If you want to go on a safari in Sri Lanka, Udawalawe National Park is a good choice. We saw many elephants upclose, so here are my tips.
What to expect in this article
Find your activity with GetYourGuide
About Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe National Park, situated in the southern part of Sri Lanka, is a great place for people who like to see animals or want to experience a safari.
In addition to that, it is a protected area and 124.69 square kilometers, it has become mostly famous due to the amount of wild elephants. Additionally, you can also spot lots of buffalo, crocodiles, birds, and even some leopards if you are lucky.
It is located about 200 kilometers from Colombo and is easiest to reach from places in the south or Ella.
Why we visited Udawalawe Park
I visited Sri Lanka with my family for the first time in 2023, while my dad was born there. For my mom, sister, and me it was already a dream to finally be in Sri Lanka, but my mom has been dreaming about a safari since she met my dad. If you take a look at our house, you can see elephants everywhere, that is how crazy my mom is about them.
Read more here about my 2.5 weeks itinerary Sri Lanka.
Before going here, I did some research and asked others about their experiences if they had specifically seen elephants and most of them said yes. As it was so highly recommended, I was keen on visiting this park with my family, even though it was a 2-hour drive from Ella.
Apparently, your chances to see elephants are the biggest in this park, as it is also Sri Lanka’s smaller National Parks. Around 500 elephants live here and so far everyone I spoke to, has seen elephants.
Read another article about Sri Lanka!
Our experience in Udawalawe Park
After a two-hour drive, we arrived at the National Park. Here we paid around 15.000 Rupees (40 euros) per person, this includes the 2/3h safari, the jeep, and a tip.
We did have a jeep all to ourselves (we were with the 5 of us) and visited in June 2023.
Our driver was a kind man who explained a lot and answered all our questions.
During the safari, we saw beautiful landscapes, especially one part where you can see a water body against the mountains. Of course, many buffalos were bathing and drinking here.
The best of everything was the elephants. We saw quite a lot (let’s say 20) with their babies! One time the driver decided to stop right next to an elephant and her baby. If I had stretched my arm out, I would easily have touched them.
Cool, but pretty scary at the same time, as elephants are wild animals and I thought mothers with babies would be even more protective. That does make me wonder why this happened.
But it was amazing to see elephants crossing the road with their little mischievous babies.
Next to that, we also saw baby crocodiles (not very seeable), cute birds, peacocks but also an eagle on the ground. Lastly, we only saw one other jeep during our safari. Maybe we were lucky, as I have heard stories it can be very crowded.
Our first experience doing a safari was really great and my mom’s dream came true!
Also read these articles
Other National Parks of Sri Lanka
Yala National Park: Sri Lanka’s second-largest wildlife reserve, spans 979 square kilometers. It is based South-east and it’s mostly famous because of the leopard population. Eventhough there is a population, other still recommended me to go either early in the morning, as leopards are not so active during the day.
Minneriya National Park: Covering 8,889 hectares, this park is famous for its massive elephant gathering. I’ve heard stories of hundreds of elephants all gathered, feeding and socializing.
During the dry season, the Tank turns into a critical water source, attracting hundreds of elephants.
If I ever would go back to Sri Lanka (which I will, as I want to visit my family again), I would love to visit both parks. For now, one National Park was enough.
Would you rather visit another park?
Tips for visiting Udawalawe National Park
- The park opens at 6 AM. I would recommend you go on a safari as early in the morning as you can. Apparently, most animals are very active then and it is not that hot. We went around 11, as we had to drive 2 hours from Ella. We still got to see many elephants grazing.
- Make sure to go to the bathroom before hopping in the jeep
- Take water with you and food, but leave the food in your car
- For people with long hair, tie it. The road from the entrance to the Park is at least a 10 minutes drive, and the driver races over the road. The jeep is open and there is a lot of wind.
- Official website link
Did I convince you to visit Udawalawe National Park or do you prefer visiting another park? I would love to know about it, so make sure to send me a message!
Hurray! You made it so far. Want to read more?
Bicycle tour in buzzing Bangkok with Co van Kessel
Ever thought about cycling in crowded Bangkok (Thailand)? No, me neither, but it is actually super fun to do! In this
Pondicherry Guide
Do you want to have the best tips about Pondicherry? Are you planning to visit Pondicherry soon and want the
Living in Nepal: Visas, cost, health, and expat tips (Part 2!)
Hi, I’m Hailey, a Canadian adventure travel blogger and digital nomad. I’m a jump-in-head-first type of gal, moving out for
The magic of Fatehpur Sikri in one unforgettable day
Are you thinking about going to Fatehpur Sikri? I will share everything about our experience while visiting this year in
What’s it like to live and work in Chengdu (China) as an expat
What is it like to live in Chengdu as a French expat? What are the salaries like? How does it
What’s it like to live and work in Myanmar as an expat?
What is it like to live in Myanmar as an expat? Is it safe? How does it work with a
Sleeping safely (female- friendly) & comfortable at the airport of Kuala Lumpur
Are you considering a stay over on the airport of Kuala Lumpur? Then don’t worry because there is a place
5 Reasons why you should visit Mysore (India)
Why should I visit Mysore? Did you ever wonder about this? You should already have packed your bags and left!
Angkor Wat (Cambodia): Costs and 7 amazing temples you can’t miss!
If you ever get the chance to visit Angkor Wat, please do! It’s one of the most amazing sites I
9 Things you should know about Cambodia before going!
Cambodia stole my heart! It’s a country that not many know about, but it is becoming a more famous backpacking
Top places to visit in Jaffna: Insider travel tips from locals
Jaffna is the place where my dad was born and we visited for quite some days. In this article, I
Tips from a Sri Lankan: Top 20 Food items you must try in Sri Lanka!
How can someone not like Sri Lankan food!? It has so many flavours, it is mostly healthy and it is
