Udawalawe National Park

Park is renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty and wealth of fauna species, particularly mammals and birds. It has become a tourist attraction throughout the year as it is blessed with unique fauna and flora while the possibility to view the elephants at close range had become another main attraction. The park serves the dual purpose of enduring a perennial supply of silt free water to the reservoir and providing a refuge for wildlife displaced by the opening up of land for agriculture and other purpose in the lower reaches of the Walawe river.
Location
Lies both in Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces and includes the Udawalawe Reservoir.
Access
The main entrance to the park is located at the 7th milepost on Udawalawe-Thanamalwila road. It can be reached from Colombo via Ratnapura, Pelmadulla and Colombage Ara junction along Pelmadulla-Embilipitiya road and approximately three to four hours from Colombo.
This park situated in the dry zone and conditions of the physical features are characterized by an annual drought coinciding with the south west monsoon, commencing in May. Mean annual rainfall is about 1524mm and mean day and night temperatures are 29oC and 24oC, respectively.
The area of the park is 30,821ha. The predominant ecosystem of the park area is the forest area with scattered grasslands and thorny-shrubs.
There are heards of elephants (Elephas maximus), while populations sambar (Cervus uniclor), spotted deer (Axis axis ceylonensis), barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak), wild boar (Sus scrofa) and water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) are gradually re-establishing themselves. Other mammals include: toque macaque (Macaca sinica) E, common langur (Presbytis entellus), jackal (Canis aureus), sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), toddy cat (Paradoxurus hermaphroditis), leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) and black napped hare (Lepus nigricollis; and small Indian civet (Viverricula indica), endemic golden palm civet (Paradoxurus Zeylonensis), three species of mongoose (Herpestes fuscus, H. vitticollis and H.vitticollis ). The avifauna includes large number of warblers (Prinia sp.), together with the usual low country birds in forested areas, and a variety of raptors. Water birds found on the reservoir and migrants can be spotted specially in migrating season.
Visitors and Visitor facilities
Visitors require a permit to enter the park obtainable from the entrance at the 7th milepost on Udawalawe-Thanamalwila road, and must be accompanied by a tracker. There are four wildlife bungalows inside the Udawalawe National Park. They are located at Thimbirigasmankada, Veheragolla, Sinuggala and Gonaviddagala. All these bungalows are located near major water sources and this provides better opportunities for the visitors to view elephants. Each of the bungalows can accommodate up to ten persons. Two camp sites, at Pansadhara and Aliwadiya are available for occupation.
Further Information : Park Warden, Udawalawe National Park, Telephone/Fax: +94472233292

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