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Statistics say that the chances of having a close encounter with an elephant are higher in Sri Lanka than anywhere else in the world. So if you?ve always dreamed of getting up close and personal with Dumbo?s distant cousins, a Sri Lanka holiday is your opportunity to make those wishes come true.

There are around about 2,500 to 3,000 Sri Lankan elephants living on the island and with a land mass of just over 25,000 square miles, it doesn?t take a mathematician to figure out that your odds of seeing an elephant are pretty good. Of course it doesn?t mean you?ll walk out of your hotel and find one waiting at the bus stop, but with a little planning you can turn your Sri Lanka holiday into a totally ?elephanticious? experience.

National Parks

Sri Lanka abounds with national parks. It is a credit to the culture and also the past and present governments of the country, that wildlife conservation is an issue high on the agenda of national importance. One of the best opportunities to spend time really getting to know the wild elephants is to observe them going about their daily business in their natural habitat. You will have the best opportunity for elephant-spotting on your Sri Lanka holiday if you head to Yala National Park, Minneriya National Park, Udawalawe National Park and Wilpattu National Park. The elephant population roams freely and in most of the parks you can take a specialised jeep tour with trained rangers. They will give you a fascinating insight into the behaviour and breeding patterns of these wonderful creatures. The advantage of visiting elephants in a national park is that, even though they are the most popular inhabitants, there are many other intriguingly elusive species that manage to keep a lower profile but which you may encounter as well.

Elephant Orphanage

One of the most popular attractions of a holiday in Sri Lanka is a visit to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Originally set up to care for five abandoned elephant calves over thirty years ago, it has evolved into one of Sri Lanka?s premier tourist attractions, in a self-propagating project; as the animals matured and bred so too the number of visitors swelled.

The sensitive approach the orphanage takes to the nurturing of its residents makes Pinnawala a very special place. The elephants themselves are extremely gentle and you can walk amongst them freely without fear. You can wander down to the river and watch them wallowing in the shallows, and they are so used to human contact that often a cheeky trunk will curl out to nudge you in a shy, curious greeting. A visit to the orphanage is a magical day out and will be a highlight of any Sri Lanka holiday.

Elephant Back Safaris

But surely the platinum experience for any elephant-lover would have to be a safari through the exquisite wilderness of Sri Lanka on the back of your favourite new friend. These safaris are a wonderful way to really get to know these beautiful gentle giants. Not only will you spend the day on their backs slowly ambling through the terrain, but you can also swim in the river with them and have the opportunity to groom them. It is a truly relaxing day and an incredibly bonding experience. By the end of the safari you will have completely fallen under the spell of your companion and it will be almost impossible to say goodbye.

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Ricky Coates is a Sri Lanka holiday specialist for key2holidays, an online tour operator offering Sri Lanka holidays as well as holidays to other destinations in the Indian Ocean; the Far East, Cuba and the Caribbean, Egypt, Southern Africa, Italy & the Mediterranean, Canada, Australia and the Pacific. key2holidays has a dedicated team of experienced travel consultants to share their knowledge and help you to plan and book your holiday.

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