Wilpattu National Park Records Tourist Influx
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Exploring Sri Lanka’s rich wildlife in a tour is in the bucket list of most Travellers in Sri Lanka, especially the foreign travellers never neglect this rare opportunity. Unlike in most other wildlife holiday destination, spotting wild animals are quite easy in Sri Lanka. Usually, Sri Lanka national park safari lasts between 2-8 hours, during Sri Lanka safari tours, witnessing a large number of animals and bird is guaranteed.
Wilpattu national park is a popular place for Sri Lanka day trips, from, Negombo, Anuradhapura and many other places in Sri Lanka. This natural jewel had been in isolation for more than 30 years during the ethnic conflict, which ended in 2009.
It was opened to the public as the security in the regions improved. Today Yala national park is a hotspot among the travellers, which provides an opportunity to see a large number of wild animals and unmatchable eco-habitat unique to Wilpattu.
Wilpattu national park records tourist influx
Wilpattu national park has been visited by a recorded number of visitors from January to March 2012. Wilpattu national park has earned around five million rupees during the three months period. With the ending of 30 years of civil war in the country, security in the region has significantly increased. “Now it does not need to be worried to visit a national park,” one jeep driver said. The highly peaceful atmosphere and is one of the biggest national parks, Wilpattu has been able to attract a large number of foreign and local tourists. Last year Wilpattu national park recorded 8 million rupees profit.
Department of wildlife has allocated 600 million rupees for the improvements in the national park. The national park was not visited for the last 30 years by tourist as it was not safe, and most of the facilities such as lodgings, campsites, transport facilities, are in the dilapidated condition. All measures are taken to upgrade the fasciitis and they are closely monitored by the department of wildlife.
The newly constructed road network is improved in parallel to the Deyata Kirula – 2012 exhibition in Oyamaduwa. Yala national park can be accessed very easily owing to the good road network in the region, and it has immensely helped to reduce the travelling time to the national park.
“It is never been so easy to reach the national park, with improved accessibility, number of visitors increased and we get a large number of safari trips,” said Daham, a jeep owner that organize safari trip to travellers.
There is a high demand for the one-day trips to Wilpattu from Colombo, most foreign travellers that stay in Negombo and Colombo opt to travel to Wilpattu rather than faraway destinations such as Yala national park.
Now it is very easy to reach the Wilpattu national park along the Colombo Anuradhapura main road via Puttalam. The improved road network is one reason for the increasing number of visitors to the national park.
“It makes sense visiting Wilpattu national park rather than travelling 5 hours to visit Yala national park from Colombo and Negombo.”, “it is much easy for us and very convenient for the guests as well, most importantly it saves a lot of time on travelling,” said Laksham, a taxi driver works at a leading hotel chain in Colombo.
According to the information, the existing road network will be widened within the park enabling to explore a wider area in the reserve. Four new holiday bungalows will be constructed in addition to the existing four resorts. Existing resorts will be improved to facilitate a better experience for tourists. The new entrance to the park from Tanthirimale has helped to ease the traffic congestion to the park.
Wilpattu national park is one of the best places to witness leopards on the island. A large number of travellers visiting this tourist attraction from Kandy, Negombo, Anuradhapura and many other places.
The national park is consisting of 140,000 hectares of mostly dry zone evergreen forest cover. The landscape of Wilpattu is very attractive owing to its thick jungle, dozens of tanks and42 shallow lakes. Wilpattu is located in the district of Puttalam bordering Anuradhapura and Mannar districts. Weerakkulichola, Eluwankulama forest reserves and the Thabbowa Park are also located within the borders of Wilpattu national park.
Wilpattu national park was visited by 140 foreigners in January 2011 and the number is increased to 500 by January 2012. There had been a sharp increase in visitors to the park in March 2012 and was 2000.