Elephants are a true icon of Sri Lanka and you’re sure to meet one or a dozen during your travels here. Pay a visit to the Minneriya National Park and you’ll see elephants in hundreds!
Where?
The park is located within Sri Lanka’s North Central Province about 3-4 hours away from Colombo. One of the nearest cities to Minneriya is Sigiriya, home of the magnificent Lion’s Rock Fortress. Some of the biggest and best hotels in Sigiriya the likes of Sigiriya Jungles provide safaris to the park; so basing yourself in Sigiriya would be the easiest and comfortable option.
High Historical Significance
Before the elephants and the other animals came and made Minneriya their home, it was the site of an ancient civilization. The great King Mahasen built a gigantic tank here in the third century AD and this is the main attraction for the elephants as well as other species.
Witness the World-Famous Elephant Gathering
During the dry season, large numbers of elephants gather around the great Minneriya tank to beat the heat and feed on the vegetation surrounding it. There are some reports stating that the number of elephants at this famous gathering goes as high as 700!
Not Just Elephants
In addition to these magnificent beasts, you will also be able to see a myriad of other species such as the Sri Lankan leopard, the sambar deer and salwater crocodiles, to name a few.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting.
