Minneriya National Park
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 14.84 mi
- Elevation gain
- 285 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Easy
- Elevation loss
- 285 ft
- Max elevation
- 490 ft
- TrailRank
- 36
- Min elevation
- 345 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Time
- one hour 44 minutes
- Coordinates
- 819
- Uploaded
- September 3, 2019
- Recorded
- August 2019
near Ambagaswewa, North Central (Sri Lanka)
Viewed 327 times, downloaded 4 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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After enjoying Wilpattu National Park, it's time to head to Minneriya National Park, the park with the largest elephant population. Turn for the pachyderm, Sri Lanka's most famous animal. They say that in August it is more beautiful to visit at sunset, since many of the elephant families that live here gather in the large lake. Therefore, let's enjoy our second safari in the afternoon!
START:
We will have the beginning of the route at the entrance to Minneriya National Park. Here, as soon as we arrive, we are assaulted by offers to visit the park. Again, an assigned driver, this time without a guide. It's noon, so we have the entire afternoon, until the park closes, to enjoy the elephants.
DESCRIPTION:
We began the journey through Minneriya National Park along a bumpy, forested track. The only attraction of this park is the sighting of elephants, so the path does not offer anything worth highlighting.
Being an August afternoon, it is assumed that the elephant families are gathered near the large lake that Minneriya National Park has. Without further ado, we head here.
Along the way, some small animals and several birds, but nothing that we have not already seen. We can also see buffaloes and peacocks.
After a while of safari, we leave the forest to reach the large lake, where the elephants are supposed to be found. Looks in all directions, but nothing... The driver doesn't talk to us and we don't have a guide, so there's little to add...
After a few turns, surrounding the lake, we find the first families of elephants, which we slowly approach. It is curious to see how they are used to 4x4 cars, despite being in complete freedom and being wild animals.
We continue surrounding the lake and can enjoy the elephants up close, of all types and all sizes. Some families even passed us on both sides of the track. All grouped together, they moved along the lake! A very beautiful moment and our first contact with the elephants.
We continued the safari seeing birds of all kinds and the occasional peacock, since we were next to the lake, and it is always an incentive for the birds. Crowds of people doing the same safari, much more than in Wilpattu National Park.
After completing the outward journey, we arrived again at the shores of the lake, where we could enjoy several elephants cooling off. And next to it, a multitude of elephants enjoying our company. Without a doubt, the best moment seeing elephants in the wild!
After a good time standing and enjoying the elephants, we continued the safari. Contrary to what we thought, the driver decides to return to the entrance, taking a circular route and seeing the occasional animal, but always with his sights set on the end of our safari.
Once the return is completed, we arrive again at the entrance, where we put an end to the safari, in less than two hours.
CONCLUSION:
Perfect safari to see elephants! You don't see many other animals and, without a doubt, the pachyderm is the great attraction. It is highly recommended to visit it at sunset, since several families gather very close to the lake. Safari that left a bitter taste in our mouths, because it barely lasted a little more than an hour and a half, with the price being quite high for the time we were there. It is easy for us not to see much more of Minneriya National Park, even if we spend 3 hours wandering around the park, but we can enjoy the elephants for more time. The poor driver was left without a tip! The safari, in general terms, was good, but you have to specify very well what you hire!
MORE INFORMATION:
Minneriya National Park
Route Index
Route Map
Summits Map
Rubén Wanderlust (www.rubenwanderlust.com)
START:
We will have the beginning of the route at the entrance to Minneriya National Park. Here, as soon as we arrive, we are assaulted by offers to visit the park. Again, an assigned driver, this time without a guide. It's noon, so we have the entire afternoon, until the park closes, to enjoy the elephants.
DESCRIPTION:
We began the journey through Minneriya National Park along a bumpy, forested track. The only attraction of this park is the sighting of elephants, so the path does not offer anything worth highlighting.
Being an August afternoon, it is assumed that the elephant families are gathered near the large lake that Minneriya National Park has. Without further ado, we head here.
Along the way, some small animals and several birds, but nothing that we have not already seen. We can also see buffaloes and peacocks.
After a while of safari, we leave the forest to reach the large lake, where the elephants are supposed to be found. Looks in all directions, but nothing... The driver doesn't talk to us and we don't have a guide, so there's little to add...
After a few turns, surrounding the lake, we find the first families of elephants, which we slowly approach. It is curious to see how they are used to 4x4 cars, despite being in complete freedom and being wild animals.
We continue surrounding the lake and can enjoy the elephants up close, of all types and all sizes. Some families even passed us on both sides of the track. All grouped together, they moved along the lake! A very beautiful moment and our first contact with the elephants.
We continued the safari seeing birds of all kinds and the occasional peacock, since we were next to the lake, and it is always an incentive for the birds. Crowds of people doing the same safari, much more than in Wilpattu National Park.
After completing the outward journey, we arrived again at the shores of the lake, where we could enjoy several elephants cooling off. And next to it, a multitude of elephants enjoying our company. Without a doubt, the best moment seeing elephants in the wild!
After a good time standing and enjoying the elephants, we continued the safari. Contrary to what we thought, the driver decides to return to the entrance, taking a circular route and seeing the occasional animal, but always with his sights set on the end of our safari.
Once the return is completed, we arrive again at the entrance, where we put an end to the safari, in less than two hours.
CONCLUSION:
Perfect safari to see elephants! You don't see many other animals and, without a doubt, the pachyderm is the great attraction. It is highly recommended to visit it at sunset, since several families gather very close to the lake. Safari that left a bitter taste in our mouths, because it barely lasted a little more than an hour and a half, with the price being quite high for the time we were there. It is easy for us not to see much more of Minneriya National Park, even if we spend 3 hours wandering around the park, but we can enjoy the elephants for more time. The poor driver was left without a tip! The safari, in general terms, was good, but you have to specify very well what you hire!
MORE INFORMATION:
Minneriya National Park
Route Index
Route Map
Summits Map
Rubén Wanderlust (www.rubenwanderlust.com)
Waypoints
Waypoint
490 ft
Lake
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