About This Safari
Overview
Udawalawe National Park is Sri Lanka's most accessible and reliable wildlife safari destination — a 308 km² protected wilderness built around the vast Udawalawe Reservoir in the island's south-central heartland. Established in 1972, the park is home to over 500 resident Asian elephants who live here permanently, making it uniquely different from parks where elephants are occasional visitors.
Unlike the dense jungle of Yala, Udawalawe's open grassland and scrub savanna landscape ensures you can see elephants clearly — families with calves, large breeding herds, solitary bulls — often at just metres from your open-roof jeep. If there is one safari experience in Sri Lanka that is almost universally praised regardless of the season or time of day, it is Udawalawe. Add the nearby Elephant Transit Home — a rescue centre for orphaned elephant calves — and you have one of the most complete elephant experiences available anywhere in Asia.
What To Expect
Safari Highlights
500+ Resident Elephants
The highest resident elephant density in Sri Lanka
Elephant Calves
Large breeding herds with tiny calves regularly spotted
Elephant Transit Home
Rescue centre for orphaned elephant calves — feeding show daily
Wild Buffalo Herds
Large herds of wild water buffalo roam the grasslands
180+ Bird Species
Painted storks, kingfishers, eagles & open-billed storks
Open Year-Round
No seasonal closure — excellent sightings 365 days a year
Photo Gallery
See Udawalawe
Choose Your Experience
Safari Packages
Standard
Private jeep & expert guide
Includes
- Private open-roof 4WD safari jeep
- Expert naturalist driver-guide
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off
- Bottled water throughout
- Fuel, tolls & gate transport
Not Included
- Park entrance & vehicle fees
- Elephant Transit Home entry
- Lunch & meals
- Personal expenses
Premium
Everything covered
Everything in Standard, plus:
- Udawalawe park entrance fees
- Park vehicle fees included
- Elephant Transit Home entry
Not Included
- Lunch & meals
- Personal expenses
All-Inclusive
Zero surprises — everything covered
Everything in Premium, plus:
- Gourmet packed lunch
- Refreshments & snacks throughout
Not Included
- Personal expenses
What Happens
Safari Itinerary
Your private jeep collects you from your hotel in Ella, Mirissa, Galle, Colombo or your chosen location. Guests based in Embilipitiya or close to the park can meet the jeep directly at the gate for a morning half-day safari starting at park opening.
Arrive at the main entrance, complete park entry formalities, and enter the open savanna landscape. Within minutes, the first elephant sightings typically begin — families grazing beside the tracks, bulls walking deliberately through the scrub, calves stumbling alongside their mothers.
Your naturalist guide navigates the sandy track network through Udawalawe's open grassland and along the reservoir shoreline. Elephant encounters are the highlight — watch herds bathing, mud-wallowing, feeding and interacting at genuinely close range. Buffalo herds, spotted deer, mongooses and a rich variety of water birds share the landscape. The open terrain means excellent visibility and outstanding photography opportunities.
A short stop at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home — a government-run rescue centre for orphaned elephant calves. Watch baby elephants being fed milk from bottles, learn about the rehabilitation programme and follow their journey back to the wild. Feeding times are 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Included in the All-Inclusive and Premium packages.
All-Inclusive guests enjoy a gourmet packed lunch in a scenic spot near the park. Standard and Premium guests can choose a local restaurant in Embilipitiya or continue the return journey at their own pace.
Your driver takes you back to your hotel. Ella guests arrive around 2:30–3:00 PM, Mirissa around 3:30 PM, Galle around 4:00 PM. Colombo guests arrive in the early evening. Alternatively, the afternoon (3:00–6:00 PM) slot is excellent for a second safari drive when elephants move to the reservoir at sunset.
Add-ons
Tailor Your Safari
Evening Safari (Sunset)
Elephants gather at the reservoir at dusk — magical light
Ella Scenic Train
Combine with Sri Lanka's most famous train journey from Ella
Yala National Park Safari
Add a Yala leopard safari for a two-park wildlife day
Wildlife Photography Guide
Dedicated professional wildlife photographer escort
Want to combine your Udawalawe safari with another experience? Mention your preferences in the "Special Requests" section when making your inquiry below.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Udawalawe has the highest and most reliable elephant sighting rate of any national park in Sri Lanka. With over 500 resident elephants and an open grassland landscape that makes them easy to spot, sightings are almost guaranteed on every single safari — the only park in Sri Lanka where this is consistently true year-round.
Udawalawe is excellent year-round and has no seasonal closure. The dry season from February to July offers slightly better sightings as the reservoir shrinks and concentrates elephants near water. The rainy season from November to January is also wonderful for seeing baby elephants and lush green landscapes.
Udawalawe is approximately 60 km from Ella — about 1.5 to 2 hours by private vehicle. It is perfectly positioned on the scenic route between the hill country and the southern beaches, making it an ideal half-day addition when travelling from Ella to Mirissa or Galle.
The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home is a government-run rescue and rehabilitation centre for orphaned baby elephants, located near the park entrance. Young elephants are cared for until they can be released back into the wild. Feeding times are 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM. It is included in the All-Inclusive and Premium packages.
Absolutely — Udawalawe is one of the best national parks for families with young children. Elephant sightings are almost guaranteed, the open landscape offers clear views, and the Elephant Transit Home feeding show is a highlight for all ages. The safari is comfortable, safe and not physically demanding at all.
Yala is Sri Lanka's premier park for leopard sightings and has a wider variety of wildlife, but sightings are not guaranteed. Udawalawe is dedicated to elephants — if seeing Sri Lanka's famous wild elephants is your priority, Udawalawe is the better choice. Many visitors who want the best of both worlds do Udawalawe on the way south and Yala the following morning.
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