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Anuradhapura National parks

Our most recommended Anuradhapura National parks

Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Safari

1. Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Safari

Explore pristine tropical dry forest settings on a safari through Minneriya National Park. See wandering elephants, spot swinging monkeys, and enjoy a view of the Minneriya reservoir. Meet your driver at your hotel and head to the Minneriya National Park. As you drive through the grassland, keep an eye out for the giant elephants who have wandered over in search of food from neighboring national parks. Enter the forest, and enjoy the flicker of monkeys swinging through branches. Search the woods for an astonishing array of wildlife, including elephants, leopards, sloth bears, mongooses, spotted deer, sambar deer, wild buffalo, porcupine, and Indian pangolins. Stop for a stunning view of the Minneriya reservoir before returning to your hotel.

From Anuradhapura: Full-Day Wilpattu National Park Safari

2. From Anuradhapura: Full-Day Wilpattu National Park Safari

Discover the unique landscape of the Wilpattu National Park as you look out for its resident leopards and other wildlife. Enjoy a fantastic full-day safari on a private tour from Anuradhapura. Get picked up at your hotel and relax in air-conditioned comfort on the journey to the park. Enjoy breakfast, then hop into a jeep to start your game drive through a reserve known for its large leopard population. Ride along forest trails as you look out for animals and admire the natural lakes that give Wilpattu a genuine wilderness feeling.  A delicious picnic lunch will be served at a scenic location. After lunch, continue to explore the dense woodland, looking out for birds, sloth bears, spotted deer, wild pigs, and crocodiles. Visitor numbers are low, even in high season, so you can see incredible wildlife without the crowds.

Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Private Safari

3. Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Private Safari

With the grace of majestic giants and pristine tropical dry forest settings, Minneriya National Park is a perfect spot to spend a few hours witnessing one of the most astonishing wildlife spectacles on earth.  Renowned as a prominent stopover for wandering elephants searching for food during the August and September the dry season, Minneriya National Park attracts up to 300 giants from the neighboring national parks. Enjoy the flicker of monkeys swinging through the branches and search the forest for the sight of majestic elephants, leopards, sloth bears, mongooses, spotted deer, sambar deer, wild buffalo, porcupine and Indian pangolins. Do not miss out on this quintessential safari destination in a strikingly beautiful forest.

All-Inclusive Minneriya National Park Afternoon Safari

4. All-Inclusive Minneriya National Park Afternoon Safari

Begin with an afternoon pickup from your hotel or residence and make your way to Minneriya National Park to begin the safari.  Minneriya National Park comprises about 21,000 acres (8,889 hectares), and contains a vast abundance of wildlife species. Take the opportunity to observe the large herds of magnificent Sri Lankan elephants in their natural habitat at close range. Also, be on the lookout for two rare species of monkey endemic to Sri Lanka, namely the Purple-faced Langur Monkey and the Toque Macaque. Other rare and endangered species such as Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear inhabit the park, as well as saltwater crocodiles and Indian pythons, which you may be lucky enough to spot! After a 3-hour safari spotting these various rare animals, your transport will return you to your accomodation.

Kaudulla National Park: Private Safari

5. Kaudulla National Park: Private Safari

Witness Sri Lankan wildlife up close on this three-hour safari through Kaudulla National Park. Located near the city of Galoya, this park provides ample opportunities to spot majestic elephants and other animals in their natural habitat.   Pass by the reservoir, the lifeblood of the park, which attracts herds of elephants from nearby parks. In addition to elephants, you’ll get the chance to see Sambar deer, Axis deer, chevrotains, wild boar, Asian spoonbills, painted storks, and more. You may even be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of leopards or sloth bears in the forest.   As you drive along, admire the green line of trees in the distance, the blue sky, and emerald green grasslands. Breathe in the fresh air and cross an amazing safari off your bucket list.

