Exploring the great outdoors in Gal Oya National Park

Gal Oya is the most untouched and least visited of all of Sri Lanka’s national parks. It was established in 1954 but having been off-limits during the civil war it is only now being re-discovered. There are still relatively few lodges in the area, but visitor numbers are beginning to grow. However on the day we did a jeep safari in the park we seemed to have it to ourselves.

It had poured with rain all morning and although it eased a bit around lunch time, we weren’t sure if our planned safari drive would go ahead. But fortunately it did, and despite the dull weather (or maybe because of it) we found the park beautiful and very peaceful.

Soon after we entered the national park the rain began to fall heavily again. Our driver braved the downpour to fasten the protective flaps at the side and passed out rain jackets. We weren’t sure if we should turn back, given how long the morning’s downpour had lasted, but our driver suggested we went as far as the lake shore and see if it might stop raining by then. That proved a great call as it did indeed stop and we were even able to get out of the jeep.

The landscape was beautiful in the soft light (rather like a wet version of Dead Vlei in Namibia!) We saw some Asian wild buffalo grazing and quite a few birds including a Grey-headed Fish Eagle, several Painted Storks, a Pelican and Grey Heron.

Grey-headed Fish Eagle and Asian wild buffalo

Painted Storks

More Painted Storks and a Pelican

There were also a couple of elephants on the far side of the lake. And to add to the beauty, we had it all to ourselves!

After a while our driver proposed going round to the other side of the lake. On the way we got a great sighting of a pair of Little Bee Eaters, as well as more Painted Storks and another Grey Heron.

Then around a corner we came upon an elephant pretty much on our path. We got some excellent shots and enjoyed watching him for a while. But as he showed no signs of moving away, we of course could drive no further.

Sri Lankan elephant by the track and our driver / safari guide enjoying the view

Eventually our driver, who as you can see had enjoyed the encounter almost as much as we had, reversed until he reached a good turning point. We headed for the exit and only reached it ten minutes before the 6.00 PM deadline when all vehicles must leave the park.

On the way back to the hotel he stopped a few more times to point out weaver bird nests and a pair of Malabar Pied Hornbills. He told us how the weaver birds line the inside of their dark nests with mud and then gather fireflies to stick to the mud to provide light! However later research tells me that unfortunately (because I loved the idea) this is a myth.

Weavers’ nest and Malabar Pied Hornbill

Despite that bit of misinformation he’d been a great guide, keeping us dry during the rainstorm and respecting the elephant’s right of way while ensuring we got some good shots. And while we didn’t see a huge variety of wildlife, the beautiful landscapes and that memorable encounter ensured that this was an excellent drive.

Experiencing this slice of the Great Outdoors and having a large area of this beautiful national park to ourselves was such a special experience, one I’m happy to share with Terri for this week’s Sunday Stills. While there are no evergreens in this tropical area, there are surely plenty of other greens to please the eye.

I visited Gal Oya in February 2026