Sri Lanka / Yala & Udawalawe / Udawalawe

Udawalawe

Elephant Herds on the Grasslands

1 dayIdeal stay₹2,010From / night₹860Food / day₹4,380Entry

Open grassland round a reservoir where elephant herds are seen on almost every safari, often hundreds in a day, with water buffalo, crocodiles and eagles. Less crowded than Yala and open all year. The Elephant Transit Home next to the park raises orphaned calves for release; visitors can watch the feeding from a platform. On the road between the south coast and Ella.

Highlights

Jeep safari among elephant herds
Elephant Transit Home feeding
Reservoir at sunset
Raptors and peacocks
Water buffalo and crocodiles

Things to do

Udawalawe jeep safariMorning · 4h
Elephant Transit Home feedingAfternoon · 1h
Afternoon safariAfternoon · 3h 30m

Tours & tickets

Tours & tickets in Udawalawevia GetYourGuide Tours & tickets in Udawalawevia Klook

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When to go

Best time: All year

Getting there

Fly into Colombo (CMB), 125 km away

Then: Transfer · 4h (Car with driver / PickMe, per vehicle)

Search flights to CMB from your city ↗

Flights from India

From Chennaifrom ₹9,000
From Maduraifrom ₹9,000
From Kochifrom ₹10,000
From Thiruvananthapuramfrom ₹9,500
From Bengalurufrom ₹10,000
From Hyderabadfrom ₹10,500

Fly into Jaffna (JAF), 367 km away

Search flights to JAF from your city ↗

Flights from India

From Chennaifrom ₹7,000

Fares from India: one way, per person; typical fares, not live prices.

Entry rules

Your passport

E-visa before you fly for up to 30 days

Before you fly, apply for the tourist ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) at eta.gov.lk. It is free for Indian passport holders since 25 May 2026, but still required: airlines check it at boarding. Approval usually comes by email; carry the approval.
At immigration in Colombo or Jaffna, show your passport, the ETA approval and your return ticket. The visa is valid for 30 days from your first arrival and allows a second entry within those 30 days.
To stay longer than 30 days, apply for an extension at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla (Colombo) before the 30 days end; a fee applies.

Carry: Passport valid for at least 6 months from the day you arrive, with a blank page; ETA approval (email or printout); Confirmed return or onward ticket; Hotel bookings for the stay; Enough money for the stay (a card or cash).

The ETA is free for Indians only since 25 May 2026, under a scheme for 40 countries, after several changes since 2023. It is still compulsory, and on-arrival visas may no longer be sold, so apply on eta.gov.lk before you fly. Use only the .gov.lk sites (eta.gov.lk; the immigration department's own online arrival card is free and optional): look-alike sites charge for the free ETA and sell "arrival cards".

Checked 2026-10; confirm with the embassy before you fly.

Also in Yala & Udawalawe

🐆 Yala National Park · Leopards, Elephants and Sloth Bears by Jeep

Plan a trip to Udawalawe

Flying in from elsewhere? Start at Colombo (CMB)