Polonnaruwa and Hurulu Eco Park Safari: Ruins & Wildlife

Royal palaces and stone carvings in the morning, wild elephants in the afternoon.

This full-day tour from Pasikuda pairs Polonnaruwa Ancient Kingdom (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of royal palaces, temples, stupas and stone carvings) with a private jeep safari at Hurulu Eco Park in search of wild elephants and other wildlife. The tour includes an English-speaking guide at Polonnaruwa, air-conditioned transport between sites, the safari jeep, hotel pickup and drop-off, and bottled water. Entrance tickets are optional at checkout. The 10 to 12 hour day suits travelers wanting history, nature and adventure without arranging separate bookings.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore heritage and wildlife safari

• Visit Polonnaruwa Ancient Kingdom ruins
• Tour royal palaces and ancient temples
• Enjoy jeep safari at Hurulu Eco Park
• Spot wild elephants and other wildlife

The experience

You're staying in Pasikuda with a free day and no rental car. This tour picks you up from your hotel and drives inland to Polonnaruwa, once Sri Lanka's second capital. The ruins spread across a UNESCO World Heritage Site: royal palaces with stone foundations, ancient temples and stupas built centuries ago, intricate stone carvings, and the irrigation systems that fed the kingdom. Your guide walks you through the site, explaining the architecture and history as you move between the major structures. The morning centers on what remains standing and what archaeologists have pieced together from the stones.

After Polonnaruwa, the tour continues to Hurulu Eco Park near Habarana. You transfer to a safari jeep and spend the afternoon in the dry-zone forest: grasslands, scrub jungle, and water sources where wild elephants gather. The jeep moves slowly through the landscape, and the guide watches for elephants, deer, monkeys, birds and other animals in their natural habitat. This is not a crowded park tour. It's a quieter alternative to the busier reserves, and the timing often favors sightings during the cooler part of the day.

Transport between Pasikuda and both sites is in an air-conditioned vehicle with a chauffeur guide who speaks English. You get one liter of bottled water per person to stay hydrated during the day. If you choose the option with tickets, entrance fees to both Polonnaruwa and Hurulu are included. If you skip them, you can arrange entry on arrival. The tour ends with drop-off back at your Pasikuda hotel.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned transport between Pasikuda and both sites.
• English-speaking guide at Polonnaruwa.
• private safari jeep at Hurulu Eco Park.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from Pasikuda.
• one liter of bottled water per person.
• all taxes and service charges.
• entrance tickets to both sites if you choose the "With Tickets" option at checkout.

Options for this experience

2 options

Without TicketsGuide in English · 08:00includes pickup

With TicketsGuide in English · 08:00includes pickup

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (6 to 80 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 24 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lakpura LLC

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to pack both ancient ruins and a wildlife safari into one day without arranging separate transport or guides. The fixed route and timing fit both experiences into the 10 to 12 hour window, so you see Polonnaruwa's temples and palaces in the morning and search for wild elephants at Hurulu in the afternoon.

Top questions

What exactly is left to see at Polonnaruwa after all these centuries?

Polonnaruwa holds well-preserved royal palaces with stone foundations, ancient temples and stupas, intricate stone carvings, and the irrigation channels that once fed the kingdom. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it showcases the architecture and cultural heritage of when Polonnaruwa was Sri Lanka's second capital.

How likely am I to see elephants at Hurulu Eco Park?

Hurulu Eco Park is known for wild elephant safaris, and the dry-zone forest with grasslands and water sources attracts them regularly. The jeep safari gives you time to spot elephants, deer, monkeys, birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat, though sightings depend on the day and the animals' movement.

Do I need to book entrance tickets before I arrive, or can I pay at the gate?

You choose at checkout: the "With Tickets" option includes entrance fees to both Polonnaruwa and Hurulu, or you can pick "Without Tickets" and arrange entry when you arrive. Either way, your guide will handle the logistics.

How long is the drive from Pasikuda to Polonnaruwa and back?

The full tour runs 10 to 12 hours from hotel pickup to drop-off, covering the drive inland to Polonnaruwa, time exploring the ruins with your guide, the drive to Hurulu, the safari, and the return to Pasikuda. Most of that time is split between the two sites rather than on the road.

Is lunch included, and where do we eat?

Lunch is not included in this tour. Your guide can recommend places to eat near Polonnaruwa or Hurulu, and you can arrange a meal break during the day.

What's the difference between this tour and visiting just one site?

This tour combines two very different experiences (ancient history and living wildlife) in a single day without you arranging separate transport or bookings. You see both the cultural heritage and the natural landscape of inland Sri Lanka without the logistics of getting between them.