Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is famous for its large herds of elephants, particularly from June to September when more than 300 gather on the receding shores of the Minneriya Tank. This gathering of elephants at Minneriya is an awesome spectacle for children and adults alike.

The park is located a short distance north of Dambulla in eastern Sri Lanka. Sambar and Chital are commonly seen and birding highlights include the Sri Lanka grey hornbill and Sri Lanka jungle fowl.

Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya Rock Fortress and Dambulla Cave Temples are also nearby. Polonnaruwa’s palaces and shrines are a World Heritage Site, home to troops of monkeys, whilst Dambulla Cave Temples house spectacular ceiling paintings. Sigiriya’s citadel and ruins are the remains of great civilisations and in surrounding water tanks dwell many different water-birds.