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A three and a half hour game drive in Udawalawe with the milk feeding at the Elephant Transit Home and a Sri Lankan lunch, run privately with transfers from Colombo or the south coast.
Highlights
- A longer three and a half hour game drive rather than the standard short circuit
- Reliable wild elephant sightings including herds with calves
- Milk feeding at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home
- Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch included
- Private transfers from Colombo or a wide range of south-coast towns
Udawalawe National Park Private Safari Day Trip with Lunch: Key Facts
| Price | From $338 per person |
|---|---|
| Duration | Full day |
| Group size | Up to 6 people |
| Languages | English |
| Tour type | Guided Tour |
| Booking | Direct with the local operator — no OTA markup |
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Udawalawe National Park Private Safari from Kalutara
Full description
Udawalawe is the elephant park. Yala gets more attention because of its leopards, but for actually seeing elephants in numbers and in the open, Udawalawe is more dependable, and the drives are less crowded. The park was gazetted in 1972 around the Udawalawe reservoir, and the mix of open grassland, scrub and water suits both the animals and the people trying to photograph them.
The game drive here is longer than the standard, at around three and a half hours, which changes the experience. It gives your driver room to leave the main circuit and to wait at a water's edge rather than moving on after five minutes. Herds with young calves are a common sight along the reservoir, and solitary bulls hold territory across the grassland.
Beyond elephants the park carries water buffalo, spotted deer, sambar, jackal, mugger crocodile and a strong raptor list. Birders should watch the tank edges for grey-headed fish eagles and the grassland for the resident crested serpent eagles. Leopards are present but sightings are rare and it would be dishonest to sell them.
The Elephant Transit Home adjoins the park and takes in orphaned calves, raising them for eventual release. Feeding happens at fixed times from a viewing platform, with no contact between visitors and animals. That restraint is the point of the place and it is the main reason it is worth visiting rather than one of the island's riding operations.
Lunch is included at a local restaurant, usually a rice and curry spread. Pickup is offered from a wide spread of towns; from Colombo the round trip is a long day of roughly twelve hours.
Tour Itinerary
The schedule below is a suggested plan and can be adjusted to suit your preferences.
Pickup
Early departure for the drive to Udawalawe.
Game drive
Three and a half hours in an open jeep inside the park.
Elephant Transit Home
Watch the milk feeding of orphaned calves.
Lunch
Sri Lankan rice and curry at a local restaurant.
Return
Drive back to your hotel.
Detailed Itinerary
Hotel pickup
Departure time depends on where you are collected. From Colombo it is an early start; from the southern towns it is more civilised.
Arrival and jeep transfer
Swap into an open safari jeep at the park entrance while permits are arranged.
Morning game drive
Three and a half hours across grassland, scrub and the reservoir edge. Long enough to sit and wait rather than only drive.
Leave the park
Short transfer to the Elephant Transit Home.
Milk feeding
Thirty minutes at the viewing platform as the orphaned calves are fed. No touching or riding, by design.
Lunch
Around forty-five minutes at a local restaurant for rice and curry.
Drive back
Return to your pickup point, arriving late afternoon or evening depending on distance.
Includes
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with driver; hotel pickup and drop-off; open safari jeep for the game drive; lunch at a local restaurant; bottled water.
Excludes
- National park entrance and jeep permit fees; Elephant Transit Home entrance; drinks; gratuities; personal expenses.
Important information
Meeting point
Hotel pickup from Colombo and a range of south-coast towns including Negombo, Panadura, Ambalangoda and Tissamaharama, confirmed after booking.
Weather
This runs outdoors, so the operator can call it off for rain, wind or sea conditions, and that decision is usually made on the day. If they cancel, you choose: another date, or your money back in full. We do not keep a booking fee on a tour that did not run.
Know before you go
- Free cancellation available up to 24 hours before the activity starts
About this activity
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Traveler Reviews
On-time hotel pick-up and direct ride to the safari jeep. After that, we went on the extensive and very cool tour through the national park, with elephants, wild boar, crocodiles, etc. For lunch, there was a buffet, which was really very authentically (Sri Lankan) cooked and delicious. Overall, it was really good. Everything was explained and shown, but we weren't "bothered." Definitely recommended.
Brilliant day - excellent guide Really worth the money and recommend. We were 3 generations in a family group and we all agreed this was one of the highlights of our holiday
It was a great experience. Everything worked out great. We will never forget this excursion.
It is expensive, but far cheaper than an safari holiday and just as enjoyable. We saw many animals, and birds, not only elephants. It is a long day (12 hours) in a very comfortable car from Colombo, but certainly worth it. Company was constantly in touch and very amicable. Highly recommend. It is something you do not do everyday so go with this highly recommended company and enjoy nature at it's best.
Nice team, smooth ride in the park, good spots, enough time to enjoy the wildlife. Thank you
The driver and the guide were great. Our guide was very knowledgeable and he clearly loved what he was doing which made everything enjoyable. We were really well looked after by both. We could have skipped the meal and gone straight back to our hotel, there would have been no detriment to the overall experience. The buffet was good with plenty of choice, however we had some chicken which was undercooked and it tainted the whole dining experience.
The safari was great! The pickup from our hotel in Bentota was easy, the drive quite enjoyable (a long drive but very comfortable!), and the safari was incredible! Our guide could spot nearly anything, from far away eagles in treetops to saltwater crocodiles to the smallest bird/lizard. Amazing experience, amazing guides! Thank you!
they took care of us from start to end. the pick up was on time and comfortable. the safari guide was great and knew what to look for. highly recommend.
We're super happy with our day! We were well looked after. The transfer felt safe and on time, the lunch was super good, and the guide was very responsive and knowledgeable. The jeep was great with comfortable seats. However, we recommend bringing a small snack as it's not included.