Field Guide
Udawalawe National Park.
What the brochure doesn't tell you.
The Basics
308 km²
Park size
1972
Established
1968
Reservoir built
10 km
From Embilipitiya
The Wildlife (honest)
What you'll see. What you won't.
Elephants
Over 500 resident elephants. Largest concentration in Sri Lanka. Herds of 20-60 are common. Calves present year-round. Mating season (October-January) means more male activity.
Birds
214 species. Great white pelican, painted stork, purple heron, crested serpent eagle, grey hornbill, Sri Lanka junglefowl (endemic), black-necked stork. Best early morning at the reservoir edge.
Crocodile
Mugger crocodiles at the reservoir. Commonly seen basking. No threat to visitors in jeeps.
Water Buffalo
Large herds in the grassland. Often close to the track.
Spotted Deer
Common throughout. Alarm call is worth listening for — it often signals a predator nearby.
Leopard
Rare sightings near the forest buffer on the west boundary. Do not come to Udawalawe expecting leopard. Go to Yala for that. Come here for elephants.
Sloth Bear
Occasional near the forest buffer. Second rarest sighting in the park after leopard. Our second sighting this month (June 2026) was only the fourth in two years.
Best time to visit
The park never closes.
Dry — Best
May to September
Best. Water levels drop, wildlife concentrates at the reservoir. Maximum elephant activity.
Rainy — Excellent
October to January
Still excellent. Baby elephants born in this period. Fewer tourists. Green and lush.
Inter-monsoon
February to April
Good. The park never truly disappoints.
No closure
Year-round
Unlike Yala, Udawalawe never closes.
Practical info
Before you arrive.
- ·Park gates open 6:00am.
- ·Safari jeep required — self-drive not permitted.
- ·Park entrance fee: approx $35 per adult (foreign national).
- ·DWC licensed jeeps only.
- ·No off-track driving permitted.
- ·Mobile signal: available in parts of the park.