Minneriya National Park is home to one of nature’s most spectacular wildlife phenomena – ‘The Gathering’, a seasonal congregation of hundreds of elephants that assembles around the ancient Minneriya tank between July and October as water levels drop and fresh grass carpets the exposed lakebed. At its peak, this is the largest gathering of wild Asian elephants anywhere on earth. Beyond the elephants, the park supports populations of toque macaques, sambar deer, painted storks and a diverse array of waterbirds.
