Holidays in Sri Lanka's National Parks
Watching Wildlife and Exploring Sri Lanka's Protected Areas
Mar 23, 2009
According to the official website of the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, this tiny island nation is big in biodiversity. Over thirty bird species native to Sri Lanka exist nowhere else and large mammals such as elephants and leopards are prevalent.
Exploring some of Sri Lanka's national parks is a good way to experience the wildlife and scenic beauty that the island offers. But which park should visitors choose? This guide to a few of the national parks in Sri Lanka can help travelers decide.
Travel to Yala National Parkin Sri Lanka
Yala, in southeastern Sri Lanka just south of the Lahugala Elephant Sanctuary, is famous for its animal life. Jeep tours are a popular way to get around the park and spot the wildlife. Here are some highlights of the most visited national park in Sri Lanka:
- One of the highest densities of leopards in the world
- Frequented by elephants, sloth bears, mongooses, crocodiles and the rare Black-necked stork
- Giant rock outcroppings rising up from the plains to provide geologic interest
- many beaches and bays to explore at the southeastern corner of the park
Visit Sri Lanka's Uda Walawe National Park
Holidays in Sri Lanka's Uda Walawe national park, adjacent to the reservoir of the same name, are considered one of the best places to spot elephant family groups. Highlights of Uda Walawe include
- Wild herds of elephants and baby elephants
- A dry grassland ecosystem hosts monkeys, mongoose, hare, and many birds of prey
- The ruins of a shrine that once held a Buddhist tooth relic within the park's borders
- a facility for treating injured and abandoned baby elephants, which are cared for and then released to be reunited with their families or to join new herds
Wilpattu National Park Leaopard Sightings
Wilpattu, in northwest Sri Lanka, is another good place to see leopards among the scrub jungles of the park. Other attractions of Wilpattu include
- natural lakes, called willus, scattered throughout the park
- home to Sri Lanka's largest snake, the python, which preys on animals as large as the park's native deer
- reopened in 2003 after 16 years of being closed to the public, and it remains mostly uncrowded
- massive bird migrations through the park from December through March
- many species of butterflies
Visit Minneriya National Park for Elephant Adventure in Sri Lanka
In September and October each year, Minneriya hosts the largest gathering of Asian elephants in the world, with hundreds of the giant creatures congregating at the exposed edges of a shrinking lake bed. Highlights of Minneriya National Park include
- huge numbers of elephants spotted during their annual migration
- large reservoir in the park is a prime gathering spot for wildlife
- located in the center of the "cultural triangle", an area of highly concentrated historical and archaeological sites in Sri Lanka
Horton Plains National Park for a Mountain Vacation
The only Sri Lankan park in the inland hills of Sri Lanka, this park boasts mountains, monkeys and birds as its big draws. Some of the highlights include
- the second and third largest peaks on the island within the bounds of this park
- a unique ecosystem different from the coastal lowland parks
- the sheer dropoff cliff called "World's End" providing views across the island
- waterfalls and lakes scattered throughout the park
- beautiful flowers, including many species of orchids
- new species still being discovered in Horton Plains, including a new type of deer found in 2005
While these national parks may spark the imagination and induce wanderlust, they aren't the only ones in Sri Lanka. Visitors can also explore other parks, including
- Bundala National Park, an important site for a variety of species of nesting turtles, including Leatherbacks and Olive Ridley Turtles.
- Kalametiya National Park, a wetland park where thousands of glossy ibis congregate
- Gal Oya National Park, where visitors can take a boat ride down the river that slices through the park, watching elephants and crocodiles along the banks
Whichever park travelers choose, they are sure to have a memorable experience viewing the wildlife and natural features of this amazing island country.
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