WILPATTU
WILPATTU
Luxury safari camping in Sri Lanka’s largest national park.
Base Camp Wilpattu offers canvas tents, customized to suit your individual needs.
Base Camp Wilpattu is located in a densely grown hideout along the boundary of Sri Lanka’s most picturesque and largest national park. The camp is surrounded by forests, grasslands, and chena cultivations where a lot of wildlife can be found such as Asian elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, leopards, rusty-spotted cats, wild boar, several species of mongooses, and civets. The campsite is home to a healthy population of grey slender Loris ( Loris lydekkerianus ssp. nordicus ) and we arrange special night walks inside the camp to observe them.
Each tent comes with a sit-out, hammock, attached bathroom with hot/cold water, and Wi-Fi. The lounge area is also there for you to rest. Have a drink or enjoy reading a book in beautiful and peaceful surroundings. While we assure you of our warmest hospitality, our continental and local cuisine is yours to enjoy as you join us on a full board, half board, or bed and breakfast basis.
WILPATTU NATIONAL PARK
Declared as a sanctuary in 1905, and subsequently, a national park in 1938, Wilpattu, is a popular attraction for both tourists and wildlife enthusiasts. Covering an impressive 425 sq miles, the park is Sri Lanka’s largest national park. Having reopened in 2003 it is now an increasingly popular eco-tourism destination.
A unique complex of over 50 wetlands called “Villu” is the most prominent topographical feature of the national park. ‘Villu’ are shallow natural lakes filled with rainwater. Its varying natural habitats provide a home for numerous species of animals.
The biggest draws in Wilpattu are Leopards (Panthera pardus kotiya) and Sloth bears (Melursus ursinus). Apart from those two mammals are Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus), Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Golden Jackals, Sambar deer, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), and Mugger crocodiles
The painted stork, the open bill, little cormorant, Sri Lankan junglefowl (Gallus lafayetii) along with many species of owls, terns, gulls, eagles, kites buzzards are to be found at Wilpattu National Park. Wetland bird species that can be seen in Wilpattu are the garganey (Anas querquedula), pintail (Anas acuta), whistling teal (Dendrocygna javanica), spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), black-headed ibis (Threskiornis malanocephalus), large white egret (Egretta alba modesta), cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and purple heron (Ardea purpurea).
BEST TIME TO VISIT WILPATTU
The best time to visit Wilpattu is during the months of February and October.