Why Kumana National Park will steal your heart
In the remote south-east of Sri Lanka, beyond the eastern edge of Yala, lies Kumana National Park. It is wilder, quieter and far less visited than its famous neighbour, and for many wildlife lovers, that's exactly the point.
Kumana shares its wildlife with Yala: leopards, elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and deer. Because so few jeeps come here, sightings feel personal and unhurried, and you may have a leopard or an elephant all to yourself.
The park is especially famous for its birdlife. At its heart is the Kumana Villu, a large mangrove swamp that becomes a vast nesting site for waterbirds. From around April to July, thousands of herons, egrets, spoonbills, storks and ibises gather to breed. It's a spectacular sight and sound.
Kumana is also close to the ancient Kudumbigala hermitage, a peaceful forest monastery among rocks, and it sits on the pilgrimage route to the sacred site of Kataragama.
Combine a Kumana safari with a stay at Arugam Bay, about an hour away, for the perfect mix of surfing, beaches and wild adventure.
