Sri Lanka's first drive-through safari park, where visitors tour landscaped zones of lions, elephants, deer and other animals by vehicle.

Overview

Ridiyagama Safari Park is a large open-range zoo near Hambantota where animals roam spacious fenced zones and visitors drive or ride a park bus through them. The park is divided into themed areas including lion, tiger, elephant and herbivore zones, making it a good option for families and for seeing animals when a wilderness safari is not possible. It is run by the National Zoological Gardens and provides a more managed, reliable wildlife encounter than the national parks.

History

Ridiyagama Safari Park opened in 2016 as the first safari park of its kind in Sri Lanka, developed by the Department of National Zoological Gardens on former dry-zone land near the Ridiyagama tank. It was created as part of wider tourism development in the Hambantota region and has been expanded in stages with additional animal zones.