See wild elephant herds in Udawalawe, baby elephants at the Elephant Transit Home and leopards in Yala on one private trip, run by a local safari team based at the Udawalawe park gate. Your own private vehicle and driver picks you up from your hotel.
This safari tour suits travellers who already have a beach or hill country stay booked and want to add Sri Lanka's best wildlife in a short, well-planned trip. You choose 2 or 3 days, the hotel level and where we pick you up and drop you off.
Only have half a day? Book a single Udawalawe National Park safari. Want a full holiday? See our 7 Day, 10 Day and 14 Day Sri Lanka tours.
Safari times follow the parks' opening hours, 6.00 am to 6.00 pm, when animals are most active in the early morning and late afternoon. Pickup can be from Ella, the south coast, Colombo or any hotel you choose.
Your driver collects you from your hotel and brings you to Udawalawe. After lunch, head into Udawalawe National Park on a private 4x4 jeep for the afternoon drive. The park covers about 308 sq km of grassland around the Udawalawe Reservoir and is home to around 250 resident wild elephants, plus buffalo, crocodiles, jackals, peacocks and eagles.
Visit the Elephant Transit Home for the 9.00 am feeding. Since 1995 the centre has raised orphaned baby elephants and returned more than 100 of them to the wild. Then drive about 2 hours to Tissamaharama, check in, and head into Yala National Park for your first leopard drive.
Enter Yala at 6.00 am, the best time to find leopards, sloth bears and elephants before the heat. Yala is Sri Lanka’s second largest national park at about 979 sq km, with 215 bird species. Return for a late breakfast, then continue to your next stop.
Short on time? Do the Udawalawe afternoon safari and the Elephant Transit Home 3.00 pm or 6.00 pm feeding on Day 1, stay near Yala, and join the 6.00 am Yala safari on Day 2 before your drop-off.
| Question | Udawalawe National Park | Yala National Park |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Wild elephant herds | Leopards and sloth bears |
| Elephant sightings | Almost every safari | Common |
| Leopard sightings | Rare | Good chance, especially in Block 1 |
| Park size | About 308 sq km | About 979 sq km, 5 blocks |
| Crowds | Quieter, fewer jeeps | Busy in peak season |
| Landscape | Open grassland and reservoir | Scrub jungle, lagoons, rocks and coast |
| Annual closure | Open all year | Blocks 1 and 2 usually close for a few weeks around September and October |
| Best time | All year | February to June, when dry weather brings animals to the waterholes |
Wildlife is wild. Sightings are never guaranteed, but pairing the two parks gives you the best overall chance to see both elephants and leopards on a short trip.
These are planning ranges per person for the 3 day tour, for two adults sharing one room. The 2 day option costs less. Your exact quote depends on dates, pickup point, hotel availability, meal plan, group size and whether park tickets are included.
| Choice | Budget | Comfort | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical stay | Guesthouse / simple hotel | 3★–4★ safari hotel | Safari lodge or tented camp |
| Meal plan | BB optional | BB or HB | HB or FB |
| Transport | Private AC car | Private car / van | Premium private vehicle |
| Safaris | 3 x 4-hour private jeep | 3 x private jeep, best time slots | Extended or full-day private jeep |
| Best for | Backpackers, students, value travel | Couples, families, first-time visitors | Photographers, honeymooners, premium leisure |
BB = Bed & Breakfast. HB = Half Board, normally breakfast and dinner. FB = Full Board, normally breakfast, lunch and dinner. A single 4-hour private Udawalawe jeep starts from US$ 42 per jeep. Exact inclusions are confirmed in your final quotation.
Send your dates, pickup point, drop-off point, number of travellers, children’s ages if any and preferred hotel level. We then plan the safari times and give you a final price. You can also add Bundala for birds or a longer full-day safari.
Customise on WhatsApp| Beach holiday add-on | Easy 2 or 3 day break from Mirissa, Weligama, Tangalle or Galle, with drop-off back at the coast. |
|---|---|
| Wildlife photographers | Dawn and dusk game drives, extended safari options and patient guides who stop for the shot. |
| Families | Private jeeps, short drives and baby elephants at feeding time. Children under 6 ride free on our Udawalawe jeeps. |
| Couples | Safari lodge stays, sunset drives by the reservoir and private transport throughout. |
| Ella visitors | Udawalawe is about 2.5 hours from Ella, so the safari fits neatly between the hills and the beach. |
| Solo travellers | Private route with direct local support. Ask for a solo quotation rather than twin-share pricing. |
It depends on what you want to see. Udawalawe is better for wild elephants and is quieter. Yala is better for leopards, sloth bears and a wider mix of wildlife, but it is busier. The parks are about 2 hours apart, so this 2 or 3 day tour lets you visit both.
Yes. Two days is enough for one safari in each park and a visit to the Elephant Transit Home. Three days gives you an extra Yala game drive, which improves your chances of seeing a leopard.
Almost certainly. Udawalawe has around 250 resident wild elephants living around the reservoir, and our guides see them on almost every safari.
Yala Block 1 has one of the highest leopard densities in the world, and many visitors see one, especially on early morning drives. Sightings are never guaranteed, so a 3 day tour with two Yala drives gives you the best chance.
Feeding usually takes place at 9.00 am, 12.00 pm, 3.00 pm and 6.00 pm. The centre is about 500 metres from the Udawalawe park gate, so it fits easily before or after a safari.
Early morning from 6.00 am and late afternoon until 6.00 pm are best. Animals are most active in the cooler hours, and the light is best for photos. Both parks are open from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm.
Udawalawe is good all year. For Yala, February to June is the best time, when dry weather draws animals to the waterholes. Yala Blocks 1 and 2 usually close for a few weeks around September and October, and we plan around those dates.
As a guide, the 3 day tour costs about US$ 190 to 260 per person at Budget level, US$ 290 to 420 at Comfort level and US$ 550 to 950 or more at Luxury level, for two adults sharing a room. The 2 day option costs less. A single 4-hour private Udawalawe jeep starts from US$ 42 per jeep.
Entrance tickets for the national parks and the Elephant Transit Home are normally paid at the gate and are not included, unless you ask us to include them in your quote.
We pick up from Ella, Mirissa, Weligama, Galle, Tangalle, Colombo, the airport or any hotel you choose, and drop you at your next stop. Many guests do this tour between the hill country and the beach.
Yes. The jeeps are private, the pace is flexible and children love the baby elephants at the Elephant Transit Home. Children under 6 ride free on our Udawalawe safari jeeps.
Bring a hat, sunscreen, light long-sleeved clothes in neutral colours, binoculars and a camera with a zoom lens. We provide snacks and bottled water in the jeep.
Tell us your dates, pickup point and number of travellers. We plan the safari times and send your quote on WhatsApp. Browse more Sri Lanka tours and transfers from Udawalawe Rides.
