yala safari august

A Yala Safari — Into the Wild Heart of Sri Lanka

The stunning Yala National Park is one of the most revered wildlife reserves in Sri Lanka, as it’s home to the highest density of leopards in the world. Here’s all you need to know in order to plan the perfect Yala safari.

The tiny island nation of Sri Lanka is a fantastic destination for wildlife lovers. It’s home to a huge diversity of animals, including leopards, elephants, boars, monkeys, crocodiles and tons more. It’s also home to a range of exemplary national parks which provide excellent habitats for wildlife to thrive.

Of Sri Lanka’s many national parks, Yala is the most famous. This is due to its high concentration of leopards, as well as its close proximity to the beach resorts in the south of the country. Yala National Park covers an area of approximately 979km² and is so rich in wildlife, it would be almost impossible not to have a fruitful safari.

In this article, we’ll explore what animals you can expect to see in the park, and help you plan your perfect Yala safari.

“Yala National Park: where the wild heart of Sri Lanka beats with unparalleled fervour.”

What animals can you see in Yala?

Yala National Park is home to 44 species of mammals, 215 species of birds and 46 species of reptiles. This is a huge range of biodiversity, and it would be practically impossible to not see any animals during your safari.

And while taking a safari doesn’t guarantee that you’ll see every animal that lives in Yala, it’s safe to expect to see water buffalos, wild boars, spotted deer, monkeys and peacocks up close. Keep an eye out for the impressive mugger crocodiles lurking in the waterways, as well as various species of turtles, lizards, snakes, and frogs.

Beyond this, there is also the potential to see rarer species such as leopards, elephants, black sloth bears, fishing cats and red slender loris.

Leopards in Yala National Park

Yala National Park is home to the highest concentration of leopards in the world, making it the number one destination for spotting these incredible cats. It’s estimated that around 55 leopards reside in the park, so you might just be lucky enough to spot one on your safari.

Keep in mind, though, that wild animals are not predictable and each safari experience is unique. Sightings of rare species like leopards can’t be guaranteed, so I recommend keeping your expectations low to avoid disappointment.

That being said, your Jeep driver will know all the best spots for leopard sightings and will do his best!

What’s the landscape like?

Watching animals in a beautiful setting really makes a safari all the more wonderful, and Yala is the perfect stage upon which to see Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Yala National Park is characterized by a mix of dense forest, scrubland, grassland, and lagoons.

The terrain of the park also makes it easy to see across long distances. There are some rocky outcrops and hills scattered throughout, but the terrain is mostly flat, which makes wildlife viewing easier. The park is bisected by several rivers and streams, which provide important water sources for the park’s resident wildlife. This makes it easier to know where animals are likely to congregate.

Conservation efforts in Yala

Through dedicated conservation efforts, Yala National Park safeguards its resident animals from threats such as poaching and habitat loss. The park is divided into several “blocks,” of which only a few are open to the public. This helps to ensure species remain protected.

Conservation efforts also have a direct impact on the livelihoods of local communities. The park generates significant revenue through tourism, creating job opportunities and driving the local economy. By engaging in sustainable tourism practices and supporting conservation initiatives, visitors to Yala National Park can play a vital role in safeguarding this precious ecosystem and empowering its surrounding communities.

When is the best time to visit?

The best time to visit Yala National Park is from February to June during the dry season. With less water in the ponds, it’s easier to spot animals coming out to drink. The peak season for leopards is February and March. 

The best time of day to visit is either early morning (6 am – 9 am) or late afternoon (3 pm – 6 pm), as this is when wildlife is most active.

Note: Yala National Park is usually closed for maintenance during the month of September.

How to arrange a Yala safari

The nearest town to Yala National Park is Tissamaharama (often shortened to Tissa). There are tons of safari operators here, and most accommodations can also help you arrange your Yala safari. For a beautiful place to stay in Tissa that compliments your safari experience, I suggest either Flameback Eco Lodge or Richards Cabanas.

Alternatively, Cinnamon Wild offers a really unique stay right on the edge of Yala itself. You’ll stay in an eco-friendly chalet nestled within 10 acres of green jungle. It’s the perfect launching pad for your safari!

Whether you book your safari through your accommodation or directly with an operator, the operator will usually pick you up from your accommodation and take you back afterwards. Most jeeps have the capacity to take 6 people.

