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If you’re looking for the best tours of Udawalawe National Park, this blog has you covered.
There are a lot of safari options out there and while they may seem pretty similar, don’t risk taking a subpar adventure to one of the best national parks in Sri Lanka, trust me. I’ve booked a bad one before and it ruined the whole experience!
We’ve been to the park multiple times and below are our trusted, tried and true tours to Udawalawe National Park that are guaranteed to have you loving this country’s wild side. We have options for everyone regardless of budget or where you’re staying, so keep reading for the best tours to Udawalawe National Park!
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this private safari where you can customize the length from 4-10 hours. Expect to see tons of animals (elephants for sure!) from an open-air jeep with an expert guide.
This tour is VERY popular and you can check out the 500+ reviews and book it here!
Tip: Reserve this tour early to guarantee your spot and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!
1. Private Customizable Safari of Udawalawe National Park
- Price: $50 USD – $195 USD (price varies by group size, inclusions, and time spent at the park)
- Duration: 4 hours, 7 hours, or 10 hours
- Time: 6 am, 11 am, 2 pm
- Highlights: Taking an open-air jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park to spot wild elephants, langurs, peacocks, boar, and more
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, jeep, roundtrip transportation, entrance to the park (if specified), water
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Udawalawa
- Rating: 5 stars (Check the 550+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
I love this private safari tour because it’s completely customizable meaning you only pay for what you want. Perfect for solo travelers, couples, or groups of any size, you’re guaranteed to see spectacular wildlife regardless of how long a safari you take!
Udawalawe is known for its elephants, so if you’re hoping to see some, this is the best place in all of Sri Lanka. We took a late afternoon tour of the park from 2-6 pm and saw tons! There is a large reservoir that hundreds of elephants like to drink at, so it’s common to see massive elephants walk past your jeep on their way to it.
Each jeep has a driver who also serves as a guide for spotting wildlife both big and small. While elephants were my favorite, I loved seeing langurs hop across the plain and large peacocks stroll down the road next to us. Since it’s an open-air jeep, you can stand on the seats and look out at everything which I loved. Think Jurassic Park but without the dinosaurs!
Guides are more than just glorified animal spotters though and know their stuff when it comes to the wildlife in the park. As an animal lover, I was thrilled to have such knowledgeable guides teaching me about the area.
Whether you take a 4, 7, or 10-hour safari you will have the adventure of a lifetime on this tour.
Read the HUNDREDS of 5-star reviews and book our favorite tour here!
Related Read: Our full guide on Udawalawe National Park is full of tips you’ll need before your visit!
2. Private 4-Hour Tour of Udawalawe National Park
- Price: $12 USD – $117 USD (prices vary by group size and inclusions)
- Duration: 4 hours
- Time: 6 am, 10 am, 2 pm
- Highlights: Taking an open-air jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park to spot wild elephants, langurs, peacocks, boar, and more
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, jeep, roundtrip transportation, entrance to the park (if specified), water, snacks
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Udawalawa
- Rating: 5 stars (Check the 80+ reviews here)
- Free cancellation: Yes
Morning or late afternoon tours of Udawalawe National Park are arguably the best you can take and this safari tour lets you pick from either time at an affordable price.
Later in the day is the best time to see large herds of elephants walk past your jeep! And since Udawalawe is the best place to see large herds of elephants, chances are that will happen to you.
Since the park closes at 6 pm, if you take the 2 pm safari, you’ll be in the park the absolute latest you can be! But even before elephants come by for an evening stroll, there are tons of other animals to see.
We appreciate how friendly and knowledgeable the guides are and how ridiculously good they are at spotting animals of all shapes and sizes. One of my favorite memories was chatting with our driver about life in Sri Lanka and then suddenly his eyes grew wide as he pointed out a family of langur behind me! They are so cool to see in person.
Regardless of if you’re traveling solo or in a large group, this tour is priced perfectly. If you want to see animals, but don’t want to spend the entire day doing it or break the bank in the process, this experience is for you.
Book this popular 4-hour safari here!
