Can Udawalawe be visited year-round?

Yes, Udawalawe National Park is open, and you can have really good wildlife sightings year-round. Still, the dry season, from May to September, is often seen as the better window if you want the more reliable, high-density elephant sightings.

In those drier months, the lack of water makes big herds of elephants and many other animals gather close to the main Udawalawe Reservoir and the remaining permanent waterholes. Because of that, they are much easier to spot. Then the wet season, October to January, turns the park into a greener scene, which is great for birdwatching, as well as photographing very young animals, but the animals might feel a bit more spread out.