Sri Lanka · MINNERIYA SAFARIS
14 reviewed
Between July and October the reservoir at Minneriya shrinks and the herds walk down to the grass, sometimes a couple of hundred at once. Below are the best Minneriya safaris with what they cost, how long the drive from Sigiriya takes, and which operators switch you to Kaudulla or Hurulu when the elephants move.
Private jeep safari from Sigiriya or Habarana to Minneriya, Kaudulla or Hurulu for wild elephants, birds, and more.
“Fantastic trip to Minneriya. Saw lots of elephants but also wonderful birds and other wildlife. It was a highlight of our trip,”
Half-day jeep safari from Sigiriya to Minneriya, built for big elephant herds, strong guiding, and photo-friendly wildlife sightings.
“Great activity! The company actually recommended a change of parks to give us better elephant sightings which paid off. We had a great experience… seeing a family of elephants with a 2.5 months calf was the highlight!”
Private jeep safari from Sigiriya to Minneriya National Park for close, respectful elephant viewing, with weather-based park options.
“Loved this tour. My wife and I had two young guides that never seemed in a rush or exploitative of the wildlife. We saw a lot of animals - elephants, birds, lizards, and jackals. Both guides were polite and did well to spot animals. Despite knowing elephants were up ahead, they took their time and pointed out other animals to see along the way. This was very much appreciated because they weren't scaring animals or racing to see the elephants. It never felt intrusive. The driver did well to stop when asked and reposition for better viewing. They were early to pick us up, got us back in time, and…”
Half-day jeep safari from Sigiriya, with hotel transfer options, bottled water, and a real shot at elephant herds at Minneriya or Kaudulla.
“Excellent Safari. Our guide did the best to ensure we see as many elephants as possible. He was also respectful of the animals so as to not cause too much nuisance.”
A private day trip from Kandy to Sigiriya, Dambulla, and Minneriya, with temple stops, elephant safari, and all the major sights in one busy day.
“This experience was amazing ! Irfan guided us and showed us all the places, picked up some fresh fruits and breakfast for us as well ! He managed to make this experience unique despite some heavy rain on the way. We learned a lot thankRead more”
Private 3-hour Minneriya safari from Habarana, watching elephant herds, birds, and forest wildlife in a quiet jeep setting.
“Our guide, Asela, genuinely cared for the elephants and there welfare. His home had been invaded by elephants recently, they are all his crops. He saw this as a sign of their intelligence that they left early (!) and said it was their land. He really knew about the individual elephants, knew where to stop, when to push on, when to wait. We were fortunate to see many elephants, about 65-70. Other animals too - toucan, langur monkey, land monitor, ibis, eagle and more. Memorable and unique experience”
From Colombo or Negombo, visit Dambulla Cave Temple, climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, then spot wildlife on a Minneriya safari in 16 hours.
“The tour was very well organised. Our tour guide was very informative and the tour it self was great fun, the elephants topped it all up. I would recommend the tour.”
Private jeep safari from Anuradhapura to see wild Asian elephants and wildlife around Minneriya, with pickup and bottled water.
“We saw several herds of elephants in the wild . It was a great experience and well conducted trip. Professional guide and driver”
Private evening jeep safari to Minneriya National Park, aiming for large elephant herds at Minneriya tank with flexible guiding and pickup.
“The Driver was great and kept us save the whole Trip.”
Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, then chase elephants in a Minneriya or Kaudulla safari, with private pickup and a smooth full-day schedule.
“It was a great day and Kumaran was great at showing us the nearby sights and attractions. We didn't get to see Minneriya national park on the day, so went to Kaudulla park instead which was still great, and he took good care on the trip!”
Climb UNESCO Sigiriya Lion Rock, then ride a private jeep safari for elephants, deer, and birds in Sri Lanka.
“We had an excellent day. The hike up Sigiriya Lion Rock was beautiful - we went up around 830 and it wasn’t too hot yet. Our excellent guide Puncha took us to a herbalist where we had a tour and short massage, before a delicious Sri Lankan lunch (which was an absolute highlight). The elephant safari was breathtaking. We saw over 100 elephants, including lots of babies, and were able to capture many photos and videos. We also saw deer, no lies, a mongoose and several varieties of birds. Our guide Puncha was very knowledgeable about elephants and other wildlife and took some great photos too. Overall, it was a…”
Private half-day Jeep safari near Sigiriya, with flexible park choices for elephant sightings, English-speaking driver, and easy pickup.
“Bhashitha Was fantstic from start to finish. He was super informative about elephants and always managed to get us the best vantage point for every single elephant gathering we came across. He also pointed out countless many other animRead more”
Private Minneriya elephant safari by 4x4 with hotel pickup, flexible timing, and top herd-spotting guidance, plus optional park hopping.
“Really knowledgeable driver/guide. Went out of his way to ensure we had the best experience and located vehicle position in anticipation of elephant movement when busy locations with many jeeps to provide best views. Also drove slowly when possible so that Read more”
Private Kandy day tour to Sigiriya and Minneriya, mixing Dambulla cave murals, spice gardens, temple stops, and an elephant safari.
“Fazli my guide was really great. He arrived on time and we went through the itinerary for the day and where I wanted to prioritise. We went to the temple at Matale, the Dambulla Temple Cave, the Sigiriya rock and then a 2 hour elephant safari. We had 2 short breaks for lunch and coffee at times I needed. Safe driving and informative. Recommended.”
