Wasgamuwa National Park

Teeming with elephants, leopards and more, Wasgamuwa National Park is undoubtedly a must-visit for a chance to explore Sri Lanka’s fascinating wildlife. History and wildlife come together at Wasgamuwa National Park. Around 225 km from Colombo, the park is famous for its large number of Sri Lankan elephants, almost a whopping 150 in a herd!

The discovery of evidence of ancient Sri Lankan kingdoms at Wasgamuwa, lead to the conclusion that the area was also an important battleground. Wasgamuwa National Park is home to many of the wildlife that was displaced during the Mahaweli Development programme in 1984; the project aimed to generate hydroelectric power and improve irrigation systems by utilization of the nearby Mahaweli River waters.

The fauna at Wasgamuwa is a varied lot. The birdlife at Wasgamuwa is also reasonably abundant; the park has 140 species of birds, some of them endemic to the region. The fauna at the park also includes spotted deer, monitor lizards, mugger crocodiles and Sri Lankan frogmouth. Around 150 floral species have been identified here.