Minneriya National Park
The Minneriya National Park, a wildlife sanctuary, is undoubtedly the most easily-accessed National Park from the cultural triangle and the Minneriya Jeep Safari is one of the most popular activities among travelers who visit the cultural triangle
The largest recurrent annual gatherings of wild elephants take place between July and September at Minneriya National Park. This gathering is listed by Lonely Planet as among the Top Ten wildlife spectacles in the world.
It is said that over 300 elephants may gather in Minneriya National Park. Nature lovers on a Minneriya Jeep Safari often spot large numbers of Sri Lankan Elephants gathering around grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season, offering visitors an unforgettable sight. These elephants gather to socialize, bathe, feed and mate.
Although the months in which the elephant gathering occurs offer the best experience, the safari tour of Minneriya National Park is a pleasing encounter any day of the year.
The park provides sufficient feeding ground for elephants and many other wild animals, such as Sri Lankan leopards and Sri Lankan Bears. The wildlife here comprises of 26 species of mammals, 160 species of birds, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 75 species of butterflies.
Elephants, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Spotted Deer, Wild Buffalo, Wild Pig, Purple-faced Leaf Monkey, Porcupine and Indian Pangolin are few mammals among the 26 species of mammals and from forest birds like Malabar-pied Hornbills, Rufus Woodpecker to migrating waders like Wood sand piper, common sandpiper and Kentish Plovers to the globally endangered Lesser Adjutant and the endemics Sri Lanka Grey Horn-bill, Brown-capped Babbler and Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl are some examples. The endemic and endangered Slender Wood Frog and the Common Tree Frog are few among the nine species of Amphibians at the Minneriya National Park. 8 species of reptiles are endemic including the red lipped lizard of the 25 species
With enough space and shelter for them to carry out all sorts of activities freely, the Minneriya Jeep Safari would be a valuable opportunity to observe unique and amazing wild animals in their natural habitats.