Minneriya National Park halfday Safari
5
Minneriya National Park halfday Safari
By Minneriya Safari & Taxi Service
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About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-120, max of 12 per group
Duration: 3–4 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Bottled water
- WiFi on board
What's not included- Lunch
- Admission Fee & tax in National Park USD45 per person, USD 80 for 2 person, USD 110 for 3 person
- Admission Fee & tax in National Park USD135 for 4 person, USD165 for 5 person, USD 195 for 6 person
- Additional person charge - $25
- Entry/Admission - Minneriya National Park
- Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.Hotel pickup offeredDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.Additional pickup optionsDuring checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
- Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka
- Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
- Habarana, Sri Lanka
- Dambulla Town, Dambulla, Sri Lanka
- Polonnaruwa Ancient City, W2W2+94G, Sudarshanarama Puranagama Rd, Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 201011P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 201011P1
From
$38.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 1Minneriya National Park is a wildlife sanctuary located in Sri Lanka, famous for its large population of Asian elephants. A half-day safari in this park offers visitors the opportunity to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat, as well as a variety of other wildlife such as Leopard, deer, buffalo, monkeys, and various species of birds. The safari typically lasts for about 4 hours, with experienced guides taking visitors on a thrilling ride through the park's rugged terrain in 4x4 vehicles. The park is especially popular during the dry season when elephants gather around the park's central reservoir, offering a unique and unforgettable experience for wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers. The Minneriya Elephant Gathering is a spectacular display of wildlife and a testament to the importance of preserving natural habitats for these magnificent creatures. It's an experience that should not be missed by anyone visiting Sri Lanka.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- danielnX5268KA0 contributionsMany elephants!We had a Great experience, we hiked to pidurangala rock and saw many elephants in the national park! Thank You for the Adventure!Written January 28, 2025
- H4774ZOannad0 contributionsAMAZING!!It was an amazing tour. Everything described on get your guide (where we booked it) it was fullfiled. The activities were very well coordinated, and it was just simply amazing. We even took more time in some of the activities and it wasnt an issue for them, they patently waited. The day was just perfectWritten January 20, 2025
- wimkieft0 contributionsTo be recommended!Vijith guided us on our first safari in Hururu park and it was amazing. He was nice and allowed us to see many elephants up close without bothering them too much. Experienced and safe guide, despite roads ruined by rain. Absolutely to be recommended!Written January 11, 2025
- I5111KJstevenc0 contributionsAmazing guide, amazing day!We really enjoyed our time with Vijith! He was super knowledgeable on the area and broke away from other groups. We got up close and personal with the elephants. Would 100% recommend Vijith. He was also very accommodating and kind!Written January 6, 2025
- Andras S0 contributionsActive all day tripFirst we visited temples then the Dambulla open air market then the Sigiriya rock, finally the Minneriya safary. Huge mix of daily activities. We could see more elephants in one group than any time before. The driver was a safe pilot and we stopped all the time when he could find something interesting. He could find great local places to drink fresh juices and the price was extremely low 200-300 LKR. If you want a busy all day activity, choose this one! :)Written January 1, 2025
- Q2819EBkatias0 contributionsGreat tour!It was a very unique experience to go on the tour, I would definitely recommend it and will remember that day. The driver was super helpful and explained everything very well.Written December 31, 2024
- Andras S0 contributionsAll day tripWe had a great time. All day trip, visiting temples, Sigiriya and lots of elephants. Very polite and safe driver! Thanks for the fresh juice! :)Written December 27, 2024
- Sonja K0 contributionsGood combination between historical place and WildlifeUnfortunately we had a full day of rain. The driver was very friendly. Lunch location was very good. We saw lots of elephants. The Jeep was not in a good condition for the rain.Written December 23, 2024
- sasha83160 contributionsVery goodvery good experience ,very interesting , amazing to see the elephants in wild world. The driver is also nice, very helpfulWritten December 5, 2024
- VivekanandB80 contributionsHabarana National ParkDriver : Kumara. Was enthusiastic and put all efforts to get us to the right place . Baby elephants, peacocks, Eagle and lots of other small animalsWritten November 30, 2024
