Udawalawe National Park Safari: Open-Top Jeep Wildlife Tour

Open-top jeep among 400 elephants and wild buffalo at the reservoir.

An open-top jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park in southern Sri Lanka, guided by a local English-speaking guide with air-conditioned transport included. The park centers on a man-made reservoir that draws elephants, buffalo, sambar deer, crocodiles, jackals, macaques, leopards and water birds. Tours run 10 to 12 hours and depart from hotels in Negambo, Colombo, Ahungalla, Bentota, Galle or Weligama, depending on your choice of pickup location.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Udawalawe National Park4h
2. Galle Fort45m

Udawalawe National Park and Galle Fort visit

• Explore Udawalawe National Park wildlife
• Visit Galle Fort historical site

The experience

Udawalawe National Park was created in the 1970s as a sanctuary for animals displaced by the reservoir's construction, and it now holds what some say is Sri Lanka's largest elephant population, around 400 individuals. The open-top jeep puts you close enough to watch them drink and move through the dry grassland, which offers clearer sightings than denser forest. The same reservoir that drew the elephants also attracts wild buffalo, sambar deer, crocodiles sunning on the banks, jackals, macaques and flocks of water birds, so the day unfolds as a sequence of sightings rather than a single focus.

Your local guide navigates the park roads and calls out animals as they appear. The air-conditioned car is where you rest between stretches in the open-top jeep. The tour runs a full morning and afternoon, so you move through different parts of the park at different times of day, when animal activity shifts. National park entrance fees and jeep rental fees are separate from the tour price and paid on arrival.

Pickup is included from hotels in your chosen zone (Negambo or Colombo in the north, Ahungalla or Bentota in the central coast, or Galle and Weligama in the south), so the tour adapts to where you're staying rather than asking you to travel to a fixed meeting point.

What’s included

• Local English-speaking guide.
• air-conditioned transport and open-top jeep.
• hotel pickup and return from your chosen location (Negambo, Colombo, Ahungalla, Bentota, Galle or Weligama).

Options for this experience

3 options

Pickup from hotels in Galle and WeligamaUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English · 06:00 and 11:00Pickup is included

Ahungalla Benthota hotelsUp to 9 per booking · Guide in English · 04:00, 06:00 and 11:00Pickup included in CAR or VAN

Pickup from hotels in Negambo and ColomboUp to 7 per booking · Guide in English · 04:00, 06:00 and 11:00Pickup is included from all hotels in Negambo and Colombo

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:00, 06:00 and 11:00

Book up toStart time

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Suduhansa Tours

Is this one for you?The 10- to 12-hour span is what fits both the northern and southern coasts into one day without an overnight. If you're based in Colombo or Galle, the same tour works from your hotel rather than asking you to reach a central meeting point.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

How many elephants will I actually see on the safari?

Udawalawe holds around 400 elephants, and sightings are common because the open grassland around the reservoir gives them nowhere to hide. Your guide will position the jeep for close views as they move through the park.

What animals besides elephants live in the park?

The reservoir draws wild buffalo, sambar deer, crocodiles, jackals, macaques, leopards and water birds. The mix changes depending on the time of day and which part of the park you're in.

Is the jeep open-top the whole time, or do I get a break?

You ride in the open-top jeep for wildlife viewing and rest in the air-conditioned car between stretches, so you're not exposed to the sun for the entire 10 to 12 hours.

Which pickup location should I choose?

Choose the zone closest to your hotel: Negambo or Colombo if you're in the north, Ahungalla or Bentota on the central coast, or Galle and Weligama in the south. The guide collects you from your hotel and returns you there at the end of the day.

What costs are not included in the tour price?

National park entrance fees, jeep rental fees, food, drinks and lunch are paid separately. Ask your guide what to budget for these when you book.