Daytrip is a private car service platform that connects you with local drivers who will transport you door-to-door. We also give you the opportunity to explore sights/attractions along the way. We drive, you discover.
Daytrip offers private door-to-door transfers with optional sightseeing stops, hourly driver hire, and curated day trips ā all with local English-speaking drivers and operating across 130+ countries.
For private trips, you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before departure. For the Daytrip Pool shared shuttle, we offer 3 ticket options when booking: Non-refundable, Flexible with cancellations 24 hours before departure, and Super-flexible with cancellations up to 15 minutes before departure.
Yes! Book a private, door-to-door airport transfer with a local English-speaking driver. Enjoy fixed and transparent pricing, no hidden fees, and the option to pay in advance without the hassle of exchanging cash at a foreign airport.
You will receive the vehicle that best fits the number of travelers in your group, ranging from a sedan to a van for groups of up to 7. Depending where you travel, you can book anything from a sedan comparable to a Toyota Corolla to a Mercedes V-Class to a Classic Cuban Car. While the exact model may vary, we always ensure that the vehicle provided meets your needs in terms of safety, reliability, and comfort. You may be upgraded to a larger vehicle class free of charge depending on availability. Since our largest vehicle seats 7, for groups larger a combination of vehicles will be used. We will send you the exact vehicle details a few days before your trip.
Everywhere except the USA, drivers will supply appropriate child seats (just let us know during booking). In the USA, certain states require you to supply your own child seats.
Know more about traveling from Udawalawe
The roads to Udawalawe pass through Sri Lanka's lush hill country and rural heartlandāscenery worth seeing, not sleeping through. With a Daytrip private transfer, you travel at your own pace with a local driver who knows the region. You can stop at a viewpoint, a roadside tea stall, or a spice garden along the way. There are no fixed departure times, no crowded compartments, and no navigating unfamiliar connections at the other end.
Udawalawe is approximately 195 km (121 miles) from Colombo. By private transfer, the journey typically takes around 3.5 to 4.5 hours depending on the route and any stops along the way. The drive takes you through the highlands or along coastal plains depending on your chosen path, making the journey itself a meaningful part of the day rather than time to endure.
It is one of the best wildlife destinations in South Asia for families. The park's open terrain means children can see animals clearly from the safari jeep without long waits or dense vegetation blocking the view. The Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, an elephant orphanage on the park boundary, adds a structured and educational stop that works especially well for younger visitors. The drives are not physically demanding, and the experience is genuinely exciting for all ages.
Beyond the resident elephant population, Udawalawe supports water buffalo, sambar deer, wild boar, mugger crocodiles, and a remarkable variety of birdsāover 180 species have been recorded in the park, including endemic Sri Lankan species, raptors, and waterbirds. Leopard sightings are rarer here than in some other Sri Lankan parks, but the openness of the terrain makes for excellent overall game-viewing conditions and consistently rewarding drives.
Udawalawe is one of the few places in the world where elephant sightings are virtually guaranteedāthe park is home to a resident population of over 200 wild elephants. Unlike many safari destinations where you spend hours searching, Udawalawe delivers. Add to that year-round accessibility, open scrubland that makes wildlife easy to spot, and the chance to see buffalo, crocodiles, and a remarkable variety of birds, and you have a destination that rewards every type of traveler, not just wildlife enthusiasts.
Depending on your starting point, Daytrip drivers can arrange stops at places like Ella Rock viewpoints, the Ravana Falls near Ella, or the scenic Nine Arch Bridgeāall of which sit along natural routes toward Udawalawe. If you are departing from the coast, passes through quiet fishing villages and paddy fields can be built into your journey. Your driver will recommend stops that fit your timeline without cutting into your safari time.
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