Experience an action-packed safari to witness The Elephant Gathering, listed by Lonely Planet as one of the Top Ten Wildlife Spectacles in the World, where over 300 elephants gather at Minneriya National Park.
Minneriya National Park is a protected wildlife reserve in the heart of Sri Lanka’s Dry Zone. Its main feature is the Minneriya Reservoir, the largest of 16 built in the 3rd Century AD by King Mahasena.
During the dry months of August and September, around 300 elephants from the park and the surrounding area, including the Wasgamuwa National Park, gather at the reservoir in large numbers to get much-needed refreshments. These gentle giants are a sight to behold as they frolic in the water and interact with elephants from other herds.
Read MoreAlthough the months in which the elephant gathering occurs offer the best experience, a safari tour of Minneriya National Park is a rewarding safari experience any day of the year.
Minneriya hosts more than 160 species of birds, a few of which are endemic to Sri Lanka, such as the Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, the Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, and the Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill. Large mammals, including sloth bears, sambar deer, and axis deer, as well as smaller mammals such as the Purple-Faced Langur, Toque Macaque, and the Gray Slender Loris, call Minneriya National Park their home. Saltwater crocodiles and other reptiles, including monitor lizards and snakes, add another dimension to this rich ecosystem.
Why should you book this trip?
- Minneriya National Park is probably the most easily accessible national park from the cultural triangle.
- The largest seasonally recurring concentration of wild elephants takes place between July and September at Minneriya (and Kaudulla) National Park. Over 300 elephants may gather on the seasonally dry lake bed in Minneriya National Park.
- This gathering is listed by Lonely Planet as among the Top Ten wildlife spectacles in the world. The list includes famous nature events such as the great wildebeest migration in the Serengeti, brown bears feasting in Alaska, the penguin rookery in the Atlantic, the Monarch butterfly migration in Mexico, orca feeding in Argentina, starling roosting in England, and the salmon run in South Africa.
- Guidance from our local specialized guide makes this experience even more special.
This is Possible from
From gorgeous landscapes to historical landmarks to enthralling people & culture, wherever you go in Sri Lanka you are bound to be amazed.
Sigiriya
This iconic fortress from the 5th Century AD, centred in the Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka, is known as the 8th wonder of the...
Polonnaruwa
This is the last of the ancient capitals with extensive and elaborate architecture, as constant invasions forced the kings to embrace a nomadic life.
Dambulla
The Dambulla Cave Temple, a World Heritage Site, is full of cave paintings, statues and relics accumulated over a period of 2,000 years.
Anuradhapura
Probably the greatest monastic city of the ancient world and a proud political capital that dominated the country for over 1,300 years.