Overview
Our private Minneriya safari tours from Colombo take you to see the wild elephant herds of Minneriya National Park and back in one day. Your English-speaking driver picks you up from your hotel in Colombo or Negombo at around 8:00 am and you reach Minneriya at about 11:30 am. After lunch, your jeep safari runs from about 12:00 to 4:00 pm, and you are back at your hotel by about 7:30 pm.
The price covers your private return transport: US$130 for 1 to 3 people in an air-conditioned car, or US$200 for 4 to 7 people in a van. The safari jeep and Minneriya National Park entrance tickets are extra. We can book your jeep for you: a private Minneriya safari is US$60 per jeep for up to 6 people, and you can add it in the booking box.
Free stops at Sigiriya and Dambulla
On the way back you can stop at Sigiriya Rock or the Dambulla Cave Temple at no extra transport cost. Just tick the stops you want in the booking box. Entrance tickets are paid at each site, and each stop makes you back a little later.
Is a Minneriya safari from Colombo worth it?
Yes, if you want to see wild elephants in big numbers without staying overnight in the Cultural Triangle. From about July to October, Minneriya is home to The Elephant Gathering, when hundreds of elephants graze on the shore of the ancient Minneriya tank. Our day tour is about 11.5 hours door to door. For a slower pace, add a night near the park and climb Sigiriya Rock the next morning.
Minneriya safari from Negombo and the airport
We also pick up from any hotel in Negombo or near Bandaranaike International Airport at no extra cost, which makes this a good first or last day in Sri Lanka.
How far is Minneriya from Colombo?
Minneriya is about 180 km from Colombo, roughly 3.5 hours by road via Kurunegala and Dambulla, with a short break on the way. Read more about the park and The Elephant Gathering on our Minneriya National Park safari page.
More day trips from Colombo
Minneriya is one of many day trips from Colombo and Negombo that we run with hotel pickup. For more wildlife, see our safari tours in Sri Lanka.
Highlights
- Minneriya day tour from Colombo or Negombo, back by about 7:30 pm
- Private air-conditioned car (1–3 people) or van (4–7 people)
- English-speaking driver and hotel pickup in Colombo, Negombo or the airport area
- Jeep safari in Minneriya National Park, about 12:00 to 4:00 pm
- Free optional stops at Sigiriya Rock or Dambulla Cave Temple
- Wild elephant herds and The Elephant Gathering (about July–October)
- Transport from US$130 · add a private jeep for US$60 · entrance tickets extra