You can choose a morning, afternoon or full-day safari. Morning and afternoon safaris will give you 3 – 4 hours in the park, whereas a full-day safari will be 10 – 12 hours.

Here are a few suggestions for operators to look into:

How much does a Yala safari cost?

As of 2021, foreigners pay LKR 4,000 (approx. £16) per adult and LKR 2,000 (approx. £8) per child to enter the park. There’s also a vehicle entry fee of LKR 2,500 (approx. £10) per jeep.

It’s recommended that you hire a driver/guide for your Yala safari. Expect to pay around LKR 8,000 to 12,000 (approx. £32-48) for a half-day tour and LKR 15,000 to 20,000 (approx. £60-80) for a full-day tour.

All in, it’s an average of 65 USD per person for a safari in Yala. This includes your park entrance ticket, as well as the hire of a jeep and guide. The price is higher than other national parks in Sri Lanka, but the quality of wildlife sightings you’re likely to have completely justifies this.

My experience on safari in Yala National Park

I visited Sri Lanka primarily to go cycling , so spent the morning biking around the Tissa countryside. This in itself was a fabulous experience — cycling near a national park meant we saw plenty of exotic birds, water buffalo, flying foxes and monkeys.

We went back to the hotel to have lunch, before being transferred to Yala National Park for an afternoon safari. We entered the park at about 3 pm.

Because I knew how popular Yala safaris are, I expected to see tons of other jeeps. And while there were definitely other jeeps, it wasn’t anywhere near as packed as I expected. In fact, I was pleasantly surprised by how unbothered I felt by other vehicles. I can’t promise it won’t be busy during your visit, but I didn’t find the volume of tourists to be an issue.

I had done a safari in Minneriya about a week ago and was pleased to see that the landscape and “vibe” of Yala is completely different to in Minneriya. This made it feel like a whole new experience. We very quickly saw a group of wild boars after entering Yala, followed by elephants, water buffalo, monkeys and peacocks.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see a leopard during my time in Yala National Park, however, I had kept my expectations low so that I wasn’t disappointed by this. I suggest you do the same, as it’s not guaranteed that you’ll see a leopard. The variety of wildlife we did see was amazing, though. We had lots of unique sightings and saw plenty of crocodiles, monkeys, wild boars, monitor lizards and more. We also saw absolutely tons of elephants, including a few babies.

After spending a good few hours admiring Yala’s wildlife, we left the park at about 6:30 pm.

My Yala safari was one of the highlights of my two weeks in Sri Lanka — an absolutely wonderful experience that I highly recommend.

About The Author

Lauren Pears is a freelance travel writer and blogger based in London. She writes about active adventure travel, aiming to encourage and inspire travellers to make the most of the great outdoors.

Thank you for reading! If you found this post useful, I’d be grateful if you would consider using the affiliate links below when planning your travels. I’ll make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This will help me to keep this blog running. Thanks for your support – Lauren. Hotels –  Booking.com Hostels –  Hostelworld Cheap flights –  Skyscanner Travel insurance –  World Nomads Outdoor gear –  Decathlon  /  GO Outdoors Cycling gear –  Chain Reaction Cycles Alternatively, you could buy me a coffee to say thanks!

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How interesting since when I was in Sri Lanka, I opted for Udawalawe to see wildlife. As far as I remember, Yala was too much off my route. This way, I enjoy your post even more since I missed out on this reserve. Sri Lanka is a great place and my trip there was definitely one of my best travels – such an amazing mix of so many great features.

We have been to several game drives and saw a wide variety of wild animals. But we have never seem leopards in the wild. So a safari in Sri Lanka at the Yala National Park. Glad to know you did not find it packed with jeeps. But too bad you missed leopards on your visit.

Hey I have been there too! And… I didn’t see a leopard on my Yala safari! Actually I saw one but it was really far away and I was a bit sad about this. On the other hand, I loved the nature around us!

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Pre-book your safari

News | From the wild

Yala in september.

As of now, it looks like your favourite park will remain open throughout 2023! While visitors may be familiar with the park usually being closed in September, no such decision to close the park this year has been made. Any decision to close the park, if at all, will be if a severe drought occurs. So, let’s hope for the best!

