Safari in the Minneriya National Park

Go on an exciting safari in the lush Minneriya National Park and experience the exotic wildlife from an open jeep. You’ll drive with an experienced ranger who knows the park inside out. He knows where the animals go, and he’s an expert in finding their tracks.

You will be picked up from your hotel by your guide/driver who will drive you to Minneriya National Park, where you will meet the ranger who’ll be driving you around the for the next 3 hours.

Minneriya consists of verdant woodland, dense thickets, grassy plains and wetlands. Make sure you have your binoculars and camera ready for the park, as it is home to no fewer than 160 bird species, crocodiles, sambar deer, macaques, wild boar, buffalo and sloth bears. You might also be lucky enough to spot a leopard, but there is no guarantee of seeing them. They often hide in the bushes and are hard to spot. The park is also known for its large herds of elephants.

During the dry season from June to September, it is possible to see herds of 300 elephants congregating around the Minneriya water reservoir, built in the 3rd century AD. The water reservoir dries up at this time of the year, but leaves the soil moist, which soon turns green, and the elephants know that. They therefore migrate here to eat, have mud baths and mate.

If you come here outside the dry season, there will still be elephants to see, but perhaps “only” up to 100, and they’re more spread out in the 89 km2 national park.

After an amazing safari, you’ll be driven back to the hotel.

Duration: approx. 4.5 hours

We recommend that you book the excursion when booking the tour.