About this experience
Maduru Oya National Park sits in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province, a sanctuary of forests, open grasslands, wetlands, and the broad Maduru Oya Reservoir. It is one of the island's less-crowded parks, which means quieter trails and a more unhurried atmosphere than you would find at some of the more visited reserves. The drive from Pasikuda passes through rural villages, paddy fields, and stretches of forest, giving you a feel for the eastern interior before the park itself comes into view.
The day runs to around seven hours in total. Your English-speaking chauffeur collects you from your hotel in Pasikuda and drives you to the park in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle. At the entrance you transfer to a private safari jeep, where your driver also acts as your tracker, reading recent animal movements to choose the most promising routes through the park's varied terrain. The safari itself lasts approximately three hours, after which you return to the air-conditioned vehicle for the drive back to Pasikuda and drop-off at your hotel. Entrance tickets are covered if you select the with entrance tickets option; if you have already arranged your own, the no entrance tickets option is available instead.
Maduru Oya is best known for its Sri Lankan elephants, and sightings are a reasonable expectation rather than a rare occurrence. The park's mix of habitats also supports spotted deer, sambar deer, wild boar, water buffalo, monkeys, and crocodiles, along with a range of reptiles. Birdwatchers will find both resident and migratory species present throughout the year, drawn by the wetlands and reservoir margins that fringe the park's more open ground.
