Wasgamuwa National Park in Sri Lanka is one of the only places where nature, history, and culture converge. By visiting the park, you get to see wild elephants, rare bears, ancient irrigation tanks, and real-life iconic battlegrounds.
Explore this guide to learn all you need to know about Wasgamuwa, including its location, top attractions, weather, and fees.
About Wasgamuwa National Park
Wasgamuwa National Park is a protected wildlife area in Sri Lanka that serves as a nature park. Covering 39322 hectares (393.22 square kilometres), this area is one of the largest national parks in the country. It’s also one of the oldest, because it was established on August 7, 1984, as one of four national parks tasked with providing refuge to animals displaced by the Mahaweli Development Project.
Before 1984, Wasgamuwa was a natural reserve for protecting Sri Lankan wildlife. Today, under the administration of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, it fulfils the same purpose but on a larger scale.
Wasgamuwa is made of dry evergreen forests, grasslands, streams, and reservoirs. The northern, eastern, and western borders are bounded by three different rivers. Wasgamuwa’s vast vegetation sits on soil rich in marble and quartz. While exploring, you can easily see the peak of Sudu Kanda, a 470-metre mountain and the park’s highest elevation.
Wasgamuwa National Park holds great cultural and historical relevance in Sri Lanka. It’s home to the following landmarks:
- Yudanganapitiya: the location of the 2nd-century battles between two of Sri Lanka’s most famous monarchs, Kings Dutugemunu and Elara.
- Parakramabahu irrigation tanks and canal: three ancient irrigation tanks (Malagamuwa, Wilmitiya, and Dasthota) with one canal (Kalinga Yoda Ela) built by Parakramabahu the Great in the 12th century.
- Ruins of Chulangani Chaitya: remnants of King Mahanaga’s structure featuring ancient artefacts and bronze statues.
Like other national parks in Sri Lanka, Wasgamuwa receives its fair share of wandering elephants. However, the mighty beasts in this park are different. They are not used to the sight of humans and vehicles. Many tourists choose Wasgamuwa because of the wild nature of these untamed elephants.
The park also features a rare species of sloth bear with a national population of less than 1,000. Wasgamuwa is an official Important Bird Area, thanks to the 143 bird species in its forests and grasslands. There are currently 23 different kinds of mammals in the park, along with 17 species of reptiles, 8 amphibian species, and 150 flora species.
The following is a list of the most interesting animals in Wasgamuwa:
- Asian elephants
- Sri Lankan sloth bears (rare)
- Axis deer
- Sri Lankan leopard (rare)
- Lesser adjutants
- Frogmouths (rare)
- Mugger crocodiles
- Spurfowls
- Fejervarya pulla frogs (rare)
- Water buffalos
Location
Wasgamuwa National Park lies in the Matale and Polonnaruwa districts, both located in the Central and North Central provinces of Sri Lanka, respectively. The park is bounded by three rivers: Amban Ganga on the north, Mahaweli Ganga on the east, and Dunuwila Oya on the west.
Wasgamuwa is 225 kilometres away from Colombo, the judicial capital of Sri Lanka. You can reach it by car by travelling via the Kandy-Mahiyangana road until Hasalaka and then taking the Wilgamuwa road to Wasgamuwa. There are direct buses from Kandy to Handungamuwa or Mahiyangana, where you can take a taxi to Wasgamuwa.
Weather
As a foreign tourist, you can spend long outdoor hours at the park because its annual daily temperature is only 28 °C. The dry season typically starts in July and lasts through September. From October to January, you can expect heavy rainfall at an annual range of 1650–2100 mm. However, the dry zone climate creates high rates of evaporation.
Entrance Fee
You need a ticket to enter the park. Most safari tours will include the cost of a ticket in your overall fee. However, the following are the estimated prices of entrance tickets to Wasgamuwa National Park.
- Foreigner (adult): $10-12
- Foreigner (6-12-year-old child): $5-6
- Foreigners group fee (vehicle): $10
- Sri Lankan (adult): LKR 60
- Sri Lankan (6-12-year-old child): LKR 30
- Sri Lankan (student): LKR 20
- Sri Lankan group (vehicle): LKR 400
- Vehicle entrance fee: LKR 300
Please note that you may have to pay a tax of up to 18% of the total cost. Entry for children under the age of 6 is free of charge.
Opening Time
The national park is open for 12 hours each day and 365 days a year.
- Open Time: 6 AM
Close Time: 6 PM.
Editorial Staff at Ceylon Empire Travels are Specialist in Sri Lanka Travel.
