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Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park: Our most recommended tours and activities

All-Inclusive Minneriya National Park Afternoon Safari

1. 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.

Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Private Safari

2. 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.

Minneriya: Minneriya National Park Safari

3. 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.

Sri Lanka: Western Province Highlights Day Tour and Safari

4. 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 Kandy: Sigiriya Rock, Village Tour and Minneriya Park

5. From Kandy: Sigiriya Rock, Village Tour and Minneriya Park

Start your tour at 6:30 AM with pickup from your hotel in Kandy. The first stop on your itinerary will be the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. which you will reach at approximately 9:00 AM. Rising from the central plains, the iconic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilization, where you will discover spellbinding vistas across mist-wrapped forests in the early morning. Climb a series of vertiginous staircases attached to sheer walls to reach the top of the ruins. Pass a series of frescoes and a pair of colossal lion's paws carved into the bedrock. Marvel at the surrounding landscape of lily-pad-covered moats, water gardens, and quiet shrines that surround the site. After visiting the fortress, proceed to a local village in Sigiriya to experience a village tour. Get a chance to go on an oxen cart ride, and experience the world from the view of a local farmer. Afterwards, take a relaxing catamaran safari through a calm lake. Stroll through the golden fields ripe with their harvest of paddy. Watch a traditional cooking demonstration, that teaches you the basics of Sri Lankan cuisine. Delight your taste buds with a home-cooked lunch; made over a wood-fire and served on fragrant lotus leaves placed over woven trays.  After experiencing the village life of Sri Lanka, travel onwards to Minneriya National Park to go on safari. See the famous Sri Lankan elephants, rare bird species, saltwater crocodiles, Indian pythons, and an abundance of flora and fauna. On completion of the jeep safari at approximately 6:00 PM and return to your hotel in Kandy, stopping along the way for dinner, at your own expense.

From Negombo: Minneriya National Park Safari Tour

6. 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: Private Minneriya National Park Day Safari

7. 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.

From Dambulla: Sigiriya Rock, Village, and Minneriya Tour

8. From Dambulla: Sigiriya Rock, Village, and Minneriya Tour

See Sigiriya Rock Fortress, visit a local village, and go on a two-hour safari ride: with this tour you’ll make the most of a full day in Sri Lanka.   Start your tour at 8:30 AM with pickup at your hotel in Dambulla and head to your first destination, Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Rising from the central plains, the iconic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s most dramatic sight. Climb a series of narrow staircases to reach its top, passing frescoes and colossal statues of lion paws carved into the bedrock. At the top, you’ll be able to take in unforgettable views of the surrounding moats, water gardens, and quiet shrines.   Follow this experience with a tour of a local village, where you can take an oxen cart ride and experience the world from the view of a village farmer. Take a relaxing catamaran ride through a calm lake and walk through golden fields ripe with their harvest. Finally, watch a cooking demonstration that teaches you the basics of Sri Lankan cuisine, and taste the results for lunch if you choose.   Finish your day with a 2-hour safari ride through Minneriya National Park, home to elephants, 160 species of birds, deer, leopards, sloth bears, and more. At the end of a long but fulfilling day, you’ll be taken back to your hotel in Dambulla at around 6:00 PM.

From Dambulla: Private Polonnaruwa and Minneriya Day Tour

9. From Dambulla: Private Polonnaruwa and Minneriya Day Tour

Your day tour to Polonnaruwa and Minneriya begins in the morning with a 8:30 AM pickup from your hotel in Dambulla. Drive with your private chauffeur and guide to the first destination of Polonnaruwa. If you didn't have breakest already, stop along the way for some local fare. Arrive at Polonnaruwa at approximately 9:30 AM and spend the morning exploring the second capital of the ancient Sri Lankan Kings.   During your visit to the ruined city, see famous archaeological sites such as Gal Vihara, the Polonnaruwa Vatadage, Sathmahal Prasada, Medirigiriya Vatadage, Lankathilaka Image House, the Shiva Temple, Rankoth Vehera, Nissankalatha, Mandapaya and much more. If you have time, visit the Archaeological Museum. At about 12:30 PM take a break and enjoy lunch before going to Minneriya National Park. Leave Polonnaruwa at 1:45 PM to arrive at the park at about 2:30 PM. Minneriya is famous for its seasonal elephant gatherings where hundreds of elephants come together to socialize, feed, and play. Depending on the season, witness this phenomenon or at least get the chance to see the majestic animals during other times of the year. Take a 3-hour safari ride in the park to see other types of fauna. The safari concludes at 5:30 PM, after which you will be driven back to your accommodation in Dambulla. 

Minneriya National Park and Hiriwadunna Village Tour

10. Minneriya National Park and Hiriwadunna Village Tour

Get picked up from your hotel and driven to Minneriya National Park for a morning game drive. Unlike in other national parks, hundreds of animal species live here and you might spot elephants at close range!  After the park, you'll trek through a typical Sri Lankan village. The trek begins with an awesome walk along the bund of a Wewa (manmade reservoir). The area, surrounded by jungle and marshland, and the village, bustle in the morning or evening. The amazing birdlife and butterflies—and maybe even a crocodile or two—only add to the excitement and charm of the village and its surroundings. You will continue your tour with a bullock cart ride up to a village house where you can enjoy a delicious local lunch.

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What people are saying about Minneriya National Park

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 7 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!!

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.

great day, had a very knowledgable driver, great food and learned a lot about the people and the country.

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