3. Private All-Inclusive Tour of Yala and Udawalawe National Parks
- Price: $240-$330 USD (prices vary by group size and pick up location)
- Duration: 13 to 16 hours
- Time: 4 am – 6 am (depends on pick up location)
- Highlights: Taking an open-air jeep safari through both Udawalawe National Park and Yala National Park to spot wild elephants, leopards, sloth bears, peacocks, boar, and more
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, jeep, roundtrip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, entrance to both parks, lunch, water, snacks
- Pickup from: Any hotels in Wadduwa, Kalutara, Beruwala, Bentota, Ahungalla, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Unawatuna, Talpe, Koggala, Ahangama, Weligama, Mirissa, Dickwella, Tangalle, Hambantota, Yala, Tissamaharama, Udawalawe or nearby areas
- Rating: 5 stars (Check the reviews here!)
- Free cancellation: Yes
This double national park adventure is the best way to spot rare wild animals like leopards and sloth bears. But don’t forget about the elephants around every turn! I’ve explored both parks, so trust me when I say they both offer separate experiences you don’t want to miss out on.
The day starts early regardless of where you get picked up from, but it’s worth it when you’re taking a Jeep through Yala National Park at sunrise. We saw peacocks with their feathers out, a leopard run across the road, sloth bears, and more boar and elephants than you could shake a stick at! It was like the Jungle Book came to life right before my eyes. If you’re looking for the ultimate Sri Lanka safari day, this tour is it.
After lunch and a visit to an elephant orphanage, it’s time for an adventure through Udawalawe National Park. While Yala is known for spotting rare animals like the sloth bear and leopard, Udawalawe is the place to see hundreds of elephants, and we saw hundreds!
With the sun setting, they all walked right past our open-air Jeep, an experience I will never forget. But the not so hidden stars of the show are always the friendly guides who spot all these animals and make sure you have everything you need all day.
Book tickets for this double safari in advance!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
4. Private Morning Safari to Udawalawe National Park from Galle, Mirissa, or Ella
- Price: $100-$400 USD (prices vary by group size and pick up location)
- Duration: 10 hours
- Time: 4 am – 9 am (depends on pick up location)
- Highlights: Taking an open-air jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park to spot wild elephants, langurs, mongoose, boar, and more, going to an elephant orphanage (if specified)
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, jeep, roundtrip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, water
- Pickup from: Galle, Mirrisa, or Ella
- Rating: 5 stars (Check the reviews here!)
- Free cancellation: Yes
If you’re staying in Galle, Mirrisa, or Ella and want to experience the magic of Udawalawe National Park, this morning safari is what I recommend.
If you want to spot the most wildlife, go for the earliest start time to be at the park when it opens. You’ll see much more during your 4-hour safari that way!
Mornings in Udawalawe National Park are the best time to see animals like mongoose, langurs, boars, and elephants as they run around to start their day. I had never seen a mongoose before visiting Udawalawe and they are such cool critters. If you’re lucky you might see them hunting a snake, yikes!
Guides are incredibly good at spotting birds as well and there is no shortage of colorful ones like peacocks, Indian rollers, and the Asian green bee-eater. Rumbling down jungle paths in an open-air Jeep is like something out of an Indiana Jones movie and you can stand on the seats, but watch out for tree branches!
There’s an optional stop at the end of the day to an elephant orphanage (at your own expense) and even though I’ve never been, I’ve heard amazing things about it. You get to hang out with baby elephants!
This is a popular tour so avoid it selling out and book your spot here!
5. Private Udawalawe National Park Safari from Colombo
- Price: $80-$300 USD (prices vary by group size)
- Duration: 12 to 14 hours
- Time: 5 am, 5:30 am, 6 am
- Highlights: Taking an open-air jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park to spot wild elephants, langurs, peacocks, boar, and more, going to an elephant orphanage (if specified)
- Inclusions: English-speaking nature guide, jeep, roundtrip transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, water
- Pickup from: Any hotel in Colombo
- Rating: 5 stars (Check the reviews here!)
- Free cancellation: Yes
If you’re staying in Colombo, this tour to Udawalawe National Park will get you there. It’s a bit of a long day, but totally worth it!
Even though there are multiple start times, I suggest taking the earliest one so you can get to Udawalawe close to sunrise to see more animals. Elephants, peacocks, langurs, and maybe even leopards are most active in the mornings! If you want a guaranteed wild elephant sighting, this is the tour to book.
