National parks of sri lanka on the map. In the animal world. Yala National Reserve. Udawalawe National Park

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oldest natural Park Sri Lankan Yala has a second name - Ruhuna. Once here was the kingdom of Ruhuna, the ruins of ancient cities of which come across here and there among the savannahs and forests. In 1900, a reserve was created on this territory. wildlife, which in 1938 received the status of a national park. It is the second largest in the country and perhaps the most visited.

Yala is located in the flat part of Sri Lanka, its basis is a dry savannah with rare shrubs and trees with characteristic crowns. The park is famous for wild leopards: more than 30 of them live here.

The basis of the park is a flat, dry savannah, overgrown with shrubs and umbrella trees, where small green oases around lakes, hills and even small mountain systems are often found. Nowhere else in the world can you find so many leopards in such a limited area!

Among other animals inhabiting the park, of course, one can name elephants, bears, deer, wild boars, monkeys - 44 species of mammals are found here. As well as several species of turtles, reptiles and many species of birds, insects and fish. Many of them are found only in Sri Lanka.

Tourists move around the park in traditional jeeps, but walking with a guide is also possible. For lovers of nature there is the opportunity to stay in a tent camp, which, in turn, provides a rare opportunity to be alone with wildlife.

Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe is a beautiful savanna. It was declared a national park in 1972.

The park is unusual and very picturesque. Savannah (and here there are several types of it: grassy, bush, flooded with water, turning into a forest) is riddled with a network of roads, along which jeep safaris are conducted accompanied by a guide.

The main attraction of the park is wild animals and birds, which can be observed here in natural environment a habitat. But the park is known all over the world, perhaps, for herds of elephants. Here, almost without interference, you can observe all their vital manifestations - for example, games and bathing. There are about 500 elephants in the park and there are herds of up to 50 animals.

In addition to elephants, you can see deer, wild boars, buffaloes, leopards (if you're lucky) and countless flocks of birds here.

In addition to animals, there are also botanical rarities. For example, in Udawalawa there are species that are not found in other national parks in Sri Lanka.

Victoria Park

Nuwara Eliya - a high-mountain resort of Sri Lanka - a kind of "little England" of the island. All the houses of the city are built in the English style, there are many parks, gardens and golf courses.

Victoria Park was originally a branch of the Haggala Botanical Gardens. It was here that the German prince, who visited the resort at the end of the 19th century, laid the foundation for the future arboretum by planting an oak tree. Today, 90 percent of the park's area is made up of trees brought to Sri Lanka from around the world.

Victoria Park is named after English queen and became a kind of gift for the 60th anniversary of her coronation. It is located in the very center of the city and is in excellent condition. The picturesque landscape created by the river, lakes, neat alleys, flower beds and a large number of birds - all this, of course, makes the park an ideal place for walks and picnics.

Sri Lanka impresses visiting Europeans with its magnificent pristine nature. You will not see such a golden coast of the majestic Indian Ocean anywhere else. Evergreen forests cover the slopes of the mountains. The entire island is pierced by streams flowing to mountain rivers. But most of all, the Sri Lankans are proud of their national parks, the highlight of which is the unique Yala Park, Sri Lanka. It is open to visitors in all seasons and continues to amaze even seasoned travelers.

The first protected area appeared a very long time ago - during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa (III century BC). The territory was declared inviolable, and, according to Buddhist philosophy, it was forbidden to harm any living being here.

Today, tourists can visit 12 national parks, three reserves and 51 reservations. In general, this territory covers 14% of the island. The most famous parks include Yala, Sinharaja Rainforest, Udawalawe, Minneriya, etc.

National parks Sri Lanka is protected by the Department of Wildlife and Conservation. Arriving guests of the country must follow certain rules of conduct, which will be introduced by the guide. He will tell you about your movement, routes, moments of stops in the park, etc. By following these rules, you will have a great time and will be able to avoid unpleasant moments while walking in the park.

Yala Park invites tourists

This beautiful nature reserve is spread over an area of 1000 sq. km, located about 300 km from Colombo. It is divided into two sections. People are allowed to be in the Western part, but you can not visit the Eastern part - only scientists doing their work can be here.

Flora and fauna

Yala is considered the oldest park on the island, the second largest and the most visited in the country. The landscape is a flat dry savannah, overgrown with umbrella trees and low shrubs. In some places there are small oases around the reservoirs.

