How far is Udawalawe from Hiriketiya?

Udawalawe sits roughly 80 kilometres, or 50 miles, inland from the well-known coastal surf place of Hiriketiya. In practice, that means you’re looking at about 1.5 to 2 hours of driving time, depending on traffic and light.

The route feels easy enough, and it is really scenic too, mostly sticking to the A18 highway as it leads away from the Nonagama Junction. Since the distance is not that long, quite a few visitors prefer a day trip plan from Hiriketiya, you know, leaving early in the morning to reach the 6:00 AM park opening, or they head out in the early afternoon to catch a golden hour safari.