The ultimate guide to planning your visit to Udawalawa National Park

Udawalawe is a small town in Sri Lanka, in the southern portion of the district of Ratnapura. It is situated next to district boundaries with district Hambantota and district Monaragala. The city is the main entry point to the Udawalawe National Park which is a major Sri Lankan national park renowned for its high wild Asian elephant population.

Udawalawe includes a strong variety. There are 184 birds, 33 rodents, 43 animals and 135 separate butterfly types, too. There are also possibilities of seeing water buffaloes, wild boars, crocodiles, peacocks and even spotted deer, other than leopards and elephants.

This area is recognized as a national park, which is host to a number of wildlife species. This location is a perfect spot to visit for people preparing a holiday during winter. With good weather and a huge amount of items to do, there’s a lot to do in here. The clearance of natural woods and the planting of communities of monospecies such as pine and eucalyptus cause decreased water rates in the Walawe Channel. Human settlement encroachment, deforestation, illegal logging, gem mining, overgrazing, and chenna cultivation are all major threats to the reserve. Occasions have been recorded of elephants being fired with illicit muzzleloader weapons.

Best time to visit Sri Lanka

The ideal season for hitting the west and south coasts and hill country is usually from December through June, whilst the strongest weather on the east coast is from April / May through September. The island ‘s environment is determined by two main monsoon seasons, and as they rotate, Sri Lanka can be used as a holiday destination during the year.

In May to August, the low season is when the Yala Monsoon reaches the area. This time is still a reasonable time to visit the Country’s north and east. Ocean winds maintain tropical and warm Sri Lankan climate. The maximum temperature ranges differ from 28 ° C to 31 ° C per annum. September to November is the second Monsoon season to witness sporadic showers that do not impact the country as a whole. At this time the weather is good with intermittent rainfall, hence it is advisable to review the weather forecasts of the area you are visiting before planning a journey.

Best Places To Visit

Udawalawe National Park

Resting at the frontiers of the provinces of Sabaragamuwa and Uva, Udawalawe National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s major highlights. This location is popular for seeing the wild elephant’s best view. Constructed over a region of 165 km, this location is the country ‘s third most-visited city.

Udawalawe National Park entrance is located near 11 km from Pelmadulla-Timbolketiya A18 road, Sri Lanka’s sixth-largest wildlife sanctuary is situated 180 km from Colombo in the island ‘s southern-central region. Water Buffalo, Wildboar, Spotted Deer, Sambur Deer, Jackal, Samber, Black-naped hare, mongooses, bandicoots, foxes, the endangered Toque Macaque and Gray Langers are the primary attractions of the nature park Elephants Herds. It will be a treat to see Leopard and other smaller cats including Fishing Cat & Jungle Cat so hold your camera primed.

Udawalawe is not only popular for the elephants but also for other wildlife such as leopards and different bird species. It is known that in this National Park there are just 10-12 leopards and, because of that, there are very few chances to see them.

Mahapelessa Hot Springs

This location regularly draws both locals and visitors. It is one of those locations to be seen in the district of Hambantota where one can sit back and enjoy. It is because here is given one of the rare ways of taking a bath in a hot tub. There are 7 hot water tanks with 7 separate water levels, and you can pick from where to take your bath according to your convenience.

Ramba Viharaya

Ramba Viharaya is an incredibly stunning architectural and historical location. It is a Buddhist monastery located on the banks of the Walawe Valley. The whole site is covered by dense green trees and placid setting. While popular in the world, it is one of the less commonly visited tourist destinations.

Ussangoda National Park

This is a place of historic significance, along with beautiful natural beauty. It has sacred scenery and rare red soil that has no location in Sri Lanka. It is thought that this resulted from a meteor or asteroid hit years ago. There you can also see several lions, chimpanzees, crocodiles, and numerous birds.

Udawalawa Dam

A visit to Udawalawa is incomplete without visiting its principal attractions such as the National Park and the dam. The town ‘s largest dam is the Udawalawa Dam. Air gushing out of energy is not something you will see every day. The dam occupies a portion of gravity across an embankment and is used to produce hydroelectric power

Elephant Transit Home

Located right outside the National Park is the site of the elephant ride, where visitors will see the elephants making a walk across the park. Besides that, there is even a possibility that one can press on the nature creatures’ breathtaking beauty grazing at the most stunning place surrounded by grasslands.

Waulpane Cave

Popular among the locals as the ‘Limestone Cave,’ this is another must-visit spot you can’t skip in Udawalawa. Here, you’ll find special wildlife species, from snakes and bats to freshwater fish. The cave is 300 meters long and made of calcareous and fossils strewn around the walls. The best aspect of finding this cave is that as you close it you are met with a waterfall

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