Wet Zone
Nil Diya Mankada
A charming safari lodge fantastically located in the heart of Udawalawe, just a short drive from the park gates and thus in a prime position for safaris in the National Park. The Udawalawe Reservoir lies at the center of the park, and works to attract a wealth of species. Udawalawe National Park was in fact established in 1972 in order to protect the catchment area of the reservoir which is used also for agriculture and hydro-power generation. The terrain in the park largely resembles an African game park – predominantly thorny-shrub jungle with grasslands.
The lodge itself is situated upon lovely grounds, with a garden, terrace area and outdoor swimming pool. There is also a lake in front of the property in which guests can fish. The large main building contains the restaurant and coffee shop, and rooms are in separate blocks spread over the site. There is plenty to do alongside safari drives, making this an ideal destination for families who want to visit the Udawalawe area and make the most of all that it has to offer.
Rooming categories include classic double, deluxe rooms, family deluxe rooms, garden view triple rooms, super deluxe and family suites. All rooms are modern and spacious, and equipped with full modern amenities to make your stay as comfortable as possible
Facilities
The hotel has a spa, kids club and playground, bicycle rental, BBQ facilities, outdoor pool, dining room, restaurant, bar, WiFi, currency exchange, a fishing lake, corporate meeting facilities and 24 hour reception desk. Rooms are all equipped with telephone, satellite TV, iPod and docking station, safety deposit box, air conditioning, ironing facilities, minibar, tea and coffee facilities and en-suite bathrooms with toiletries.
Local Wildlife
Udawalawe National Park is the principal wildlife attraction with its large population of elephant, but jungle cats, golden jackals, spotted and sambar deer, wild boar, toque macaques, monitor lizards, marsh mugger crocodiles and a wealth of birdlife can also be seen.
The Udawalawe National Park is one of the oldest national park’s in Sri Lanka and protects the largest density of wild elephants in the country. The park is home to the Udawalawe Reservoir, which during the dry season is a key water source for the elephants and results in a large gathering of elephants. Throughout the year, the park remains the best location in Sri Lanka to view elephants and they can be seen on almost every game drive.
Close to the entrance of the National Park is the Elephant Transit Home, a conservation project set up to rehabilitate orphaned or injured wild elephants back to the wild.
Optional Activities
Guests can easily arrange to visit nearby attractions such as safaris in Udawalawe National Park, the Elephant Transit Home for orphaned elephants, the Udawalawe dam and tank, the Sankapale Temple, Madunagala hot springs, and several other natural and cultural sites. Additionally, on-site guests can partake in fishing, cycling, spa treatments, or swimming in the pool.
Alan Godwin
Area Specialist
If you plan to visit the baby elephants at the Transit Home, the designated feeding times are 9am, 12 noon and 3pm. Be there at these times to observe the lovey spectacle of orphaned or injured elephants being hand fed by their carers.
If you have any questions regarding our Sri Lanka tours, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We were absolutely thrilled by the whole experience and can only commend the helpfulness and friendliness of everyone who made our holiday so special. We cannot speak highly enough of all of our guides who were extremely knowledgeable and went above and beyond to enhance our Sri Lankan wildlife encounters. We felt very privileged to be with guides who have so much expertise.