This is leopard country, and they are the Lords of the Jungle! With a leopard density that's higher than anywhere else on this planet, these menacing predators prowl majestically in Yala, while elephants roam in their numbers with cautious deer scampering by their side

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You can now advance book your safari to yala including reserving your ticket and safari jeep., kumbukriver eco-lodge.

STAY AT THIS WORLD FAMOUS ECO-LODGE

If you are visiting yala, take the time to travel to kumbukriver, one of the world’s most unique hotels., hotline: +94 77 736 1010 | www.kumbukriver.com.

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EXPLORER’S CORNER

Visited yala recently post your pictures, videos, comments and recommendations on our social media blog., their life is in your hands, are you a responsible visitor, as the number of visitors to this world-famous park increases, so does its impact on nature. while the incredible world of wildlife must be experienced, you must take it to your heart that you cannot even leave your foot print behind. so let’s take a moment to understand what wildlife is all about and how you can confidently proclaim that you are a true lover of nature..

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Yala National Park in Sri Lanka: A safari guide’s tips on the best time to visit, hotels, permits

By Kriti Saraswat-Satpathy

Roughly five hours from Colombo lies Yala National Park, home to the world’s highest population of leopards . While our arrival after a night of rain dampened our chances of spotting the big cat, other wonderful sights left a memorable imprint. A trio of elephants—a male, female and calf—crossing the road inches from our jeep, a brahminy kite swooping low to snatch a fish from a lake, migratory birds like the large comb duck swimming, a colony of dainty, green bee-eaters taking flight. As the rain let up, we caught sight of a dancing peacock trying to entice its mate, a playful herd of deer, a wild boar looking for food, and a mugger crocodile and water buffaloes submerged in ponds. The best sightings require plenty of planning, so we spoke with Praneeth Jayamadu, senior ranger at the newly-opened Hilton Yala Resort, on how to have the best safari experience at Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.

What makes Yala National Park special?

Photo: Sajith Withanage

Besides biodiversity, varied terrain and different ecosystems that attract both local and foreign tourists, Yala is known to have the highest density of leopards in the world. “At present, a proper survey has been carried out in only one part of the park, where the figure stands at 77 adult leopards. They are each given a code name, like YF01 or YM01, where Y stands for Yala and M and F represent their gender. The number is the count,” explains Jayamadu. “The leopards also have common nicknames like Jessica and Lucas.”

Tell us about one incredible leopard encounter you had. “Each safari to the park is special but some sightings simply leave you speechless. One such recent leopard sighting at Yala was when we had parked our jeep near a waterhole and saw a mother leopard hiding behind a nearby bush,” Jayamadu recalls. “Camouflaging perfectly, she was waiting to ambush a herd of wild boar that had a few boarlets in the mix. Leopards don’t always attack the adult ones as the herd attacks back, but being a new mother, she was desperate for a kill for herself and her cubs. Calculating the distance between the prey and the closest tree, she leapt from the bushes, grabbed a boarlet by its neck and climbed a tree to save herself from the herd’s retaliation. After waiting for them to leave, she clambered down and disappeared into the bushes with her kill. It was indeed a rare sighting as leopards usually hunt at night but we were able to witness this during the day by being at the right place at the right time!”

Besides leopards, what else can you spot at Yala National Park? Yala is not just a playground for leopards; it has several other animals and birds that make for an exciting safari excursion. “Apart from the Sri Lankan leopard, you can spot sloth bear, grey langur, the Sri Lankan elephant, mugger crocodile, water buffalo, golden-backed jackal, spotted and sambar deer, soft-shell turtle, ruddy mongoose, land monitor lizard, and wild boar,” shares the ranger. Yala also plays seasonal home to scores of migratory birds. Among them, the most common ones include the Indian pitta, blue-tailed bee-eater, redshank, comb duck, sand plover and brown shrike. “The park has several endemic and non-endemic resident birds, like the Sri Lankan junglefowl, Sri Lankan swallow, Malabar pied hornbill, brown-capped babbler, black neck stork, crested hawk eagle and green imperial pigeon.”