Here, elephants and herbivores walk along the hills, overgrown with bushes and small trees. There are many predators in these places. Yala Park in Sri Lanka is home to 44 species of mammals, among which Ceylon elephants and leopards, 46 species of reptiles and 215 species of birds are of particular interest.

Most interesting way to get to know the world of animals better in Sri Lanka is a safari. The trip takes place in open jeeps, which accommodate 4-6 people. Safaris can be booked for half a day (6:00-11:00 and 15:00-18:00) or for the whole day. However, on a hot afternoon, animals usually hide from the sun, so the most successful time will be in the morning or evening.

Here you can see a leopard, a buffalo, a crocodile in reality, meet a herd of elephants. In Yala National Park, animals calmly react to tourists and continue to live their own lives. ordinary life. When the heat subsides, all the inhabitants of the jungle will be drawn to the reservoirs - that's where you can make a bunch of unique photos.

Tips for tourists

A large selection of air-conditioned hotels and high-quality service will allow you to choose inexpensive accommodation that will cost up to $100.
Exotic lovers can stay at the campsite and live in tents or huts. Daily accommodation with meals will cost around $ 30.
national park Yala in Sri Lanka is open seven days a week from 6:00 to 18:00. Once a year it closes for a month. This happens in September or October.

The cost of a safari in Yala Park depends on the duration, the number of people in the car and your ability to bargain. The price can fluctuate within 50-150$.

Sri Lanka's tropical rainforest Sinharaja is called biosphere reserve. The annual level of precipitation here reaches 5-7 thousand mm. The park is that rare place on Earth that has not been touched by a human hand. The Sri Lankans respectfully and carefully treat the virgin nature.

Sinharaja - the oldest forest on the planet

The forest is located in the southern part of the island. Its length is more than 20 kilometers in length and 7 kilometers in width. Endless hilly terrain with ridges and valleys overgrown with tropical evergreen forest.

Sinharaja translates as "Lion Kingdom". Once these places were the possessions of the Sinhalese kings. The inaccessible location saved the forest from cutting down. And in 1875 the forest was declared a natural reserve. Now it is of international importance and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Flora and fauna

A notable feature of the forest are tall trees with perfectly even trunks. The height of individual specimens reaches 50 m. The trees grow very densely, intertwining with lianas up to 30 cm thick. The ground is covered with ferns and horsetails. Behind the trees you can see the majestic peaks of the mountains surrounding the park.

The wild jungle is full of its own, unknown life of leopards, armadillos, giant squirrels, many monkeys and rare animals. And the variety of birds amazes even ornithologists. Insects have their own wonderful world. Here you can endlessly admire very large beautiful butterflies fluttering over fancy flowers. The whole air is permeated with the sound of cicadas, the singing of birds. According to scientists, in the tropical rain forest Sinharaja is inhabited by 2/3 of the species of all animals, insects and reptiles that are on Earth.

One of the simplest excursions involves driving to the park, walking for two to three hours with a guide, and driving back. However, during this time it is difficult to see something noteworthy. It is best to come here with an overnight stay and stay at the camp. At dawn, a journey begins along a long route - an ascent to the top of the mountain. Climbing it, you will get a complete picture of the park, you will see it in all its grandeur.

According to experienced travelers, a lot depends on the guide. Some will walk with you on the most interesting places, will acquaint with the most interesting animals, waterfalls. Others will be too lazy to do this and will conduct the tour formally. Therefore, you need to be persistent with guides so that they fulfill their direct duties.

You should not go for a walk in the forest on your own - it is very dangerous (wild animals, snakes) and you can get lost. Although independent travel is allowed, it is better to do it by car.
The cost of an entrance ticket to the park is 560 rupees (about $ 4.)
Guide services cost 1600 rupees for 4 hours and 3200 rupees for 8 hours.
Park opening hours 6:00 - 18:00.
Best time to visit: November - March. This time is considered the driest, but short-term showers are possible. They do not last long (maximum 30 minutes), but are so intense that they will soak you through in one minute.

In the south, 170 km from the main city of the country, there is the Udawalawe National Park. Proximity to southern resorts Sri Lanka puts it in third place in terms of the influx of visitors. The park was created to help the inhabitants of the jungle find a haven when the grandiose construction of a reservoir began on the Walawa River.

