the primal thrill of tracking predators under starlight, Backcountry Journeys is proud to offer this once-in-a-lifetime photographic journey into a world that feels untouched, untamed, and wildly alive!