If you’re travelling to Sri Lanka to see wild animals, we invite you to take a safari in Uda Walawe National Park.
Among Sri Lanka’s 26 parks and reserves, Uda Walawe occupies a special place. Here, the forest has given way to vast, almost desert-like expanses, reminiscent of the African savannah. The great southern plain, stretching between the foot of the central mountains and the coastline, offers ideal conditions for cultivation. For many years, slash-and-burn farming was practised here, leading to deforestation. However, in the 1960s, a huge reservoir lake covering over 3,000 hectares was created. It immediately attracted an abundance of wildlife, particularly elephants.
To protect the animals, and given the risk of the forest disappearing completely, the Sri Lankan government created Uda Walawe National Park in 1972. The 30,000-hectare area is home to an estimated 500 elephants. Elephants are not the only animals to have made this haven of peace their home. There are some 40 species of mammal and 250 species of bird.
History of Uda Walawe Park
Photo credit: Shutterstock / Efimova Anna
Uda Walawe Park, named after the river that flows through the reserve, was established in 1960. It is one of the world’s largest parks, covering 30.8 hectares.
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this is a « savannah-type » national park. As such, you’ll see large plains, bodies of water and sometimes very dry, treeless vegetation. Many people say they prefer the landscapes of Uda Walawe to those of Yala. What’s more, it’s easier to observe the animals on safari in Uda Walawe National Park!
Our tips for visiting Uda Walawe Park
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Efimova Anna
The best time to visit Uda Walawe Park
The two best times of day to go on safari in the park are early morning or late afternoon. Afternoon tours tend to be less busy, and you can watch the sun set. You can devote the morning to a walk along the Walawe River and admire the birds.
The park can be visited all year round, but you’ll get the best conditions if you come during one of the two dry seasons: February/March or between May and September. April, October and November are often rainy.
How to equip yourself and what to take in your bag?
- Hat
- Glasses
- Sun cream
- Mosquito repellent
- Water bottle
Duration of a visit to Uda Walawe Park
Depending on the safari you choose, the duration varies from 2 hours for the shortest to 14 hours for the longest.
What to see and do on safari in Uda Walawe?
Photo credit: Shutterstock / alenacepl
Diverse fauna
Elephants are often the main reason for going on safari in Sri Lanka. Uda Walawe is particularly interesting in this respect, as they are numerous and easy to observe. As the park is relatively small, you’re guaranteed to encounter some on safari. It’s here that you’re most likely to see a tusker, a solitary male with impressive tusks.
Elephants are not the only inhabitants here. In Uda Walawe Park, you’ll also meet :
- Spotted axis deer: this is a species specific to Asia, for which there are still sufficient wooded areas.
- Leopard: some twenty specimens can be found in the park, often hidden in the tall grass.
- River buffalo:they can regularly be seen drinking on the banks of the Walawe River.
- Sloth bear : especially visible in early summer, when they come to feast on berries.
- Swamp crocodile : a wild and impressive species that can be seen near waterholes.
The park is also a birdwatcher’s paradise, with over 250 species of bird flying overhead. Peacocks and their colorful plumage feature prominently, along with egrets, bee-eaters, eagles and lapwings. They are accompanied in the sky by a multitude of large, multicolored butterflies.
A refuge for abandoned elephant calves
Elephants don’t always live in harmony with the people on their territories. If they venture into cultivated areas, landowners have to drive them away. In the panic, calves are sometimes injured or separated from the herd, leaving them vulnerable. Others are orphaned by poaching.
To help them, Uda Walawe Park has set up a transit center on its grounds. Elephant calves are cared for here, before being released back into the wild. The Elephant Transit Home is open to visitors, especially at feeding time. Four times a day, visitors can watch them being bottle-fed from a specially equipped platform.
How much does it cost to enter Uda Walawe Park?
Photo Credit: Shutterstock / Devaka Seneviratne
Admission is €14 for adults, €7 for children aged 6 to 12 and free for toddlers. Most of the time, however, this amount will be included in the service you choose to visit the park. Here are the main safari options in Uda Walawe National Park:
Classic safaris
- Three hours: from the park entrance, located at the 7th mile of Route B427. Tours start at 6.30 a.m. or 3 p.m. Cost approx. €30 per person.
- Full day: (picnic in the park included). Departure at 6 a.m. from your hotel. Allow around €100 per person.
Private safaris
- Three hours: from your hotel in Udawalawa, departing at 6 a.m. or 2:30 p.m. Allow around €70 per person.
- Ella area: you’ll take a cab to the park, which takes around two hours. At the entrance, you’ll be transferred to a jeep and the cab will take you back to your hotel after the tour. Allow 8 hours between departure and return to your hotel. Cost around €100 per person.
- From Bentota, Colombo or Negombo : the tour lasts around 14 hours. Expect to pay between €125 and €185, depending on pick-up location.
Please note that all prices for these services include guidance in English.
If you’re on a smaller budget, don’t worry, you can always hire a jeep with driver. It costs around €30 for the vehicle and €25 per person for the duration of the tour.
Are tours combined with other sites and activities available?
Photo credit: Shutterstock / alenacepl
Combined tours are available that allow you to go on safari not only in Uda Walawe National Park, but also in Yala National Park. For a full-day experience, expect to pay at least €150 per person.
Uda Walawe Park opening times
The park is open daily from 6 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., with the last entrance at 4.30 p.m.
How to get to Uda Walawe Park?
Car
If you rent a car, you can include the park in your road-trip. If you’re visiting the
then the tea fields of Haputale, you can drive down to the park in two and a half hours.
Do you like the south coast and its beaches? The park is a two-hour drive from Matara. There are plenty of jeeps with drivers to take you to see the animals. A park ranger supervises every excursion.
Bus
By bus, whether from the center or the south, take a bus to Thanamalwila. On the way, ask to stop near the park entrance.
Tour operators
As soon as you arrive in Sri Lanka, or even before, you can plan to use the services of an agency specialized in organizing safaris. Travelling with an experienced tracker pilot who knows the right places, you’ll discover the park’s many animals.
The most common routes are :
- Udalawe, Ella, Bandarawela, Wellawaya Koslanda for those travelling from the center of the country.
- Bentota to the south-west, Colombo or Negombo, for those who wish to start with this visit after arriving at the airport.
Where to stay near Uda Walawe National Park?
After your safari in Uda Walawe National Park, you can stay in a hotel in the park.
If you’re on a tight budget, Uda Walawe National Park also has a few bungalows and tent camping spaces within its grounds. Airbnb accommodation is also available in towns and villages close to the park.