sri lanka
Don’t you like to be a part of the world of amazing wild creatures for an hour or two? Then, be sure to make time to go on a wildlife safari ride into the Udawalawe national park during your Sri Lanka holiday and add some unforgettable wildlife moments to your travel journal.
Need help planning your safari ride in Udawalawe? Check our Udawalawe safari packages.
We’ve been offering safari ride for tourists for three years and have many experienced safari guides who know the park very well working with us. Plan your Udawalawe safari with us.
what you need to know
About udawalawe sri lanka
Located in Uva province of Sri Lanka, Udawalawe National Park is the most visited national park in Sri Lanka known for promised sightings of majestic elephants. Covering an area of 30,821 hectares, the park will show you some of the rarest and undoubtedly amazing wildlife moments making you wonder, if this is for real or a documentary on Animal Planet. Mostly comprised of green grasslands and bush forests, Udawalawe has become one of the main attractions of every animal lover who visits Sri Lanka. Udawalawe reservoir is the main source of water of the park and provides homes to over hundreds of animal and plant species creating rich ecosystems worth exploring.
Take some close-up shots of a range of animals from small birds to giant mammals at close quarters and enjoy an unforgettable time in the national park.
What to See in the Park
Elephants
Who doesn’t like to be around a giant elephant, amble pass a large heard and capture a cute little jumbo playing with each other twirling their tiny trunks. With nearly 250 elephants, Udawalawe is a loving home for elephants. A safari ride in Udawalawe is going to be an adventure full those elephant moments. Although they will be doing their own thing like eating grass or slowly stroll minding their own business for most of the time, you also might come across ones that come near your jeep greeting you with a friendly trunk fondle or a large heard with cute little cubs crossing the road in front of you.
However, it’s always advised to stay calm and never to interact with these mammoths-like creatures as the slightest thing can change their mood from calm to rage. It’s most likely to you could spot a heard near the reservoir in the open grassland. So, when your jeep approaches the open areas, make sure to keep your camera ready with the right setting to get the best shots of these magnificent creatures.
Birds
Watching a bird at distance is always a fun and interesting activity to pass time. But watching birds gets more interesting when you can witness someone much rarer than the regular pigeon you see from your office or house window. Udawalawe is popular for being a bird watching site just as its fame for being an elephant spotting site.
A range of migrated, endemic and resident birds are a common sight in Udawalawe, so keep your eyes peeled for these aves. An eagle or two dominate the blue sky as their birthright and dive like fighter jets to catch their prey, a slowly wading painted stocks searching for fishes in the river, flapping cormorant near the river bank and a Malabar pied hornbill resting on a tree branch are commoners in this part of the world, you get to witness often. Apart from that, Indian roller, Indian peafowl, Malabar pied hornbill and pied cuckoo, spurfowl, red-faced malkoha, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, brown-capped babbler, and Sri Lanka junglefowl are some of the birds’ species you will spot during your Udawalawe safari ride.
Deer
An innocent spotted deer with an shy adorable baby, a majestic Sri Lankan sambar deer with graceful antlers or a timid Indian muntjac and Sri Lankan spotted chevrotain are some of the permanent residents of the deer family you will capture in Udawalawe. Sometime you might get the chance to capture them crossing the road as swift as arrows so make sure your camera is ready all the time.
Peacocks
These magnificent creatures are a very common sight in Udwalawe and you will see walking along the road and flying over the treetops. A dancing peacock spreading its breathtaking plumage is a sight to die for according to some and an experience to count fingers for. Male peacocks dance to show off and to attract females in front of them, and they wouldn’t mind if you were there too.
Wild Boar
Sri Lankan wild boar is a small black bear with a thick fur coat you might catch wandering in the jungle, if you get really lucky. They are known to be one of the most swiftly disappearing animals in Sri Lankan national parks. So always keep your eyes on “Hawkeye-mode” to spot this amazing creature at distance.
Crocodiles
When you come to the open green grass area next to the Udawalawe reservoir, make sure to check the area for crocodiles. These creatures are regulars who come to chill in the reservoir banks, but will go unnoticed if you don’t scan the area thoroughly as they are experts in perfectly blending into the background.
Traveling to Udawalawe
Udawalawe boundaries lie in Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and it’s the closest national park to Colombo (only 166 Km away). The park is 124 Km away from Galle and 100 Km away from Ella. Usually, it will take nearly two hours to reach the park from Colombo. You can easily find buses to reach the national park if you are on a budget or enjoy exploring the countries like a local. For those who are more comfort concerned you can hire a cab or contact a reliable tour operator to plan your transfer.
Where to Stay
There are plenty of accommodations near the Udawalawe National Park and below are our recommendations.
See all Hotels to stay near Udawalawe National Park
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Nearby Attractions
Udawalawe Elephant Transit Centre
Only a 2 km away from the national park lies the Udawalawe Elephant transit centre. It is a home for orphan and lost calves in the jungle. Make sure to visit these jolly fellows and bottle feed them with milk which will fill your heart with warmth and joy!
Udawalawe Rainwater Reservoir
Travel 4 km away from the national park and you will find the ocean like man-made reservoir with glistening waters. If you get lucky, you will catch an elephant or two bathing or playing in the waters.
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