Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park National park is in an uninhabited area of the country’s most diverse natural systems, with intermediate forests, Bamboo stands, patanas and platoes. The tank within the park supports a variety of waterfowl while being of immense socio-economic value.
  

Stratification: Dry monsoon forest, tanks & grass lands

Size: 2,550ha

Status: National Park

Altitude: 100m

Temperature: Average 27.5 (Degree C)

Annual Rainfall: Average 1,150mm

Best time of year to visit: May to October for the 'Gathering' of Elephants

Optimum duration of stay: Minimum of 1 night

Accommodation Options: Deer Park, Chaaya Village, Cinnamon Lodge, Heritance Kandalama, Luxury camping

Highlands: The largest known 'Gathering' of Asian Elephants in the world occurs from May to October each year in Minneriya National Park

Gal Oya National Park

Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka was established in 1954 and serves as the main catchment area for Senanayake Samudraya, the largest reservoir in Sri Lanka. Senanayake Samudraya was built under the Gal Oya development project by damming the Gal Oya at Inginiyagala in 1950. An important feature of the Gal Oya National Park is its elephant herd that can be seen throughout the year. Three important herbs of the Ayurveda medicine, Triphala: Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica and Emblica officinalis are amongst the notable flora of the forest. From 1954 to 1965 the park was administrated by the Gal Oya Development Board until theDepartment of Wildlife Conservation took over administration. The National Park is situated 314 km from Colombo.

Horton Plains

Horton Plains National Park is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest. This plateau at an altitude of 2,100–2,300 metres (6,900–7,500 ft) is rich in biodiversity and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in 1988. It is also a popular tourist destination and is situated 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Nuwara Eliya.

The Horton Plains are the headwaters of three major Sri Lankan rivers, the Mahaweli, Kelani, and Walawe. In Sinhala the plains are known as Maha Eliya Plains. Stone tools dating back to Balangoda culture have been found here. The plains' vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montane forest, and includes many endemic woody plants. Large herds of Sri Lankan Sambar Deer feature as typical mammals, and the park is also an Important Bird Area with many species not only endemic to Sri Lanka but restricted to the Horton Plains. Forest dieback is one of the major threats to the park and some studies suggest that it is caused by a natural phenomenon. The sheer precipice of World's End and Baker's Falls are among the tourist attractions of the park.

Maduru Oya National Park

Maduru Oya National Park is located in the Dry zone and is 314 km away from Colombo It is situated by Kuda Sigiriya a great eco location yet to be explored by travelers to Sri Lanka.

Maduruoya well known for its elephant habitat. Other than elephant, leopard, sloth bear, sambhur, spotted and barking deer, wild boar and wild buffalo are also found here. Torque Macaque, Purple face leaf monkey and nocturnal slender Loris is also found in the park. Lesser Adjutant, Wooly necked stork, open bill, painted stork, Racket tailed Drongo, Yellow fronted barbet, Sri Lanka Junglefowl & Spurfowl are among the over 100 species of birds found within the park.

Ruins at Henanigala, Kudawila, Gurukumbura, Uluketangoda, Werapokuna and several other places include ancient Buddhist shrines, temples, dagobas, statues, devales and hermitages from different eras in Sri Lankan history. An ancient sluice dating prior to the 6th century BC was discovered recently on the old breached earthen bund of the Maduru Oya. Early Brahmin inscriptions dating from the 3rd century BC are found at Kandegamakanda. Vestiges of the Veddhas, an aboriginal tribe believed to be descended from King Vijaya and the Yaksha (demon) princess Kuveni, are to be traced in the traditional lifestyles of a few families in Dambana.  

Lunugamvehera National Park

Lunugamvehera National Park in Sri Lanka was declared in 1995, with the intention of protecting the catchment area of theLunugamvehera reservoir and wildlife of the area. The national park is an important habitat for water birds and elephants. The catchment area is vital to maintain the water levels of the five tanks in the down stream of Kirindi Oya and wetland characteristics ofBundala National Park. This national park also serves as a corridor for elephants to migrate between Yala National Park andUdawalawe National Park. The national park is situated 261 km (162 miles) southwest from Colombo. After being closed because of the Sri Lankan civil war, the national park is now open to the general public.

Proper documentation of the area begins with the Portuguese, the first European power to seize control of the maritime districts of Sri Lanka. During their administration from 1505 to 1656, t he Portuguese carefully compiled lists of villages so that the task of collecting taxes would be made easier. These lists (thombos) contained not merely names but detailed descriptions of the location and extent of each village as well as of the agricultural produce, including timber and fruit trees, fount there. The antiquity of certain village is made manifest in these Portuguese records for modern towns and villages in the Sinharaja region such as Kalawana and Pothupitiya still bear the same name they had when the Portuguese wrote about them four centuries ago.

Wasgamuwa National Park

Wasgamuwa National Park was originally declared as strict nature reserve in 1938 and then change to a national park in 1984. The park lies within central and north- central provinces. The total park area is 39,322 ha.

Wasgomuwa can be reached through Matale and Hettipola or from Dehiattakandiya coming from Polonnaruwa or from Mahiyangana.