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Why Visit Lahugala National Park?

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Why Visit Lahugala National Park?
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Lahugala National Park is one of the smallest in Sri Lanka and one of its most valuable conservation areas for elephants and endemic birds.

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    • Overview
    • Bundala National Park
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Lying in the basin of the Heda Oya, 16km inland from Pottuvil on the east coast, Lahugala has a total area of 1,554 hectares, encompassing three tanks (ancient reservoirs), Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa. These tanks are largely silted up and support an abundance of beru grass – the Asian elephant’s favourite. 

The park was declared as a sanctuary in 1966 and upgraded to national park status in October 1980. It was closed to visitors during the civil war due to security issues, but it is now re-opened to tourism.

Nearby to Lahugala is the historic sight of Magulmahavihara, built for the King Kavantissa’s marriage to Viharamaha Devi. It's comfortably possible to combine a visit to this monument with a trip to Lahugala National Park.

As the park lies in the dry zone, the tanks' vegetation is a dry mixed evergreen forest with scrubs. Beru, a tall reedy grass, covers the tanks. The park is traditionally used as a feeding ground by elephants, with herds of up to 150 known to be observed between June and August. Other mammals include endemic toque macaques, grey langurs, sloth bears, golden jackals, the Indian muntjac, and spotted deer. The birdlife is diverse and includes various waterfowl, raptors and the usual dry zone forest birds.

You can visit Lahugala National Park from a hotel in Ella or Arugam Bay.

 

Selected Wildlife Holiday Ideas:

Nature & Wildlife Explorer

Nature & Wildlife Explorer

Gorgeous scenery, birdlife, and the varied animal population that Sri Lanka has to offer, staying in tucked away hotels.

Natural & Wild Sri Lanka

Natural & Wild Sri Lanka

Enjoy the incredible wildlife of animals without missing the astonishing scenery, glorious beaches and local life.

Nature Trails and Cultural Tales

Nature Trails and Cultural Tales

Unique two-day walking trail in the hills with an off-the-beaten-track safari and Sri Lanka's ancient cultural sites.

Sri Lanka's Big Mammals

Sri Lanka's Big Mammals

Calling wildlife enthusiasts. Travel off-the-beaten-track with expert guides in search of elephants, leopards, whales and far more.

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  • Destinations
    • South Asia
      • Sri Lanka
      • The Maldives
      • India
      • Bhutan
    • South East Asia
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
      • Cambodia
      • Laos
      • Myanmar
      • Indonesia
      • Borneo
    • Middle East
      • Oman
  • Holidays in Sri Lanka
    • Classic Sri Lanka Holidays
    • Family Holidays
    • Sri Lanka & Maldives Holidays
    • Ultimate Holidays
    • Nature & Wildlife Holidays
    • Off the Beaten Track
    • Slow Holidays
  • Guide to Sri Lanka
    • Sri Lanka Guide
    • Weather & When to go
    • Hotel inspiration
    • Experiences inspiration
    • Sri Lanka Travel Blog
  • Places in Sri Lanka
    • Regions of Sri Lanka
      • Overview
      • The Cultural Triangle
      • Colombo, Negombo & Around
      • Kandy and Around
      • The Hill Country
      • West Coast Beaches
      • Galle and Around
      • The South Coast
      • Puttalam & the North West
      • The East Coast
      • Jaffna & The North
    • National Parks & Sancturaries
      • Overview
      • Bundala National Park
      • Flood Plains National Park
      • Gal Oya National Park
      • Horton Plains National Park
      • Kalametiya Bird Sanctuary
      • Kumana National Park (Yala East)
      • Lahugala National Park
      • Lunugamvehera National Park
      • Maduru Oya National Park
      • Minneriya National Park
      • Somawathiya National Park
      • The Knuckles Range
      • The Sinharaja Rainforest
      • Udawalawe National Park
      • Wasgamuwa National Park
      • Wilpattu National Park
      • Yala National Park
  • About us
    • Why choose ETG?
    • Our Story
    • Meet the Team
    • Reviews
    • In the Press
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    • Travel Blog
  • How it works
    • Where to start...
    • Booking with confidence
    • How much does it cost?
    • Financial protection
    • What happens if something goes wrong on my holiday?
    • Working with in-country partners
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