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What are the telltale spotting rituals of a guide? “These depend on the animal we are trying to spot. For example, elephants love grass, so the weather and food availability play a huge role. When the park dries up, they go deep into the forest, so we try to look for patches of grass,” Jayamadu says. “Sloth bears are quite elusive and unpredictable, but they love this yellow fruit called palu; the chances of seeing them are higher when they are in season, usually between January and July, or during monsoons, when termite mounds are damp, and they can eat them. When it comes to leopards, relying on alarm calls by other animals, especially monkeys, is helpful as they raise an alarm when they spot a predator. In the dry season, we look for pugmarks and near watering holes, but in the monsoon, leopards like taking shelter in caves or up in trees, so it’s essential for guides to train their eyes. Being in the park regularly, we also understand the patterns and movements of different leopards, which helps lead to better sightings.”

What’s the best time to visit Yala National Park? From May to July, the weather is dry but it stays windy, which makes the weather bearable. The trees shedding their leaves renders it easier to spot animals, who often venture out to waterholes during this time. According to Jayamadu, this is the best time to visit Yala to spot leopards, though the tourist count remains low. In this part of Sri Lanka, its peak monsoon from November to January. The park turns into a lush green oasis and a haven for flocks of birds. It’s also the high tourist season at Yala. Leopard sightings, however, are difficult at this time, given the wet weather, but elephants, peacocks and water buffaloes are easy to spot, Jayamadu explains. February to April is the low tourist season; safaris are highly uncomfortable, especially in April, the hottest month here. Dry heat keeps the weather harsh from August to October. In fact, before Covid, the park would remain closed from September 1 to October 15.

How many safaris can fit into a three-night stay? “A minimum of two safaris are ideal, with three being the absolute best over a three-night stay. In the first one, we show guests the varied landscapes of the park, entering from Block 1 to spot different birds and animals. In the second safari, we focus on leopard sightings and take a different route to show another side of the park. And in the third safari, we explore other blocks of the park, giving guests a wholesome Yala experience,” the guide suggests, adding that they keep a mix of morning and afternoon safaris, or one full-day safari, to raise the chances of different sightings.

What are the safari slots at Yala National Park? The park is usually open from 6am to 6pm, with slight changes in the timing depending on the season and weather. The last slot to enter the park for a morning safari is 11am and 5pm for an evening safari. Keep in mind that the latter gives tourists just an hour inside the park. “Yala National Park offers both half-day and full-day safari options. But it’s closed from 12pm to 2pm every day. There are two dedicated zones where vehicles and tourists can wait during this time. We also have the option of returning to the hotel for lunch and continuing the full-day safari post 2pm,” says Jayamadu.

How do you book a safari permit at Yala? How much does it cost? To book a safari permit for Yala National Park, head to the official website of the Department of Wildlife Conservation. It has a certain number of permits available for each day that you can book online in advance by filling in the requested details and making a payment. “The permit cost for foreigners is US$25 (roughly Rs2,083), excluding taxes. But do note that the safari permit requires details of the vehicle and guide to be filled, so it’s important to figure these out beforehand. I recommend first booking your accommodation and letting the hotel help you with the safari bookings, including the permits,” the ranger advises.

How to book a jeep and guide at Yala National Park? Jayamadu warns that this is the tricky part. “You can get safari permits through the official portal, but the jeep and guide bookings need to be made through privately-owned businesses. This makes it difficult for foreign tourists to vet the good ones based on an online search,” he says. “There are usually some jeeps parked near the entrance gates that visitors can book directly, but they may not get the best safari experience. The safest way to go about this is to choose an all-inclusive package at a hotel so that your safari with a jeep and guide are part of the experience provided with the stay.” The cost of the safari package would vary according to the hotel’s category and the season. While some hotels book an external guide, resorts like Hilton Yala have their in-house rangers who accompany guests on every safari trip, armed with refreshments and binoculars. A maximum of five guests in a jeep leaves room for a driver and guide to join.

Which are the best zones at Yala National Park? In Sri Lanka, national parks are divided into blocks instead of zones, and Yala has six such demarcated blocks. “There were five earlier, but an adjoining national park, Lunugamvehera, became part of Yala recently, taking the total to six. All the blocks are accessible to tourists, though Block 1 remains the most popular one. It has two entrances: Palatupana is the main one, and Katagamuwa is the rear entrance,” he explains. With a diverse ecosystem—from rocky outcrops and watering holes, to grasslands, lagoons and a coastal stretch—this block is home to not just leopards, but several endemic and migratory birds and other mammals. “Since the main entrance becomes too crowded during the peak season, we take our guests to certain offbeat tracks inside for a better safari experience.” Entering through the rear gate is also a good idea as it’s less frequented by tourists.

