Wilpattu National Park: Tour Details & Ticket Price – Thinking about going on a Sri Lankan 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 want a safari experience as a must-do activity when visiting the country. If you’re deciding where to go for your Sri Lankan 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.

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 Sri Lankan wildlife you could hope to see on a Sri Lankan safari: elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer, crocodiles, water buffalo, birds and yes, even the elusive Sri Lankan leopard.

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.

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.

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 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, Cloud Nine Lanka Resort is your best bet.

Best Time to Visit Wilpattu National Park

You can visit wilpattu national park at anytime of the year and it is guaranteed to be a wonderful experience. But it is said that 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.
• 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: How to visit Wilpattu National park

The park is open from 6 am to 6 pm and can only be visited via a jeep. 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 Wilpattu, the lodges outside the park, or through the Wilpattu National Park Headquarters directly.

Most scenic visit to Wilpattu is a trip down Old Mannar road to the Kala Oya spill. You can enter the park from Eluwankulama Entrance.  Every hotel and guesthouse in the area can organise a Wilpattu National Park safari.

• 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.

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.
• You can also see crocodiles and a dizzying amount of birds – this is one of the best places in Sri Lanka for bird watching.
• The pomprirppu plain close to the eluwankulama entrance facilitate elephant herds. If your lucky you can spot tuskeres there too.

Wilpattu National Park Safari Options

Half-Day Safari

On a half-day safari, you will get around 4 hours of game drive through the park.

Half-day safaris are organized 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 recommend the full-day safari option, visitors can see 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 is the most peaceful time during the entire day.

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

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 early in the morning to get there on time.

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, unless your resort/lodging will provide with all the necessity

Wrapping Up!

To sum it up, the Wilpattu National Park Tour is an exciting adventure that allows visitors to explore the diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes of the park.

With the convenience of transportation provided and the flexibility of free cancellation, this activity ensures a hassle-free and memorable experience for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Don’t miss the chance to learn about the untamed beauty of Wilpattu National Park.

FAQs on Wilpattu National Park

Q1. What type of animals I can see during my wildlife safari at Wilpattu National Park

A: You will be able to witness Leopards, Elephants, Bears, Deer, Crocodiles, Reptiles and many varieties of birds

Q2. Can I visit entire National Park within a day?

A: Yes possible, but if you are on your wildlife photography tour in Sri Lanka, we strongly recommend you to spend 2 nights in Wilpattu National park area.

Q3. Can I definitely see a leopard during my wildlife jeep safari in Wilpattu National park?

A:  While Wilpattu National Park is rich with leopard / elephant / sloth bear and other animals we cannot guarantee that you will witness a leopard during your wildlife tour in Wilpattu. But many visitors often get lucky.

Q4. What is the best time to see Wilpattu National Park?

A: Wilpattu is 365 days safari park in Sri Lanka but recommend to visit between February to October.

Q5. Can I pay in USD for Wilpattu Entrance Fees?

A: No, you must pay in Sri Lanka Rupees and any international currencies are not accepted for National Parks of Sri Lanka for entrance fees.

Q6. What is the best time to see wildlife?

A: Early morning and evening hours are ideal times to view wildlife.