Hurulu Eco Park is a section of the Hurulu Forest Reserve set aside for wildlife safaris, just north of Habarana. The reserve itself — some 25,000 hectares of dry-zone forest — has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve since 1977, one of the first in Sri Lanka. The eco park was opened to take pressure off Minneriya and Kaudulla and to give visitors a year-round alternative.
The landscape is different from Minneriya’s open lakebed: denser forest, scrub, small grassy clearings and water holes, crossed by red dirt tracks. That means sightings are often closer and more intimate — an elephant family feeding a few metres from the track rather than a hundred on a distant shore. Hurulu is often at its best in the wetter months, roughly November to April, when elephants disperse into the forest and Minneriya is quieter.
Top things to do at Hurulu Eco Park
Take a morning or afternoon safari
Both sessions work well at Hurulu. Mornings are cool and good for birds; afternoons bring elephants to the water holes and clearings.
Look for more than elephants
The forest is home to spotted deer, wild boar, grey langurs and toque macaques, and the birdlife is rich — including the endemic Sri Lanka junglefowl.
How to get to Hurulu Eco Park
- From Habarana: roughly 15–20 minutes by jeep; the entrance is a short drive north of the town.
- From Sigiriya and Dambulla: 45–60 minutes; many safaris include pickup and, like our recommended Hurulu safari, the entrance ticket.
Insider tips
- Entrance fees are usually a little lower than at Minneriya and Kaudulla — check current rates or book a safari with tickets included.
- Choose Hurulu when your driver says Minneriya is quiet, or as a second safari for a different landscape.
- Wear neutral colours and keep voices low: elephants in the forest can be close to the track.
Best tours & safaris for Hurulu Eco Park
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Hurulu Eco Park:
Jeep safari from US$25 Hurulu Eco Park Jeep Safari with Entrance Ticket Included
A well-reviewed safari in Hurulu Eco Park, part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve north of Habarana. Sightings here are closer and more intimate than on Minneriya’s open grassland, and the included ticket means no surprises at the gate.
- Entrance ticket already included
- Forest tracks and water holes
- Often good when Minneriya is quiet
Private safari from US$25 Hurulu Eco Park: 3-Hour Morning or Evening Private Safari
A private three-hour safari through Hurulu Eco Park, morning or afternoon. Small numbers of jeeps and dense forest make it feel wilder than Minneriya — and the morning slot is excellent for birds.
- Choose a morning or an evening session
- Private 4×4 jeep
- Quieter tracks, fewer jeeps
