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

Colombo – Negombo – Chilaw – Puttlam – Tabbowa – turn left at the Wilpattu board few Kilometers before the Nochchiyagama town. (4 hours)

Wilpattu was originally declared as a Sanctuary in 1905 and upgraded as a National Park in February 1938. Wilpattu north Sanctuary was declared in November 1947. With an extent of 131,693 hectares, this is the largest National Park in the country. The main topographical feature in Wilpattu is the concentration of “villus” or lakes within the park. These water bodies though looking similar to lakes are formed by flat basin like depressions with the surface containing purely rain water. The park is unique in having a number of these with large sandy lake shores (Villus) which provide the animals with a continuous water supply during the dry season.  Two of these “villus” are saline due to a characteristic of the soil. A permit is needed to be purchased at the entrance and a game guard is also provided by the Department of Wild Life Conservation. Except at a few locations, visitors are not permitted to get off their vehicles. This is a very scenic park. There are bungalows inside the park which has to be pre booked through the Department of Wild Life Conservation. There are a few privately owned bungalows out side the park as well.

Birds to look for

Brown-capped Babbler, White-rumped Shama, Ceylon Grey Hornbill, Pintail Snipe, Ceylon Jungle Fowl, Black-tailed Godwit, Great Stone Plover, Little Ringed Plover, Ceylon Green Pigeon, Orange-breasted Green Pigeon, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Racket-tailed Drongo, Forest Eagle Owl, Brown Fish Owl, Black-backed Yellow Woodpecker, Rufus Woodpecker, Golden-backed Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Common Kestrel, Crested Hawk Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Grey-headed Fish Eagle, Ceylon Frog Mouth and many more.