Elevangensafari in the Udawalawe National Park

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I was not exactly enthusiastic about the view of camping in the Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka. I had a particularly challenging encounter with a cockroach (a flying cockroach) in a hotel and was not ready for more.

as usual, Peter used all of his rustic charm to convince me that "it is safer in a tent" because "there is an air lock so that nothing can come in". Although I was ready with the tents, I agreed to do it again in the Udawalawe National Park.

My first pleasant surprise came when I realized that the "private safari camp" was exactly that: an experience only for us. There would be no common chest of drawers, no muddy footprints in the shower, no night owls who stuck past the tent. There were only me and Peter in our tent and a support team nearby, consisting of a driver, a ranger, a personal cook, a waiter and a site manager. Apparently the other half is stored.

alt = "How the other half is stored"> Atlas & Boots How the other half is store

The tent itself had beds instead of sleeping bags and was spacious enough to stand in it-a quite variety to Peters Drei-man-tent, which has difficulty accommodating a man and a small woman (I scrape 2 inches with 5 feet).

The second pleasant surprise was that the camp in the park itself was. The Srilankic authorities allow camping within the borders of the Udawalawe national park, which meant that we didn't have to wait long to start our first safari.

We set off and came across an elephant family within minutes. After seeing Leopard with mixed luck in the Yala National Park, this was a great relief.

alt = "The best national parks in Sri Lanka for elephant"> Atlas & Boots an elephant mother and a baby

We agreed that we would go home happily if we didn't see anything of these gentle giants anymore. Fortunately, our pessimism was out of place. Soon afterwards we discovered a mother and a baby who went for a walk on the grounds of the Udawalawe national park. When you have seen an elephant baby, you know that there are really only a few things that are more cute.

Alt = "Elefantenbaby in the Udawalawe National Park"> Atlas & Boots An elephant baby in the Udawalawe National Park

Half an hour later we experienced something very special: an elephant that felled a tree. We were told that the elephants in the Udawalawe National Park are remarkably smart. In some parts of the park, an electric wire fence was built to keep the animals in protected areas. It is known that some mischievous elephants use branches to remove the fence piles, by avoiding the electrical blow and gained free hand.

We were lucky enough to almost pile up elephants for reaching close to the vehicle. (Of course, touching is not allowed.)

In addition to elephants in the Udawalawe National Park, we saw a variety of peacocks, buffalos, crocodiles and tropical birds.

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After a strenuous but exciting two -hour drive, we returned to the camp in the protection of the dark to experience another surprise. Our piece of park landscape had been transformed into a romantic setting for two people, completely with paths illuminated by lanterns and a covered table for a three-course menu. Unfortunately, the rain forced us under the tents, so that we take our meal instead on our tent veranda.

alt = “Safaricamp in the Udawalawe National Park-9 ″> Atlas & Boots Lanterns illuminate the way to our tent

We had a freshly prepared meal that was magically conjure up in the mobile kitchen and then pulled back for the night. Experience was quite a change over our first time when we camped together, which led to a breakdown that can only be described as a collapse.

This time I fell asleep in complete calm, with the exception of a single push on the night when I heard a huge splash from the nearby river. In half asleep I thought of Michael Crichtons Reisen, where he carved a dramatic story of an elephant who trudges through his camp at night. Hm, I thought blurry, that would not be cool.

In the morning we woke up and took steps on the river, which led the muddy shore down to the water to an almighty slide.

alt = "muddy footprints in the Udawalawe National Park"> Atlas & Boots elephant traces on the river bank

Apparently an elephant had hiked near at night and decided to take a bath. When I read Travels for the first time, I could not imagine that one day I would also dive in exotic places, cross landslides and have elephants hiked through my campsite. On the other hand, I never thought that I would camp.

It's great to travel from the country with a boy. You see all kinds of things that you would normally not do. You just have to say yes - also for camping.

Udawalawe National Park: The essentials

WAS: Elefermannafari in the Udawalawe National Park in Sri Lanka.

Where: We stayed in a private campsite with Luke Safari Camping deep in the Udawalawe National Park. The location on the river offered a natural charm, coupled with modern amenities such as your own shower and toilet, two single beds, intensive tent lighting and traditional Srilankian cuisine with tasty ingredients from the region.

The terrain is surrounded by huge trees and a variety of wild animals, of course, from birds and monkeys to elephants. Bookings usually apply to one night and include two game drives, all meals and drinks, collection and return, parking fees and a support team of five people. The prices vary depending on the season. Contact Ruhunu for the latest prices and enter the Udawalawe National Park.

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When: The best time to visit the Udawalawe National Park is from December to March, when the rainfall is the slightest, the grass is lower and elephants venture into their water points.

like: The entrance fees for the Udawalawe National Park are $ 15 per person for a daily visit and $ 30 for an overnight stay.

Depending on the starting point, various bus lines are available. It is worth noting that we found bus trips in Sri Lanka to be quite stressful, so you may want to take a transfer instead. Your hotel can arrange this, but it is always worth negotiating a discount, since these are normally excessive (e.g. if 15,000 LKR are specified, ask for 11,000).

Many tourists choose to rent a driver for the entire trip. This costs about $ 45 a day (including the days on which you do not use the driver). We used Ajaa (+94 777 284 178) and Sisi (+94 777 203 083) for shorter transfers and found them friendly and reliable.

Most international flights end up at the Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo. Book via Skyscanner at the best prices.

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