Udawalawe Elephant Safari
Sri Lanka's most reliable place to watch wild elephants, in open savannah, year-round.
What the Udawalawe Elephant Safari is really like.
Udawalawe is the surest place in the country to see wild elephants, with a resident population of several hundred in open grassland around a large reservoir. Unlike the seasonal gatherings, sightings here are near-guaranteed in any month. The open terrain makes for clear views of herds, bulls and calves, plus buffalo, crocodiles and a rich birdlife. The adjacent Elephant Transit Home cares for orphaned calves before release.
At a glance
- Best season
- Year-round
- Typical duration
- Half day
- Region
- 1
Moment by moment
How the day unfolds.
Open savannah at the gate
Enter onto wide, open grassland around the reservoir — terrain that makes elephants easy to spot from a distance.
Where in Sri Lanka.
The corners of the island this experience touches, so you can picture how it threads into the rest of a tour.
Keep exploring
More of the Wildlife.
Yala Dawn Safari
Sri Lanka's most famous leopard country, in the cool blue light before sunrise.
ExploreWilpattu Leopard Tracking
Sri Lanka's largest park, where leopards prowl between rain-fed villu lakes.
Explore
Minneriya Elephant Gathering
The largest gathering of wild Asian elephants on earth, around a dry-season tank.
Explore
Mirissa Blue-Whale Watching
Head offshore from the south coast to find the largest animal that has ever lived.
Explore
Sinharaja Rainforest Birding
A guided morning walk after the famous bird wave in Sri Lanka's last great rainforest.
Explore
Travel the theme
Tours through the Wildlife.
- Essential
Wild Trails Express
5 days · from $1,350 pp
Explore the package - Boutique
Deep Dive into the Wild
8 days · from $2,100 pp
Explore the package - Luxury
Leopards, Elephants & Rainforest
10 days · from $2,750 pp
Explore the package
Every tour is a starting point we tailor around the experiences you choose.
YOUR TRIP, YOUR WAY
Build a trip around the Udawalawe Elephant Safari.
Tell us this is the moment you want, and how you like to travel. A designer threads it into one seamless, tailor-made journey.