Wilpattu National Park: The Best Safari in Sri Lanka in 2024
Thinking about going on a Sri Lanka safari? Well, you’re not alone. Given the abundance of animals on this small island (including the Sri Lankan leopard), most visitors to Sri Lanka rank a safari experience as a must-do activity when visiting the country.
If you’re deciding where to go for your Sri Lanka safari experience, let us introduce you to Wilpattu National Park, one of Sri Lanka’s hidden gems. With an astonishing array of Sri Lanka wildlife, yet few crowds, Wilpattu National Park, is the best safari in Sri Lanka.
Skip the crowds in the south and head north to Wilpattu National Park. We guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Interested? Well then, read on for our complete guide to Wilpattu National Park, the best safari in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Travel Resources
- Start here: The Essential Sri Lanka Travel Guide and 47 Essential Sri Lanka Travel Tips
- Getting there: search for flights to Colombo
- Guidebook: pick up a copy of Bradt Sri Lanka
- Where to stay: search for guesthouses and hotels
- How to get around: search for trains and buses
- Travel insurance: get travel insurance for your trip
- Gear: pick up a Steripen for clean water 24/7
- Money: get a Wise money card to save money in Sri Lanka
Wilpattu National Park Overview
Wilpattu National Park is both Sri Lanka’s oldest and largest national park. Established in 1938, it’s been around for a long time, however, it was closed between 1988 and 2003 due to the civil war that plagued Sri Lanka at that time.
Simply put, Wilpattu National Park is huge – it measures more than 131, 000 hectares. If you’re looking for some context, it’s 8 times larger than Yala National Park’s Block 1, where most of Yala’s game drives take place.
Not only is Wilpattu National Park massive, but it’s also home to a huge number of all the Sri Lanka wildlife you could hope to see on a Sri Lanka safari: elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer, crocodiles, water buffalo, birds, birds, birds and yes, even the elusive Sri Lankan leopard.
Why Wilpattu is The Best Safari in Sri Lanka
Why is Wilpattu the best safari in Sri Lanka? Well, for starters, Wilpattu National Park is still off the beaten track and receives very few visitors – especially when compared to the chaotic parks of the south.
By doing your Sri Lanka safari here, you’ll see tons of Sri Lanka wildlife, yet few other visitors. Compared to that of its southern relatives, it’s a far less crowded and more peaceful experience. Think more animals and nature and fewer jeeps ripping around the place.
Going on a Wilpattu safari means you have the space to experience the rugged beauty of the park and the luxury of enjoying the animals in a natural setting, rather than a jeep-clogged one.
Want an underwater safari? Check out Pigeon Island National Park
Visiting Wilpattu for your Sri Lanka safari experience is also a more responsible option. It’s no secret that Yala and the big names down south receive much more than their fair share of visitors and that overcrowding is a real problem. The masses of jeeps are having a significant impact on the animals, leading to changed behaviour patterns. It’s much more ethical to visit a smaller park, such as Wilpattu.
Wilpattu National Park Location
Wilpattu is located in the northwest of Sri Lanka, approximately 35 km west of Anuradhapura and 190 km from Colombo. The park spans the border between Sri Lanka’s Northwest and North Central Provinces.
If you’re looking for a place to base yourself to visit Wilpattu National Park, Anuradhapura is your best bet.
Visiting Anuradhapura? Read 21 Amazing Places to Visit in Anuradhapura in 2024
Best Time to Visit Wilpattu National Park
The best time to visit Wilpattu National Park is from May to October. During this time, the drought draws the animals out to the open areas and waterholes, making it much easier to spot wildlife.
You can visit the park year-round, but during the northeast’s monsoon period from November – March, you will experience a lot of rain and muddy roads.
The best time of the day to visit the park is in the early morning and late afternoon. Due to the cooler temperature, your best wildlife-spotting opportunities are from 6 am to 10 am and 3 pm to 6 pm.
That said, we elected for a whole-day Wilpattu safari and saw plenty of wildlife between the hours of 12 pm – 2 pm as well.
Wilpattu National Park Entrance
The park is open from 6 am to 6 pm and can only be visited via a jeep safari. This means you are not allowed to drive your own car or walk through the park.
It is very straightforward to organise a Wilpattu National Park safari: you can book a safari through any guesthouse or hotel in Anuradhapura, the lodges outside the park, or through the Wilpattu National Park Headquarters directly.
Where to next? Read The Ultimate Guide to Uppuveli and Nilaveli Beach
How to Visit Wilpattu National Park
Wilpattu is best visited as a day trip from Anuradhapura. Every hotel and guesthouse in Anuradhapura can organise a Wilpattu National Park safari, usually on very short notice.
By organising your visit this way, you avoid having to make a special trip to spend a night outside Wilpattu and will save time.
You can always, of course, stay outside the park at a lodge or camp and organise a Wilpattu National Park safari from there. There are a plethora of options, ranging from (expensive) tented camps to luxury resorts.
