Wasgamuwa National Park — Wildlife and Wilderness

Wasgamuwa National Park — also written Wasgomuwa — lies at the heart of Sri Lanka's dry zone, straddling the districts of Matale and Polonnaruwa roughly 225 km from Colombo. The nearest large town is Polonnaruwa, just 10 km from the park's northern boundary, making it a natural complement to a journey through the island's ancient Cultural Triangle.

The park entrance is at Handungamuwa and can be reached along several routes. From Kandy, the road runs northeast through Hasalaka and Wilgamuwa — a distance of approximately 50 km. Travellers coming from the Mahaweli system-C area cross via the Wilgamuwa Japan Bridge, while those approaching from Dambulla or Polonnaruwa pass through Bakamuna, Elahera and Laggala-Pallegama.

Terrain and Climate

Covering 36,900 hectares, the park is bordered to the east by the Mahaweli Ganga and to the west by the Amban Ganga. Elevation ranges from 76 m along the Mahaweli riverbank to over 500 m at Sudu Kanda hill, and the combination of that ridge with a scattering of small reservoirs creates rewarding terrain for keen hikers. Tropical dry mixed evergreen forest predominates, characterised by tall species including Weera, Palu, Wa, Ehala, Buruta, Velang and the endemic Galsiyambala, as well as Milla and Kaluwara ebony.

Rainfall arrives mainly with the northeast monsoon between October and February, with inter-monsoon rains from March to May. Annual totals rise from around 1,750 mm in the north to 2,250 mm in the south, and the mean annual temperature is around 27 degrees Celsius.

Wildlife

The undisputed centrepiece of Wasgamuwa is its elephant population — herds of up to 150 individuals gather within the park. The best period to encounter large concentrations is November to May; for the remainder of the year many elephants migrate to the nearby Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks. Sharing the landscape are Purple-faced langur monkeys, wild boar, sambar and spotted deer, buffalo, and the more rarely sighted leopard and sloth bear. Among reptiles, visitors may encounter the water monitor, mugger crocodile, estuarine crocodile and the Indian rock python.

Birdlife

A total of 143 bird species have been recorded at Wasgamuwa. The endemic Red-faced malkoha and Ceylon junglefowl are common sights within the park, while other notable species include the Sri Lanka Trogon, racquet-tailed drongo, endemic yellow-fronted barbet, endemic Sri Lanka spurfowl, white-necked stork and the lesser adjutant stork.

Ancient Ruins Within the Park

The forest conceals a remarkable human history. Remains of small rainwater reservoirs and temple ruins indicate that the region was once home to prosperous villages. The ruins are estimated to be around 1,800 years old and include a reclining Buddha statue at Buduruwayaya. On an island within the Kalinga Yoda Ela canal — said to have been built by King Parakramabahu the Great in the twelfth century — stand the stone pillars of a ruined palace.

Accommodation

Within the park itself are three wildlife bungalows, located at Kadurupitiya, Mahaweli and Wawul Ebe, alongside five campsites at Mahaweli Ganga 1 and 2, Medapitiya, Ulpath Hatha and Wawul Ebe. Just outside the park boundaries, two villas — Gale Bungalow and Angammedille — offer an alternative base for exploring this remarkable wilderness.