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Created to serve as a sanctuary to protect wildlife displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir, the Park lies on the boundary of Sri Lanka’s wet and dry zones. The landscape features large areas of open grassland along with a few forest, marsh and mountainous sections.
With close to 400 permanent residents and a further 300 migratory visitors, the Park’s reputation is dominated by the elephants. However, Udawalawe has plenty of other mammals and reptiles that call it home too, thanks to the plentiful water sources within the Park. It is also a great birding site with loads of raptors, water birds and land birds inhabiting the Park.
The abundance of water at the Park is a huge draw for the elephants and thanks to this, sightings of the giants are always guaranteed regardless of the duration of the safari. Across the years, the Udawalawe Elephant Transfer Home has released 65 rehabilitated elephants back into the Park.
Plenty of mammals call Udawalawe home and and these include: Leopards, Sloth Bears, Sambar, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo, Golden Jackal, Fishing Cat, Indian Muntjac, Toque Macaque, Tufted Grey Langur, Golden Palm Civets and more. Visitors are often surprised at the number of other animals they see during a safari.
As it features an astonishing 183 species of birds, birders usually wonder why Udawalwe is only famous for elephants. Once again, the abundant water sources are a key reason for the strong bird population. The Park attracts plenty of migratory species and is home to several endemic species too.
Before it was protected, the area was used for the slash-and-burn farming method of Chena cultivation. The abundant grasslands are the remnants of those agriculture methods and are the most dominant feature of the landscape. The park has rich and diverse flora which includes several endemic varieties.
A great escape for the traveller seeking a short holiday in Sri Lanka covering key Wildlife and Cultural highlights.
During this 10-day tour of Sri Lanka, you will have loads of exciting wildlife encounters, visits to historic attractions and plenty of delicious cuisines!
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With this amazing holiday experience in Sri Lanka, you will cover most of the cultural, historical and entertaining highlights that Sri Lanka has to...
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Observe endless herds of wild elephants roaming the grasslands of Udawalawe National Park – the world’s best place to guarantee elephant sightings on every...
Watch elephants swim across to islands using their trunks as snorkels, and meet the indigenous tribe of Veddas at Gal Oya National Park.
The Big Game Safari Campsite at Udawalawe is set within dense jungle overlooking a man-made reservoir on the eastern boundary of the Udawalawe National...
The Big Game Safari Campsite at Udawalawe is set within dense jungle overlooking a man-made reservoir on the eastern boundary of the Udawalawe National...
Mahoora Tented Safari Camp Udawalawe is located in a thicket on the eastern boundary of the Udawalawe National Park, surrounded by bush forest.
"Ahas" denotes "Sky" in the Sinhalese language, which is spoken in Sri Lanka, while "Pokuna" denotes "Pond" or "Pool."