Minneriya National Park

The Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks and the neighbouring Hurulu Eco-Park are all ideally located for anyone staying for a few days in the ‘Cutltural Triangle' region in the centre of Sri Lanka. They provide a welcome change of scenery for anyone who has had their fill of ancient ruins and Buddhist temples. The parks offer some of the best wildlife viewing available anywhere on the Island and are particularly famous for seeing wild elephants. At the heart of both Kaudulla and Minneriya National Parks are large lakes (or tanks) and between August and December it is possible to see gatherings of up to two hundred migrating elephants at a time congregating around the water. Along with the nearby Wasgamuwa and Angammedilla National Parks, Kaudulla and Minneriya are known locally as the ‘elephant corridor' through which much of Sri Lanka's elephant population passes through at certain times of year when water elsewhere dries up.

There is of course lots of other wildlife in the parks and visitors are likely to see sambar deer, monkeys, many rare species of bird and, if very lucky, may even see leopards and sloth-bears. When the season is not right for Minneriya and Kaudulla, herds of elephants can often be spotted in the Hurulu Eco-Park, which has no lake and grassier terrain, making the animals here easier to see.