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Experience an unforgettable wildlife adventure with a jeep safari through Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park, two of Sri Lanka's most celebrated wildlife reserves located in the heart of the Cultural Triangle. The park visited depends on the seasonal movement of elephants and current wildlife conditions, ensuring guests enjoy the best possible safari experience.
These protected national parks are internationally renowned for their large populations of Asian Elephants, offering one of the finest opportunities in Asia to observe these magnificent animals in their natural habitat. During certain times of the year, visitors may witness the spectacular "The Gathering"—one of the world's greatest wildlife events—where hundreds of wild elephants congregate around the ancient reservoir to feed, bathe, socialize, and care for their young. This extraordinary natural phenomenon has earned worldwide recognition and was ranked among the world's greatest wildlife spectacles by Lonely Planet.
The safari takes you through a fascinating landscape of open grasslands, dry evergreen forests, wetlands, and the shores of ancient irrigation reservoirs built by Sri Lanka's early kings over 1,500 years ago. Travelling in a specially designed 4WD safari jeep with an experienced naturalist or driver-guide provides excellent opportunities to observe wildlife while learning about the parks' rich biodiversity, conservation efforts, and ecological importance.
Minneriya National Park, originally declared a Wildlife Sanctuary in 1938 and gazette as a National Park in 1997, covers approximately 8,889 hectares. At its heart lies the historic Minneriya Tank, an enormous reservoir constructed during the 3rd century AD by King Mahasen. This ancient reservoir continues to provide water throughout the year, supporting a remarkable diversity of wildlife and creating one of Sri Lanka's richest ecosystems.
The park is home to an impressive variety of mammals, including Asian Elephants, Sri Lankan Leopards, Sloth Bears, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Wild Buffalo, Wild Boar, Grey Langurs, Purple-faced Leaf Monkeys, Porcupines, Mongooses, and the elusive Indian Pangolin. Although leopards and sloth bears are rarely seen, the park offers excellent opportunities to observe elephants and other large mammals throughout the year.
Bird enthusiasts will be delighted by the park's rich birdlife, with more than 170 recorded species. Resident and migratory birds include Painted Storks, Pelicans, Grey Herons, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, Malabar Pied Hornbills, Lesser Adjutants, Wood Sandpipers, Common Sandpipers, Kentish Plovers, and several endemic species such as the Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Brown-capped Babbler, and the Sri Lanka Junglefowl, the country's national bird.
The park also supports a wide range of reptiles, amphibians, and aquatic life. Visitors may encounter Mugger Crocodiles, Water Monitors, Land Monitors, Red-lipped Lizards, endemic frogs, and numerous freshwater fish species thriving in and around the Minneriya Reservoir.
The highlight of any visit is undoubtedly "The Gathering." During the dry season, as water levels in surrounding areas decrease, lush grasses emerge around the reservoir, attracting elephant herds from neighboring forests and protected areas. At the peak of the season, it is possible to witness more than 300 wild elephants gathered in one location—the largest known congregation of Asian elephants anywhere in the world. Watching these magnificent animals feed, bathe, play, and interact in their natural environment is an unforgettable experience and one of Sri Lanka's greatest wildlife attractions.
Whether you encounter a solitary elephant quietly grazing at dawn, a family herd crossing the plains, or witness the breathtaking spectacle of The Gathering, a safari in Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park offers an exceptional opportunity to experience Sri Lanka's extraordinary wildlife and natural heritage.
"Thanks a lot for making great arrangements for the visit. The visit was very well organized with good hotels and the vehicle/ driver. I would highly recommend your agency and its services to everyone who wants to visit Sri Lanka. Anastasia - Russia, Feb 2011 " Anastasia
"Hello my dear friend Mr. Cyril We are all fine dear, I have visited Sri Lanka and I loved the country, Insha’Allah I will visit again your country, it is amazing place. This is the first day at work , really I enjoy the tour to sri lanka with my family and it was very nice and I wish to go again to sri lanka and of course you were very good and polite and respectable guy -thanks a lot for every thing and I wish you ..." Nasser Mohamed from Oman
"We had a fantastic holiday in Sri Lanka, thanks Cyril Tours, Our driver, Amiila, was brilliant and nothing was too much trouble for him. The places we visited were really interesting and we saw some lovely scenery.I would definitely recommend your company to other people. Emma - UK 2010 December " Emma Patterson
"We came for a wedding and then embarked on an amazing holiday. Cyril show us magnificent sights and scenery of Sri Lanka. To do the country just we need to return with more time. Many of the sites we visited just made us want to know more about them, even though Cyril was a fountain of knowledge. We have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Cyril and his excellent company, and it was so nice to go home a guardian angel looking after us. He is consistently courteous & good humored and now fe..." Andy Powell UK
"We had a trip planned with Cyril just when international travel closed down due to Covid. Cyril was great in planning a trip with me that had a great deal of flexibility and tailored to visit the places we wanted to seeUnfortunately we were unable to take the trip. Cyril's response to that was great, he dealt with everything for us in terms of cancellationsHe has kept in touch with us since then and has already contacted me with a revised plan for our trip to Sri Lanka. Which we will book with h..." Brian O: Keefe - Perth - Australia
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" Our Tour in Sri Lanka Traveling through the beautiful Sri Lanka has been great. Cyril warmly welcomed us at the airport and drove us with his always clean car in every part of the country. He provided daily information about the history and the different sites of Sri Lanka. Also, he taught us a lot about Sri Lankan culture, starting from food, traditions, animals and nature, and suggested authentic and less known places we c..." FILIPPO MASI FROM ITALY
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