Udawalawe National Park is the single best place on the island to observe Asian elephants in large numbers and close proximity in their natural habitat, with herds of sometimes sixty or more animals gathering at the park’s vast reservoir in the dry season. The park’s open savannah landscape offers exceptional wildlife visibility, with elephants, water buffalo, crocodiles, Sri Lankan axis deer, and a rich array of raptors and water birds reliably visible on most safari drives.