National parks in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a country bursting with wonderful wildlife and breathtaking scenery.

No matter which national park you visit, unique experiences await you.

Herds of elephants, spectacular scenery and plains as far as the eye can see.

Get to know Sri Lanka’s fantastic national parks below.

Yala National Park – one of the oldest national parks

Adventure-filled forest and bush. Fallow waterholes, grassy terrain and relentless bush. Yala National Park, which is located in south-eastern Sri Lanka, has it all. And its closest neighbour is the Indian Ocean.

If you would like to experience one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most famous national parks, Yala National Park is the place for you. It is also one of the biggest on the island.

Close to 50 different species of mammals and more than 200 bird species inhabit the park, which covers an area of just under 1,000 km2. Monkeys, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, deer and crocodiles are all animals you might see in the national park. If you’re lucky, you might also encounter the leopard. Yala is said to have one of the largest concentrations of leopards in the world.

Udawalawe National Park – high concentration of wild elephants

West of Yala National Park, a little further inland, is Udawalawe National Park.

The nature here offers open landscapes with large water reservoirs that attract animals that come to drink, including elephants. Covering an area of 300 km2, the national park is somewhat smaller than Yala National Park, but if you dream of seeing elephants, Udawalawe is the place to be.

This relatively small area is said to be home to one of Sri Lanka’s largest populations of elephants – up to 500 – making Udawalawe a great place to see this gentle giant right up close.

But elephants are not the only animals to inhabit the park. Water buffaloes, crocodiles, sloth bears and monitor lizards also live here. And if you’re interested in birds, you can look forward to hornbills, cormorants, peacocks and eagles.

Horton Plains – a view to the end of the world

Situated at an altitude of 2,100–2,300 metres, Horton Plains National Park is (perhaps) Sri Lanka’s most scenic national park. The park is just 165 km east of the capital, Colombo, and exudes peace and quiet.

The area, which is located in Sri Lanka’s central highlands, is marked by the climate, and the cool, wet weather is beneficial to both the flora and fauna of the national park.

In Horton Plains, you can spot everything from sambar deer, moose and giant squirrels to wild boar, wild hares and, more rarely, leopards. Some 20 species of mammals and around 90 bird species live in the national park.

However, it is not the wildlife that most people travel here for, but the nature. Horton Plains offers plains with unspoiled grasslands, fairy-tale cloud forests and beautiful waterfalls. And you can see all the way to the end of the world here. At the World’s End viewpoint, the park comes to an abrupt stop, and you can look straight down into the abyss – just under a kilometre down. The rush in your stomach is soothed by the calm that encompasses you here. A unique experience!

Minneriya National Park – The Elephant Gathering

Wetlands, scrub and green forests adorn Minneriya National Park, which is in the northern part of central Sri Lanka. Minneriya Tank, a large water reservoir, dominates the area in the park. Particularly during the dry season, the reservoir is the park’s lifeblood.

The park is home to more than 150 different species of birds, crocodiles, sambar deer, macaques, wild boars, buffaloes, sloth bears and occasionally leopards and bears. And the national park is another good place to see elephants – especially in the dry season.

Between May and September, many of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants gather at Minneriya Tank to drink water. This phenomenon, where several hundred elephants come to the reservoir, is known as “The Elephant Gathering”. For centuries, the elephants have made their way to the national park to drink water, socialise and bathe. The gathering of the many elephants in one place is a truly unique experience.

Bundala National Park – small but big on experiences

In the south-east of Sri Lanka, west of Yala National Park, is Bundala National Park. Bundala National Park is a small – just 60 km2 – and as yet relatively unknown national park.

A visit here is a very different experience to the one you get in Sri Lanka’s larger national parks such as Yala and Udawalawe. This is quite simply because there are not many other visitors here.

The national park offers open landscapes and wetlands where you can experience Bundala’s high concentration of birds. Almost 200 different bird species have been registered here.

Crocodiles, macaques, elephants, snakes, lizards and many more besides also live here.

Sinharaja Forest Reserve – discover Sri Lanka’s tropical rainforest

Situated in the south-west of Sri Lanka is the Sinharaja Forest Reserve, the country’s last viable area of primary tropical rainforest.

Sinharaja might not be classified as a national park, but it is definitely a must see if you’re interested in Sri Lanka’s nature and wildlife. The pristine rainforest is one of only two areas of nature in Sri Lanka to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (the Central Highlands being the other).

The scenery offers giant ferns, moss-covered trees and beautiful streams. There are lots of rare trees and plants here, and more than 60% of the trees are considered to be endemic to Sri Lanka.

Look up and experience the rainforest’s brightly coloured birds and noisy macaques, and also keep an eye out for deer, snakes and frogs hiding in the green vegetation.

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