Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park is a dry zone protected area in north-central Sri Lanka, built around the ancient Minneriya Reservoir whose receding dry-season waters expose vast grassy flats. Between August and October, as the reservoir shrinks and nearby parks lose water, wild Asian elephants gather at Minneriya in concentrations that can reach several hundred individuals in a single afternoon — an aggregation known locally as The Gathering. The ancient reservoir embankment and surrounding forest provide the visual framing for this wildlife spectacle.