Udawalawe National Park
Sri Lanka's elephant capital — nearly guaranteed sightings, every time
About Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe National Park is renowned for its outstanding elephant sightings. The park's open plains and the Udawalawe reservoir provide an ideal habitat for herds of Asian elephants. It is almost guaranteed that visitors will see these majestic creatures up close during a safari. The park is also home to water buffalo, monitor lizards, sambar deer, and an array of birdlife.
Location on Map
Destination Guide
Year-round — one of the few parks in Sri Lanka that is open and productive all year. May to September (dry season) concentrates animals near the reservoir for the most dramatic sightings.
1 day (2 safaris: dawn and dusk)
Key Highlights
- ✨Elephant Sightings
With a population of 250+ resident elephants, Udawalawe offers the most reliable wild elephant encounters in Sri Lanka — usually in large herds.
- ✨Udawalawe Reservoir
A large reservoir that draws herds to the shore every evening in an iconic scene of elephants bathing at sunset.
- ✨Elephant Transit Home
A rehabilitation centre alongside the park where orphaned elephant calves are fed and prepared for release — open to limited daily visitors.
- ✨Buffalo Herds
Large herds of wild water buffalo also roam the park's open plains, often in spectacular numbers.
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