Minneriya is one of the oldest man-made tanks in Sri Lanka and played a big role in the ancient irrigation system of the island. Today it serves hundreds of thousands of people farmers and villagers in the area providing water throughout the year. Giritale tank is surrounded by lush green Dry zone evergreen forests that are inhabited by large number of fauna species. Giritale is being considered as one of the best nature reserves in the Polonnaruwa district and located 182 kilometers from Colombo. Minneriya being one of the biggest tanks in the island occupy 1800 hectares. The tank believed to be constructed by King Mahasen in 275 AD. The tank is mainly fed by Elahera canal. The canal was extended further in the direction of north from the Minneriya tank to bring water to Kantale tank in 1903. Minneriya tank was also renovated in the same time increasing the water capacity that it can store. Other than being a valuable resource of water in the area it is a valuable source of food for the people and provides lively hood for many fishers in the area.
Giritale tank which is located near the Minneriya Tank is connected with a canal system in order to streamline the water distribution. Minneriya national park is located bordering the both these tanks.
Minneriya was declared as a national park in august 1997 and it had been declared as a wild life sanctuary since 1938. The wild life sanctuary is consisting of Minneriya national park, Minneriya tank and Giritale tank.
Minneriya national park is inhabited by large number of wild elephants and many numbers of other fauna species such as leopards, bear, wild boar, wild buffalos, crocodiles, many varieties of monkeys etc. Minneriya national park is often visited by bird lovers from all parts of the world due to its richness of bird species. One can expect to see around 39 bird species without any hard effort within the national park. Minneriya is one of the best 70 places for bird watching in Sri Lanka. In Minneriya one can see the bird species such as Lesser Adjutant (Leptoptilos javanicus), Painted Stork (Mycteria leucocephala), Spot-billed Pelican (Pelecanus philippensis), Little Cormorant (Microcarbo niger), Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), Sri Lanka Junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii), Lanka Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus), Brown-capped Babbler (Pellorneum fuscocapillus), Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill (Ocyceros gingalensis), Black-crested Bulbul (Pycnonotus melanicterus) and Crimson-fronted Barbet (Megalaima rubricapillus). Minneriya is inhabited by large number of endemic and local bird species such as Junglefowl and Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill.
Boat tour on the Minneriya and Giritale tanks enables the tourists to see most number of birds in the park and especially wild elephants are also can be seen around the banks of the tanks due the richness of grass. Several parts of the national park are reserved to cultivate Valuable woods such as teak.

Minneriya National Park

Located between Habarana and POLONNARUWA, the 8890 hectares of MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK is an ideal eco tourism location in Sri Lanka. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka’s favourites such as sambar deer, leopards and elephants.
However the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in 3rd century AD by King Mahasena). During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds (cormorants and painted storks to name but a few) that come to fish in the shallow waters.A flapping sea of black invades the emerald Minneriya Tank, as a flock of two thousand cormorants nosedive for fish. The elephants too, trudge by drinking from the same reservoir.
Not close to being the largest tank in Sri Lanka , Minneriya Tank – with the woods that surround it forming the Minneriya-Giritale National Park – is nevertheless home to an extraordinary diversity of wildlife. If numbers interest you, there are nine species of amphibians, 24 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish (three of which are endangered), 75 species of butterflies and 160 species of birds.
Making your way through the park, you will see elephants, Spotted Deer and also the Sambar, which is a deer with no spots and an apt scientific name, carves uni color . If you’re lucky, a leopard looking for food might cross your path.

The Rock Temple (Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya)and The Golden Temple(Rangiri Dambulla Uyanwatta Rajamaha Viharaya) are interconnected temples with single administration. The history of Rock Temple goes back to the first century B.C., commenced by the King Vattagamini Abhaya and thereafter kings, Maha Parakramabahu, Nissankamalala, Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe and five cave temples, particularly named, Devaraja Viharaya, Maharaja Viharaya, Maha Alut Viharaya. Paschima Viharaya and Devena Alut Viaharaya respectively.
Within these five caves is housed a collection of 157 valuable images of the Buddha and Bodhisatta etc. Inside the caves the rock surfaces, ceiling and side walls are covered with paintings executed with indigenous traditional colour schemes to an extent of about 22,000 square feet. The inscription in the premises records that the temple had been named “Rangiri Dambulla” when the images were painted in gold by King Nissankamalala of the Polonnaruwa regime. The temple with its historical, archaeological and artistic significant had in the year 1991, been declared one of the world heritages sites by the UNESCO.
The administration and the guardianship are under the Most Venerable Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nayaka thera of the Rangiri Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya Chapter. Activities are performed preserving the antiqueness of the sacred temple. Ancient rituals and practices and functions have been systemized and the Temple Land Administration has been reorganized. Metalling and consolidation of the internal and external floor areas of the temple by the Central Cultural Fund; provision of copper sheets to temple roof; arresting leaks on the rock surface to rid damages to the paintings during rain by the Temple Fund; conservation of the images and paintings by the Department of Archaeology; widening and improvements to the temple access up to the entrance ; supplying drinking water to the incoming pilgrims, provision of guard fence to the front elevation of the temple, establishment of the Security Service, complete rehabilitation of the interior, exterior and temple access electrical system have been implemented pertaining to the uplift of the temple by the Temple Fund and several such have been programmed.

