The most reliable elephants in Sri Lanka.
Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawe National Park is the most reliable place in Sri Lanka to see wild elephants, and we run it as a shared shore excursion from Hambantota Port at US$110 per adult with tickets included.
- Elephants, eagles, open grassland game viewing
- All year
- About 2 hours from Tissamaharama, 1.5 hours from Hambantota Port
- US$110 per adult from Hambantota Port, tickets included
Elephants, almost guaranteed
Udawalawe is open grassland around a large reservoir, so animals are easy to see. Herds of elephants are present all year, which is why it is the park we recommend to cruise passengers who have one morning ashore.
Crested serpent eagles, changeable hawk-eagles, water buffalo, spotted deer and crocodiles are all common.
The Elephant Transit Home
The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home raises orphaned calves and releases them back into the wild. Visitors watch a feeding session, usually around 10:30 AM or 2:30 PM, for about 30 minutes.
Our Hambantota Port shore excursion combines a feeding session with about two and a half hours of safari in the park.
Gates
Udawalawe main gate on the Thanamalwila road
Available here
Safaris in Udawalawe
Planning
Udawalawe questions
What guests ask before they choose this park.
01What is the best time of day for a Yala safari?
Early morning is best: the 4:30 AM start puts you at the gate as it opens, when leopards and elephants are still active and the light is good for photographs. The afternoon drive from 1:45 PM is the next best, ending in golden light.
02What is the best month to visit Yala?
February to July is the best stretch: the park is dry, animals gather at waterholes and leopard sightings are at their most frequent. Bundala is best from December to March, when the migrant birds are in.
03Is Yala closed in September?
Yala Block 1 usually closes for about six weeks from early September to mid-October each year for maintenance, but the exact dates are set annually by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Ask us for this year's dates - when Block 1 is shut we run safaris in Bundala or in Yala Blocks 5 and 6 instead.
04Will I definitely see a leopard?
No one can promise a leopard - this is wild country and the animals move where they like. Yala Block 1 has the highest leopard density in Sri Lanka, our trackers know the territories, and a longer drive improves your chances, but we will never guarantee a sighting.
05Which park is best for elephants?
Udawalawe is the most reliable park for elephants, with herds visible all year on open grassland. Yala holds around 350 elephants and Bundala has between 15 and 60 depending on the season, with December the best month there.
06Which park is best for birds?
Bundala is the best park for birds: it is a Ramsar wetland and UNESCO biosphere reserve where lagoons and dunes draw thousands of waterbirds, especially from December to March. Yala is also one of Sri Lanka's 70 Important Bird Areas, with more than 215 species and 6 endemics.