Udawalawe National Park is Sri Lanka’s most reliable destination for seeing wild elephants, home to an estimated 500 to 600 of them across roughly 308 square kilometers of open grassland and thorny scrub in the dry southeastern lowlands. It sits on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces, centered on the Udawalawe Reservoir, and a half-day jeep safari here will almost always put you face to face with multiple elephant herds, along with crocodiles, water buffalo, deer, and peacocks.
Here is what a visit actually looks like, based on a two-night trip I took to the park.
Getting There
My route came from Kandy, down through Ratnapura, and on to Udawalawe. It is a long drive by any measure, winding down out of the hill country and into the dry southeastern lowlands, but it is a scenic one, and the change in landscape along the way, from Kandy’s tall forest canopy to Udawalawe’s low, scrubby thorn jungle, is part of what makes the destination feel worth the distance.
If you are coming from Colombo instead, the more common route runs through Ratnapura, Pelmadulla, and the Colombage Ara junction, and takes roughly three to four hours. The park’s main entrance sits close to the 7th milepost on the Udawalawe-Thanamalwila road, and this same stretch of road is where you will pass the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, the park’s elephant orphanage, on your way in.
About the Park
Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary between Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces, in the dry lowlands of southern Sri Lanka. It was established on 30 June 1972, making it one of the country’s older national parks. Its origin is tied directly to the reservoir at its center: the park was created as a sanctuary for the animals displaced when the Udawalawe Reservoir was built on the Walawe River, and to protect the reservoir’s catchment area. Before that, much of the land had been farmed using the traditional chena, or slash-and-burn, method, and the open grasslands you see across the park today are largely a legacy of that earlier cultivation, now grown over with scrub and thorn.
The park covers around 30,800 hectares, roughly 308 square kilometers, of grassland, thorny scrub, and pockets of riverine forest, with the reservoir itself forming its scenic centerpiece. Unlike Kandy’s tall, dense hill forest, Udawalawe’s vegetation is low and open, dominated by small, closely packed branches rather than towering trees. It looks striking from a jeep, but be careful reaching out to touch anything; a lot of that low scrub carries sharp, needle-like thorns.
This open landscape is exactly why Udawalawe has become known as Sri Lanka’s most reliable place to see wild elephants. Estimates of the park’s elephant population vary depending on the source and the year, but most put the number somewhere between 500 and 600 individuals, a remarkable concentration for a park of this size.
Entrances
Udawalawe has one main public entrance, the Main Entrance, near the 7th milepost on the Udawalawe-Thanamalwila road, which is what almost every visitor uses and where the ticket office and safari jeeps are based. There is also a quieter secondary access point called Handagiriya, on the park’s eastern side near Thanamalwila, used mainly by jeeps approaching from that direction and offering a less crowded start to a safari. A third access point near the Sevanagala Sugar Factory exists but is restricted to park rangers and researchers, not open to the public.
Staying Inside the Park
Beyond the hotels around Udawalawe town, the Department of Wildlife Conservation also operates a handful of circuit bungalows inside the park itself, including Gonawiddagala and Weheragolla, both close to the reservoir. These are basic but memorable: beds, linens, and a kitchen with cooking facilities, solar power for lighting only, and no mains electricity. Guests bring their own food and drinking water, and DWC provides a cook to prepare it. The appeal is obvious, waking up inside the park to elephants and birdlife right outside, but bookings are limited to three consecutive nights and need to be made well in advance through DWC’s official reservation portal, since they fill up quickly.
Planning the Safari
I arranged my 4×4 safari jeep through the hotel where I stayed the night before, and it was simple. The going local rate at the time was around Rs. 8,000 for the jeep, split between the four of us in my group. Foreign visitors should expect to pay considerably more for the same jeep hire, typically somewhere around US $110 to $120 for two people, separate from the park entry fee itself. Pricing depends heavily on whether you are a foreign visitor or a local resident, and on how well you negotiate.
Worth knowing: you do not have to book through your hotel. Along the road near the Elephant Transit Home, at the 7th milepost, there are plenty of independent safari jeep operators, and competition among them is strong enough that you can often get a better price than a hotel-arranged one. Just be cautious, particularly if you are a foreign traveler; some drivers will quote inflated rates, so it pays to compare a few before committing.
