Things to Do in Udawalawe, Sri Lanka

October 31, 2026

Udawalawe National Park sits in Sri Lanka’s southern dry zone, about 165 km from Colombo, and covers roughly 308 square kilometres of grassland and scrub around the Udawalawe Reservoir. It was declared a national park in 1972. Elephants are the draw: a 2025 study put about 400 to 600 of them in the park, so sightings are very likely, though never guaranteed. Prices below are in Sri Lankan rupees (LKR) with rough US dollar figures at about 334 LKR to the dollar. They come from operators, so check at the gate.

Jeep safari

You enter the park in a jeep with an approved guide and stay seated for the whole drive. Gates open at 06:00 and every vehicle must be out by 18:00. Most people go in one of two windows, about 06:00 to 09:30 or about 14:30 to 18:00. A jeep carries up to 6 passengers and is priced per jeep: about LKR 12,000 to 16,500 (USD 40 to 55) for 3 to 4 hours, and roughly USD 80 to 130 for a full day.

Park fees are separate and come in parts: USD 25 for a foreign adult, USD 15 for a child aged 6 to 12, nothing under 6, plus a group service charge, a small vehicle ticket and 18% tax. Operators quote gate totals of about LKR 13,400 for one adult and LKR 22,500 for two, roughly USD 44 and USD 74. Check the final amount at the gate.

Elephant Transit Home

The Elephant Transit Home was set up by the Department of Wildlife Conservation in 1995 to raise orphaned calves and release them back into the wild. About 57 calves lived there in July 2025, and 187 had been released since 1998. You watch the milk feedings from a covered pavilion that holds about 350 people. Sessions are usually about 10:30, 14:30 and 18:00, with the ticket counter opening about 30 minutes earlier, so confirm times on the day. A foreign adult pays USD 5 plus 18% VAT and a child aged 6 to 12 pays USD 3 plus VAT. Expect crowds on school and public holidays. This is viewing only: no touching, feeding or bathing.

Birdwatching

A checklist for the park lists 205 species. From a jeep you can look for Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Malabar pied hornbill, orange-breasted green pigeon and blue-faced malkoha. Near the water, painted storks, crested serpent eagles, grey-headed fish eagles and white-bellied sea eagles are all recorded. A lodge naturalist can help with identification if you ask when booking.

The dam road

A road crosses the top of the dam, which was built in the 1960s and runs about 4 km. It gives wide views over the reservoir and the elephants along its shore, best early or late in the day. Wild bulls sometimes beg from vehicles here. Never feed them: Department of Wildlife Conservation signboards say feeding is an offence. Stay in your vehicle and skip any dusk stroll along the embankment. The reservoir is an irrigation lake with crocodiles, so it is not a place to swim, and there is no rafting or kayaking at Udawalawe. White-water rafting in Sri Lanka is at Kitulgala.

Best time and planning

Elephants are visible all year. The dry season, about May to September, pulls herds to the reservoir shore. Sleeping inside the park is not permitted, so base yourself in Udawalawe town or a lodge on the park fringe and aim to leave for the gate around 05:30 to 06:00. Every foreign visitor needs an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka. Check FCDO advice and the weather before you travel, because heavy monsoon rain can cause floods and landslides that disrupt roads.

Park entry rules are on the Department of Wildlife Conservation site . Compare jeep safaris on GetYourGuide . UK travellers can read the FCDO Sri Lanka page .