If you would like to stay directly outside Wilpattu, your best options are:
You can, of course, pre-book a Wilpattu National Park safari as part of a tour. Browse all options below.
What Sri Lanka Wildlife Can You See on a Wilpattu Safari?
Wilpattu is home to Sri Lanka’s most exciting and sought-after wildlife. The sheer variety of wildlife, large animal populations and low number of tourists make wildlife watching here a great experience.
There are approximately 30 species of mammals in Wilpattu National Park. This includes the Sri Lankan elephant, Sri Lankan leopard, Sri Lankan sloth bear, spotted deer, water buffalo, Sambar and mongoose.
Sri Lankan leopard sightings are amongst the best in the country, as Wilpattu has a similar Sri Lankan leopard population density to Yala, minus the hordes of jeeps.
You can also see crocodiles and a dizzying amount of birds – this is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for bird watching.
Note that because of the sheer size of the park and the dense forest, you are unlikely to see large herds of elephants. If this is truly what you are after, we suggest a Minneriya National Park safari. You can find options for exploring Minneriya National Park here.
Wilpattu National Park Safari Options
There are two options for a Wilpattu National Park safari: a half-day safari, or a full-day safari.
Half-Day Safari
On a half-day safari, you will get around 3-4 hours of game drive through the park. Half-day safaris are organised for either the morning or late afternoon, when the animals are most active. This will allow you to visit a few key spots and provides good Sri Lanka wildlife-spotting opportunities.
Full-Day Safari
A full-day safari lasts from dawn until dusk, so expect around 10 hours of driving. It sounds like a lot, but you will have time for lunch and breaks.
Also, a lot of time will be spent parked at various waterholes or other spots. During this time, you will be sitting peacefully, watching the animals. It’s quite relaxing.
On a full-day safari, you have the absolute best chance of spotting animals. Plus, your entrance fee to Wilpattu National Park is for the full day, so the only extra charges are for the jeep and driver, making it a better deal overall.
We chose the full-day safari option and were so glad we did. We actually saw heaps of animals during the midday portion of the Sri Lanka safari, despite this being the time they normally seek shade and have their naps. Most other tourists aren’t around at this time either and it was the most peaceful time during the entire day.
Heading north? Read 13 Amazing Places to Visit in Jaffna + Essential Guide
Wilpattu National Park Safari Prices
The prices for a Wilpattu National Park safari vary widely, depending on how you organise your safari and how many people are included. As you pay per jeep / driver, splitting a safari between multiple people greatly reduces the cost per person.
The standard Wilpattu National Park entrance fees are:
- Entrance fee: $15 USD per person
- Service charge: $8 USD per group
- Jeep charge: 250 LKR per jeep
- Tax: 15% VAT added to the total
Hiring a jeep and driver for a full day should cost around $70 USD and $35 USD for a half-day.
A driver from Anuradhapura to Wilpattu by car costs approximately $25 USD. You can always take a tuk-tuk or a bus to Wilpattu National Park to save on expenses, but this will take a lot more time than if you go by private driver. If you’re trying to enter by 6 am (which we recommend), you’d have to leave Anuradhapura very early in the morning to get there in time.
If you organise a Wilpattu safari via a guesthouse in Anuradhapura, for a 3 – 4 person trip expect to pay around $35 – $50 USD per person for the entire day, including transportation to and from Anuradhapura and the park.
Tips and tricks for your Sri Lanka Safari
- Bring binoculars. The wildlife can be far away or obscured in bushes and having a set of binoculars on hand will allow you better spotting opportunities.
- Do a full-day tour. The park entry price is the same and the only difference is the jeep hire for the extra hours, which isn’t that much extra. In our experience, it was worthwhile to be out there for the whole day and contrary to what a lot of people told us, the animals were pretty active in the middle of the day.
- Bring lots of water and snacks. There are no facilities inside the park, so you will need to be fully self-sufficient.
Where to Stay in Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is awash with great value accommodation options, making it the ideal place to base yourself for your Sri Lanka safari.
Budget
This was one of the best places we stayed in all of Sri Lanka and we can’t recommend it enough. The rooms are comfortable and the food is delicious. What really makes this place stand out though, are the owners, who make you feel like part of the family. They will go above and beyond and can arrange anything you want, at the best price possible.
Mid-range
This is a lovely boutique hotel located very centrally in town. The rooms are slightly small but still very nice and comfortable. The best part though is the much-welcomed pool, which is especially nice to jump into after a day exploring the ruins.
The food isn’t great so you’re best seeking meals elsewhere.
High-end
At the top of the scale, this exclusive resort features everything you could ever ask for. The private villas feature plunge pools and there’s a spa on site. It’s located 40 km from town in a luxurious setting, surrounded by paddy fields and orchards.
Loving your safari in Sri Lanka? Take a look at our 10 Reasons Not to Skip North Sri Lanka for further inspiration
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