Ultimate Udawalawe Safari: Wild Elephants from Your Coast

We booked this trip directly through Tripadvisor, and everything was handled by Bentota Travel Mart with great professionalism. From the very start, communication was smooth and booking was easy. We had the option of different pick-up times and chose 4am — our driver and host, Pasindu, arrived early, the car was spotless, and he made the long journey comfortable by sharing local knowledge and insights along the way. The safari itself was conducted by a local park driver arranged separately, and it was an unforgettable experience. The safari lasted around three hours, and while wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, we were incredibly fortunate. We saw 16 elephants up close, plus monkeys, deer, crocodiles, a huge iguana, a chameleon, and a wonderful variety of birds. The driver’s keen eyesight meant we spotted animals we would have otherwise missed. Afterward, we visited the Elephant Transit Home (ETH), where dozens of baby elephants are cared for before being released back into the wild. Watching them being fed was both heartwarming and fascinating. It was slightly difficult to see the handlers occasionally using sticks to keep the young elephants in line, but this was explained and it seemed to be done sparingly, with the animals’ safety in mind. Lunch was included (only soft drinks cost extra) and the food was delicious. Overall, Bentota Travel Mart delivered everything they promised: punctual, tidy, well-organized, and stress-free. This was a 5-star service from start to finish, and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them for anyone considering a safari or tour in Sri Lanka.

Our safari trip to Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka was nothing short of spectacular thanks to our lovely driver. The safari experience was great! The highlight, of course, was the elephants. Udawalawe is famous for its large population of wild elephants, as well as stopping off at elephant orphanage afterwards to witness them up close being feed and interacting with one another. The safari guide was incredibly knowledgeable and made sure to stop at all the right spots so we could get the best view without disturbing the animals. We also saw a range of other wildlife, including water buffalo, deer and even an elusive leopard! The birdlife was equally impressive, with a variety of species like eagles, kingfishers, and storks soaring overhead. The guide knew exactly where to look! Udawalawe is a great spot to go for anyone looking to explore Sri Lanka's natural beauty. Bentota Travel Mart were amazing organising this trip from pick up from our hotel, to lunch being included, it was an amazing day, we recommend them very highly, thank you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We had an absolutely fantastic safari today! Dinesh was kind, a great driver and he managed to spot our very first elephant before we had even entered the park. From beginning to end, the experience was flawless. We were lucky enough to encounter over 15 elephants up close, including a family group with playful youngsters. Along the way we also saw crocodiles both in and out of the water, magnificent water buffalo, graceful deer, colourful bee-eaters, soaring sea eagles, and so much more. A truly unforgettable day. Add to these great communication with Bentota Travel mark from booking to the final arrangements the day before our Safari. I am happy to recommend Bentota Travel Mart😀

This trip was excellent from start to finish. It was the right decision to book a trip that had everything included - transport, guide, entry fees, lunch etc etc. Terrific communication with the tour operator beforehand with all arrangements confrimed with a phone call from them. Picked up on time from our hotel (The Fortress) by a very helpful driver. Just the two of us in our jeep with a knowledgeable guide who knew the park well and so was able to show us the herds of elephants at close range and point out all the other wildlife including crocodiles. Lunch was provided nearby followed by a visit to the Elephant Transition Station then a comfortable drive back to the hotel. Really good value with no hidden extras. Highly recommended.

Bentota Travel Mart had been excellent at communication via WhatsApp so knew exactly what the trip involved, who was driving us, what vehicle was picking us up. Safari guide was excellent, he picked up on what we wanted to see, how long we wanted to see specific animals for. He was very knowledgeable. Elephant Transit Home was excellent, particularly as we did not know what to expect, so many elephants and baby elephants!! Our trip guide, Pasidu, was very flexible to our needs throughout the day. Would absolutely go with Bentota Travel Mart again!

We booked a few trips through Bentota travel mart, some through trip advisor then directly. Really impressed with the organisation, quality of the drivers and trip content itself. Udawalawa is well worth the visit.

We had an unforgettable day trip safari with superb service from start to finish. Our guide was knowledgable and ensured we got the best spots to watch the amazing wild life. This included numerous encounters with elephants. Our chauffeur for the trip was excellent. The food for lunch was lovely too. Then we moved onto the baby elephant transition home for rescued elephants being raised to go back into the wild home, this was fantastic too. I would highly recommend this trip! Thanks

Absolutely fantastic a ten star review if I could. Best day safari ever! Our guide was so knowledgeable and could spot even the chameleons whilst we were moving. Defo recommend. It is our first trip to Sri Lanka and to see so many elephants in their natural habitat was amazing. Loved every moment.

Really good experience excellent safari. No problems with this day out. Took early safari as more chance to see wildlife. Long day but so worth it. Really good service from start to finish.

We arrived in Bentota for 10days with no tours booked. With 3 children 14,12 and 8years and our first time visiting Sri Lanka we wanted to arrive and get settled before making any arrangements. I found Bentota Travel Mart on Tripadvisor and emailed them to get an idea of tours available and prices. As well as the information requested Sam also kindly provided me with travel times for the tours and with three children this helped a great deal. We chose the Udawalawe Safari tour first which included a trip to the elephant transit home. It was an early start at 4am pick up, but this added to the excitement of the trip ( hotels normally provide breakfast boxes if you are leaving early so worth checking). Our driver and guide was Janith and he was great with the children as well as telling us lots about the trip and what to expect. We were lucky enough to see lots of elephants on the tour including baby elephants with their family, we also managed to see lots of varieties of eagles, peacocks, monkey, water buffalo, spotted deer and many beautiful birds. The whole family thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I would highly recommend it. We also booked through Bentota Travel Mart to visit a turtle hatchery and release baby turtles onto the beach. We thought after the safari that this would be an experience hard to beat but this short evening experience was magical and one that we are so privileged to have been able to do. Definitely a must on your trip to Sri Lanka! Out last trip of the holiday through Bentota travel mart was a trip to Galle and a local temple, Sam helped us tailor make the trip to suit our needs and the guide was so knowledgable that we learnt so much. I cannot rate Bentota Travel Mart highly enough they made every trip stress free!