The Golden Temple

This monastery is situated east of Rock Temple. The Dambulla cave dwelling monks later, due to lack of basic requirements had housed their monastery adjoining the main road associating the rock grottos and hence the history of Golden Temple does not exceed 250 years, which has been commenced as a monastery of Rock Temple monks that has presently been converted to a monastery intact. There is also an access via this monastery to the Rock Temple.

Kalpitiya is Located 150 kilometers north of the capital Colombo, (or a 2 hour drive from Sri Lanka’s international airport in Negombo), the Kalpitiya lagoon area is one of the most beautiful coastal areas in the west of Sri Lanka. It is a marine sanctuary with a diversity of habitats, ranging from coral reefs, flat coastal plains, saltpans, mangrove forests and vast sand dune beaches.
This spectacular region to the north of Colombo is a magical destination largely untouched by tourism. Highlighted by wildlife-filled wetlands, a sweeping stretch of largely undeveloped coastline, a friendly, multi-cultural people and stunning rural landscapes punctuated by huge boulders, lotus-topped lakes and jungle, it is historic, wild and raw.
The 14 islands of Battalangunduwa, Palliyawatta, Vellai I, Vellai II, Vellai III, Uchchamunai, Ippantivu, Periya Arichchalai, Sinna Arichchalai, Eramutivu, Sinna Eramutivu, Eramutivu West, Kakativu and Mutwal (Dutch Bay) together make up 1673 hectares of land.
Kalpitiya peninsula -48 km long and 6-8 km wide- is studded with fine sandy beaches.
Stretching from Negombo, a popular beach resort that’s close to the airport, the coastline continues all the way north via Waikkal and Marawila past lagoons and wetlands to the elbow-like peninsular of palm-fringed Kalpitiya and the stunning, recently-opened Wilpattu National Park, home to elephants, bears and leopards.
The beaches along the coastal stretch north of Negombo are beautifully unspoilt; the sea off Kalpitiya is famed for its dolphins and whales (between November and April) and is also a popular spot for kite surfers as well as anyone looking to escape the crowds. Each town along this coastal stretch – Chilaw, Puttalam, Kalpitiya – are important trading centers and are still home to remnants of the island’s colonial past – Dutch forts, Portuguese churches and British administrative buildings.
Inland the scene is very rural with the numerous coconut plantations of the golden triangle north of Gampaha soon giving way to small-scale farmlands that stretch between huge boulders and pretty lakes as the climate gets drier and the people much less used to visitors. Fascinating archaeological sites at Kurunegala, Tonigala, Yapahuwa, Dambadeniya and Panduwasnuwara are also located in the North West of the country and are beautiful, if seldom-visited illustrations of the island’s rich historical past.

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants located at Pinnawala village, 13 km (8.1 mi) northeast of Kegalle town in Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. Pinnawala is notable for having the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. In 2011, there were 88 elephants, including 37 males and 51 females from 3 generations, living in Pinnawala.

The orphanage was established to feed, nurse and house young elephants found abandoned by their mothers. Young elephants sometimes fall into pits and ravines in their quest for water during drought period. Other orphans have been displaced from their wild habitat by development projects or have been found abandoned before weaning, diseased or wounded.

Minneriya National Park
The Elephant ‘Gathering’
Dambulla Cave Temple
Elephant Voyage

Similar Things to Do in Habarana
These are not include in above Day Tour

Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Kaudulla National Park
Ritigala Monastery
UNESCO heritage site – Anuradhapura Ancient city
Sigiriya Museum
Climbing Sigiriya
Richest archaeological heritage sites in Polonnaruwa
Batticaloa Lagoon
Passikudah Bay
Whale watching in Trincomalee

“Ayubowan” On arrival at the Katunayake International Airport, you will be blessed to get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality; Representative from Sri Lanka Holidays Tour will welcome you at the Airport.

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included English speaking driver guide.

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