Sri Lanka's Big Five on the culture, wildlife and beach route

The Asian elephant is Sri Lanka's most iconic animal, and the island has one of the highest densities of wild elephants in Asia. The Sri Lankan leopard, a subspecies found only on the island, is the top predator. The sloth bear, shaggy and shy, feeds on termites, fruit and honey.

At sea, the blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have lived, and the sperm whale, with its huge square head, is the largest toothed predator. Both are seen off the south coast in season. The combination of land and sea is what makes Sri Lanka's Big Five unique.

Elephants are the easiest of the five. The day 3 safari in the Cultural Triangle shows herds around the ancient reservoirs, and Udawalawe on day 8 is one of the most reliable places in Asia for close encounters. Yala has elephants too, and they are sometimes seen beside the roads in the dry zone.

Sightings on this route are close to certain. The challenge is not finding elephants but watching them well, from a respectful distance, with the engine off.

Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world, particularly in Block 1. Leopards are most active around dawn and dusk, and are often seen resting on rocks or walking along tracks. The route's full Yala day, with a dawn drive and an optional afternoon drive, gives a good chance.

Many visitors see a leopard on a full day in Yala, but not all. A skilled tracker and some luck matter as much as time. Wilpattu, in the May to September version, is another good leopard park, quieter but with less frequent sightings.

Patience is rewarded. Some of the best leopard sightings come after long waits at a likely spot.

Sloth bears are the hardest of the five to see. They are shy and often active at night, and spend much of the day in dense cover. In Yala, they are seen most often around May to July, when the palu trees fruit and the bears come out to feed, which falls outside the standard route's main window.

On the December to April route, a sloth bear sighting is possible but a bonus. Early morning drives give the best chance. Wilpattu is also good for sloth bears in the May to September version.

Travellers determined to see a sloth bear should consider a trip around June, combining Yala with the east coast.

The continental shelf drops away close to Sri Lanka's south coast, bringing deep-water whales near to shore. Off Mirissa, in roughly December to April, blue whales are seen on many mornings, and sperm whales are seen regularly too, sometimes in groups. The route's day 13 whale-watching trip gives a good chance at both.

Choose a responsible operator that keeps its distance and never chases whales. Lankan Stays & Trails books operators that follow guidelines and, where possible, offer a second trip if no whales are seen. Spinner dolphins are a common bonus.

On the standard route, elephants are close to certain, blue whales likely, leopards and sperm whales a good chance and sloth bears possible but uncertain. Seeing all five in one fortnight is possible and happens, but it is never guaranteed.

The best approach is to enjoy each sighting rather than chase a checklist. Sri Lanka's wildlife includes much more than five animals: crocodiles, water buffalo, deer, monkeys, monitor lizards and hundreds of bird species.

Travellers set on all five should consider a wildlife-heavy version of the route, with extra Yala nights.