Embark on an unforgettable journey through Sri Lanka’s premier wildlife parks—Minneriya, Kaudulla, and Hurulu Eco Park. Our private safari offers: • Best-park selection on the day: Elephants move between parks depending on season and conditions, so our team chooses the best park to maximize sightings. • Private 4x4 safari jeep(if selected private option ) Open sides and elevated seating for amazing views and photography. • Experienced local driver-guides (5+ years): We know the tracks, elephant behavior, and the best timing for a calm, safe safari. • Quiet, respectful experience: We avoid crowds when possible so you can enjoy wildlife without disturbing the animals. • Free pickup & drop-off: From hotels in Sigiriya and Habarana (other areas on request).
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $60.
Larger groups pay less per person.
Out at sunset: the 3:00 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 5:49 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 6.
Private jeep safari inside Minneriya National Park to search for wild elephants, deer, birds and other wildlife. The safari route and pace are chosen to maximize sightings while respecting animals.
We offer free pickup and drop-off from hotels in Sigiriya and Habarana. Pickup time will be confirmed after booking based on your hotel location. Please be ready at your hotel lobby 10 minutes before your confirmed pickup time. If you’re staying outside these areas, contact us in advance to arrange pickup (extra charges may apply) or we can meet at a central meeting point.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Excurgo comparison of 180 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Minneriya premium Elephant Safari with expert Guide lasts about 3–4 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
Prices start at $34 per person for this Sigiriya experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $60. There are 4 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 11 departures a day between 5:30 AM and 3:00 PM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. We offer free pickup and drop-off from hotels in Sigiriya and Habarana. Pickup time will be confirmed after booking based on your hotel location. Please be ready at your hotel lobby 10 minutes before your confirmed pickup time. If you’re staying outside these areas, contact us in advance to arrange pickup (extra charges may apply) or we can meet at a central meeting point. Pickup points include Ntda Holiday Resort.
The experience is available in EN, EN, EN.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 10 travellers can book together.
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 19 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by THILINA.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
Really cool! They took us to another park where we could see the elephants. Our tuk-tuk guide, Buddi, was the best… He made the whole experience really enjoyable, stopped at other places to show us around, and even gave us a packet of biscuits and a bottle of water, which we really appreciated in the middle of the safari. We’re very happy :)
Great tour! We saw many elephants which was our main focus! Really took time with the groups of elephants. Very respectful also. The guide spoke English very well and explained a lot. A lot of enthusiasm. I can really recommend him. At the end of tour he dropped us off at a restaurant with an amazing view which he recommended. 👌🏼
Have booked a 1 day safari with these organizers. I was picked up and brought back to the resort. Along the way the guide had some extras for me and he made sure I had a good time.
We had a brilliant safari with Thilina, a young man who loves his job and has a lot to teach. Throughout the tour, he always took plenty of time to watch the animals at their own pace – it was simply brilliant. The pick-up and drop-off at the hotel were also perfect. Thank you, Thilina – we’d love to do it again Bernd and Melitta
Probably our favorite experience in our whole trip in Sri Lanka. We saw wild elephants, peacocks, monkeys, etc. The tour guide was a younger guy - very friendly and accommodating. I read some other tours trick people into going to different parks that have cheaper entrance fees...we followed the exact itinerary as described online and it was perfect. We went around 11am and only saw 1 other vehicle in the one area with lots of elephants but when we were leaving there were a dozen vehicles lined up, so recommend to go early to avoid the crowds.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
We had an amazing trip with Thilina. We saw many elephants right up close over our few hours in the national park. We particularly appreciated the knowledge and respect Thilina had for the elephants. The pickup and drop-off at our hotel was also smooth and punctual.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
We had an amazing elephant safari with Thilina! He is incredibly skilled at finding elephants and has a deep knowledge about them, which made the experience even more special. What we appreciated most is the respect he shows towards the animals at all times. It was a truly wonderful day that we will never forget. Highly recommended
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
We booked on to this safari last minute and it was one of the best choices we made during our 2 weeks in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya is a beautiful place with lovely people and this experience was no exception. Our driver/guide was a young guy called Thilina and he was absolutely brilliant. He was waiting for us at our hotel at the agreed pick up time with a smile and a warm welcome, checked we had enough cash for the entrance fees before arriving and was great fun to chat with. This guy really loves the elephants and his passion for the animals and the jungle was infectious. He got us within a few metres of the elephants (including some babies) but always made it clear that this is their home not ours and we all need to respect their environment. My concern with some safaris is that the animals are harassed to please tourists - this is not the case with Thilina. He has great knowledge of the elephants, their ages, behaviours, preferences and will get you as close as he can without unsettling the elephants. He also showed us other wildlife in the park when he spotted it. The safari element was around 2.5 hours plus travel to and from the park. Highly recommended and if you have the choice, ask for Thilina. If you’re nice, you might get a coconut to drink on the way home!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
Safari tour in Sri lanka very is so nice. We have enjoyed wonderful time. Tkanks also to the tour guide!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
We had a great elephant safari with Thilina. He was very friendly, reliable, and did everything to ensure that we could have an unforgettable tour. Thanks to his experience, we saw elephants up close and felt safe and well cared for at all times. Absolutely recommendable – thank you for this special experience!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We always want to give our guests a memorable and unforgettable safari experience — even better than they expected. I’m really happy you enjoyed the safari and our respectful way of watching elephants. Hope to see you again in Sri Lanka! 🐘🇱🇰
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneriya premium Elephant Safari with expert Guide | 3–4 hours | 5.0 (19) | $34 | |
 Private Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park to Visit Elephants | 3–4 hours | 4.9 (409) | $35 | View |
 Minneriya National Park Half Day Private Safari With Expert Guide | 3–4 hours | 4.8 (307) | $38 | View |
 Minneriya National Park Private Jeep Safari with Expert Guide | 3–4 hours | 4.9 (83) | $32 | View |
 Private Elephant Safari at Minneriya National Park-All Inclusive | 3–4 hours | 4.9 (52) | $31 | View |
 Minneriya National Park Wildlife & Elephant Safari from Sigiriya | 3–5 hours | 4.8 (40) | $33 | View |
 Minneriya National Park Elephant Safari | 4 hours | 4.8 (25) | $55 | View |