This park can be reached from Colombo on the following route.

Colombo – Warakapola – turn to the left on to Kurunegala road – Kurunegala – Dambulla – Habarana – turn right to the Polonnaruwa road – about 20 km to park entrance.

This area was declared a s a sanctuary in July 1938 and was upgraded to a National Park in August 1997. The park is 8,885 hectares in extent and the core of this park holds one of the country’s most diverse natural systems with intermediate forests, bamboo stands, patanas and talawas. The tank supports a wide variety of waterfowl.   The vegetation consists of dry mixed evergreen forests, abandoned chena cultivation lands, grass lands and wet lands. The park is famous for the large numbers of Asian Elephants that can be observed on the dry exposed lake shore referred to as the “gathering” that can be witnessed during the dry season.

Birds to look for

Openbill Stork, Painted Stork, White-necked Stork, Great Stone Plover, Lesser Sand Plover, Crested Serpent & Crested Hawk Eagles, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Golden Plover, Spoonbill, White Ibis, Stork-billed Kingfisher, White-rumped Shama