After the sun comes up fully is when water buffalo and boar start splashing around in the mud. Guides know exactly where to take you to see all sorts of wildlife and racing around in an open air Jeep will keep you awake even if you aren’t a morning person. Some of my favorite moments at Udawalawe have been when wild elephants come right up beside you. Seeing them in their natural habitat is incredible!
There is a bonus stop at an elephant orphanage (at your own expense) where you can meet baby elephants. I still haven’t been there yet, but it has nothing but glowing reviews. I mean you came all the way out to Udawalawe so why not check it out? I know I will next time!
If you’re in Colombo and ready to be amazed by Udawalawe National Park, this is the tour for it!
Book your spot on this tour here to reserve your spot and you can pay later!
Related Read: If you are in Colombo, make sure to check out the tours we recommend (and the ones we don’t!) in Colombo.
Getting Around Sri Lanka
To visit all of the best places in Sri Lanka, you’re going to need a mode of transport. You have a few choices when it comes to getting around Sri Lanka:
Rent a Tuk-tuk
Easily the most popular (and most fun) way to travel around Sri Lanka. We actually rented a tuk-tuk on our trip and absolutely loved it! Tuk-tuks are easy to drive, cheap to rent, and the freedom that comes with your own wheels is unmatched.
If you do decide to rent a tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka, be sure to go with a reputable company that provides quality tuk-tuks, such as Tuktuk Rental (who we rented from.) These guys not only offer an amazing service, but their tuk-tuks are actually rented from local families, providing income for the local community.
If you decide to rent from Tuktuk Rental, be sure to use the coupon code ‘DEST‘ for 5% off!
For more info, read our blog: The Truth about Renting a Tuk-tuk in Sri Lanka.
Hire a Driver
If you’re only planning on going to a couple of destinations, then a private driver is not a bad idea. In the comfort of an air-conditioned vehicle, your driver can take you to your next destination. All you have to do is sit back and relax!
You can hire highly-rated drivers in advance to pick you up right from the airport when you arrive in Sri Lanka. This driver will take you to your hotel in Mirissa, Galle, Bentota, or Unawatuna. Whereas this driver will take you to Kandy.
Of course, every time you want to change destinations you will have to arrange for another driver (unless you book this driver who will drive you around for an entire week). Car transfer can easily be organized through your hotel.
Take Public Transport
This is a choice I only recommend for those on a very tight budget and with plenty of time. Public transport is everywhere in Sri Lanka in the form of public buses and trains. It is also very cheap, costing less than a couple of dollars per journey.
However, it isn’t the most comfortable way to travel. The buses don’t have air conditioning and neither do many train services. They can also be slow-moving, stopping every couple of minutes to pick up more passengers.
With that said, public transport is popular with budget backpackers, and it is mostly safe. This is one way to travel for those who want to get around as the locals do!
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!
If you’re looking to save money on travel insurance, we currently use and recommend SafetyWing. We’ve been using their coverage since 2018 and they’ve had our backs when we needed emergency flights and got sick overseas.
SafetyWing is one of the cheapest providers out there and covers everything from medical costs to lost luggage, travel delays, and emergency flights. A huge difference we’ve found between them and other companies is that they let you take out a policy AFTER leaving your home country. We’ve also found it handy that it’s a monthly payment rather than a lump sum, and you can get a refund for unused time.
SafetyWing has helped us out in some scary situations before and their affordable coverage has given us peace of mind. You can read our honest review of SafetyWing for all the pros and cons.
Thanks for reading!
A safari in Udawalawe National Park is an adventure worth doing while you’re in Sri Lanka. I’ve never seen so many elephants in the wild – along with so many other amazing animals. Hopefully, our guide helped you find the tour to Udawalawe that works best for your trip!
While you’re in the country, have a look at our Sri Lanka section for blogs on popular places and attractions to visit. We have lots of tips to share to make the most of your time here.
18 BEST Things to do in Kandy, Sri Lanka
10 Things to Know BEFORE Going Whale Watching in Mirissa, Sri Lanka
10 Things to Know BEFORE Visiting Minneriya National Park, Sri Lanka