Our driver suggested an earlier start, closer to sunrise, which is generally the better time for sightings. With two young kids in tow, though, an early start was not realistic for us, so we compromised and began around 7 a.m. from Udawalawe town, a small village close to the park. From there, it took about 20 to 30 minutes to reach the park entrance itself.
Entering the Park
The entry process has a couple of stops. After driving through the main gate, you go another 100 to 200 meters to a separate ticket office, where your driver reports and purchases entry tickets. Pricing here differs for foreign and local visitors. From the ticket office, it is another short stretch, roughly 100 meters, to a second checkpoint, where staff check your entry pass before letting you proceed into the park proper.
One rule worth taking seriously: leave your food in the jeep, out of sight, or better, do not bring loose food into the park at all. Monkeys and other animals near the entrance are experienced at finding and raiding anything left visible.
Entry Fees
Foreign visitor pricing is set by the Department of Wildlife Conservation and is charged in USD terms, converted to and collected in Sri Lankan rupees only, credit cards are not accepted at the counter. Rates are split between SAARC and non-SAARC countries:
| Fee | SAARC Countries | Non-SAARC Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Entry fee (adult) | US $20 | US $25 |
| Entry fee (child) | US $10 | US $15 |
| Tourist service fee (per group) | US $10 | US $10 |
| Vehicle entry fee (jeep/van/cab) | Rs. 300 | Rs. 300 |
| VAT | 18% | 18% |
As an example, at the exchange rate posted during my visit, one adult and one child from a non-SAARC country worked out to a grand total of roughly Rs. 19,350, after the vehicle fee and VAT were added. The same combination for a SAARC-country visitor came to around Rs. 15,150. Since these totals depend on the day’s USD to LKR exchange rate, treat these as an example rather than a fixed price, and check the current rate and fee schedule before you go.
Into the Park
We visited during the dry season, so much of the interior was brown and bare, though pockets of greenery remained near the water. The full drive took us three to four hours in total.
Our first stop, after about an hour, was the lake, formed by the reservoir. By the time we arrived, five to ten other jeeps had already gathered there. It was easy to see why: crocodiles were resting along the banks, and wading birds, storks among them, stood near the shallows. On the way there, we also passed a large herd of deer, and watched a brief standoff between an eagle that had landed on some food and a crow trying to chase it off. Small moments like that, not just the elephants, are part of what makes a few hours in the park worth it.
The Elephants
Seeing elephants is the main reason people come to Udawalawe, and the park’s reputation for reliable sightings is well earned. Our drivers, like most in the park, communicated with other jeeps by radio or by stopping to talk when they crossed paths, sharing information on where elephants had last been spotted.
About an hour and a half into the drive, that cooperation paid off. We came across a group of more than ten female elephants, ranging from small calves to fully grown adults, gathered together and completely calm. They came close to our jeep on their own, curious rather than defensive, and at one point an elephant reached its trunk near enough to touch the vehicle. It was harmless, more curiosity than anything else, but our driver was clear that this comfort came from experience: he knew how to read the herd and told us to stay still and quiet rather than panic. None of the elephants in this particular group were tuskers.
Later, on the return leg, we spotted a few male elephants as well, though from a greater distance. This is where a pair of binoculars earns its place in your bag; you cannot always get close, and a good pair makes a real difference to what you actually see.
Breakfast in the Jungle
One unexpected touch our hotel arranged was breakfast inside the park itself. We said yes out of curiosity, and they packed bananas, roti, and some simple sandwiches for us. There is a designated rest area inside the park, a cleared stone-paved spot where several jeeps often stop at once, and we spent about half an hour there before continuing.
If you are offered something similar, it is a memorable way to break up the drive, but treat the space with care. We made a point of packing out everything we brought in, down to banana peels, and it is worth doing the same; leaving nothing behind is the least a visitor can do in return for a morning like that.
The Elephant Transit Home and the Roadside Elephants
Near the 7th milepost, on the same road leading to the park, is the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, established in 1995 to care for orphaned and abandoned elephant calves. Calves are bottle-fed until around three and a half years old, then gradually shifted to a grass diet before eventual release. It is a separate stop from the main park safari and worth budgeting time for if you are interested in seeing young elephants up close, in a more managed setting.
