Lahugala Kitulana National Park

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Lahugala Kitulana National Park — Elephants grazing on Beru Grass on the Sengamuwa Tank

Size	1,554 hectares
Main attraction	Large herds of Elephants, Deer, Wild boar, Bear, Birds and Fish

The Lahugala Park was initially declared a sanctuary on 1st July 1966 and then upgraded to a national park on 1st October 1980. Although this is one of the smallest national parks in the country, this is a popular location for elephant enthusiasts and bird watchers.

There are 3 ancient reservoirs within the park. They are, Lahugala (243ha), Kitulana and Sengamuwa. The water from these reservoirs flows into the Heda Oya. These reservoirs are largely silted up and support an abundance of Beru Grass, which is a delicacy for elephants. These silted reservoirs also support a large variety of birds, local as well as migratory.

Being in the dry zone, the land is generally flat with occasional boulder formations. In addition to the elephants, the park is home to the endemic toque macaque, common languor, sloth bear, jackal, rusty spotted cat, fishing cat, leopard, wild bear, Indian muntjac, spotted deer, sambar, pangolin and black naped hare. The tanks and the surrounding area have become nesting places for wetland birds like a pelican, purple heron, painted stork, lesser adjutant stork, white-bellied sea eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, common kingfisher, stork billed kingfisher and white-breasted kingfisher. Endemic comb duck, rare red-faced malkoha and Sri Lankan Spurfowl too can be seen in the park.

There is no accommodation in the park itself, but Pothuvil and Monaragala can be used as the base when visiting the park.

On the northern edge of the park is the Magul Maha Viharaya, an ancient temple built by King Devanampiyatissa in the 2nd century BC. This is said to be the location where the king married Princess Vihara Maha Devi. THe foundations of the “Magul Maduwa” where the wedding ceremony took place can still be seen in the vihara premises.

The entire Vihara complex covered an extent of around 10,000 acres where ruins of a palace, moonstone, monastery, bo-maluwa, stupas, ponds etc. are found scattered all over. The moonstone here is said to be unique in the country as this is the only location where elephants are carved with their mahouts in the moonstone.

Lahugala Kitulana National Park Ticket Prices

Description (Fees Applicable for Category 2 Parks)	Price
Local – Adults	LKR 60
Local – Children (6-12 years)	LKR 30
Local – Student	LKR 20
Local – Children (below 6 years)	FOC
Local – Group Fee (per vehicle)	LKR 400
Foreign – Adults	USD 12
Foreign – Children (6-12 years)	USD 6
Foreign SAARC Countries – Adults	USD 10
Foreign SAARC Countries – Children (6-12 years)	USD 5
Foreign – Children (below 6 years)	FOC
Foreign – Group Fee (per vehicle)	USD 10
Taxes on total cost	18%
Entrance Fee per vehicle	LKR 300

Ticket Price Schedule as of 2025 and gazetted in 2022

For example, for 2 foreigners with 1 child between 6 and 12 will have the cost of

Description	Cost
2 adults	USD 24.00
1 child	USD 6.00
Group Fee	USD 10.00
Total	USD 40.00
Tax (18%)	USD 7.20
Total	USD 47.20

The above calculation applies only to individual entry tickets as gazetted in 2022 and remain valid for 2025. The vehicle entry ticket, as listed separately, must be purchased in addition to the personal tickets.

Foreign visitors may make payments in USD or the equivalent amount in LKR. For the most up-to-date ticket prices, the Government Information Centre can be contacted on 1919. If a private safari jeep is hired for a land safari, rates generally range from LKR 7,500 to LKR 10,000 for a half-day excursion of about four hours, depending on the national park. A full-day safari is typically charged at twice the half-day rate.

Visiting Hours

All national parks in Sri Lanka operate daily throughout the year, remaining open from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Entry ticket counters open at 6.00 a.m. and close at 4.00 p.m., and all vehicles are required to exit the parks strictly by 6.00 p.m.

Also See

Map of Lahugala Kitulana National Park

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