Okay, that headline is boasting, big words. And what is meant is: tourist information for preparing your Sri Lanka holidays. There are of course more comprehensive scientific reports. And we inform in much detail only about those national parks that are popular tourist destinations. But  just compare with other online publications our articles on

Wilpattu Natioanl Park
Yala National Park
Kumana National Park
Bundala National Park
Udawalawe National Park
Gal Oya National Park
Minneriya National Park
Kaudulla National Park
Horton Plains National Park

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Horton Plains is one of Sri Lanka’s best hiking areas, it’s the island nation‘s only national park which allows walking freely without ranger and also the only one situated in the highlands. Highlights for hikers are the montane cloud forest with interspersed open grassland areas and the vantage points at the edge of the plateau, which are known as „World’s End“. It’s also one of the best places for birdwatching in Sri Lanka’s central highlands. Our website proudly presents one of the most comprehensive descriptions of Horton Plains you will find anywhere online...

Ussangoda near Ambalantota at the south coast is one of the small national parks of Sri Lanka that were established for protecting a specific flora. It’s not a wildlife park. Ussangoda is the largest one of the very few areas in Sri Lanka that have serpentine soils. Due to the naturally high concentration of heavy metals in serpentine soils, only few plant species can survive in this habitat. These grasses do not occur in other habitats and are therefore protected. There are many folk stories related to Ussangoda. For example, it is said to be a former meteor. A popular belief is that this barren land was a kind of landing place orairport for the heavenly chariot (Pushpaka Vimana) of Lord Rama and that it was burnt by Lord Hanuman.

Many tourists don’t know that most of the area they cross when joining a safari in Bundala National Park does actually belong to the Wilmanna sanctuary. When the Bundala National Park was restructured and mainly divided into two parts, viz. a reduced national park area and the adjacent Wilmanna Sanctuary, which was opened in January 2006. With 3,300 hectares it’s almost of equal size as the national park. The main difference is: Bundala National Park consists mainly of lagoons and water surfaces, whereas Wilmanna sanctuary is mainly dry zone scrubland dotted with numerous small ponds. Both areas are habitats for various bird species in particular.

Lahugala is both a national park and an archaeological site. The Lahugala-Kitulana National Park is one of the smallest wildlife sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. In fact, it is mainly a protected habitat for Asian elephants and an important part of the southeastern elephant corridor if the island nation. During the annual dry season, wild elephants migrate from Yala National Park to the large reservoir known as Senanayake Samudra in Gal Oya National Park. They cross the area of Lahugala-Kitulana National Park, as it provides some smaller freshwater lakes and areas with their favourite grass (Sacciolepis interrupta).

The Magul Maha Viharaya in Lahugala is an important excavation site of an ancient Buddhist monastery. The structures are mainly from the late Anuradhapura period (7th to 10th century AD). However, there is evidence of an earlier monastic use of this area and local legend has it that it was built in the 2nd century BC, viz for the marriage of the local king Kavantissa of Rohana to the Princess Viharamahadevi from Kelaniya in western Sri Lanka.

Kumana National Park is the smaller brother of Sri Lanka’s most famous wildlife Park, which is Yala alias Ruhunu National Park. In fact, Kumana borders Yala to the east. The area of Kumana National Park was formerly known as Yala East.

Kumana National Park can be accessed only from the east, the main gate is near Okanda. Most visitors arrive from Arugam Bay. An expedition in Kumana National Park does not offer as many exciting big game sightings as the standard safari in Yala Block 1. However, Kumana is less frequented by tourist jeeps and that’s why many visitors enjoy the untouched landscape of Kumana even more. Chances to observe crocodiles are even better than in Yala. Kumana, which was formerly a bird sanctuary, is famous for ist birdlife in particular. Actually, this national park is area where more bird species occur than in any other part of Sri Lanka.

Our website offers one of the most comprehensive descriptions of Kumana National Park you will find anywhere online. Just click here...

Kaudulla National Park is part of Sri Lank’s most important elephant corridor, the route of annual migratory movements of elephants from the northeast of the island. During the dry period, which falls into northern-hemisphere summer months, wild elephants take refuge at the large reservoirs of Minneriya and Kaudulla, where there’s still enough fresh grass growing at the banks of the tanks. Minneriya is the focal point of this so-called elephant gathering, with up to several hundred Asian elephants. But Kaudulla National Park also has large seasonal herds during this period and is an alternative to the much more crowded Minneriya National Park. In October and November, the elephants migrate back to the jungles in the hinterland of Trincomalee and form small groups. On their way from Minneriya to the northeast, they usually take a break at the Kaudulla reservoir. That’s why Kaudulla National Park becomes Sri Lanka’s main attractions for elephant enthusiasts in the month of November. Both reservoirs, Minneriya and Kaudulla, were constructed already in antiquity, namely by the famous King Mahasena (late 3rd century AD). The tanks served two purposes right from the beginning, not only providing water for newly cultivated paddy areas downstream but also providing water and food for the wild beasts upstream. In a sense, Sri Lanka‘s famous elephant gathering – the largest natural herd of Asian elephants at all – is man-made, for more than one and a half centuries.         

Did you know that our website provides one of the most detailed descriptions of Kaudulla National Park that you can find anywhere online. Compare by checking it here...

Yala is famous for the density of ist leopard population in the first place. However, Yala has the most diverse lanscape forms among all national parks in Sri Lanky. That’s why it is home to a large variety of species.

On yesterday’s safari starting at the Katagamuwa gate we had good luck to see lots of wild boars, including both shoats and piglets. A mugger crocodile crossed the way on the embankment of the river. Near the park we saw two pretty star turtoises crossing the road.

The Indian star tortoise (Geochelone elegans) is a threatened species of land turtles inhabiting the dry zone of Sri Lanka and mainland India. Because of its colourful and geometrically shaped shell, star tortoises are  quite popular in illegal exotic pet trade, causing it to be categorized as endangered soecies. The stunning shape of this creature assists it to return to a stable stance after it has been turned over. Females, usually much larger than males, can grow to 25 centimeters long. Indian star tortoises are mostly herbivorous. Only occasionally they eat carrion.