Kaudulla tank
An old reservoir with dead trees in the water.
Z thomas — CC BY-SA 4.0 · File:Water hole at Kaudulla national park, Sri Lanka.jpg: KR Chrutti derivative work: Stegop — CC BY-SA 4.0 · KR Chrutti — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kasup — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Z thomas — CC BY-SA 4.0
Kaudulla National Park is a reserve in north central Sri Lanka centred on an old reservoir, designated a national park in April 2002. Visitors come above all to see elephant herds gathering by the water, and with Minneriya and Girithale it forms an Important Bird Area recognised by BirdLife International. The Kaudulla tank was one of 16 irrigation reservoirs built by King Mahasen. After a period of abandonment it was reconstructed in 1959, and it now supports a wide range of life including large mammals, fish and reptiles. The park lies 197 km from Colombo and receives 1,500 to 2,000 mm of rain a year, with a dry period from April to October. Safari jeeps head to broad green meadows around the tank, where dead trees stand in the water and elephants graze on grasses that thrive in the wet season. Dry evergreen forest, old cultivated land and grassland surround the reservoir. At sunset the clouds are mirrored in the water, a good moment for photographs. The park lies about 22 km from Sigiriya and 23.9 km from Polonnaruwa in a straight line. Elephants move between here and Minneriya depending on water and grass, so ask local drivers which is best when you visit. Stay in the jeep, keep a safe distance from the elephants and do not let your driver get too close.
An old reservoir with dead trees in the water.
Herds grazing by the water.
Clouds mirrored in the water.
Near Habarana, North Central Sri Lanka
It changes with water and grass, so ask local drivers when you visit.
They are wild animals, so stay in the jeep and keep a safe distance.