The elephant gathering in Minneriya National Park is the largest recurring gathering of Asian elephants known to exist anywhere on earth. Over 300 of them congregate here every September and October to graze, drink, bathe, play and even find mates, forming a wall of grey around the watering areas.
Covering an area of 8,890 hectares, Minneriya is around four hours from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo. The scrub plains, evergreen forests, rocky outcrops and wetlands are also home to 24 mammals, including leopards, sloth bears, macaques, spotted deer, sambar, wild buffalo, wild boar and porcupine, though the more easily seen elephants are the big draw.
Over 170 bird species have also been recorded in the national park, including large flocks of cormorants.
It's worth putting time aside too to visit the nearby ruined monasteries and palaces of Polonnaruwa.
Erwin Hughes