Udawalawe covers an area of more than 30 thousand hectares and is one of the largest parks on the island. There is a rich flora and fauna here: a huge variety of plants, among which there are especially rare specimens that have medicinal properties. Animal world It is represented by 39 species of mammals, 184 species of birds, 135 species of butterflies, many species of fish, reptiles and insects. The main attraction is the huge reservoir Uda Walawe.

Travelers can expect a lot of interesting and unusual things here, but most of all the attention is attracted by local animals that calmly roam the savannah, are not at all afraid of people and are not afraid of camera lenses. People come here to see the unique Sri Lankan elephants, the number of which is declining.

To save elephants from extinction on the left side of the reservoir, a special nursery was organized by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. All elephant calves left without a family are taken under protection, cared for and prepared for independent living. When the "kids" grow up, they are returned to natural conditions.

The main task of the nursery is to increase the number of wild Sri Lankan elephants. Employees not only feed the elephants and monitor their health. Educational work for adults and children is regularly carried out, the Information Center is organized, and interesting events are held.

Elephants are fed four times a day every three hours, and guests may attend this meal. But you can’t ride elephants in the nursery. All conditions have been created here so that the contact of animals with humans is minimal, otherwise they will not survive in the wild.

In Sri Lanka, there is another, more famous nursery, Pinnawala. You can learn about it from.

This place is located where the wet and dry zones of the island border. The longest periods are: March-May and October-January. average temperature about 29 degrees, humidity about 80%.

Opening hours and prices

Udawalawe Park is open daily from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.
The cost of visiting for half a day is $ 15, for the whole day $ 25, with an overnight stay - $ 30 per person. The cost of children's tickets is twice cheaper.

A couple of hours drive from the park is the pretty mountain town of Ella. If you have time, pay attention to it. What is interesting in Ella, read What is remarkable about the park

The park covers an area of about 9000 hectares and consists of mixed evergreen forests. 25 species of mammals live here, most of which are elephants. There are more than 200 of them. There are a lot of leopards, bears, monkeys, wild buffaloes, spotted deer, Indian lizards in the reserve.

The pride of the park is made up of birds, of which there are over 170 species. Nowhere you will see so many parrots, peacocks, weavers, talkers, as in this amazing place. Flocks of pelicans, cranes, cormorants, storks, etc. have found their refuge on the reservoir. Naturally, there are a lot of fish and crocodiles.

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What you need to know before your trip

perfect time for the tour is considered early morning and late evening, when the sun is close to sunset. During the day, animals usually lie in the shade under the trees, escaping from the heat. Therefore, it is better to arrive at the gates of the park by 6 am.

The best way to get around the park is by jeep. The cost of a safari varies between $ 100-200 (depending on travel time and route).
The cost of the entrance ticket is $25.
Renting a jeep for a half-day safari will cost 3500 rupees, for the whole day 6000 rupees.

Prices on the page are for March 2018.

Whichever place you choose to travel around the country (Yala Park Sri Lanka, Sinharaja, Udawalawe or Minneriya), you will get the most unforgettable experience. No wonder experienced tourists say that it was on this island that the Garden of Eden was located. So beautiful virgin nature you will not find anywhere else on earth.

Sri-Lanka (Singalsk. ශ්‍රී ලංකා, there. east coast of Hindustan.
Sri Lanka, with its lush tropical nature, can actually be proud of any of its incomprehensible landscapes - from golden sandy beaches caressed by the Indian Ocean, to numerous ridges and slopes that form terraces, rice fields and dense forests. Streams, turning into waterfalls and rapids, become calm rivers, carrying their waters to the expanses of the ocean. The locals cherish and appreciate the nature of the island.
The first protected area was created here in the 3rd century BC. during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa. The purpose of the creation of the reserve was the desire to put into practice one of the precepts of Buddhism "do not kill." Now, despite the high population density, there are 12 national parks and 3 reserves and 51 reservations, which cover 14% of the island. Among them are Mineriya, Sinharaja, Bundala, Vilpatu, Wasgamuwa, Udawalawe and Yalla.

Kumana National Park is known for its lagoons (Bagura, Andarakaley, Itikala, Yakkala) and plains. The park, also called East Yala, is also famous for its amazing variety of birds. The park was abandoned for decades due to internal conflict in Sri Lanka,

Lahugala National Park is one of the smallest, but the most valuable elephant and endemic bird conservation in Sri Lanka, with an area of 1554 hectares. The park is located in the Eastern Province, in the basin of the Heda Oya river,

Lunugamwehera National Park is located 33 km from Hambatot (Hambantota) and 261 km southwest of Colombo (Colombo). Lunugamvehera was declared a national park in 1995 to protect the Lunugamvehera reservoir.