The park is also bordered in places by an electric fence, first put up in the 1980s along its southern boundary. Its purpose is to keep elephants inside protected land and reduce conflict with the farmland and villages that surround the park, though elephants here are notably resourceful, and some have learned to push over fence posts with their trunks or feet to cross when they choose to. It is a reminder that the boundary between the park and the world around it is more porous, and more actively negotiated by the animals themselves, than it might first appear.
Other Things Along the Way
Between the park and the surrounding towns, keep an eye out for the roadside mango sellers. There must be twenty or so small stalls lining both sides of the road at various points, and the mangoes are genuinely good; a bag cost me around Rs. 200 on the day I stopped. It is a small, easy detour worth making.
We also saw peacocks throughout the drive, seemingly everywhere once we started noticing them, along with the crocodiles, deer, and birdlife already mentioned.
Udawalawe Compared to Yala
I had visited Yala National Park before coming here, and the two are different experiences. Yala is beautiful and better known internationally, but it can feel busy, with a lot of jeeps competing for the same sightings. Udawalawe, at least on the day I visited, felt calmer. There were plenty of other jeeps around, particularly near the lake and the elephant sightings, but it never felt rushed or crowded. If your priority is a strong chance of seeing elephants, in numbers, without excessive traffic inside the park, Udawalawe may be the more dependable choice of the two.
Practical Tips for Visiting Udawalawe
- Timing: An early start, ideally before 7 a.m., generally gives better sightings, though a 7 a.m. start still worked well for us.
- Duration: Budget three to four hours for a proper drive through the park.
- Cost: Local pricing for a 4×4 safari jeep runs around Rs. 8,000, shared among your group; foreign visitors should expect roughly US $110 to $120 for two people. This is separate from the park entry fee, which for foreign visitors is charged in USD terms (see Entry Fees above) and paid in rupees. Add roughly Rs. 2,000 if you arrange an in-park breakfast for a small group.
- Where to hire a jeep: Either through your hotel or directly from the many independent operators near the park entrance and Elephant Transit Home; compare prices before committing.
- Bring: Binoculars, given that not every animal will come close to the vehicle.
- Leave behind: Any loose food; keep it out of sight to avoid attracting monkeys near the entrance.
- Leave nothing behind: If you stop for a rest or breakfast inside the park, pack out everything you bring in.
- Where to stay: Udawalawe has a range of hotels at fair prices close to the park; I will cover recommended places to stay, along with other things to do in the area, in a separate guide.
Final Thoughts
Two nights in Udawalawe were enough to see dozens of elephants and understand exactly why this park has the reputation it does. If you want a national park experience in Sri Lanka that reliably delivers elephants, without the crowds you might find elsewhere, Udawalawe is worth the drive from wherever you are starting.
Udawalawe is only one part of Sri Lanka’s remarkable wildlife story. Beyond its famous elephants, the island is home to an incredible variety of wildlife, including elusive leopards, sloth bears, colourful birds, and many other species. If you’re hoping to discover more of Sri Lanka’s wild side, take a look at our guide to where to see leopards in Sri Lanka and explore some of the best places to spot these magnificent cats in the wild.
Location Map
Nearby Atractions
- Adisham Bungalow (St. Benedict’s Monastery): A Peaceful Colonial Retreat in Haputale - 32.8 km
- Haputhale Travel Guide - 33.1 km
- Lipton’s Seat: A Scenic Viewpoint Above Sri Lanka’s Tea Country - 36.6 km
- Sudagala Ella & Beyond - A Jungle Glamping Escape in Kuruwita - 63.1 km
- Monara Gala Mountain (Peacock Hill) - 72.2 km
- Kondagala Rock – A Hidden Hike Above Sri Lanka’s First Tea Estate - 76.7 km
- Hanguranketha Ambalama - 78.1 km
- Randenigala View Point - 78.9 km
- Bellwood Kandy - The hidden landscape - 83.7 km
- Galaha – A Quiet Tea Country Escape Near Kandy - 84 km
