Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park
4.5
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
About
Minneriya National Park is a national park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingAdmission tickets
from $150.38
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
Top ways to experience Minneriya National Park
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
4 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Rebecca S33 contributionsFabulous experienceBooked onto this safari as an extra one as it was recommended....it didn't disappoint. Loads of elephants here you are pretty much guaranteed to see something. Whether it's large herds, small families or single males they are massive, beautiful animals to take loads of pictures of from the open topped jeep.Visited September 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 September 2023
- Kerryn N20 contributionsIncredible experience with elephants but more regulation neededWe hired an open jeep and driver for a 3 hour tour through the park. Although the description of the park said there were lots of different types of animals we only saw elephants - which was an amazing experience! The day we went there were many jeeps. Unfortunately this meant that there was a frenzy to get close to the elephants and at one stage an elephant was clearly distressed at being cornered by the jeeps. Our driver was good and tried to tell other drivers to make a path for the elephants to cross but many drivers just wanted to get as close as possible. There was no sign of any regulation by park rangers - this is desperately needed.Visited December 2023Travelled with familyWritten 26 December 2023
- Dr_Kippers59 contributionsLots of elephants!If you want to see wild elephants, then this is the place. We saw over 70, and you would have to be very unlucky not to see any. However, we also had mixed feelings. We had a brilliant driver who kept a distance from the elephants and parked up in areas where he thought they would come our way, which they mostly did. Some of the elephants came very close to our jeep which was amazing. Other drivers were much less considerate and drove up to the animals. Some drive guidelines/training/regulation would be helpful to ensure animal welfare isn't compromised.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 January 2024
- Matt LDubai, United Arab Emirates19 contributionsBeautiful national parkThis is a stunning place with a lot of elephants on site. We saw 15 elephants during the half day morning trip (unsure on the name of our company) but this is a beautiful place and we were advised not to visit as we were already booked to visit Yala but if you can afford to do both i would recommend it as the elephant encounters we experienced (i know this is not the same for everyone) was worth every penny. We and a number of our vehicles did get stuck due to the ground conditions.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 18 February 2024
- travellerSheffield, United Kingdom703 contributionsForget Africa and enjoy the Sri Lankan safariWe had an excellent Safari with a young driver who knew the park and tried to find quieter spaces. I understand comments about the Grand Prix approach to the start of the Safari with so many vehicles but it’s a lovely park and one to enjoy. We saw dozens of elephants in several herds, including baby elephants, and the bird life was excellent too.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 2 March 2024
- Nik_singHong Kong, China73 contributionsAn absolute mesmerizing!An absolute mesmerizing! Our visit to Minneriya National Park in Habarana was beyond extraordinary. Thanks to our expert safari driver, we had the privilege of encountering over 100 elephants in their natural habitat. From observing their daily routines to witnessing their playful antics, every moment was enchanting. Our kids were over the moon seeing so many elephants for the first time. This half-day adventure from Sigiriya is an absolute steal – unbeatable value for an unforgettable experienceVisited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten 3 March 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
2,000 reviews
Excellent
1,141
Very good
553
Average
181
Poor
64
Terrible
61
JenK105
Dublin, Ireland308 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
We had an amazing evening in the Minneriya National Park and saw huge herds of elephants, the youngest being only 6 days old! The jeeps were comfortable and we all felt very safe. Such a beautiful place
Written 12 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gihe
Coventry, UK73 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
First off - a disclaimer. The national park is beautiful. But we went on a Jeep Safari with some company who's name I forget. And yes, we saw some elephants. There's something magical about seeing a family of elephants in the wild, munching on grass and seemingly at peace with the world. But then you zoom out and realise that you're sitting in one of about 20 jeeps, all crowded round the animals, trying to get closer while belching out thick diesel exhaust fumes. It was like being on the M25 at rush hour, just with a few elephants nearby. As I took part in this sorry scene, I felt a deep sense of shame and regret. Yes, I was a tourist and yes I was contributing to this. If you can live with that, then fine. For me, it's my last 'safari' - I'll watch the elephants on David Attenborough next time.
