Maduru Oya National Park | AmazingLanka.com

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Size	58,849 hectares hectares
Main attraction	Large herds of Elephants, Deer, Wild boar, Bear, Birds and Fish

Maduru Oya National Park is located in the Dry zone and is 314 km away from Colombo It is situated by Kuda Sigiriya a great eco location yet to be explored by travelers to Sri Lanka.

The park was established as a catchment area for the five reservoirs under the Mahaweli project and provides habitats for wildlife, inclusive of elephants. It was declared a national park in 1983 under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance.

Maduruoya is well known for its elephant habitat. Other than elephants, leopards, sloth bears, sambur, spotted and barking deer, wild boar and wild buffalo are also found here. Torque Macaque, Purple face leaf monkey and nocturnal slender Loris are also found in the park. Lesser Adjutant, Wooly necked stork, open bill, painted stork, Racket tailed Drongo, Yellow fronted barbet, Sri Lanka Junglefowl & Spurfowl are among the over 100 species of birds found within the park.

All dry zone vegetation is found in abundance at Maduru Oya Park. Weera, palu, buruta, kaluwara welang, beli, ehela, kumbuk, milla, kone and woodapple are some of them. However, it is sad to see the sections of the jungle that were raped by chena cultivators who destroyed all the big trees and turned them into open plains, now filled with illuk, grass and various kinds of shrubs and cactus groves.

Ruins at Henanigala, Kudawila, Gurukumbura, Uluketangoda, Werapokuna and several other places include ancient Buddhist shrines, temples, dagobas, statues, devales and hermitages from different eras in Sri Lankan history. An ancient sluice dating before the 1st century BC was discovered recently on the old breached earthen bund of the Maduru Oya. Early Brahmin inscriptions dating from the 3rd century BC are found at Kandegamakanda. Vestiges of the Veddhas, an aboriginal tribe believed to be descended from King Vijaya and the Yaksha (demon) princess Kuveni, are to be traced to the traditional lifestyles of a few families in Dambana.

How to get there

Maduruoya can be reached through Matale and Hettipola or from Dehiattakandiya coming from Polonnaruwa or Mahiyangana. Maduruoya is closer to Wasgamuwa National Park.

Another route from Colombo (165 miles/265 km) is via Kurunegala, Dambulla, Habarana, Polonnaruwa and Manampitiya. Main access from the north is from Manampitiya (16 miles/25 Km) located on the Polonnaruwa-Batticaloa highway.

There are two circuit bungalows and one dormitory at the park office in front of Maduru Oya reservoir. Ulhitiya campsite is available for nature lovers. There is a well-arranged wildlife museum at the park entrance.

Maduru Oya 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.

Ancient Maduru Oya Sluice dating back to 1st century BC

On the way to Maduru Oya National Park - road between Aralaganwila and Maduru Oya

Ruins of ancient Buddhist civilization of the ancient past in Maduru Oya National Park

Also See

Map of Maduru Oya National Park

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Driving Directions to Maduru Oya National Park

Route from Colombo to Udawalawe National Park

Through : Kurunegala – Dambulla – Habarana – Polonnaruwa – Aralaganwila
distance :280 km
Travel time : 6 hours.
Driving directions : see on google map