Minneriya National Park Day Tour

Minneriya National Park This national park is one of the best places in the country to see wild elephants, which are often present in huge numbers. Dominated by the ancient Minneriya Wewa, the park has plenty of scrub, forest and wetlands in its 88.9 sq km to also provide shelter for toque macaques, sambar deer, buffalo, crocodiles and leopards (the latter are very rarely seen, however). The dry season, from April to October, is reckoned to be the best time to visit (as by then water in the tank has dried up, exposing grasses and shoots to grazing animals). Elephants, which can number 200 or more, come to feed and bathe during what is known as ‘the Gathering’; and flocks of birds, such as little cormorants, painted storks, herons and large pelicans all fish in the shallow waters. However, it's also possible to see large numbers of elephants here at other times of year, too; we saw over 100 in February when we visited.

The park entrance is on the Habarana–Polonnaruwa Rd. A visitor center near the entrance sells tickets and has a few exhibits about the park’s natural history. The initial 40-minute drive (along a poor dirt road) into the heart of the park is through dense forest, where wildlife sightings are rare. But then the landscape opens up dramatically, and the views across the tank are superb. Early mornings are generally best for birds and late afternoon for elephants.

Itinerary: Minneriya National Park Day Tour

The Sightseeing will include:   Minneriya National Park / Hiriwadunna Village

This private day trip will visit two famous destinations in Sri Lanka, one is historical, another cultural, and the final destination a place where man meets nature. the cultural destination is the beautiful rural village, Hiriwaduna and the final nature destination is the Minneriya National Park. you will visit a Sri Lankan village still living in a bygone era for a taste of authentic Sri Lankan traditions and activities (the tasting part is literal as you will get lunch here too). Finally, you will be visiting the Minneriya National Park for a chance to see some wildlife in their natural habitats.

You will be picked up from your hotel at 7 am. You will arrive at a local Village after a 3 Hours’ drive. Many fun activities await you here. You will get to have a 15-minute ox cart ride ending at a reservoir, where you will then go on a catamaran tour for 15 minutes. Your catamaran will drop you off at a bank that borders a field. Then your guide will take you on a relaxing 10-minute walk through the fields. The end of the walk will find you back at the village. Your guide will then take you to the house of one of the villagers. With the aid of your guide, you will receive a demonstration on traditional Sri Lankan cooking. You will try your hand at making a single dish with guidance. Your lunch will be at 12:15pm, following the demonstration. (Village Tour and lunch at your own cost) The lunch will be an authentic Sri Lankan buffet. The menu will include rice with six traditional curries, freshly fried river fish, green salad and papadam. You will also have dessert in the form of seasonal fruits and/or curd with kithul treacle. After a quiet and delicious lunch, you will be leaving the village at 1 pm bound for your final destination, Minneriya. You will reach the Minneriya National Park after a travel time of 30 minutes. There you will go on a three-hour mini safari to see the elephants which this park is famous for. The park is based around the artificial reservoir created by King Mahasen in the 3rd century and is the feeding grounds and home for many species of wildlife. Included in the list of wildlife inhabiting the park are the Sri Lankan Elephant, the Sri Lankan Leopard, the Sri Lankan Sloth, two kinds of deer, many kinds of monkeys, saltwater crocodiles and much more. There are also lots of species of birds some local and some migratory, so keep your eyes peeled. You will finish your safari and leave the park at 4:30pm. Your vehicle will get back to the city of Kandy at 7pm completing your tour.