People who go to Udawalawe national park go for one reason, the elephants. Along with Minneriya National park, Udawalawe is the best place to see the large majestic mammals in Sri Lanka. The reason for this is the large man-made lake that is permanently present in Udawalawe. What makes Udawalawe special is that the elephants very often come very close to the vehicles, maybe the best overall experience, with elephants, Sri Lanka has to offer.