Wilpattu National Park: Leopard Safari Experience

6. Wilpattu National Park: Leopard Safari Experience

This tour starts with a pickup from the park entrance, where you'll then drive into Wilpattu National Park on a modified game viewing safari Jeep, then start your game drive at the National Park. Wilpattu is situated in North part of Sri Lanka, comprising a range of habitats including scrub jungles, water reservoirs, brackish lagoons, and riverine habitats. Wilpattu has one of the highest leopard sightings in the world. Its elephant heard is about 300. After a bit of exploring, your guide will deliver the picnic lunch to a location where you will enjoy a bite to eat. Unwind for a while after lunch and get ready to enjoy your second round of the game drive. Hop in to the Jeep and start the afternoon game drive by searching for leopards. If you are really lucky, you may be able to witness a few of them during this game drive. In addition to leopards, elephants, as well as mammals such as sloth, bears, black-naped hare, wild buffaloes, spotted deer, sambar deer, anuman, langur or toque monkeys, stripe-necked and ruddy mongooses, wild oar, and golden jackal can be found in Wilpattu National Park. You can also see reptiles like the water and land monitors and marsh crocodile.

Sri Lanka: Western Province Highlights Day Tour and Safari

7. Sri Lanka: Western Province Highlights Day Tour and Safari

The tour lasts about 12 hours, a large part of which is dedicated to sightseeing at Sigiriya, Dambulla and Minneriya. This is a perfect opportunity to encounter Sri Lanka's fascinating wildlife while visiting the most most popular historical monuments in the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka. This private tour with a car or van start in the western province (Colombo, Negombo, Kalutara, Bentota) and takes you through the picturesque countryside amidst patches of forests, rice paddies and laid-back villages to the cultural triangle. During the day you will be visiting Sigiriya rock fortress, Dambulla golden temple and Minneriya national park. This is one of the very rare opportunity for travelers to many important tourist attractions within a few hours time. Our guide/driver will be assisting with tickets, provides you with information. The tour is private, it means it can be done at your own pace. Our luxury air-conditioned vehicle provides you a very comfortable and safe journey. The tour can be customized to meet your specific requirement, please inquire.

From Negombo: Minneriya National Park Safari Tour

8. From Negombo: Minneriya National Park Safari Tour

Your friendly driver will meet you at your hotel in Negombo at 8:00 AM. The park is a 30-minute drive away. Sit back and enjoy the ride and take in some of the stunning landscapes as you head there. At Minneriya National Park you'll enjoy a safari experience by Jeep as you explore the vast expanses of land. The park is famous for its Elephant population and hopefully you'll see many of them roaming by the lakes or exploring the jungles. You'll also likely catch glimpses of Wild Buffaloes, Boars, Spotted Deer, Sloth Bears, and even Leopards and Crocodiles. The park is also home to many amphibians, different kinds of reptiles and birds also. Your guide will point out the extraordinary wildlife to you. After the safari, you'll be taken back to your hotel.