- martinjZ4014XO0 contributionsThe best experience with Kumara!We decided to do a full day trip including Polonnaruwa and Mineriya National park (due to the conditions we eventualy visited different Eco Park). The communication was very profesional from the beginning, but the real fun started at the day of the trip. We got the best guide Kumara we could wished for. He was super friendly, nice and helpfull - he did everything what we asked for. This guy even cut the pineapple for us! Real hero! But his profesionality just showed at the time during the safari, he really gave us all the time he could, showed us different animals that were not easy to spot. What was real difference from many of the other guides was that he really cares about behaviour during the safari. He was very respectfull to the many elephants we saw and at the same time he made sure we have the best view possible. His patiance paid off, as the family of elephants with small baby just walked right in front of our jeep. Kumara thank you for this day, it will be definitely one to remember!Written November 30, 2024
- catrins2970 contributionsExcellent Tour seeing wild elephantsWe absolutely loved the tour we had with Kumara in Minneriya National Park to see the elephants. Kumara was very knowledgeable and spotted all sorts of wildlife as well as being our personal photographer. He was extremely friendly and professional. Seeing elephants in the wild was incredible and would highly recommend this tour service.Written November 22, 2024
- 743tharindus0 contributionsUnforgettable Elephant Encounters with Minneriya Safari ToursA breathtaking experience with up-close views of Sri Lankan wild Elephants. Was an amazing trip for adults and kids, everyone enjoyed it. Matheesha did an excellent job by coordinating a 70+ crowd, making sure everyone had a great experience with safety. I highly recommend Minneriya Safari Tours for both Foreign and Local tourists.Written November 13, 2024
- mizyet0 contributionsWe love it!We enjoyed the trip! Met big groups of elephant and good hospitality. The driver picked up us on time and stopped in some spots with enough duration for us to enjoy the view.Written November 13, 2024
- irenechiocchia0 contributionsGreat safariAmazing safari, we have seen a lot of elephants in Kadulla. The price was fair. We loved the experience and would definetly reccomendWritten November 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
184 reviews
Excellent
165
Very good
17
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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elia s
37 contributions
Dec 2023 • Couples
Beautiful experience, we saw lots of elephants in contact with nature...
I recommend everyone to do this safari, the important thing is to do it with the right driver!!!
Our driver was the best at spotting elephants and bringing us within a few meters of them!!!
After the Safari I recommend going to Pidurangala, we saw a beautiful sunset, thanks to the skill of our guide we arrived on time!!!!
The jeep is very beautiful, super equipped, practically new!!!!
We immediately felt like friends and in good hands!!!! The honest price!!!
TOP DRIVERS!!!
Thanks thanks thanks!!!!!
I recommend everyone to do this safari, the important thing is to do it with the right driver!!!
Our driver was the best at spotting elephants and bringing us within a few meters of them!!!
After the Safari I recommend going to Pidurangala, we saw a beautiful sunset, thanks to the skill of our guide we arrived on time!!!!
The jeep is very beautiful, super equipped, practically new!!!!
We immediately felt like friends and in good hands!!!! The honest price!!!
TOP DRIVERS!!!
Thanks thanks thanks!!!!!

Written January 24, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much sir
Written January 25, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Aryan K
2 contributions
Jun 2024 • Friends
The half day safari was incredible, the driver was excellent and gave us an option of the three closest nation parks then picked us up from the hotel. He found the elephants and took us right next to them without scaring them, we must have seen about 20 in total. The jeep was in great condition and we got cold bottled water and there was lots of other wildlife too and good viewpoints. Overall thoroughly recommend this trip. You do have to pay cash for the entrance fees to the national park though, Minneriya is 12k pp, Eco is 7.5k pp.
Written July 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Craig C
London, UK2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
Mathisha took great care of us on our safari. Rearranging the time and location with us to maximise the number of elephants we would see and it was amazing. We were picked up and dropped off to our hotel in Sigiriya. Our transfer and park entry was included in the price and the safari was just our family of 4.
In Kaudulla park we saw 60+ elephants gathered by the lake and we later stopped on the roadside to see more elephants up close as the sun set.
In Kaudulla park we saw 60+ elephants gathered by the lake and we later stopped on the roadside to see more elephants up close as the sun set.
