Minneriya National Park is famous for one of Sri Lanka’s most remarkable wildlife spectacles: the Elephant Gathering. During the dry season, large numbers of elephants are drawn towards the water and grasslands around the Minneriya Tank, creating an extraordinary opportunity to observe these animals gathering in their natural environment. Beyond elephants, the park is home to sambar deer, spotted deer, buffalo, crocodiles, monkeys and a wide variety of birdlife. The surrounding Cultural Triangle also makes it easy to combine a wildlife safari with visits to Sigiriya, Dambulla and Polonnaruwa. The Elephant Gathering is particularly associated with the dry months from around July to October, although wildlife can be encountered in Minneriya at other times of the year as well.
