Wild Parks & Forests
Yala
The Island’s many National Parks are a delight for bird and wildlife watchers alike.
Wilpattu
The largest National Park in Sri Lanka comprises of a wide range of habitats, including thick jungle, grassy plains, a section of coastline as well as a series of “Villu” (natural small lakes) and is counted as one of the most important protected areas in Sri Lanka. It is also one of the best places to spot Sloth Bears. Your guides will do their best to take you to known territories and scan for wildlife, but you’ll also need to help with searching along the way.
Yala
The most popular National Park in Sri Lanka among locals and foreigners. Yala is known to have the highest percentage of Leopard sightings in the world. The expansive Yala Park is divided into 5 blocks, of which only block 1 and 2 are open to visitors. Yala was designated as a Wild Sanctuary in 1900, and it is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan Elephants, Leopards and aquatic birds.
Minneriya, Kaudulla and Hurulu Eco Park
These three interconnected parks are linked by Elephant corridors allowing the herds to freely roam between them. Both Kaudulla and Minneriya’s water supplies are boosted with two reservoirs between the months of July and October, at the height of the dry season. Elephants congregate at the edges with their numbers peaking during September. As many as 300 Elephants have been recorded here at this time, which is considered as the world’s biggest “Asian Elephant Gathering”.
Udawalawe
Udawalawe was created in 1972 to protect the catchment area around the enormous Udawalawe Reservoir. The park’s landscape consists of scrub jungles, grasslands and an abandoned teak plantation. It harbours a variety of wildlife, ranging from Water Buffalo and Sambar Deer to the rarely sighted Leopard and Sloth Bear. It is a great place to observe Elephants as well as the birds of prey in their natural habitat.
Horton Plains National Park
Situated in the Central Highlands, this Cloud Forest is unlike any other place on the Island and is often compared to the Scottish Highlands, with its windswept landscape and cold and wet climate. At an elevation of more than 2,000m, the park is situated on the highest plateau in Sri Lanka. Its terrain characterized by undulating grasslands interspersed with dense cloud forests, rocky outcrops and waterfalls. The key attraction in the park is “Worlds End”, a sheer precipice offering panoramic views across the South-Eastern side of the Island.
Sinharaja Rainforest
Known as the largest undisturbed rainforest in Sri Lanka, it became property of the British Crown in 1840. The area suffered damage from logging in the early 1970s, until it was recognized as a reserve in 1977, and as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1989. The forest receives annual rainfall of 6,000mm, and the climate inside is mildly warm and humid. 60% of the trees and 21% of its birds are endemic. A wide variety of rare butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, such as the Rough-Horn Lizard, can also be glimpsed on the leaf litter. The Giant Squirrel, the national animal of Sri Lanka, and the endemic Purple Face Leaf Monkey are quite common. It is often recommended as a must visit place.