Yala National Park is the most popular safari destination in Sri Lanka; however, my first destination upon flying into Colombo was going to be Wilpattu National Park. I had done some research and it seemed that the city of Anuradhapura was the gateway to this national park. Wilpattu National Park hotels can be found in Anuradhapura, the nearby village of Nochchiyagama, and even near the entrance. I booked a hotel in Anuradhapura for the first night. After that, I wanted to keep my options open.
Wilpattu National Park entrance
Related: Yala National Park Sri Lanka safari
It seemed like the best way of getting to Wilpattu National Park was a bus to Anuradhapura. A tuk-tuk took me to the bus station, and I hopped aboard a bus in Colombo to Anuradhapura. There is also a train option, but it seems that they are doing work on that line, so not sure if it is available at the moment. The bus ticket was only about $2 or $3 usd.
Anuradhapura bus
Decided to book a safari locally in Anuradhapura
I decided against booking anything in advance. Get Your Guide offers a day trip from Colombo for $105.00, but I hoped that I could save a little money by just arriving and booking everything locally. In my experience, in Asia, the farther away from the destination that you book, the more expensive it is as there are more middle men involved. I also hoped I could arrange something with a group in order to share the cost of the guide and the safari truck.
Related: Kruger National Park All Out safari
The bus to Anuradhapura from Colombo
The bus ride was pleasant. Initially, we drove north through the seaside town of Negombo. Then we turned east into the interior of the country. Sri Lanka is incredibly lush, so I enjoyed seeing green rice fields and lush vegetation in between views of rural villages replete with many mangy dogs.
Photo from a break along the way to Anuradhapura
Wilpattu National Park is about four hours northwest of Colombo. Once we made it to Anuradhapura, I notified the bus attendant I wanted out. He had the driver stop at the next roadside bus stop, and I exited after retrieving my backpack from the cargo hold. Anuradhapura is a decent size town with a Kentucky Fried Chicken, plenty of banks, restaurants, and tons of hotels. I chose Four Points Resort, and it was awesome. It was only $50.00 and had a beautiful pool. It had a Bali villa vibe as it was on the outskirts of town and isolated in a rural area. I was able to order a tuk-tuk to the hotel.
Wilpattu National Park hotels
Wilpattu National Park hotel – Four Points Resort
Once I got settled in my room, I got my zoom camera out and did some birding right around the hotel. The hotel was on the outskirts of town, so there was some interesting species in the grassy area behind the hotel. I saw a crested serpent-eagle, a shikra, parakeets, a white-throated kingfisher, a brown-headed barbet, and my first ever peacock.
Wilpattu National Park hotels – Four Points Resort
Wilpattu National Park hotels – Room service at Four Points Resort
One of the workers at the hotel saw me with my camera and asked if I was interested in birds and also asked about where I was from. The usual questions locals ask of visiting foreigners in Asia. I inquired about guides for Wilpattu and how that worked, and they had me speak to the manager. When the manager found out I had a blog, he called a friend of his that worked for the national park. He came over, and we talked about Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka, my travel plans, and my experiences in other national parks in Africa and elsewhere. They arranged for me to get a ride to the park the next day and a guide for the next two days.
Wilpattu National Park hotels – Manager of Four Points Resort
Rose-ringed parakeets
Rose-ringed parakeet
I asked my new friend if it was possible to share the expense with other visitors. He said he did not think it was possible. It was currently the low season in Sri Lanka as far as travel was concerned. He said that possibility exists during the busy season, which peaks in January. I was there at the beginning of July. It would have been nice to share the cost, but it was also nice having the safari truck to myself. I could easily pivot and take photos of birds and animals in any direction without obstruction.
Crested serpent-eagle
Shikra from Four Points Resort
Brown-headed barbet – Four Points Resort
Scaly-breasted munia
Wilpattu National Park guide and entrance fees
It was around 20 USD for the ride to the park as it was about an hour. Entrance to the park cost $15 USD per day. I was going to do a full day the first day and a half day the second day. Cost for the full day guiding was around $80.00 USD and about $40.00 for the half day. The only missing ingredient was I had to find a place to stay near the park. This was easily arranged as their was a guesthouse literally walking distance to the front gate for $20.00 a night.
Hello from Wilpattu National Park entrance
Sri Lanka is a great budget destination; however, safaris are not cheap, so this is one of the most expensive things you will do. If this is too expensive, you could always share the guide with someone. This is easy if you are traveling with someone, but if you are not, perhaps you can find someone on the bus, at your hotel, at your hostel that is looking to save a few dollars. Regardless, Wilpattu National Park was one of the most incredible wildlife adventures I have ever been on. It stacks up well with anything I experienced in Africa.
Leopard feeding on a spotted deer in Wilpattu National Park
Getting provisions near the entrance
Picked up at 5 a.m. the next morning
The next morning, I had a tuk-tuk pick me up at my hotel, and he drove me all the way to the gates of the national park. From there, my guide met me at the gates of the park, and we got in line to pay my entrance fee and get my ticket. We failed to bring lunch from Anuradhapura, and there is not much around as far as stores once you head down the road towards Wilpattu. We were able to buy some bananas and water from a local shop just before we enter the gates.
This is part one of a three part series on Wilpattu National Park.
Adventure on!
