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I might be getting addicted. Safaris. Jeeps. Elephants. Binoculars. Crocodiles. Camera. Leopards. Scanning tree tops and the horizon. Searching for movement. It is hot and dusty and the ride is bumpy. What better way to pass your days than on safaris in Sri Lanka.
A safari was definitely on the list of “things to do” but I didn’t really plan on visiting five National Parks! How could I predict that I would feel so alive, finding myself in the presence of elusive and majestic creatures.
Read about highlights and details of Bundala, Kumana, Minneriya, Uda Walawe and Yala National Parks. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Bundala National Park
Bundala National Park is a gorgeous wetland full of migratory and resident birds. Given my daughter Emily’s and my new found interest in bird watching, it was definitely a park to visit. July is not prime season to see migratory birds but we were hoping to see flamingoes. Apparently since the tsunami, flamingos are not sighted every year. We did not see flamingoes, but as always in the natural world, there was lots to see as we explored the waterways and dunes.
We were the only jeep driving along the sand spits between the waterways. The landscape was gorgeous and between a host of sea birds, pied kingfishers, white bellied sea eagles, monkeys, jackals and an elephant we were thrilled with our safari. A definite must if you are a bird lover. I will have to return in peak season between September and April.
Bundala National Park Details:
Operator: Our guesthouse owner at Sanoga Guest House, Tissamarahama
Early morning safari
Private: 2 people
Cost: 6000 LKR ($54.00 Canadian, each)
Duration: 3.5 hours
Included: a driver, a tracker picked up at the park gates, and all park fees
Kumana National Park
Also known as Yala East, Emily and I were drawn to this park as it is known to be much less busy than Yala with similar, although less frequent, sightings of wildlife. We were the only jeep around which, in one way, was wonderful. But, with no tracker and less jeeps, there were fewer experienced eyes scanning for wildlife. We saw lots of spotted deer, water buffalo and water birds.
The highlight was seeing multiple Malabar pied hornbills. As you leave the park, you pass through the Kumana bird reserve where there is a bird watching tower. It was quite the spectacle seeing the painted storks roosting for the night.
Although we did see a few elephants, they were mostly retreating into the bushes. I wonder if we would have seen more had there been a tracker in the jeep with us. So glad we had already been to Yala.
Kumana National Park Details:
Operator: On the street of Arugam Bay; was not particularly impressed
Afternoon Safari
Shared: 4 people
Cost: 5000 LKR ($45 Canadian, each)
Duration: 4 hours
Included: driver (no tracker) and park fees
Bathroom: at entrance
Minneriya National Park
The Gathering:
Asian Elephants come from far and wide to eat the lush grass that has grown as the water in the Minneriya Tank (reservoir) has receded. It is dry season and other watering holes have dried up. Minneriya has food and water for the elephants. Thus, there can be up to 500 elephants in the park by mid-August. It is the largest gathering of Asian Elephants in the world.
Obviously….elephants make me happy!
Do not miss the annual gathering of the elephants in August. I had already been to four National Parks when I arrived in the vicinity of Minneriya National Park. I figured I had already seen a lot of elephants…maybe I should skip it. I decided that really you can never see too many elephants – right?
As I was travelling solo at the time, and my guesthouse owner in Pollonaruwa couldn’t seem to find me a safari to share, I decided to take the public bus to the park gates and find someone to share the cost of the safari. It was quite a bit of effort doing it this way, but totally worth it. I found Florian from France. We agreed on the cost with a jeep driver, paid our entrance fee and we were off.
This was an experience of a lifetime! It was a spectacular sight to see groups of 60 or more elephants eating, socializing, bathing, spraying water and roaming together.
Although I was there in late July, there were about 400 elephants in the park. By mid-August there are about 500 or more, according to our guide. Our guide was a wealth of information and made us aware, several times, of the smell of the male elephant musth – the hormone testosterone released by male elephants looking to mate. He reminded us many times how dangerous elephants can be.
There were probably 200 jeeps in the park the day that I went. Apparently, there are even more in mid-August. Despite the number of jeeps, the pathway was quite wide which resulted in an easy flow and an ability to give the elephants their space. Although not all jeep drivers did. And when our guide told us that it is not uncommon for an elephant to charge a jeep, it is cause for concern. Humans, once again, encroaching on animals in their natural habitat.
