Buttala is situated within the Moneragala District in the south-eastern corner of Sri Lanka, a dryzone area famous for its wide open savanna-like plains and home to the best national parks in the country, including Yala and Uda Walalwe. To the north the area is dominated by the green foothills of the central highlands and to the south the land is flat and dry, filled with dryzone forest, thorny scrub jungle, open plains for paddy farming and gigantic sugar cane fields fed from large ancient resevoirs (tanks).
Known as the `Ruhuna Kingdom’, this region is of considerable historical significance. The Mahavamsa, the ancient Buddhist Chronicles, describe the feats of the famous Sinhala Buddhist kings – Kavantissa followed by his sons Dutugemunu and Saddhatissa – who ruled this region in the 2d century B.C. It is said that these warrior kings used Buttala as a base to defend the Ruhunu Kingdom against the invading Indians from the North. Much was done during their era to develop this arid region. For example, the huge Weliara reservoir, a remarkable feat of ancient engineering, that was constructed over 2000 years ago and but still feeds the paddy fields of the south. Buttula is now considered Sri Lanka’s “rice bowl” as a result.
Evidence of an ancient Buddhist civilisation can be seen in the surrounding caves and excavated jungle ruins. Most significant is Buduruvagala where a series of seven figures that pertain to Mayahayana Buddhism are sculpted into a 70 ft. cliff including a colossal image of Lord Buddha. The Maligawila Buddha statue is regarded to be the largest freestanding image of Lord Buddha in Sri Lanka.
The surrounding wilderness in this region is home to diverse species of fauna and flora. The Uda Walawe National Park, with 31,000 hectares of protected wilderness, is home to over 500 Asian elephants. The Elephant Transit Camp at Udawalawe run by Sri Lanka’s Wildlife Department provides protection to about 22 young elephants, mostly babies that have been orphaned or recovering from injuries prior to releasing them back to the wild. The Yala National Park located further south is home to the greatest variety of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Its varying habitats consisting of scrub plains, jungles, rocky outcrops, fresh water lakes, rivers and beaches. It is home to many species of animals including leopard, elephant, sloth bear, buffalo, monkey, sambar, deer and crocodiles.
The Lunugamvehera National Park located within the same district, acts as a corridor for elephants migrating from the Yala National Park to the Uda Walawe area. Open recently to the public, this national park borders the Lunugamvehera Reservoir. These game parks provide for an adventurous wildlife safari accompanied by an expert tracker and driver who will take you in a jeep, safely through the rough terrain.
We recommend spending a few days in the area to get a real taste of rural Sri Lanka as well as to enjoy the beautiful national parks. There is no better place for some luxurious outdoor camping with two excellent operators, Kulu Safaris and Eco Team, offering safaris within Yala and Uda Walalwe National Parks. We also adore the rustic charms of Galapita, a magical eco-retreat close to Yala and Kataragama. For those wanting an even more “eco-retreat” experience, Tree Tops Jungle Lodge is wonderfully escapist. Traditional hotel options include Yala Village and Elephant Reach, both of which offer reasonable accommodation.