Wildlife parks in Sri Lanka beyond Yala - Wilpattu, Minneriya, Udawalawe - which is worth visiting?

You are right to look beyond Yala. The vehicle congestion at Yala Block 1 in peak season (December to April) has become genuinely bad - multiple jeeps surrounding a single leopard is not a wildlife experience, it is a traffic jam. The alternatives are all excellent for different reasons.

Wilpattu National Park (northwest, near Puttalam):
- The largest national park in Sri Lanka and the best alternative for leopards
- Very few tourists - a fraction of Yala's visitor numbers
- Terrain: natural lakes (villus) in dry zone jungle, completely different landscape from Yala
- Leopard sightings: excellent, and you get them without the convoy of vehicles
- Best season: February to October (dry season)
- Access: 3-4 hours from Colombo, 30 minutes from Anuradhapura. Staying in Puttalam town and doing early morning and afternoon safaris works well.

Minneriya National Park (north-central, near Habarana):
- Famous for "The Gathering" - the largest gathering of wild Asian elephants in the world
- From June to October, 150-300+ elephants congregate around the Minneriya Tank as the surrounding land dries out. It is genuinely one of the great wildlife spectacles in Asia.
- No leopards here - it is an elephant park
- Combine with a stay in Habarana (central position for cultural triangle + wildlife)

Udawalawe National Park (south, between Galle and Ella):
- The best park for certain elephant sightings in Sri Lanka - herds of 30-50+ elephants in open grassland
- Very reliable sightings, most safaris see elephants within the first 30 minutes
- Also good for water buffalo, crocodile, and birds
- The Elephant Transit Home (rehabilitation centre) is adjacent - visiting at feeding time (10am, 2pm, 6pm) is worthwhile

My recommendation: if elephants are your priority, Minneriya for The Gathering (June-October) or Udawalawe year-round. If leopards and avoiding crowds is your priority, Wilpattu is the best choice.