Udawalawa National Park

For over four decades since its inception, the Udawalawe National Park has successfully attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors, including both local and foreign tourists, while prolifically contributing to the development of the entire tourism sector of Sri Lanka.

The Udawalawe National Park was designated and established as the fifth national park of Sri Lanka on the 30th of June, 1972. This officially designated the Udawalawe region as a national park in addition to a wildlife sanctuary under the Fauna and Flora Protection ordinance of Sri Lanka.

The water reservoir of Udawalawe National Park, encompassing a total surface area of nearly 3,500 hectares, is the largest reservoir in the vicinity and it is referred to as the “Walawe reservoir”.

The total area of Udawalawe National Park is almost 31,000 hectares and this makes the park one of the most expansive parks in the island. The most common type of environment witnessed in Udawalawe is the dry grassland and scrubland.

Extensive regions of tall grass, scrubs, as well as trees are common sights at Udawalawe. These are the most favourite environment conditions of the elephants at Udawalawe for a substantial portion of the year. Even though grasslands, scrublands, and similar types of plains are predominantly witnessed in the park, mountainous and rocky areas are also not uncommon.

Wilpattu national park

Wilpattu sanctuary was decalred as a National Park in 1938, Wilpattu National Park is located on the west coast close to the historical city of Anuradhapura .The dry zone jungle is thickly grown. Wilpattu Natonal Park is home for many villus, or natural lakes which dot the landscape in the Wilpattu National Park.

Except for two, These lakes contain rainwater, thus are important for resident and migratory water-birds.

There are approximately 30 species of mammals in the Wilpattu National Park which include the Sri Lankan Elephant, Sri Lankan Leopard, Lankan Sloth Bear, Sri, Spotted Deer, Buffalo, Sambar and Mongoose.

Though this National Park can be visited throughout the year, February to October is the prime time.

Yala National Park

Yala combines a strict nature reserve with a national park. Divided into 5 blocks, the park has a protected area of nearly 130,000 hectares of land consisting of light forests, scrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons. Two blocks are currently opened to the public.

Situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east hugging the panoramic Indian Ocean, Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was designated a national park in 1938. Ironically, the park was initially used as a hunting ground for the elite under British rule.

Yala is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted dear, peacocks, and crocodiles. The best time to visit Yala is between February and July when the water levels of the park are quite low, bringing animals into the open.

Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is located 182 km away from Colombo in the North Central Plains of Sri Lanka. The major city closest to Minneriya National Park is Polonnaruwa.The renovated vast ancient Minneriya Rainwater Reservoir that irrigates the considerable area of the district of Polonnaruwa is the focal point of the Minneriya National Park.

Being part of the elephant corridor which joins up with Kaudulla and Wasgomuwa parks, Minneriya National Park gives the opportunity to see herds of Elephants throughout the year.May to October is the best period to visit Minneriya National Park in view of the famous Gathering of the wild elephants.

It is the largest known meeting place of Asian Elephants in the world. During this period herds up to 300 elephants are seen at the 8,890 hectare park within a few square kilometers of the Minneriya Reservoir. In August and September each year during the dry season, wild elephants from the surrounding wilderness in search of food and water, makes their way to the shores of the Minneriya Reservoir adjoining the Minneriya National Park. Huge herd of elephants, sometimes numbering up to 300, converge together within a few square kilometers of the lake.

Pinnawala elephant orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25 acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River.

The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka.

The orphanage which boasts to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the elephants bathing which is quite a spectacle.

National Zoological Garden

The Dehiwala National Zoo (open daily from 8.00 am – 6.00 pm) is home to a wide diversity of Sri Lankan and foreign wildlife and bird-life. Sri Lankan species at the Zoo include sloth bears, monkeys, porcupines, jungle and fishing cats, lots of birds and a number of leopards; part of the zoo exhibits of big cats includes jaguars, lions, tigers and cheetahs.

The Zoo has an aquarium display of over 500 varieties of aquatic life. The large number of species of monkeys includes examples of all the native primates, such as the purple-faced leaf monkey, grey langur and torque macaque. There are also a wide number of mammals, from African giraffes and springboks or South American guanacos and tapirs to Australian red-necked wallabies and giant red kangaroos, plus rabbits. The major attraction is the elephant show at 5.15 pm, when elephants troop on stage in true trunk-to-tail fashion and perform a series of feats of elephantine agility.

There is also an excellent collection of bird-life, including owls, lots of cockatoos and macaws (including an astonishing – and very rare – hyacinth macaw) and taucans. There is a huge walk-in aviary full of Sri Lanka species; a good place to practice bird-spotting skills. In addition to the caged bird-life, a flooded quarry at one end of the zoo serves as a magnet to Colombo’s aquatic birds, which are fed daily at 3.30 pm. Egrets, herons and pelicans from all over the city flock here – a fine sight at times, when hundreds of swoops down onto the water. If you feel like some food for your self, there is a restaurant inside the zoo, as well as plenty of kiosks selling drinks and snacks

Kumana National Park

KUMANA NATIONAL PARK (a.k.a. ‘Yala East’) is a well-known bird sanctuary where a multitude of birds breed and roost. One of the most significant features of the park is the ‘Kumana Villu’ - a 200 hectare natural swamp lake, fed by the ‘Kumbukkan Oya’ through a half mile long narrow channel.

It is at this mangrove swamp that many water birds nest in May and June. Regular sightings include pelicans, painted storks, spoonbills, white ibis, herons, egrets and little cormorants. The very rare black-necked stork has also been spotted at the swamp.

Besides the prolific birdlife, Kumana is also home to some of the mammals found in the larger YALA (West) park, such as elephants and leopards. The vegetation in Kumana consists mainly of mangrove trees, kumbuk trees and the karan fern, as well as the open marsh area.