Udawalawe National Park & Elephant Safari

Udawalawe National Park is a natural park in Sri Lanka, which lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces. The national park was created as a nature reserve and to provide a sanctuary for wild animals. Covering over 30,000 hectares of land area, the Udawalawe National Park was established on 30th of June 1972. It is a famous nature reserve in Sri Lanka. Udawalawe is one of protected areas where Sri Lankan Elephants are free to roam, and seen in large herds. It is an important habitat for wildlife and is well known for its large herds of Sri Lankan Elephants. Udawalawe National Park exhibits one of the highest biodiversity among the protected areas in Sri Lanka. It is a very popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country.

Udawalawe lies on the boundary of Sri Lanka’s wet and dry zones. Various forests and large plains lie within the area. With a breath taking view of the Kalthota Mountain Range. With the months October to January and March to May being known for heavy rainfall, the annual rainfall is 1,500mm. The average temperature is about 27-28 degrees Celsius. Udawalawe is known for its large number of elephants, with a herd of more than 250. The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home was established in 1995 to look after abandoned elephant calves within the park and is home to 40 Orphaned Elephants.