Safaris in Galoya National Park

Gal Oya National Park is a 25,900-hectare park inhabited by 32 species of mammals including Common Langur, endemic Toque macaque, Leopard, Sloth Bear, Elephant, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo and three species of deer. For birding enthusiasts, approximately 150 of Sri Lanka's 430 species of birds have been observed in this very park. The Park is famous for its boat safaris and the best time to experience this is at 6 AM or at 3 PM when the sun is not too harsh. The highlight of the boat safaris is the chance sighting of swimming elephants who swim across the Senanayake Reservoir to the islands in the lake in search of food. The best time to visit Gal Oya National Park is from March to July. A group of Sri Lanka’s aborigines’, or the Veddha’s meaning “people of the forest” of Sri Lanka can also be found in Gal Oya – they are essentially hunter gatherer forest dwellers without much change in their life style from Stone Age to modern times.