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you sir
Written September 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jaime K
Madrid, Spain4 contributions
Fantastic jeep Safari !!! Kumara was a great guide as he knew exactly where to find the elephants. Even if there were other jeeps around he found them before other drivers and knew when and where to move on before the place got too crowded. We had a great time and got to see many many elephants without feeling the presence of other jeeps.
I certainly would recommend Minneriya jeep safari !
I certainly would recommend Minneriya jeep safari !
Written August 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank sir
Written November 23, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Vanja S
1 contribution
Jul 2024 • Friends
The safari visit to Minneriya National Park was exellent and very enjoyable. Thanks to our highly experienced guide Kumara we were able to be adequatly informed about the variety of wildlife. He was very attentive to our safety while being very entertaining at the same time. The experience I would recommend to all nature and animal lovers.
Written July 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tim H
1 contribution
Sep 2023 • Couples
Went to Gal Oya national park because the guide knew that Minneriya would be too busy because of local festivities, and he made the right choice! It was just us and 3/4 other trucks with a view of 25/30 elephants. After the elephants were done eating the guide drove off to a smalle lake and a few minutes later the elephants arrived, we had a perfect view over them.
Written September 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much sir
Written October 19, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Clair H
20 contributions
Firstly I like to thank Sanju for taking us on the most amazing experience to see the elephants!!!!! He was a delight, full of joy, really made our experience comfortable and at ease.
Sanju knew exactly where to find the animals, the elephants came within feet off our jeep, we also seen tortoise & peacocks too, Sanju even stopped to get us drinks and coconuts!
Sanju knew exactly where to find the animals, the elephants came within feet off our jeep, we also seen tortoise & peacocks too, Sanju even stopped to get us drinks and coconuts!
Written March 7, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for sir good feedback
Written March 8, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jutiapa33
Bakersfield, CA62 contributions
May 2024 • Friends
If you want to check wild elephants off your list in an afternoon, this is a good choice. We were informed by locals that Hurulu Eco Park was a better option at this time of year for seeing elephants than nearby Minneriya Natioinal Park. Sure enough, this is where we were taken by our guides. Though they spoke limited English, both (Kumara was the principal) were very professional and conscientious. There are a number of tour operators here and I noticed that our guides seemed to be better at spotting wildlife, particularly birds, and stopping to point them out than the others, who seemed focused primarily on finding the next elephant. Re elephants, we saw 50-60 in less than two hours. It was fantastic. This tour is very basic and the reviewer is not an outdoor enthusiast. One improvement the operator might consider is having binoculars to better experience the aforementioned birdlife.
After the tour, we stopped in nearby Habarana for some refreshments. Kumara and his colleague happened to be driving by in our jeep, their workday complete. Nevertheless, they stopped to get our attention and greet us one last time. It was such a nice gesture and typical of Sri Lankan hospitality.
After the tour, we stopped in nearby Habarana for some refreshments. Kumara and his colleague happened to be driving by in our jeep, their workday complete. Nevertheless, they stopped to get our attention and greet us one last time. It was such a nice gesture and typical of Sri Lankan hospitality.
Written May 13, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sofia G
1 contribution
Jan 2025 • Family
Amazing experience and definitely worth it. We got to see alot of elephants and even baby elephants playing in the mud. The driver was kind and made sure we were happy. We saw as many elephants as possible and he made sure we were safe while also maintaining elephant safety when we got close. Depending on the time of year, it can rain so take an umbrella! Enjoy!
Written January 1, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much sir
Written January 4, 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
gill
3 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
Driver arrived on time for pick up. Clean jeep. Driver on the safari drove carefully and slowly got in some great positions for us to see the herds of elephants. He knew exactly how long to stay in each spot. At one point we had about 30 elephants around us. Felt extremely safe. As in other reports some other Jeep drivers had no respect and drove far too fast.
Ours did not. Great safari. Thank you
Ours did not. Great safari. Thank you
Written September 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you sir
Written November 23, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Have you got a trip tomorrow afternoon
Regards Dave
Written February 4, 2020
Bonjour .
Le chauffeur / guide parle t il français pour permettre d'avoir des explications ?
Written January 12, 2020
Hello sir sure.please cantact +94765676515
Written January 23, 2020
mathisha safari is best self confidence
Written September 29, 2019
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