Wilpattu National Park

About

Straddling the border of Sri Lanka’s North Central Province and the North Western Province, this incredible National Park and wildlife sanctuary spans an impressive 131,000 hectares. The park is primarily in a dry zone, apart from a complex of wetlands called “Villu” that features over 50 separate wetland environments. Here, shallow natural lakes and plains break up the dense jungle, providing the native wildlife with plenty of water, shelter, and feeding grounds. The water comes from monsoon season visiting the park from September to December, with a smaller “inter monsoon” arriving in March and April. The park is best visited during February and October but is open to visitors on guided safari tours year-round if weather conditions permit. Lucky visitors can see protected wildlife species in their natural habitats and may catch a glimpse of leopards, elephants, sloth bears, deer, and even several rare bird species.