It is easy to just lose yourself in the wonder of this species. Their closeness. Their touching. The babies surrounded by nurturing females. The enormous males. Seeing this gathering of elephants in the wild, reinforced my zero tolerance to elephants in captivity. Why is it necessary? These elephants epitomized freedom as they wandered in their groups. It reduced my tolerance to humans that think feeding an elephant at the side of the road is OK. It made me cringe to think that we, as humans, still think it is acceptable to ride elephants (their back is their weakest body part). It made me sick to think there are poachers killing these intelligent creatures to protect their farms or to garnish their ivory.
This sight at Minneriya left me with a healthy respect for elephants. It left me marvelling at our natural world. It left me in awe.
Minneriya National Park Details:
Operator: Mahasen Jeep Safari is the name on the jeep. I found many willing safari drivers at the park gates.
Afternoon Safari (the recommended time of day during “The Gathering”)
Shared: 2 people
Cost: 5680 LKR ( $51.00 Canadian, each)
I went to the park specifically to find someone to share the cost.
Buying the entrance to the park is cheaper if you purchase it with someone 3180LKR ($28.00 Canadian, each)
Sharing the cost of the jeep was 2500 LKR ($22.00 Canadian, each)
I saved about $25 Canadian sharing the safari.
Duration: 4 hours
Included: driver, a volunteer tracker and all park fees
Bathroom: at entrance
Uda Walawe National Park
It was hot and windy as we drove up and down the rutted roads looking for wildlife. As always, the animals don’t just line up for you! They are going about their business of living. The highlight for me was the watering hole with about 5 elephants and only 2 jeeps. I find pachyderms captivating and could watch them for hours.
There were many elephants to be seen, lots of water buffalo and many species of birds – bee eaters, parakeets, hornbills, Indian rollers and painted storks.
As in all the national parks, the trees were majestic and the landscape gorgeous.
Uda Walawe National Park Details:
Operator: Our guesthouse owner at Silent Bungalow, Uda Walawe
Afternoon Safari
Shared: 4 people
Cost: 4150 LKR ( $37 Canadian each)
Duration: 3.5 hours
Included: driver (no tracker) and all park fees
Yala National Park
Oh, Yala! And to think we almost skipped it. We had read mixed reviews about safari drivers and hoards of jeeps so considered not going. The lure of seeing a leopard changed our minds. Our full day safari in Yala was a trip highlight.
How could it not be? Yala is home to a wide variety of wildlife – wild boars, water buffalo, sloth bears, mongoose, crocodiles, 2 types of monkeys, many species of birds, elephants and the elusive leopard – to name just a few!
There were a lot of safari jeeps, even though we were not visiting during peak season. The drivers call each other when there is a leopard sighting so, suddenly jeeps appear out of nowhere. Our driver called it, “The Colombo Traffic Jam!” The way I see it, there are many trained eyes looking for wildlife so the chance of seeing something spectacular increases. The drivers were all very respectful of the animals.
I really didn’t believe that we would see animals mid-afternoon but that is exactly when we saw the leopard. First of all, he was resting in the tree and all that was visible was his back. A leopard’s back! Patience was rewarded when he turned around and was looking right at us. Eventually, he climbed down from the tree. Such a powerful animal.
All the drivers started heading off in various directions. As we bumped down the rutted track, I glanced up and although my jaw was flapping, I was speechless. There, about to cross in front of us, was the leopard.
Seriously…… Photo credit: E. Browne
It was incredible.
But that was not the end of the leopard sightings. Our day ended watching a leopard eat a deer in the bushes. It wasn’t a crystal clear view but, we could definitely see activity, hear him and see his tail standing straight up!
Yala National Park was my first safari in Sri Lanka. Perhaps it was the amazing sights there that inspired me to go on four more safaris!
Yala National Park Details:
Operator: Our guesthouse owner at Sanoga Guest House, Tissamarahama
Full Day Safari
Private: 2 people
Cost: 9000 LKR ( $81.00 Canadian, each)
Duration: 12 hours (including a lunch/ rest break of 90 minutes)
Included: driver and a tracker in the jeep with us, all entrance fees to the park
Lunch was by the Indian Ocean provided by our hosts for a small cost (650 LKR / $5.80 Canadian)
Bathroom: at the lunch rest stop – in the bushes
A visit to one of the many National Parks should be on your itinerary when you visit Sri Lanka. The experience is grounding, exhilarating and unforgettable.
Which National Park would be first on your list?
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