Maduru Oya National Park, Kandy Overview

Maduru Oya National Park is home to the two main aspects of Sri Lanka’s tourism—plenty of diverse wildlife and fascinating Buddhist ruins. The park was established in 1983 and also shelters some members of the indigenous Vedda tribe. With a population numbering more than a hundred, Asian elephants are the best feature of this national park. Maduru Oya National Park is a serene location in the most real sense of the word—often, you might be the only tourists around, making it seem like a private tour of the country’s spectacular landscape and wildlife.

The wildlife at the park includes leopards, pangolins, mugger crocodiles, and birds such as cormorants and storks. The endemic tree Vatica Obscura is a highlight of the park’s flora. The ruins of Buddhist structures—shrines, hermitages, statues, temples and dagobas—are also abundant here. Brahmi inscriptions from the 1st to 3rd century BC and a sluice gate whose origins lie in the 6th century BC are other ruins of historical significance. The Vedda folk reside in an area of the park, and visitors are often allowed to understand their culture and way of life. Explore all the facets of the park at your leisure by staying at a campsite or a bungalow run by the Department Of Wildlife Conservation.

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Maduru Oya National Park Timings and Wildlife Safari

A tranquil half day or full day safari by jeep in Maduru Oya National Park with a well-informed guide offers a chance to see the hordes of elephants and deer, visit the tribe and the Maduru Oya dam across the Maduru Oya River. The timings of the national park are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Best Time To Visit Maduru Oya National Park

The best time to visit Maduru Oya National Park is between March to September, the dry season; during this time, the fauna gathers at the watering holes across the national park, which enables visitors to spot them easily. It is recommended that you opt for a safari in the early morning or evening for better sightings of wildlife and to enjoy the breathtaking sunrise or sunset by the lake.

Fauna in Maduru Oya National Park

Apart from a large number of Asian elephants, one can spot a variety of fauna in Maduru Oya National Park, some endemic to the region. Mammals at the park include sloth bears, leopards, toque macaques, sambar, Indian pangolin, Indian muntjac and black-naped hare.

The birdlife at the park comprises white-bellied sea eagle, endemic Sri Lanka junglefowl and red-faced malkoha, painted stork, broad-billed roller and common tailorbird. Reptiles such as tortoises, water monitors, Indian cobras and mugger crocodiles can also be sighted here.

History Of Maduru Oya National Park

Spanning an area of 58,850 hectares, Maduru Oya National Park was one of the four national parks declared in 1983 under the Mahaweli Development Programme, which sought to utilize the Mahaweli River to build irrigation systems and generate hydroelectric power. The national park also protects the catchment area of five reservoirs.