“If you love off-roading, Block 2 is for you. It’s accessible via the main block after a river crossing. Secluded with no mobile reception, tickets to this block are only issued when there’s a minimum of two safari jeeps together, keeping safety in mind,” Jayamadu adds. Blocks 3 and 4 are thick forest areas and about 50km from Block 1, and Block 5 (also 50km from the first) is also good for leopard sightings. Block 6 is home to several species of reptiles, birds and mammals and can be accessed from either Block 1 or through Block 5.

What are the best hotels around Yala National Park? Most of the hotels, resorts and campsites are concentrated around Block 1. The Palatupana entrance is easily accessible and a designated tourism zone. The newest property here is Hilton Yala Resort (doubles from Rs41,960; website ) located in the buffer zone and overlooking the Indian Ocean, with 42 rooms including some with a private pool. The resort also offers packages that include the stay, meals, guided safaris and other excursions. Wild Coast Tented Lodge (doubles from Rs49,928; website ) is a luxury tent accommodation; Uga Chena Huts (doubles from Rs87,443; website ) offers luxury cabins; and Cinnamon Wild (doubles from Rs31,070; website ) has chalets. Besides these, there are some glamping and camping accommodations near the Katagamuwa entrance.

What else can you do at Yala National Park? “Tourism in and around Yala is largely for wildlife enthusiasts, nature lovers and pilgrims,” says Jayamadu. Resorts located close to Block 1 have access to the beach and offer activities like sundowners by the water. “Hilton also offers bush walks and sand dune visits, besides safaris and beach trips,” he adds. The ancient Buddhist monastery, Sithulpawwa Rock Temple, is perfect to get a bird’s eye view of the park and pay your respects to this 2,200-year-old place of worship. The sacred town of Kataragama is easily accessible from Block 5; it’s a holy place for different faiths, including Hindus and Buddhists. The guide also recommends visiting Bundala National Park, a haven for bird enthusiasts as it’s a hotspot for migratory birds and just 45 minutes from Yala. Ask your resort about these sightseeing excursions in addition to your safari trips.

How do you reach Yala National Park? For international tourists, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Colombo is the closest airport to Yala National Park, roughly 287km away. It’s connected by an expressway, with a smooth drive of about four to five hours to the hotels around the park. Getting the hotel to arrange for a car and driver would be ideal as there’s no direct public transport to take you to your destination. For those looking for a faster mode of transport, Cinnamon Air offers domestic flights from Colombo to Tissa and Weerawila, less than an hour from the park. There are a few private chopper services, as well, to take you to your resort in Yala, provided they come equipped with a helipad. For instance, Hilton Yala Resort, Wild Coast Tented Lodge and Uga Chena Huts have such a provision, which can cut down your travel time to just over an hour from Colombo.

How to reach the guide? You can reach ranger Praneeth Jayamadu and Hilton Yala Resort at +94 472 555 555 or [email protected]

Wildlife Adventures in Sri Lanka: How to Plan a Safari in Yala National Park For All Budgets (2024)

Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka is an amazing place to go on safari and hopefully see leopards in the wild. I recently had the privilege of exploring the wonders of Yala, and I’m excited to share my experiences with you. If you think you have to choose between a high-end, expensive, luxury private safari, or a bare-bones backpackers hostel, we’ve got great news for you- there is a middle ground! We’ll help you sort out where to stay to visit Yala National Park so you can book the best Yala safari in Sri Lanka for your family- whether that’s a luxury resort or a rustic camp where you feel in tune with nature.

Arranging a jeep safari in Yala National Park can be confusing and overwhelming. In this blog post, we’ll help you plan your own unforgettable safari in Yala National Park. From spotting elusive leopards to encountering elephants in their natural habitat, we’ll dive into the magic of this Sri Lankan wilderness together. We’ll cover how to book a park safari experience, which block in the park to visit, where to stay close to Yala, the best time of year to go on Yala safari, how to get to Yala National Park, and tips for enjoying your park safari once you a there.

This article may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a small commission if a reader clicks through and makes a purchase.   As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. All our recommendations are our own and are in no way influenced by any advertiser or commercial initiative.

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Table of Contents

Where is Yala National Park

Yala National Park is located in the southeastern part of Sri Lanka. Its vast expanse covers a significant portion of the country’s southeastern lowland dry zone, making it a haven for diverse wildlife and breathtaking natural beauty. Yala National Park is about a 5-hour drive from Colombo, so it’s best to incorporate your visit to Yala into a larger two-week itinerary in Sri Lanka .

Yala National Park is divided into 5 blocks. Most safari tours visit Block 1 where the largest population of leopards live. Animals are free to wander among the blocks, so there is no guarantee of sightings, and they may change their patterns due to weather, mating season, or even the migration patterns of deer.

Once a British royal hunting ground, Yala National Park was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and a national park in 1938.

Is Yala National Park Worth Visiting?

Yes, Yala National Park is worth visiting! It’s a family bucket list experience that you won’t forget! Yala National Park has the world’s largest population of wild leopards- so you have the best chance of seeing one of these majestic and elusive creatures!

There is no guarantee that you will see a leopard, but even if you don’t see one, you’ll have a fantastic park safari experience and see lots of other animals including elephants, sloth bears, water buffalo, peacocks, wild boars, and more!

What Animals Will I See in Yala National Park?

There are 44 different mammals in Yala National Park as well as over 200 species of birds. Many people come hoping to see a leopard or a sloth bear, but there are also elephants, jackals, water buffalo, deer, boar, monkeys, and crocodiles. No animal sightings are guaranteed, but most are fairly easy to spot with the exception of the sloth bear and the leopard.

Note: If you are interested in elephant welfare and conservation, we recommend a visit to this elephant sanctuary in Cambodia .

What Happens If We Spot a Leopard?

When a leopard is spotted, your guide will call in the sighting. All of the other vehicles in the area will rush to the site to try and also see the animal. This creates a traffic jam.

Vehicles in Yala do not go off-roading-they follow strict rules which prevent drivers from getting too close to animals or harassing animals. This means that when vehicles line up and crowd into one location, it can be hard for any one vehicle to move.

Secondly, your guide will record and report the sighting. Guides are able to identify most leopards on site by their coloring and spots and will be able to tell you about the animal. Every sighting is recorded so that animal movements can be tracked.

When we visited Yala, our vehicle was the first to see a leopard- near the end of the afternoon we started Amber, a 9-year-old female who was resting in the ditch at the side of the road. She quickly headed into the tall grasses, and we were then able to watch her from far away as she ate a small animal, possibly a rabbit.

When we were finished attempting to watch her- even with binoculars she was tough to see as she would dip her head down below the grass level, we were not able to move for a while as other safari jeeps had blocked us in.

To learn more about the leopards in Yala, or to see photos and details about whichever individual you spotted, check the Yala Leopard Diary . They have updated information about the migratory patterns of each animal as well as a family tree, and lots of wonderful photos.

How to Book a Safari at Yala National Park

There are two ways to book a safari in Yala National Park- as part of a complete package, or by booking lodging close to the park and then arranging the safari separately. Often, even though the safari is not included in your room rate, your accommodations will be happy to help you arrange as many safaris as you like. There are both group safari tours and private safari tours available.

If you are staying in Tissamaharama there will be opportunities to book guides from town. We highly recommend booking ahead so you can arrange for both a driver and a guide for your safari.

A driver will simply drive, and while he will do his best to show you animals he usually doesn’t offer much guidance in terms of animal behavior. We found that our guide and driver worked well together, discussing routes and looking for animal tracks. You want to reputable guide who has years of experience with tracking- they should be able to hear animal alarms indicating the presence of predators and track animals using prints and scat.

Where to Stay Near Yala National Park

There are budget hostels, luxury camps, and a few mid-range camps to stay in near Yala National Park. When we started researching options, I was frustrated to keep seeing the same few luxury or high-ed jungle camps coming up in blog posts over and over- they just weren’t in our budget.

We’ve included some of these luxury camps below- if you have the budget, these camps will pamper you and make sure you have a vacation to remember. However, if these are not in your budget, we’ve rounded up other options so you can still see all the epic wildlife that Yala National Park has to offer.

Try to book lodging as much in advance as possible – many of these properties only have a handful of tents, cabins, or chalets, so they book up quickly.

Staying Inside Yala National Park

There are government-run bungalows available inside Yala National Park . I’ve seen several comments that they are not “up to standard”, but haven’t spoken with anyone who has tried using them. You can stay in these bungalows for up to 3 consecutive nights. You can see the facilities here , and reserve them online . Details are scarce- if you’ve tried one of these please let us know how they were!

