Overview
Nachchaduwa Reservoir is a large ancient tank west of Anuradhapura, created in approximately the 4th century CE and enlarged by successive rulers of the Anuradhapura period as part of the great hydraulic civilisation’s city water management system. The tank covers several hundred hectares and its margins provide excellent waterbird habitat — painted storks, grey herons, great white pelicans, various egrets, and kingfishers are reliably present. The tank’s position between Mihintale and Anuradhapura makes it a natural stopping point on the Sacred City circuit, and the bund road provides pleasant cycling and walking with views across the open water toward the plains. The surrounding landscape — dry zone scrub, paddy fields, and occasional elephant tracks at the margin — is characteristic of the North Central Province’s beautiful and ancient agricultural ecology.
Highlights
- Ancient reservoir (4th century CE) supporting the Anuradhapura hydraulic system
- Excellent waterbird habitat: pelicans, painted storks, herons, kingfishers
- Bund road for cycling and walking between Mihintale and Anuradhapura
- Views across the open water toward the dry zone plains
- Part of the extraordinary ancient irrigation network of the Rajarata
- Elephant visits to the margin occasional — particularly in the dry season
- Morning mist over the water creates atmospheric photography
- Connects naturally with both Mihintale and the Anuradhapura Sacred City
Best Time to Visit
October–January for migratory birds. Mornings for bird activity.
Activities
- Birdwatching along the tank margins
- Cycling or walking the bund road
- Morning photography
- Tank ecology appreciation
Suitable For
Birdwatchers, cyclists, photographers, those combining Mihintale and Anuradhapura
Nearby Attractions
- Mihintale (15 min drive)
- Anuradhapura Sacred City (20 min drive)
- Kaludiya Pokuna (20 min drive)
- Kala Wewa (25 min drive)
- Nuwara Wewa (15 min drive)
Travel Tips
- Early morning cycling between Mihintale and Anuradhapura via Nachchaduwa is a beautiful route
- The bund is accessible by bicycle from both ends
- Bring binoculars for the pelican and painted stork photography
- The tank is best visited as part of the broader Sacred City cycling circuit
- Combine with Mihintale for a full sacred landscape day
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