Written 16 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dasun
Matale, Sri Lanka1,039 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
A safari trip in Minneriya National Park gave the opportunity to see not only elephants but also various wild animals in their natural habitat.
Written 29 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tropical Travels Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka3 contributions
Apr 2024 • Business
"Minneriya Elephant Safari offers a thrilling wildlife experience in Sri Lanka. Witness majestic elephants in their natural habitat amidst the picturesque scenery of Minneriya National Park. A must-visit for nature enthusiasts and animal lovers alike!"
Written 5 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tom G
Tiel, The Netherlands10 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
This was a great national park. We have seen a lot of elephants, also from very close! The safari drivers do really respect the animals.
Written 1 April 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nik_sing
Hong Kong, China73 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
An absolute mesmerizing! Our visit to Minneriya National Park in Habarana was beyond extraordinary. Thanks to our expert safari driver, we had the privilege of encountering over 100 elephants in their natural habitat. From observing their daily routines to witnessing their playful antics, every moment was enchanting. Our kids were over the moon seeing so many elephants for the first time. This half-day adventure from Sigiriya is an absolute steal – unbeatable value for an unforgettable experience
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
traveller
Sheffield, UK703 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We had an excellent Safari with a young driver who knew the park and tried to find quieter spaces. I understand comments about the Grand Prix approach to the start of the Safari with so many vehicles but it’s a lovely park and one to enjoy. We saw dozens of elephants in several herds, including baby elephants, and the bird life was excellent too.
Written 3 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wilson R
Paris, France4 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
Really enjoy 4 hours safari. Amazing national park where the animals are free to roam. Plenty of elephants and different birds. Visit and enjoy with your kids
Written 20 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matt L
Dubai, United Arab Emirates19 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
This is a stunning place with a lot of elephants on site. We saw 15 elephants during the half day morning trip (unsure on the name of our company) but this is a beautiful place and we were advised not to visit as we were already booked to visit Yala but if you can afford to do both i would recommend it as the elephant encounters we experienced (i know this is not the same for everyone) was worth every penny.
We and a number of our vehicles did get stuck due to the ground conditions.
We and a number of our vehicles did get stuck due to the ground conditions.
Written 19 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbie B
London, England, United Kingdom63 contributions
You are guaranteed to see elephants ! But do you want to see elephants almost being boxed in by so many jeeps all fighting to get the best spot for their visitors ! A guaranteed good tip for the drivers.
The system needs to change . Timed entries might work to reduce the amount of jeeps at one sighting. The early sighting as you entered the park was the most crowded. I actually wanted to move on not hear a baby elephant calling for its mother as it had been separated by jeeps! Boy those elephants are patient.
Further in when the jeeps split off it was a little better.
Sri Lankan National Parks, protect your elephants if you want more tourists to visit.
I for one felt really uncomfortable and had I realised how crowed the elephants would be I would never have taken the trip!
Please please , time your entries, American parks are now doing that and they are so much better for both the wildlife and the tourist.
Your drivers are lovely and trying to earn a crust . I understand that but this practice is off putting.
I would not recommend this until things change.
The system needs to change . Timed entries might work to reduce the amount of jeeps at one sighting. The early sighting as you entered the park was the most crowded. I actually wanted to move on not hear a baby elephant calling for its mother as it had been separated by jeeps! Boy those elephants are patient.
Further in when the jeeps split off it was a little better.
Sri Lankan National Parks, protect your elephants if you want more tourists to visit.
I for one felt really uncomfortable and had I realised how crowed the elephants would be I would never have taken the trip!
Please please , time your entries, American parks are now doing that and they are so much better for both the wildlife and the tourist.
Your drivers are lovely and trying to earn a crust . I understand that but this practice is off putting.
I would not recommend this until things change.
