About the Park
The essential facts about Wasgamuwa National Park — where it is, how big it is, and how it came to exist.
- Districts
- Matale & Polonnaruwa
- Size
- 393 km²
- Declared
- 1984
- Protected Since
- 1938
- Managed By
- Dept. of Wildlife
- Gate Hours
- 6 AM – 6 PM
A Park Named for the Sloth Bear
Wasgamuwa National Park sits in Sri Lanka's Matale and Polonnaruwa districts, in the dry-zone heart of the island. It covers roughly 393 square kilometres of forest, grassland and riverine jungle, bordered along one edge by the Mahaweli River — Sri Lanka's longest. Its name, from the Sinhala “Was” (sloth bear) and “Gamuwa” (wood), simply means the wood of the sloth bear.
The land has been protected in some form since 1938, first as a nature reserve and later, in the early 1970s, as a strict nature reserve. It became a full national park on 7 August 1984, created to give refuge to wildlife displaced by the Mahaweli Development Project — a nationwide scheme of dams and irrigation that reshaped much of central Sri Lanka. The full story, including the ancient ruins still standing inside the park, is covered on the history page.
Today the park is managed by Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation. It's open year-round from 6 AM to 6 PM, and every visitor explores it the same way: by 4x4 jeep, with a licensed tracker, along a network of dirt trails that thread through forest, past ancient tanks, and out into open grassland where herds gather to graze.
Continue Exploring
From here, dig into the park's wildlife, its birds, or the ruins hidden in its forest.
Elephant herds up to 150 strong, sloth bears, leopards and the animals that call Wasgamuwa home.
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143 recorded species, 8 found only in Sri Lanka, from riverine raptors to migrant waders.
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Dry-zone forest, riverine jungle and the Mahaweli River, Sri Lanka's longest, along its border.
Read MoreAncient tanks built by King Parakramabahu I and a battleground from Sri Lanka's early kingdoms.
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When the herds gather, when the migrants arrive, and how the seasons shape a safari here.
Read MoreFrequently Asked Questions
How big is Wasgamuwa National Park?
Wasgamuwa covers around 393 square kilometres (39,322 hectares) across Sri Lanka's Matale and Polonnaruwa districts, making it one of the larger national parks in the country's dry zone.
Who manages Wasgamuwa National Park?
The park is managed by Sri Lanka's Department of Wildlife Conservation, the same authority responsible for Yala, Udawalawe and the country's other national parks.
Can you self-drive in Wasgamuwa National Park?
No — only 4x4 safari jeeps with an authorised tracker are permitted inside the park. Visitors arrange a vehicle and guide at the entrance, or arrive with one already booked.