Top 15 Udawalawe National Park Safaris

1.Udawalawe National Park: Elephant Safari with Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 641 reviews · 4 - 10 hours · from $30Our pick

Spend four to ten hours in Udawalawe National Park with a private 4x4 and an English or Sinhalese-speaking guide such as Gimhana, Uditha, or Jayashan. Expect open grasslands, wetlands, elephants, crocodiles, birds, and a good chance of water buffalo and deer. Early starts help you beat the heat and busy trails.

“Gayan, our driver and guide, was very considerate of our needs and wants. He drove with care and attention. We were able to see elephants, crocodiles, deer, monitor lizards, mongoose and various birds. Gayan was respectful of the animals and gave them plenty of space to roam. We loved the baby elephants and how close they came to the jeep. The whole experience was relaxed and not rushed at all. Gimhana was excellent at communicating before the tour and letting us know about the driver and other services they offer. Very professional and warm company. Highly recommend.”

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2.Udawalawe: National Park Safari & Elephant Transit Home Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 183 reviews · 4 hours · from $21

You’ll spend about three hours in Udawalawe National Park with an English-speaking driver-guide such as Pathum, Koshala, or Mahesh, then visit the Elephant Transit Home during feeding time. Expect a shared 4x4 jeep for up to seven people, hotel pickup around Udawalawe, and extra fees for both entrances.

“Mahesh was a great driver! Really friendly and knowledgable about wildlife even before we’d started the safari! He took us on the less busy routes which was amazing, meaning we weren’t constantly with jeeps all the time”

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3.From Mirissa/Galle/Hikkaduwa: Udawalawa National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 106 reviews · 5 - 9 hours · from $27

Travel by air-conditioned car from Sri Lanka’s south coast to Udawalawe National Park, then explore by 4*4 jeep with an English-speaking guide. Expect elephants, buffalo, deer, crocodiles, monkeys, birds, and a visit to the Elephant Transit Home feeding session. Park tickets and food cost extra.

“A great day all in all. The transfer from our hotel to Udawalawe was without any issues and very comfortable, which is also true for the return trip in the evening. The safari itself was really great, and the guide was very good both at the actual driving as well as spotting and pointing out the animals. I would 100% recommend this trip whilst in the area or while transferring!”

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4.Udawalawe National Park Safari trip from Galle/Mirissa/Ella

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · from $190Top rated

Leave Galle early for a 10-hour Udawalawe National Park safari with hotel pickup, a private jeep, park entry, water, and a four-hour game drive. Guides such as Mahesh, Nandana, and Nandan help spot elephants, crocodiles, and birds. An optional elephant orphanage visit costs extra.

“Our guide Nandan was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. He picked us up on time and also dropped us to a couple of places we wanted to see along the way back to Galle. The safari itself was also very enjoyable, though we did not see an entire herd of elephants only a few individuals here and there, including one battle between alpha males.”

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5.Udawalawa National Park half day Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $85

Travel from your Galle accommodation in an air-conditioned private vehicle, then explore Udawalawe National Park for about three hours in a 4WD safari jeep. Your guide helps spot elephants and other wildlife. Guides may include Shehan, Kuma, or Daru, depending on the arrangement.

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6.All Inclusive Udawalawe National Park Safari

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 19 reviews · 8 hours · from $140

Travel from Ella, Bandarawela, or Wellawaya to Udawalawe National Park for a private jeep safari with an English-speaking guide. Expect about two hours each way and roughly three hours inside the park, with chances to see elephants, deer, monkeys, monitor lizards, jackals, and possibly leopards. Guides may include Tushi, Pubba, Dinuka, or Dinu.

“Tushi was amazing!! He was super patient, shared great knowledge about Sri Lanka and the culture. He even bought us some local fruits and choppers, because we’d told him we haven’t tried them yet. 100% recommend. We laughed all the way!”