Written 7 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ugo M
1 contribution
Hi. Do we have to go in september to see the gathering of 300 elephants or is it ok if we go in early october ?
If I have to absolutely go in september to live the best experience, I can change my plans. But if october is as good, it would be simpler for me...
eshivnan
High Wycombe, UK1 contribution
Hi Alex, what time did you visit the attraction? And where did you book the jeep?
We have a car and I was wondering if it’s best to just go there ourselves and book a Jeep there.
Many thanks,
Emer
Y D
Lucknow, India
Can we cover Sigiriya, royal cave temple & Minneria National park all in a day trip ex Kandy?
Tectonn
Geel, Belgium36 contributions
Like the other 2 answers before I would say it is better split in to two days.
But, if you really needed to do it in 1 day and you have the stamina for it, it could be done.
Do Sigirya at the crack of dawn, this is recommended anyway to avoid heavy crowds at later hours.
My wife and I did the climb in 1,5 hour, not so tiring for someone in decent shape.
Then you can get to the temple caves before lunch and do a quick visit, to get in time to minneriya for the last shift of jeeps leaving for the park visit.
The most time consuming will be the car drives in between the activities.
You will need to ask advice from your driver if he can make the connections in time and if he is willing to do them in such short timeframe...
The denim traveller
Mumbai, India20 contributions
We are visiting on 29th October, is it a good time or should we skip it?
Any other suggestions are also welcome. We are in Kandy for 2 nights and are planning to visit Minneriya around that time
Pigeon Island Tours
Nilaveli, Sri Lanka44 contributions
Don't visit minneriya national park visit Kaudulla National Park Park thise days Elephant move to the Kaudulla National over 300 wild elephant can see further assistance +94713227050 Whatsapp or log on TripAdvisor Kaudulla National Park jeep safari
hi. we are from Argentina and are visiting the Park next February. Is it a good time to see elephants in the wild?
thanks
Ruth H
Tarporley, UK56 contributions
Yes, definitely. We were there in late Jan - early Feb - lots of elephants!
Megan D
Leicester, UK298 contributions
Hi,
how was the weathe rin Sri Lanka in May?
we are looking at visting as honey moon.
thanks.
Pigeon Island Tours
Nilaveli, Sri Lanka44 contributions
Best whether ever you seen suny and hot soo far August is the best to visit Anuradhapura polonnaruwa Sigiriya Dambulla Trincomalee Arugambe Kalpitiya but one part of Country down South area whether is not good Galle, mathar, unawatuuna, thangalle like that visit Srilanka we are warmly well come you if you have a chance please join with us log on pigeon Island Car Rental Service thank enjoy your tour
Joy C
Marina del Rey, CA
Hey! Thanks for the review. do you have contact information for your driver? I was quoted $230 USD for 4 people and 1 baby. Thank you
Ruth H
Tarporley, UK56 contributions
So sorry only just seen this so expect you've been. That is expensive - I think we paid about 75 UK pounds. Booked via our hotel and walker tours.
Is Minneriya Park not as good as Yala National Park?
socratesa
Chino Hills, CA384 contributions
We got see elephants in both!! But In Yala we’re fortunate that we had two encounters. A mother & baby & then later on a lone male both next to our Jeep w/ out other traffic! Minneriya has more of them in herds, but the amount of jeeps rushing around & the crush upon spotting a herd was a real issue!
Yala also has a lot more wildlife to see & even leopards if lucky (there’s only about 20-40 depending on source)
Andreanne L
2 contributions
Hi! with with company did you reserved your tour?
I will be there in late December and I will like to plan it :)
Thanks
Andreanne
Panduka J
Nugegoda, Sri Lanka588 contributions
If you indicate the requirements I will be able to help organize.
erandi1234
Kotte, Sri Lanka12 contributions
What times are the best to see elephants?
bert391
Melbourne, Australia74 contributions
Good time to get there around 2.00/2.30pm.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing