Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe national park is a wildlife sanctuary which was constructed to safeguard the animals which were misplaced during the construction of the Udawalawe reservoir. It is fairly large and has much variety of wildlife. Udawalawe national park is the third most visited wildlife sanctuary in Sri lanka.

Landscape

The park lies on the boundary of the wet and dry zones of Sri Lanka and it extends up to 308.2 km². Most of the land is flat, however, some mountainous features can be seen in parts of the park. The highest part of the park is Ulgala, otherwise known as the pointed rock. The mountain like structure has an altitude from to . The park's surrounding is occupied as cultivation lands. The flat lands have a strong yellowish background with strong strides of grass spreading all over the plains in the dry season, in the wet season, however, has a natural greenish back ground. The interior is covered by miniature water bodies such as ponds and tanks. The landscape of the park creates a suitable environment for vehicle accessibility so, even if the ride is rough, it is easy to travel from one place to another at a higher speed.

History

Udawalawe national park was established on 30 June 1972. Before the park was designated, the land was used for farming purposes under the chena cultivation method. The park's creation resulted in the displacement of local farmers, as the land was given over to nature. The surrounding area is dominated by cultivated land.

Flora and fauna

Flora

The park includes evergreen forests and two identified endemic floral species. Chloroxylon swietenia, Berrya cordifolia, Diospyros ebenum, Adina cordifolia, Vitex pinnata, Schleichera oleosa, and Diospyros ovalifolia are tall trees that can be commonly seen in the park. Even though it is identified as a forest, the greater parts of the park are covered by grasslands and empty plains.

Fauna

As the park's main purpose was to relocate the animals left over after the construction of the reservoir, it is quite expected to find many animals within the park. Udawalawe is especially known for its elephants. Many roam around in the park, whilst deers, buffaloes and golden jackals can also be found. Apart from mammals, many rare birds such as the European roller and black-necked stork can be spotted here. When it comes to reptiles, you can see mugger crocodiles and monitors. Crocodiles mostly come out in the evening to bathe in the sun. Many opportunities for taking photographs may rise during the tour.

Climate

The annual rainfall in the dry monsoon forest exceeds 1500 mm, while average temperatures are 24-29 °Celsius. Rainfall can be expected during favourable seasons, but isn't common during some.

By bus and taxi

You can only go halfway by bus, with the rest of the journey needing to be made by taxi.

• From the Colombo Bastian Mawatha Bus Terminal, it will take 3 hours and 35 minutes to get to Embilipitiya, and would cost Rs. 175-350.
• Hire a taxi from Embilipitiya and continue to Udawalawe. It would take up to maximum 1 hour. The total cost for the whole journey would be calculated to Rs. 3500-5300.

By train and taxi

• Get onto the train at Fort railway station. It would take seven hours or more for the journey.
• You will be getting off at the Haputale station and you must then hire a taxi. This journey would sum up to a total of about 10 hours.

Fees and permits

The entrance fee ranges around Rs. 3500-4000. No permits are needed to enter, but keep your passport and identification card with you just in case. Carry around some extra cash as well.

Getting around the park can only be done by vehicle. You can either hire or bring in a permitted vehicle. The tour would take several hours and you have a choice to take a guide along with you. You can stop the vehicle at any time during the ride and can also get out under the guidance of the driver or your tour guide.

As a national park, there are no specific places to see other than the Udawalawe reservoir.

• Birdwatching - many varieties of birds roam around the park. Remember to bring your binoculars with you.
• Zoology - with a great deal of animals within the park, you could easily engage in this activity.

A small store is situated at the entrance. You can buy souvenirs such as key chains, books and stationery.

It is essential to bring along food for this trip. A packed lunch like sandwiches or manioc can brought with you. You may only bring food items wrapped in biodegradable material (such as paper, or degradable polythene) or in a reusable storage (lunch box, plastic container).

Bringing bottled water or some cool tea is necessary, staying hydrated is very important. You can by bottled water at the entrance or request one from the employees.

Udawalawe national park isn't a good one day trip. In order to fully tour and enjoy the park, you must stay at least two days.

Staying safe is important when going on safari tours such as this. Animals such as elephants have an appealing form of innocence, but there are chances where they might charge at you. One obvious rule when going safari tours is that you stay in your vehicle at all times. If you get out of your vehicle, you will be exposed to risk. This stated issue is one reason for why you must travel with an experienced guide. Feeding food to animals is not a good choice.