From Colombo: 8-Day Private Tour of Sri Lanka with Transport

9. From Colombo: 8-Day Private Tour of Sri Lanka with Transport

Day 1: Airport to Sigiriya / Dambulla welcome by our English-speaking driver from hotels at Colombo and drive to Sigiriya on the way Visiting Dambulla Golden cave temple Evening Minneriya, Kaudulla, or Hurulu Eco national parks 4x4 safari according to Elephant’s availability Overnight at Sigiriya Day 2: Sigiriya to Kandy Earlier morning climb Sigiriya Rock before sun become rough which is suitable for pictures and climbing to the top and back to the hotel for breakfast after driving to Kandy on the way, Nalanda Gedige, Mathale Spice garden (only for a visit), Gem Museum and Workshop, & Hindu temple later Kandy city tour Evening View the traditional Kandyan Cultural Dance Performance and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic Overnight at Kandy Day 3: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya After breakfast, drive to Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya (Kandy) Later to Nuwaraeliya on the way Ramboda Falls, Tea Plantation, and Tea Factory after that Nuwara Eliya City Tour Overnight at Nuwara Eliya Day 4: Nuwara Eliya to Ella After Breakfast Drive to Visit Gregory Lake and Victoria Park Garden after 12.40 train ride to Ella do the gorgeous panoramic view train Evening Climbing Little Adam’s peak Ella Overnight at Ella Day 5: Ella to Tissamaharama / Yala National Park After Breakfast Drive to Tissamaharama on the way visiting Rawana waterfall and Buduruwagala Rock Temple Evening 4x4 Safari in Yala National Park Safari (most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian Ocean) Overnight at Tissamaharama Day 6: Tissamaharama to Mirissa After breakfast drive to Mirissa on the visit snake farm Evening Leisure at the beach resort. Overnight at Mirissa Day 07: Mirissa Earlier morning 6.30 AM whale watching from Mirissa. come back to hotel and travel to Bentota and visit Sea Turtle Hatchery & Rescue Center and Later visit Galle Dutch Fort (Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards) and Madu river boat safari Leisure at the beach resort. Overnight at Mirissa Day 8: Time to Say Bye Mirissa to Colombo or Negombo Wake up to a freshly-prepared breakfast at the hotel and then get ready to check out as it’s time to say ‘Goodbye’ to Sri Lanka. You will be transferred to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo or Negombo for your onward journey back home

From Colombo: Private Minneriya National Park Day Safari

10. From Colombo: Private Minneriya National Park Day Safari

Your tour begins with 8:00 AM pickup. Your friendly driver will meet you at your Colombo hotel and you'll start the 4 to 5-hour journey to the Minneriya National Park by car. Enjoy the ride there and admire the stunning landscapes along the way.  At Minneriya National Park you will enjoy a safari experience as you explore the vast area in a 4x4 vehicle. The park is famous for its wild elephant population and you will hopefully see many of them roaming by the lakes or exploring through the jungles. You might see wild buffaloes, wild boars, spotted deer, sloth bears, and even leopards and crocodiles. The park is also home to many amphibians and different kinds of reptiles and birds. Your guide will point out the extraordinary wildlife. After the safari, you will be transported back to your hotel in Colombo.

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What people are saying about Anuradhapura

Overall rating

5.0 / 5

based on 1 reviews

Earlier this month myself and my wife took a day trip to see elephants at the Minneriya National Park whilst away on our honeymoon. We were delighted with the day we had after being picked up early by Visagen & Lathushan for the long drive to the national park from Colombo. We could not recommend this trip enough and it was made even better with our hosts. They were fantastic throughout the whole day and we will be sure to use them again when we return to Sri Lanka in the future. The trip was good value for money, it is a long day but it was well worth it with the experience that we had. Visagen and Lathushan even took us to see Sigiriya Rock as well which really added to our experience. Thank you ever so much to Visagen and Lathushan for making our honeymoon extra special!!

The day was well organised. Transport to and from the park worked well. Our driver, in the park, was knowledgeable about a wide range of the wildlife and sensitive to our interests, meaning we saw and identified over forty species (mostly birds), but including elephant, leopard and sloth bear. A very good breakfast and lunch were provided. We ate breakfast in a peaceful spot with a panoramic view of one of the lakes. Would highly recommend this trip.

Enjoyed the safari and managed to see elephants close up - there were over 50! A couple of the elephants charged at the numerous jeeps when they got too close, but the jeep guides seemed able to anticipate this and made a quick getaway! We also saw a hornets nest, monkeys, a giant squirrel, crocodile, eagle, so the trip very worthwhile to see the animals in their natural environment.

We attended the afternoon safari and had the most amazing time. We were fortunate enough to see over 120 elephants, including lots of babies at the watering hole. Jeeps were fantastic for viewing.

saw sooooo many elephants!!! worth every penny! memories for a lifetime