Udawalawe

Udawalawe National Park, on the border of Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces, is one of the best places in Asia to see wild elephants. Its open grassland and scrub around a large reservoir make animals easy to spot, and herds are seen on almost every safari. The park also sits conveniently between the hill country and the south coast.

About the park

Udawalawe was declared a national park in 1972 to protect the catchment of the Udawalawe reservoir and to give a home to animals displaced by its construction. It covers about 30,800 hectares, mostly grassland, thorn scrub and teak plantation, with the Walawe River flowing through it. Hundreds of elephants live in the park, often seen in family groups at the water's edge.

Safaris

Jeep safaris run in the morning and afternoon; see Udawalawe National Park safari. Besides elephants, you may see water buffalo, spotted and sambar deer, jackals, mongoose, crocodiles and monitor lizards. Leopards live here but are rarely seen. The park is excellent for birds, especially raptors such as crested serpent eagles and white-bellied sea eagles, along with endemics such as the Sri Lanka junglefowl, grey hornbill and green pigeon. Water birds include painted storks, pelicans, cormorants and egrets.

Elephant Transit Home

The Elephant Transit Home, run by the Department of Wildlife Conservation, raises orphaned baby elephants until they can be released back into the wild. Visitors can watch the feeding sessions from a viewing area several times a day. Unlike some other elephant attractions, the aim is to return the animals to the wild.

The reservoir

The Udawalawe reservoir and dam, completed in 1969 on the Walawe River, supplies irrigation water and hydroelectric power. Viewpoints along the dam road look over the water and the park, and elephants can sometimes be seen from the road along the fence.

Nearby

Diyawini Falls lies near Balangoda, and the gravel Craftsman Autodrome near the park hosts motor racing events. Sinharaja rainforest and the gem town of Ratnapura are within a few hours' drive, and the south coast at Tangalle is about an hour and a half away.

Getting there

Udawalawe is about 180 km from Colombo, around four hours via the Southern Expressway or via Ratnapura. It is about two and a half to three hours from Ella and about two hours from Yala, which makes it a convenient stop between the hills and the coast.

When to go and how long to stay

Elephants can be seen all year. The park receives most of its rain in two periods, around March to May and October to January; the dry months make animals concentrate near water. One night, with an afternoon and a morning safari and a visit to the Transit Home, is enough for most visitors.

Food

Most lodges and hotels near the park include meals, typically rice and curry with lake fish or chicken and plenty of vegetables. Embilipitiya, the nearest town, has bakeries, small restaurants and a market. Buffalo curd with kitul treacle, sold at roadside stalls in the south, is a local favourite worth trying.

Ratnapura and the gem country

Ratnapura, about an hour and a half north-west, is the centre of Sri Lanka's gem trade. Visitors can see traditional gem pits, where gravel is washed in baskets, and the gem market, where dealers trade stones in the street in the mornings. The Maha Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura is one of the island's important shrines, and the town is also a starting point for the Ratnapura route up Adam's Peak.

Suggested plan

Arrive in the early afternoon and visit the Elephant Transit Home for a feeding session, then take an afternoon safari. The next morning, go out again at dawn for birds and elephants before driving on to the south coast, Ella or Yala. A full-day safari is possible but rarely needed here.

Practical tips

Do not feed elephants at the park fence along the main road, however tempting it may be; it is dangerous and illegal, and it teaches the animals to approach vehicles. Bring a hat, sunscreen and binoculars, and expect dust in the dry season.

Where to stay and eat

Hotels, lodges and tented camps line the road near the park entrance and around Embilipitiya. Most serve meals, often rice and curry. See also Yala and the Sri Lanka wildlife page.