The Minneriya National Park covers an area of 9,000 hectares. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and shrubland and is home to such Sri Lankan inhabitants as deer, leopards and elephants. The park contains reservoirs of international importance.

Minneriya National Park is located in the center of the island, not far from the famous landmark of Sri Lanka - the Sigiriya rocks. The park was founded in 1997 and covers an area of about 9,000 hectares. The park is mainly known for its elephants and birds. Also found here: deer, wild buffaloes, red-faced gullmans (monkeys) - endemic to Sri Lanka, eagles, owls, peacocks and iguanas. It is possible to visit only in the form of a jeep safari. The most popular time to visit the park is during the dry season from July

Park Square What to see Best time to visit Bundala National Park 62 km2 Coastal lagoons, migratory birds, elephants All year round Gal Oya National Park 629 km2 Grasslands, evergreen forests, deer, reservoir, elephants, sloth bears, leopards, buffaloes December - September Horton Plains National Park 32 km2 Property world heritage UNESCO, mountain forests, swampy meadows, "End of the World" cliff, sambars December -

Ridiyagama Safari Park was opened in May 2016 and became the first safari park in Sri Lanka. The park is located in the south of the island, about 30 km from the city of Hambantota. The park covers an area of 200 hectares and is divided into six zones, four of which are given to predators and two zones for herbivores. For lions, tigers and leopards, two zones of predators are given. The safari park features about 22 species of animals, including African lions, elephants, hippos,

Horton Plains or Horton Plateau is the coldest and windiest region of Sri Lanka. It includes ecosystems such as montane evergreen forests, grasslands, swamps and aquatic ecosystems. Spread over 3,169 hectares at an altitude of 2,100 meters above sea level, the Horton Plateau is the highest on the island. Due to the fact that many unique representatives of flora and fauna live here, on July 30, 2010, the Horton Plateau was included in the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List. Important

national reserve Kumana is located almost 400 km from Colombo. Its territory is huge - almost 36 thousand hectares of land! The park became available for visits not so long ago, at the end of January 2010. So far, the majority of visitors are local residents, but the country's authorities hope that along with the growth in popularity and fame of Kumana Park, it will be visited by many guests from abroad. Here you can see a lot of interesting and scenic spots. In the national

If you have to visit Sri Lanka, then you should definitely visit the most famous and oldest national park. Yala is a nature reserve located in the southeast of Sri Lanka, on the very shore. Indian Ocean borders part of the park. Once these lands were in the possession of the kingdom of Ruhuna, so the park is also called Ruhuna National Park (Ruhuna National Park). Only the ruins of monasteries, temples and ancient cities now remind of the times of former greatness. From largest city

Pigeon Island (Pigeon Island) is a national park, one of two marine national parks in Sri Lanka. The island is located 1 km from Nilaveli Beach. The name of the island comes from the rock dove that lives here. The national park has the best coral reef in Sri Lanka. Pigeon Island became a nature reserve in 1963. In 2003 it was declared a national park. This park is one of 17 in Sri Lanka. The island was used as a shooting range during the colonization period. Pigeon Island

I associate Sri Lanka with a country where you can meet some kind of living creature at every step. Well, think for yourself - in the attic we have a meter monitor lizard, which periodically descends and bathes in a small pond, where fish swim in turn. A family of squirrels lives on the trees - about seven, who yell heart-rendingly. From time to time, a red mongoose comes to visit us - that means we won’t have snakes. Although we also saw a snake. I rode a scooter at full speed on a two-meter dark green snake. Huge turtles come to the beach every day. Well, I'm already silent about flocks of colorful birds and insects: fireflies, spiders and others. But it seemed to us not enough and we decided to go on a safari to the Yala National Park.

