Sri Lanka’s most popular national park, Yala, is tucked away in the southeast of the island, 300 kilometers from the nation’s capital, Colombo. The park is made up of five blocks, only two of which are accessible to the general public, and is regarded by the BBC as one of the top wildlife sites in Asia. Block 1 is commonly visited because of the great density of leopards there, but before 1938, it was a hunting reserve. It wasn’t until then that it became a reserve for conservationists. Elephants can often be seen strolling across roads or grazing in the scrub forest near Yala. The magnificent peacock’s mating dance is one of Yala’s most breathtaking sights. When they are honored in this way by the peacock, most travelers think the long trek was well worth it. Unquestionably the finest wildlife safari ever.