Wilpattu or Yala for leopards if I genuinely care about the experience not just the photo

Naturalists answer: Wilpattu, almost every time. Yala Block 1 does have the worlds highest leopard density (which is why your odds of A sighting are higher) but the jeep traffic is real and during peak season can be overwhelming, with 30+ vehicles around a single cat. Wilpattu is the LARGEST national park in Sri Lanka, ancient natural lakes ("villus") replace the open grassland, fewer roads, fewer jeeps, and a genuinely wild feel. Leopard sightings are less guaranteed but when you get one, it is often you and one other jeep. If you have only one safari, do Wilpattu with the FIRST gate opening (around 6am) and a private (not shared) jeep with a real naturalist guide. If you have two safaris, do Wilpattu for atmosphere and Yala Block 5 (less crowded than Block 1) for higher odds.