Built around the ancient Minneriya Reservoir constructed by King Mahasena in the 3rd century, this park is famous for "The Gathering" — the largest known congregation of Asian elephants in the world, with herds of up to 300 converging on the receding reservoir shoreline during the dry season from August to October.
180 kmDistance from Colombo
~4 hrsTypical drive time
Outside gathering season the park still offers reliable elephant sightings alongside deer, buffalo and abundant birdlife around the reservoir's edge.