Udawalawe Safari & Journey to the Forgotten Kingdom – A Hidden Gem from Ahaspokuna Glamping

This unforgettable 9-hour experience from Ahaspokuna Glamping combines history, culture, and wilderness in a way few Sri Lankan adventures can. Designed for travellers seeking both depth and exclusivity, this journey offers a rare Udawalawe National Park Safari through the rarely -visited Handagiriya Gate, taking you into a quieter, undisturbed region of the park teeming with wildlife.

Along the way, you’ll stop for a visit to Kamal, a local buffalo herder who has mastered the art of traditional curd-making. Inside his humble home, Kamal will introduce you to his way of life, demonstrate the curd-making process, and give you a few pots of his fresh buffalo curd—later served as dessert during your picnic lunch. From there, it’s just a short drive to the Handagiriya entrance of the park, a little-known access point completely separated from the more commercial southern region by a winding river.

This less-travelled area of Udawalawe National Park is incredibly rich in both wildlife and archaeology. As your Udawalawe Safari begins, you’ll explore a section of the park where the ancient hunter-gatherers known as Balangoda Man once roamed. Believed to be over 40,000 years old,this early human presence adds a fascinating historical dimension to the safari experience. As you journey through the open plains, riverbanks, and scrub jungles, you’ll also see the ruins of the Forgotten Kingdom, dating back to 103 BC—a time when King Walagamba is believed to have sought refuge here while preparing to reclaim his throne in Anuradhapura. This historic area, rarely visited by outsiders, offers a profound sense of time and isolation, surrounded by nothing but the sounds of nature.

Wildlife sightings in this part of the park are both abundant and uncrowded. Udawalawe National Park is home to an estimated 600 to 700 wild elephants, and the chances of seeing them roaming in herds or bathing in watering holes are exceptionally high. During your safari, you may also spot graceful spotted deer moving through the tall grass, sambar deer and wild boar foraging near ponds, and sturdy water buffalo wallowing in the cooling mud.

After breakfast, your safari resumes, taking you deeper into the park’s hidden corners for more intimate wildlife sightings. By around 10:30 AM, you’ll exit the park and continue your journey into Sri Lanka’s rural heartland. Here, you’ll witness an age-old form of communication still in use—a charming and unexpected cultural encounter that contrasts sharply with the technology-driven world you’ve left behind. Shortly after, you’ll visit Handagiriya, believed to be one of the strongholds where King Walagamba spent part of his 14-year exile, building his forces to retake the throne. Though his time here is only a brief chapter in Sri Lanka’s 2,500-year history, the site is shrouded in significance and mystery, its crumbling stone ruins a quiet testament to resilience and survival.

With the exploration complete, you’ll be welcomed to a delicious country-style lunch prepared by local villagers who rarely interact with outsiders. Though a bit shy, their hospitality is genuine, and the meal—made using fresh, locally grown ingredients—offers an authentic taste of rural Sri Lankan cuisine. With only a few locals and Kamal’s buffaloes around, the setting is serene and uninterrupted.

At around 2:00 PM, your adventure draws to a close as you make your way back to Ahaspokuna Glamping. The drive takes you through more village tracks, offering one last glimpse into the slower, simpler rhythms of life in this remarkable corner of Sri Lanka. Whether you came for the Udawalawe National Park Safari, the history, or the culture, this Journey to the Forgotten Kingdom will leave you with lasting memories of discovery, beauty, and authenticity—an experience found only with Glamping Sri Lanka at its finest.