Ridiyagama Safari Park
Sri Lanka's first open safari park, where you drive or ride through fenced zones holding lions, elephants, zebras and other animals in open enclosures.
In the Hambantota District, spread across 500 acres of dry zone landscape, Ridiyagama holds the distinction of being Sri Lanka's first ever safari style zoo, an entirely different concept from the country's usual national parks and wildlife reserves. Construction began in 2008 under the direction of the National Zoological Department, with the finished park opening to the public in March 2016, built around a genuinely reversed premise, animals roam freely across large open zones while visitors travel through in enclosed buses or jeeps, effectively caging the humans rather than the wildlife.
The park's design splits into distinct zones by species type, four sections dedicated to carnivores and two to herbivores, home to lions, tigers, leopards, zebras, giraffes and a host of other animals, some native to Sri Lanka and plenty imported from elsewhere, making Ridiyagama the only place in the country where visitors can see genuinely non native species like African lions in a naturalistic, open range setting. A dedicated 35 acre zone houses the African lions specifically, while a separate 54 acre section is set aside entirely for Sri Lankan elephants, the park's overall footprint still expanding gradually as further zones planned for African, Asian and Australian wildlife continue development.
Automated commentary plays as buses move between zones, describing the animals visible in each section, an approach visitors often compare to the ride systems in theme park attractions rather than a traditional guided safari. Set within easy reach of Yala, Bundala and Udawalawe, Ridiyagama works well as an add on stop for families or visitors wanting a guaranteed, easily accessible wildlife encounter without the unpredictability that comes with spotting animals in a genuinely wild national park.
At a glance
- Entry fee: Entry fee applies
- Opening hours: 8:30am to 4:30pm, closed Tuesdays
- Time needed: 2 to 3 hours
- Best time: Morning or late afternoon, when animals are active
Getting there
At Ridiyagama, about 20km from Hambantota town.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to visit Ridiyagama Safari Park?
- Entry fee applies.
- What are the opening hours at Ridiyagama Safari Park?
- 8:30am to 4:30pm, closed Tuesdays.
- How long should I spend at Ridiyagama Safari Park?
- Plan for 2 to 3 hours.
- When is the best time to visit Ridiyagama Safari Park?
- Morning or late afternoon, when animals are active.
- How do I get to Ridiyagama Safari Park?
- At Ridiyagama, about 20km from Hambantota town.