Udawalawe is Sri Lanka’s most reliably productive wildlife park – large wild Asian elephant herds move through open grassland and along the edges of the reservoir in plain sight throughout the day, with no dense forest to hide behind and no need to track or wait for hours on a game drive. The morning golden hour at the reservoir edge, when herds of 20 to 40 elephants gather in the warm light, is among the most spectacular wildlife photography opportunities in Asia. Alongside the elephants: water buffalo in the shallows, mugger crocodiles on the banks, a remarkable diversity of raptors and waterbirds. The optional Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home – a government rehabilitation programme for orphaned wild elephant calves – is open at scheduled feeding times throughout the day, and the experience of watching calves being bottle-fed by their handlers before being prepared for eventual wild release is one of the most genuinely moving wildlife encounters in Sri Lanka, and consistently one of the most memorable experiences for families.