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If you want to see wild elephants in Sri Lanka and you only have time for one safari, Udawalawe is the safest bet. The park is built around a large reservoir with open grassland and scrub around it, and its elephants are out in the open most of the year. It is common to see dozens in a single drive, from big bulls feeding alone to family groups with tiny calves pressed against their mothers.
It is also an easy park: compact, close to main routes and good for families. Here is how to plan a visit.
Udawalawe at a glance
- Location: On the edge of the hill country and the southern plains, between Ella, Ratnapura and the south coast.
- Size: Around 300 square kilometres.
- Main entrance: On the Thanamalwila road, a few kilometres from Udawalawe town.
- Opening hours: Around 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.
- Best known for: Wild Asian elephants, seen almost every drive.
- Best for: First-time safari goers, families and anyone who wants reliable sightings.
Why the elephants are so easy to see
Udawalawe was created in the 1970s to protect the catchment of the Udawalawe reservoir, built on the Walawe river. Much of the park was once farmland and teak plantation, which has turned into open grassland and low scrub. With water available year-round and lots of grass, elephants stay in the park throughout the year, and the open landscape makes them easy to spot. The park holds several hundred elephants, and an electric fence along much of the boundary keeps most of them inside.
Other wildlife
Elephants are the main reason to come, but there is plenty more. Water buffalo, spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, golden jackals, mongooses and mugger crocodiles are common. Leopards and sloth bears live here but are rarely seen. Udawalawe is also excellent for birds, particularly raptors such as crested serpent eagles, white-bellied sea eagles and changeable hawk eagles, as well as bee-eaters, peafowl and kingfishers.
The Elephant Transit Home
Just outside the park is the Elephant Transit Home, run by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. It cares for orphaned and injured elephant calves and, crucially, releases them back into the wild when they are old enough, often into Udawalawe itself. Visitors can watch the calves being fed from a viewing platform at set times during the day. Unlike places where elephants are kept for tourism, there is no touching or riding, which is exactly how it should be. Check the current feeding times locally, as they can change.
Best time to visit
Udawalawe is good all year because the elephants do not leave. The drier months, roughly from May to September and again from January to March, bring animals to the reservoir and make them easier to see. After heavy rain, the grass grows tall and elephants may be partly hidden, but you will still see plenty. There is more detail in the best time to visit Udawalawe.
Half day, full day, morning or afternoon?
A half-day drive of three to four hours is enough for most people. Mornings are cooler and better for birds and general activity. Afternoons are good for elephants heading to the water and for warm light. Because elephants are seen at almost any time, Udawalawe is one park where a midday drive is not wasted, which makes it easy to fit in on a travel day.
How Udawalawe compares with other parks
| Udawalawe | Minneriya | Yala | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephants | Excellent, all year | Huge herds in the Gathering season | Good |
| Leopards | Rare | Rare | Excellent |
| Crowds | Moderate | Busy in season | Heavy |
| Best for | Reliable elephants, families | The Gathering, July to October | Leopards |
See our leopard vs elephant safari guide and the full park comparison.
Getting there
- From Ella: About two hours.
- From Yala or Tissamaharama: About one and a half to two hours.
- From Mirissa or the south coast: About two to two and a half hours.
- From Colombo: About three and a half to four hours via the expressway and Embilipitiya.
Many travellers do a safari in Udawalawe on the way between Ella and the coast, or between Colombo and Yala.
Costs and booking
Udawalawe's park fees are usually a little lower than Yala's, and jeep hire is similar or slightly cheaper. Jeeps wait in Udawalawe town and outside the park, and most hotels can arrange one. Ask for an experienced driver who knows the birds as well as the elephants. Our safari cost guide has the details, and our Udawalawe Elephant Safari includes transport and park fees.
Respecting the elephants
- Never feed elephants, including at the boundary fence where some wait for handouts. Feeding makes them aggressive and dependent.
- Ask your driver to keep a good distance, especially from mothers with calves and from bulls in musth, which have a dark discharge on the side of the head.
- Keep quiet and switch off the engine when watching.
