Just as the Sri Lanka’s first national park, the Yala National Park, Udawalawe lies towards the southern portion of the island. Due to the dry conditions of the region, Udawalawe presents a vividly different environment when compared with the lush scenic conditions of the highly populated western region and the picturesque central region of the country.
These different environmental conditions provide a driving factor for the increased popularity that Udawalawe enjoys. Sri Lankan elephants at Udawalawe can be even seen during the afternoon and the high probability of experiencing the glorious creature in its natural habitat is one of the most attractive features of the park. Multiple elephants or even herds of elephants can be spotted at Udawalawe occasionally. The chances of witnessing a herd of Sri Lankan elephants is extremely high near rivers and the reservoir of Udawalawe. The dry season of the region is the ideal time in the year to visit Udawalawe and this particular season usually occurs between the months of May and September.
Moreover, the journey from Colombo or other major cities in the Western Province of Sri Lanka long but not too tiresome. Furthermore, the surrounding areas of Udawalawe is filled to the brim with other illustrious attractions and tourist destinations. For example, the Wavulpane Limestone caves, the hot wells, as well as the Elephant Transit Home are all present in the vicinity of the Udawalawe National Park. These factors contribute to the enhancement of the overall brilliance and significance of Udawalawe as one of the premier tourist destinations of Sri Lanka.
