Safari in Wilpattu

chances of sighting sloth bears

Wilpattu National Park is located in the northwest of Sri Lanka, around 200 km to the north of Colombo.

At just 1317 sq km (508 sq mi), Wilpattu may not be huge, but it is the largest (and oldest) conservation area on the island.

The reserve is bordered on the west by the ocean. A promontory known as Kudiramalai Point is of great historic significance, since it was here that Prince Vijaya of the Sinhalese people first landed in 543BC to conquer the island, which his descendants continue to dominate to this day.

The reserve is low lying and only gently undulating, largely being covered with dry tropical forest. To be honest, it’s not as scenic as most parks in Sri Lanka, the lack of elevation and larger open areas can limit photographic opportunities.

However the area does feature over one hundred characteristic natural rainwater lakes, known locally as willus, which act as a focus for wildlife.
The reserve is home to 31 species of mammals, including elephants, sloth bears, leopards, water buffalos, sambar deers and spotted deers.

Despite the size of Wilpattu, the visitor numbers are much lower than down at Yara. This means that the wildlife can be slightly less relaxed around vehicles and difficult to observe at close quarters.

Having said that, during the dry season months of Jan-Mar animals can often be found around the various lakes.

The best time to search for sloth bears is May-Jul, when the palu trees are in fruit. This can be a major highlight and may affect the timing of your trip.
A good range of bird species includes various owls, terns, gulls, eagles, kites and buzzards, plus painted storks, Sri Lankan junglefowls, little cormorants, garganeys, pintails, whistling teals, spoonbills, white ibises, white egrets, cattle egrets and purple herons.

The best time of year to visit the Wilpattu area is generally considered to be during the Jun-Sep northeast dry season and, to a lesser extent, the Jan-Mar southwest dry season.

Temperatures are more or less constant year round, with daytime temperatures around 30C/86F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures up at a potentially uncomfortable 20C/68F.

The main issue is rainfall, which is highest Oct-Dec and has another smaller peak Apr-May. These periods are therefore usually best avoided, although lower visitor numbers provide some compensation.

Another major factor is that May-Jul is the best season to view sloth bears, which can often be found feeding on the fruiting play trees.

Getting there

The Wilpattu area is usually reached by road. For our guests, this means combining it with various other locations on the island in a private guided overland safari, travelling in the company of an expert driver-guide. Popular connections include …

Anuradhapura : 1-2 hours
Colombo : 4-5 hours
Kandy : 4-5 hours
Puttalam : 1-2 hours
Sigiriya : 2-3 hours
Trincomalee : 4-5 hours

The Wilpattu area cannot be accessed by train.

Where to stay

The majority of the accommodation options in the Wilpattu area lie in the pleasant rural areas outside the southeast gate into the reserve

a great first or second stop on a clockwise exploration