Udawalawe encompasses both a town and Udawalawe National Park in southern Sri Lanka, celebrated for its large elephant population and prime year-round elephant sightings. The park, established to protect displaced animals and the reservoir’s catchment, features open grasslands that facilitate easy game viewing and attracts tourists for wildlife photography and safaris. Home to over 600 elephants along with a variety of wildlife including buffalo, crocodiles, and various birds, it is widely regarded as one of the best locations to observe elephants in their natural habitat, although leopards and bears are rarer. The nearby Elephant Transit Home supports rescued elephants. 233 kilometers distance from Colombo.