Sri Lanka’s lengthy and ancient history means that there are a plethora of fascinating sights to visit on this magnificent island in the Indian Ocean. Visitors to Sri Lanka can enjoy all of the historical, archaeological, and cultural sights on offer, with traces of human habitation reaching back to the 6th Century BC.
Sri Lanka has something for everyone, whether it’s marvelling at the ruined temples of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, staring in astonishment at the ancient murals at Pidurangala Rock, or simply basking in the gorgeous seas that surround the island.
This gem of a country is truly lovely to explore, with stunning scenery and a plethora of natural beauties on display. Here are some of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful national parks for you to visit.
1: Udawalawe National Park
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Although there are a few rocky places that provide a lovely backdrop to the stunning beauty on display, Udawalawe National Park is dominated by plains and marshes. While the park’s untamed appearance is appealing, visitors are primarily drawn to it to witness the Sri Lankan elephants that roam the flatlands.
Udawalawe is undoubtedly gorgeous to behold, with birds hovering overhead, massive elephants throwing up a reddish-brown dust, and distant mountains framing the view. Also, read Most Beautiful National Parks in Croatia.
2: Yala National Park
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Yala, Sri Lanka’s most visited national park, is known for its wildlife, and with Sri Lankan elephants and leopards on display, the national park is a treat to visit. Yala, in the country’s south, offers a diverse range of ecosystems to explore as the environment shifts from sandy beaches to thorn forests to grasslands and monsoon forests.
With numerous elephants and one of the greatest concentrations of leopards in the world, travelers should be able to see these majestic creatures when visiting the park. In Sri Lanka, history is never far away, and a number of historical civilizations formerly flourished in the Yala area. Today, the park’s pilgrim sites of Sithulpahuwa and Magul Vihara continue to draw many worshipers each year.
3: Horton Plains National Park
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Horton Plains is definitely worth a visit, with a number of spectacular vantage points that gaze out over stunning vistas of the park. The national park, which is located in the country’s central highlands, features a wonderful green forest that falls away before the plateaus and peaks that rise above the clouds.
The World’s End precipice, which gives spectacular views of the surrounding areas, is one of the most popular viewing locations. The park’s damp environment ensures that wildlife, vegetation, and fauna thrive in Horton Plains, as it is the source of three of Sri Lanka’s key rivers.
Baker’s Falls, a lovely waterfall that emerges from the deep foliage, is another tourist attraction. It is not without reason that it is one of Sri Lanka’s most well-known national parks. Also, read Best National Parks in Malaysia.
4: Bundala National Park
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Bundala National Park’s wetlands, sand dunes, and woods are home to a diverse range of ecosystems and a surprising number of animals. Bundala will surprise and amaze any wildlife lover, with over 200 different species of birds and a veritable zoo of amphibians and mammals on show.
The park, which is located in the south of Sri Lanka, is a fantastic place to stroll around; lucky visitors may come across the elusive Indian muntjac or the easily frightened mouse deer, which may retreat to safety through the wildlife if they are discovered.
5: Kumana National Park
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This park, which is located on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast, is a haven for migrating birds who stop in Kumana each year to rest. The park’s lagoons and marshes attract massive flocks of wading birds and waterfowl, which blanket the skyline in their thousands.
More than 250 different bird species have been identified in the area, and the marshes and woodlands that dot the park provide ideal breeding habitats for the tired birds. When the birds are resting or feeding, they must be cautious since jackals and fisher cats hide nearby, waiting to prey on unsuspecting victims.
6: Minneriya National Park
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Minneriya National Park, like the aforementioned Kaudulla National Park, owes its existence to King Mahasen’s acts centuries ago! Minneriya’s reservoir and wetlands, once again the location of an irrigation tank, are now a biodiversity hotspot, with a diverse assortment of animals and birds calling the area home.
The spectacular environment changes before your eyes as you travel through the park, with a variety of ecosystems such as forests and shrublands on display.
Although the park’s breathtaking beauty and fauna are breathtaking, one event stands out as the crown jewel of everything the area has to offer: The Gathering. The park’s grasslands offer an appealing and abundant food supply for the Sri Lankan elephants that reside in the surrounding areas during the dry season, and as a result, droves of them swarm to the reservoir’s edge and frolic in its waters. Also read, Mesa Verde National Park.
7: Gal Oya National Park
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Gal Oya National Park was created as a catchment region for the extra water that the nearby Senanayake Samudraya reservoir does not store. As a result, the national park contains a variety of wetlands and thick forests that eagerly soak up the water, transforming it into lush foliage and a diverse wildlife.
Elephants, buffaloes, and leopards all live inside the park’s boundaries, so visitors may get a peek of some of the spectacular species that call it home. The hallowed temple of Dighavapi, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year, is located just next to the park.
8: Kaudulla National Park
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This national park, one of Sri Lanka’s most important sites for birds, is obviously highly popular with birdwatchers, who come to its borders to look in marvel at the multicoloured spectacle before their eyes.
Although most tourists come to see the birds that flutter above their heads in the bright blue sky, Kaudulla is also home to a variety of huge creatures. Elephants, sloth bears, Sri Lankan leopards, deer, and wild boar may be spotted roaming the woodlands, while gorgeous lorises dangle from the trees on either side.
King Mahasen, who set aside the park’s territory as a water source for his people all the way back in the 3rd Century AD, is responsible for the wealth of wildlife and vegetation that attracts the birds to the area! When the irrigation tanks were finally abandoned sixty years ago, wildlife immediately arose around the water supply, and the region was thankfully designated as a national park in 2002. As you can see, history is abundant in this lovely country.