Udawalawe Safari Tour: 3-Hour Jeep Safari & Elephant Home

Udawalawe has one of Sri Lanka's highest elephant densities, and you'll see them from an open jeep built for the terrain.

A private jeep safari tour from Bentota or Galle that combines a 3-hour guided drive through Udawalawe National Park with a stop at the Elephant Transit Home, where orphaned baby elephants are fed and rehabilitated. The tour includes pickup and drop-off from your hotel, all entrance fees, the air-conditioned vehicle, and water bottles. Travel time is added to the total duration. An English or German-speaking guide leads the safari through grasslands, wetlands and forests where you'll spot Asian elephant herds, buffalo, deer, crocodiles, peacocks and eagles in their natural habitat.

Step-by-step itinerary

Udawalawe Safari and Elephant Transit Home

• Board jeep for safari
• Explore Udawalawe National Park
• Spot elephants and wildlife
• Visit Elephant Transit Home
• Watch baby elephants fed
• Learn about elephant conservation

The experience

If you're staying in Bentota, Induruwa, Kosgoda, Ahungalla, Aluthgama or Unawatuna, the tour picks you up from your hotel and drives you to Udawalawe National Park. You board a jeep specially designed to handle the park's rugged terrain, and your guide navigates the grasslands, wetlands and forests while you watch for wildlife. The 3-hour safari is built around Udawalawe's elephant population (the park holds one of the highest concentrations in Sri Lanka), but you'll also see buffalo, deer, crocodiles, peacocks and eagles moving through their habitat.

After the safari, the tour stops at the Elephant Transit Home, a sanctuary for orphaned and injured elephants. You'll watch baby elephants being fed milk while the guide explains the center's rehabilitation mission and its role in elephant conservation. The remaining time covers the drive back to your hotel. All entrance fees, jeep hire and park charges are included, along with water bottles and an air-conditioned vehicle for the journey.

What’s included

• The tour includes all park entrance fees and jeep hire.
• an air-conditioned vehicle for travel to and from your hotel.
• water bottles.
• and a live guide who speaks English or German.

Options for this experience

2 options

Pickup from Unawatuna or GalleGuide in English or German · 04:30 and 11:30Pickup from Unawatuna/Galle is included

Pick up Bentota/AhungallaGuide in English or German · 04:30 and 11:30Includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:30 and 11:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and German

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 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tony Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the Bentota pickup if you're staying on the south coast near Bentota or Ahungalla. Choose the Unawatuna or Galle pickup if you're based further east. Either way, the jeep is built for the park's terrain and the guide navigates the grasslands and wetlands where elephants actually move, so you see them in context rather than from a distance.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

12 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and German.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What wildlife will I see on the Udawalawe safari?

Udawalawe is known for its large Asian elephant herds, and you'll also spot buffalo, deer, crocodiles, peacocks and eagles as the jeep moves through the park's grasslands, wetlands and forests.

What happens at the Elephant Transit Home?

The Elephant Transit Home cares for orphaned and injured elephants. You'll watch baby elephants being fed milk and learn from the guide about the center's conservation work and how the elephants are prepared for release into the wild.

Is pickup from my hotel included?

Yes, free pickup and drop-off are included from hotels in Bentota, Induruwa, Kosgoda, Ahungalla, Aluthgama or Unawatuna, depending on which option you choose at checkout.

How long is the actual safari drive?

The jeep safari through the park runs for 3 hours. The full tour is 8 hours total, which includes travel time to and from the park and your hotel.

What's included in the price?

All entrance fees, jeep hire, park charges, water bottles and the air-conditioned vehicle are included. Food and drinks are not.