The Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka (spanning Polonnaruwa, Habarana, and Sigiriya) is world-famous for its massive herds of wild Asian elephants. What many travelers don’t realize is that these majestic animals constantly migrate between three main connected reserves: Minneriya National Park, Kaudulla National Park, and Hurulu Eco Park.

Depending on the time of year and water levels, the herds move through the habitat corridor between these parks. Hurulu Eco Park is a protected biosphere reserve covering over 10,000 hectares of dry evergreen forest and open grasslands. It is especially famous as the primary sanctuary for the elephant gathering during specific months, making it one of the absolute best spots for an ethical, wild safari experience!

When we visited in April, the main herds were located in Hurulu Eco Park, which turned out to be the absolute place to be for our jeep safari.

Of the 2 million safari visitors Sri Lanka receives each year, only around 50,000 make their way to Hurulu Eco Park. While Minneriya often suffers from long queues of bumper-to-bumper jeeps, the dense forest of Hurulu feels peaceful, intimate, and amazingly uncrowded.

History & UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

Hurulu isn’t just a standard national park. It was first declared a protected forest back in 1942 during the British colonial period and was named a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1977. Today, it’s managed by the Department of Forest Conservation. The reserve plays a vital role as a crucial green elephant corridor, connecting different surrounding national parks so herds can migrate safely throughout the year.