Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s finest safari destinations, offering visitors the chance to experience the island’s remarkable wildlife in a vast landscape of grasslands, forests, and wetlands. Established in 1972 to protect the catchment of the Udawalawe Reservoir, the park has become internationally recognised for its healthy population of wild Asian elephants and outstanding biodiversity.

The park is particularly famous for its elephants, with hundreds roaming freely across its open plains. Unlike many other national parks, Udawalawe’s relatively sparse vegetation makes wildlife easier to spot, allowing visitors to enjoy close yet respectful encounters with elephant herds, mothers and calves, and solitary bulls throughout the year.

Beyond its iconic elephants, the park is home to an impressive variety of wildlife. Water buffalo, spotted deer, sambar deer, crocodiles, jackals, wild boar, monkeys, and monitor lizards are frequently seen, while birdwatchers can look out for eagles, kingfishers, storks, hornbills, bee-eaters, and many other resident and migratory species.

Highlight Experiences at Udawalawe National Park

• Spot wild Asian elephants roaming freely across the park's open grasslands.
• Join an exciting jeep safari through one of Sri Lanka's top wildlife reserves.
• Look out for crocodiles, water buffalo, deer, jackals, monkeys, and other native wildlife.
• Discover more than 180 species of birds, making Udawalawe a paradise for birdwatchers.
• Enjoy sweeping views of the Udawalawe Reservoir and the park's diverse natural landscapes.