Top National Parks in Sri Lanka
The national parks of Sri Lanka are a great treat for every nature enthusiast. The national parks here are wonderful and the significant hotspots to get a small ‘Man vs Wild’ experience. Here are some of the famous national parks to visit in Sri Lanka:
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is one of the top national parks for mammals in Asia. It is one of the best tourist attractions in Sri Lanka. The place is nestled in the country's South-East and has an admiring region of lowland dry scrub. The park is famous for the Sri Lankan leopard and at a specific area of the park the average leopard density is high. During the season of the bearing of Palu trees, one can also spot sloth bears. Other species in the park are Sambar, Spotted Deer, Buffalo, Wild pig, Strip-necked and Ruddy Mongooses, Langur Monkey, Toque Monkey, Golden Jackal, and Indian Palm Civet. The place also houses a huge variety of birds.
Udawalawe National Park
The place was constructed to protect the watershed's massive Udawalawe Reservoir and situated south of the central mountains. The park has considerable stretches of grasslands as well as scrub jungles and revering forests. The major attraction of the park includes Asian Elephants. However, the park is not an ideal spot to visit mammals, but it is a perfect place for bird watching. The park is one of the top places to visit in Sri Lanka. The wide variety of birds involves changeable hawk-eagle, serpent eagle, and grey-headed fish eagle.
Wasgamuwa National Park
The National Park is rested in the Matale and Polonnaruwa districts of Sri Lanka. It is one of the protected areas of Sri Lanka where one can easily spot large herds of Sri Lankan Elephants. The national park is one of the famous tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. Apart from Sri Lankan Elephants, the park has various other species of animals and birds: Purple-faced Langur, Golden Palm Civet, Mugger Crocodile, and Red-faced Malkoha.
Sinharaja Forest Reserve
It is a national park famous for its huge biodiversity. The reserve has been declared as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Sinharaja is also the foremost rainforest of Sri Lanka. The national park is famous for the tall and rare trees in the world and one of the popular places to visit in Sri Lanka. There are also numerous bird species such as Red-faced Malkoha, Green-billed Coucal, and Sri Lankan Blue Magpie.
Bundala National Park
The national park is of great international importance as it welcomes several migratory birds in winters. It is the home of around 197 species, especially the beautiful flamingos that migrate in large flocks. Not only birds, but one can also spot elephants and crocodiles in the park. It is one of the top places in Sri Lanka. Bundala National Park was announced as a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in the year 2005.
Wilpattu National Park
It is the largest park in Sri Lanka located on the Northwest coast and is one of the best tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. The thing that makes the park unique is ‘Willis’ which are the natural lakes with different salinity degrees. It is well-known for witnessing leopards and sloth bears. The national park was closed for 15 years to give wildlife time to recover its former abundance.
Horton Plains National Park
Horton Plains is nestled in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is recognised for the montage grassland and cloud forest. It is the highest plateau on the island and is one of the best national parks in Sri Lanka. The national park has a rich flora and fauna. Surprisingly, due to the cold weather conditions, the dwarf lizard species evolved and gave birth to young ones instead of laying eggs.
Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is located in the North Central Province in Sri Lanka. During September and October, one can easily spot the huge herds of elephants that gather on the Minneriya Lake. It is one of the popular places to visit in Sri Lanka. The lake is later replaced by dense green grassland.
Sri Lanka is a country filled with rich wildlife and scenic beauty. The place is the home of numerous elephants, leopards, deer, whales, and birds that make it a wide feast for nature lovers. There are various places to visit in Sri Lanka, and the national parks help the visitors relax in the lap of nature and witness the wildlife at its best.