Your Travel Experience with Finest Journeys
Gal Oya National Park and Boat Safari Experience
This morning you travel to Gal Oya National Park, a quieter and less visited area of Sri Lanka that was established in 1954. Spanning nearly 26,000 hectares, the park plays an important role as the main catchment for Senanayake Samudraya, the country’s largest reservoir. Its mix of forests, grasslands, and waterways supports a wide range of wildlife, including elephants, deer, wild boar, sloth bears, and notable birdlife. The calm setting and low visitor numbers make it an ideal location for nature-focused travel. A key experience in Gal Oya is the boat safari, which provides a different perspective on the landscape and the animals that depend on the reservoir. As your boat moves between scattered islands, you may see elephants feeding along the water’s edge or moving through the shallows. Gal Oya is one of the few places in Sri Lanka where elephants are known to swim between islands, adding a distinctive element to the visit. The open water attracts many birds as well, and Bird Island often becomes a gathering point for several species. As evening approaches, the stillness of the reservoir and the surrounding hills creates a peaceful end to the day, offering time to reflect on one of Sri Lanka’s more unique wildlife settings.