Udawalawe National Park, Udawalawe

Despite its relatively small size, Udawalawe National Park packs quite a punch in the wildlife-spotting stakes. The main event here is the elephants. The park is home to hundreds of these magnificent mammals, and it’s not uncommon to see herds of up to 50 feeding and bathing near the reservoir and rivers. Another draw for animal-lovers is the Elephant Transit Home, where orphaned baby elephants are cared for until they’re ready to live in the wild. So far, more than 100 calves have been rehabilitated and released, many into Udawalawe National Park.

Aside from the elephants, Udawalawe safaris offer the chance to see a variety of other mammals, reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitat. There’s also an abundance of bird life, particularly aquatic species such as pelicans and storks which can be seen strutting along the waterbanks.

The scenery is pretty spectacular too. With the rugged central highlands as a backdrop, the park has as varied topography of grassy plains, marshes and thorny shrub jungle centering around the picturesque Udawalawe Reservoir. Unlike other parks, there’s a lack of dense foliage, which makes wildlife-spotting easier.