E

5.0

Wasgamuwa National Park was amazing! Saw wild elephants, deer, and lots of birds in their natural habitat. Roads are rough but the safari experience is 100% worth it. Less crowded than Yala

Passport And Stamps

5.0

We had one of the most amazing experiences. We did several national parks in Sri Lanka and this was one of our favourite. The first two hours it was bird watching cuz the elephants were hiding but then, it was a full show and it was amazing 🥹🥹 we were alone, no other jeeps and it was special.

Krystle Millo

5.0

The best park in Sri Lanka to witness elephants and wildlife without the crowd ! Landscapes and sunset are breathtaking. I recommend coming here instead of bigger national parks that are overcrowded. We were only two jeeps in the park and we only crossed each other once….

Dasa Koberova

5.0

We stayed 3 weeks in Sri Lanka and visited many places and national parks. The experience in Wasgamuwa National Park was one of the best. It is very cheap, and you can get incredibly close to the elephants. There were only 5–6 jeeps in the entire huge park, and we spent 4 hours driving around for just 25 euros for the whole jeep (up to 8 people). I can highly recommend it.

LAHIRU HASARANGA

5.0

Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) is located in the districts of Matale and Polonnaruwa at a distance of 225 km away from Colombo. The nearest large town is Polonnaruwa, 10 km from the northern boundary. Reaching Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) The entrance to Wasgamuwa National Park is at Handungamuwa. The park can be conveniently reached from several tourist attractions. From Kandy: Kandy, Hasalaka and Hettipola. Approximately 50km northeast of Kandy.Turn off at Hasalaka on the Kandy-Mahiyangana road and proceed via Wilgamuwa upto Wasgamuwa. Visitors from Matale and Polonnaruwa areas can reach Wasgomuwa via Laggala and Wilgamuwa. The Wilgamuwa Japan Bridge provides the easy access to visitors coming from the Mahaweli system-C. From Dambulla and Polonnaruwa ancient cities, through Bakamuna, Elahera and Laggala – Pallegama Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) spanning over 36,900 hectares is bordered by River Mahaweli Ganga and River Amban Ganga in east and west. The altitude varies from over 500m at the Sudu kanda hill to just 76m along the Mahaweli Ganga. The combination of a number of small reservoirs and Sudu kanda mountain range affords fine trekking opportunities for keen hikers. Tropical dry mixed evergreen forest predominates, characterized by tall trees: Weera (Drypetes sepiaria), Palu (Manikkara hexandra), Wa (Cassia roxburghii) Ehala (C. Fistula), Buruta (Satin), Chloroxylon Swietenia, Velang (Pterospermum canescens), the endemic Galsiyambala (Dialium ovoideum), Milla (Vitaex Pinanata) and Kaluwara (ebony) (Diospyros Ebenum). Wasgamuwa National Park’s (Wasgomuwa) climatic conditions are that of the dry zone. Rain fall is mainly with the northeast monsoon (Maha) in October-February. Inter-monsoon rains occur in March-May. Annual rainfall increases from about 1,750 mm in the north to 2,250 mm in the south. Mean annual temperature is around 27 centigrade. Wildlife at Wasgamuwa National Park The center of the attraction is herds of elephants up to 150. The best time to enjoy the sight of large herds is during November to May. In the rest of the year the elephants tend to migrate to nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla national Parks. Other wildlife includes Purple faced langur monkeys, wild boar, sambar and spotted deer, buffalo and rarely sighted leopards and sloth bears.Among the reptiles are water monitor, mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile and python (Python Molurus). Birdlife at Wasgamuwa National Park Of the 143 species of birds reported at Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa) are endemic Red-faced malkoha and Ceylon jungle fowl are common sight in the park. Among the bird populations are Sri Lanka Trogon, racquet tailed drongo, endemic yellow fronted barbet, endemic Sri Lanka spurfowl, white necked stork and lesser adjutant stork. Ruins of ancient Buddhist temple at Buduruwayaya Remains of a number of small rainwater reservoirs and ruins of temples reveal that the region of Wasgamuwa National Park (Wasgomuwa), was once home to prosperous villages. The ruins estimated to be about 1800 years old features a reclining Buddha statue at Buduruwayaya. Ruins of a palace with stone pillars are found in an island in a canal known as Kalinga Yoda Ela built by King Parakrambahu the great in the twelfth century.