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7.Privet One Day Udawalawe National Park Elephant Safari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $267

Leave Colombo at 6:00 am in a private air-conditioned vehicle for a 4WD safari in Udawalawe National Park. Expect a long day, many hours on the road, and a strong chance to see elephants. On the return, visit Maha Saman Devalaya and Ratnapura’s Gemmological Museum. Park, lunch, and jeep fees cost extra.

“We werden afgehaald door een chauffeur met een mooie wagen”

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8.Udawalawe National Park Safari from Weligama

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $92

Travel from Weligama or nearby Mirissa to Udawalawe National Park in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking chauffeur, then explore by safari jeep. Guides such as Kani and Janaka are praised for spotting elephants, birds, crocodiles, snakes, and water buffalo. The park drive is bumpy, the entry ticket costs extra, and the plan takes about seven hours.

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9.Explore The Beauty Of Udawalawe National Park From South Coast During 01 Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $90

Bhathiya Tours takes you from Galle or nearby South Coast destinations to Udawalawe National Park in a private, air-conditioned car. After the roughly three-hour drive, you spend four hours in a safari jeep with a driver-tracker looking for elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, monkeys, and birds. You can also stop at the Elephant Transit Home.

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10.Udawalawe National Park Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · 6 hours · from $84

This six-hour Ella to Udawalawe trip combines air-conditioned transport with a four-hour open-top jeep safari. Guide Gimhana, who has 10 years of experience, helps you spot elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, deer, monkeys, peacocks, and birds. Park entry is extra, and the tour ends with hotel drop-off in Udawalawe.

“Gimhana was an amazing guide and we really enjoyed the experience! Highly recommend this adventure!🐘🐘🐆🐆”

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11.All inclussive Udawalawa National Park Safari From Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 11 reviews · 12 hours · from $225

You leave Colombo early for Udawalawe National Park, about five hours away, then spend three hours on a shared jeep safari looking for elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, birds, and more. Lunch is at your own cost, and a 45-minute visit to the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home follows. Hotel transfers, water, park entry, and transit-home fees are included.

“Het was fantastisch, heel veel wilde dieren gezien, en een prachtig park”

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12.All Inclusive Udawalawe National Park Safari Day Tour from Colombo and Negombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $335

Travel from Colombo or Negombo in a private air-conditioned vehicle, then spend about three hours in Udawalawe National Park with a private 4x4 jeep and safari driver. Guides such as Dilan, Dylan, and Mindika are praised for sharp animal spotting and clear narration. Expect elephants, deer, crocodiles, buffalo, mongooses, and excellent photo chances.

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13.From Weligama : Udawalawa National Park Safari Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 8 reviews · 8 hours · from $72

Travel from Weligama, Mirissa, or nearby south-coast towns to Udawalawe for a three-hour jeep safari. Expect wild elephants, deer, buffalo, crocodiles, and plenty of birdlife. An experienced English-speaking guide, possibly Batu, explains the park, while hotel pickup, air-conditioned transport, and return drop-off keep the day simple.

“Il Safari è stata una bella esperienza consiglio vivamente il tour anche per la disponibilità, la professionalità dei gestori . Il viaggio con un minivan comodissimo top e infine la guida del parco mi sembra che si chiamasse Batu ci ha illustrato la flora e la fauna veramente competente grazie mille 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻”

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14.All Inclusive Udawalawa National Park Day Tour from Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $255

Leave Colombo at 6:00 am in a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking chauffeur, then explore Udawalawe National Park by jeep. Look for elephants, buffalo, deer, leopards, birds, reptiles, and wetland life around the reservoir. Lunch, water, park fees, sweets, and tea are included.

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15.Udawalawe National Park Safari With Transfers From Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $175

Travel from your Colombo hotel to Udawalawe National Park in an air-conditioned vehicle, then search for elephants, buffalo, deer, crocodiles, and other wildlife from a 4WD Jeep. The day also includes a possible visit to the Elephant Transit Home, bottled water, WiFi on request, and hotel drop-off.

“Excellent. Saw lots of elephants. Good driver. He was very helpful and polite. Safari driver and guide very knowledgeable too”

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