1. See the elephant? Not? And he is :)

2. On a safari leave early in the morning - around 6 am departure from the hotel. Before reaching the official start nature reserve, we were already met by a small flock of jackals

3. Children in Sri Lanka are brought by such storks

4. Small green bee-eater. We met a lot of these birds with bright colors during the safari. bee-eater

5. Safari is a jeep ride, according to dirt roads in the nature reserve

6. In some places you can really only drive a jeep

7. Indian peacock. Found on every corner and not only in the reserve

8. Hidden lizard

9. Drivers ride from one reservoir to another - it is near them that there is a high probability of meeting someone from the animal world

10. Lots of wild boars

11. After an hour and a half of rides, we got stuck in a traffic jam. This is the road to the coast - a place where tourists are allowed to warm up and have a bite to eat

12. There are 3 safari options. From 5 am to 11 am and from 5 am to 6 pm. And there is also a night one.

13. Renting a jeep costs 5,000 rupees, which is about 2,500 rubles at the current exchange rate. It fits 6 adults. The entrance ticket costs about 2500 rupees per person. I can be wrong.

14. Deer. They do not surprise me - I saw three of these at arm's length in Trincomal, near the Hindu temple. Begging

15. Successful symbiosis of buffaloes and birds. Some hide from the heat in the mud, while others eat insects flying at buffaloes.

16. Mongoose. Our home has a different coloring.

17. We had short version safari - from 5 to 11. But we left at 6, when it started to get light. The driver drove us along 2 roads and drove into the side roads towards the sea. In principle, he did not stop by towards the continent until I persistently asked him to do so.

18. There we immediately saw a beautiful pond with dead trees and an elephant. Thus, which is in the first photo

19. And also noticed sunbathing crocodiles

20. Next, the driver told us that we had little time and he would not turn towards the mainland and we would go back. As I understand it, that part of the reserve is "protected" for those who have paid for the whole day of renting a jeep. deer

21. On the way back we saw several parked cars and heard the crackling of branches. Here he is - the master of the jungle

22. The daughter was happy and pointed at the elephant "In-in!". Well, it is also a pleasure for adults to see an elephant in its natural habitat, and not in a zoo.

23. The most numerous animals of the reserve are buffaloes

24. It is worth scratching a little behind the ear and it immediately becomes clear who is the main male here :)

25. At the exit from the reserve, another beggar was waiting for us. The cheetah still lives in the reserve, but we were not lucky to see it. We also saw hares, but they were fast and got into the frame, only in a smeared form :)

26. Original scarecrows

27. In the city of Tissamaharama, where safaris depart from, there is a large and beautiful stupa.

28. I wrote in a previous post that we were in an election period. Already on the poster ex-president, which 10 years before, stopped civil war in the country.

29. For the first time I saw garbage on the streets. This remained after the elections and festive and anti-holiday events. The streets were full of drunken and dancing people. The driver said that tonight there would be fights between supporters of the old president and the new one.

30. Some election posters were sealed, and some were simply cut to remove their faces.

31. And the former was a smiling guy. But they say that the standard story is corruption, abuse of authority, and so on. I don’t know how true this is, I try not to get into our politics, not to mention international

32. And this is our epic failure. The place is called Howling Hole. Here the gorge is of a special shape and at high tide a pillar of water is issued and strange sound. Keyword"at high tide" :)

33. But I managed to take a close-up picture of the squirrel. Here we have a whole flock of them

34. And I also managed to get closer to the sea and smell it. For five days now, we have not swum in the sea, and I realized how much I missed it.

35. Looking at how this little one frolics, I realized that I should spend the whole next day on the beach and do nothing :)

36. In Sri Lanka, boats of a very strange design come across - they are very narrow and have a special design for balance on the side.

37. Catching illegal settlers in the skin

38. Sometimes you come across retro cars in good condition

39. One of the advantages of the elections was that the bus drivers stopped working - almost all of them. Either as a sign of protest, or they were given days off. And in general, the roads were surprisingly free. This is the city of Matara. Our driver said that here it usually takes about an hour and a half to drive through the city, and we got through in 15 minutes!

40. On the road I saw a caravan with emergency lights. Turned out to be a funeral procession

41. On the way we stopped at the city of Weligama to exchange evergreen American dollars

42. Muslim town

43. But this did not stop us from seeing drunken local guys and half-naked tourists walking around the city

44. And we also drove past the place where the famous Sri Lankan fishermen hang out. 300 meters before this place, we were offered 500 rupees to pose for 6 Sri Lankans. We graciously declined, and we didn't have the strength. We will definitely come here, because this is one of the symbols of Sri Lanka. Even if it has already become a window dressing for tourists. I collect unusual ways fishing. I recommend