How large is Udawalawe National Park?

Udawalawe National Park spans a big, expansive stretch of 30,821 hectares (which is 308.2 square kilometres or about 119 square miles), and honestly, it feels wider once you see the terrain.

The park was first created in 1972 to give a secure sanctuary for animals that were forced away after the Udawalawe Reservoir was built on the Walawe River. The place itself is not uniform; you can notice abandoned teak plantations, scrub jungle, and open grasslands blending together around the massive reservoir. This reservoir keeps working as an essential year-round water source for the region’s varied wildlife.