Luxury Jungle Camps near Yala National Park

These luxury camps offer every amenity- and charge over 1K USD per night. If you are looking for an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime, five-star experience, these lodges are fantastic. These jungle camps are in the buffer zone around Yala National Park.

Uga Chena Huts

This is a five-star all-inclusive resort that has luxury cabins that are air-conditioned with private plunge pools. They describe the resort as “colonial expedition chic with contemporary design innovations”. Safaris and meals are included with the lodging. This place is absolutely stunning, and only a few minutes drive from Yala National Park.

“The location is amazing, no fences or electric to keep out wildlife so it’s wild and beautiful. You can walk to the beach and to a nearby waterhole from your accom (not after dark!) You do need to be careful but that’s half the attraction. Two daily (optional) safaris were included with our stay which were brilliant, we saw so much amazing wildlife both on these.” -Jenny (Read More Reviews )

Book Now: Uga Chena Huts

Wild Coast Lodge

This five-star all-inclusive jungle resort is built in the shape of a leopard’s paw, with open-air central buildings made from bamboo and other natural materials. Guests stay in luxury air-conditioned cocoons made with double-height, stretched fabric roofs looking over the Indian Ocean. They also have a family cocoon suite that has two attached pods for parents and kids to experience together, while still having some privacy. Meals and game drives are included.

“I turned around to see a giant elephant on its way to my watering hole…they said it could happen…but I really thought the reality was slim to none…boy was I surprised! Besides all that, all the food and drinks were delicious! And, it cannot be omitted…the coastline! WOW!” -JennIE (read More reviews )

Book Now: Wild Coast Lodge

Mid-range camps near yala national park.

These unicorns are in the buffer area of Yala National Park- so you’ll need to get a driver to take you there, but are much closer to the gate of the park, so you’ll have less of a drive early in the morning. Some of these camps also offer an additional bush walk to introduce you to the wildlife in the area around the camp.

Cinnamon Wild Yala

This eco-friendly resort is high-end and clearly has hosted a lot of bloggers because it comes up often. This resort is in a bit of its own category- it’s more expensive than most of our mid-range options- with rooms in the range of $300-400 USD per night. As a five-star property, it’s a bargain compared to the all-inclusive luxury options, but significantly more expensive than most of the mid-range. If you’re debating about splashing out on your stay near Yala, this could be just what you are looking for.

This camp is located very close to Wild Coast Lodge but for 10% of the price tag. Chalets here are air-conditioned with private balconies. Chalets each have one double bed, so they don’t have a great setup for larger families, though they do offer connecting rooms. The complex has a large pool and a rooftop terrace for guests to enjoy.

“The property is absolutely fabulous, the location is incredible. if your going there for animals this is the place to stay. In the resort we saw crocodiles and water buffalo down at the lake and lots of beautiful birds. An elephant went through the resort and was down at the lake twice.” -Emma (read more reviews)

Book Now: Cinnamon Wild Yala

Wild Trails Yala by Suri

Wild Trails Yala is where we stayed, and absolutely loved it. We stayed in a tent with one double bed and two beds, air conditioning, and our own bathroom. The “tents” at Wild Trails Yala are made of lovely hardwoods, with our own front deck. Once we arrived we went on an afternoon bush walk, then hung out by a watering hole in the later afternoon until dinner was served by candlelight. There is no pool or fancy amenities, here, it really is glamping.

In the morning, we woke in the dark, had a cup of tea and biscuits, and headed out on our full-day safari. By the time we arrived back at camp, it was after dark. We had arranged for a driver to take us to Hiriketiya Beach that evening. Looking back, we would have enjoyed relaxing at camp for a second night and not rushing out so fast.

The camp here is small and simple, but lovely, and with every convenience. They made arranging our safari easy, and the guide they provided was friendly and knowledgeable. He taught our girls a bit about tracking and answered all their questions about wildlife in Sri Lanka. He even pointed out where once there may have been treasure buried inside a rock!

“The tent was amazing; extremely comfortable and spacious with towels, water, AC and a fan as well as shampoo and shower gel as standard. Goshi arranged a fabulous guide to accompany us on our 2 safaris (small extra charge and well worth doing as it added a lot to the experience). The park entrance is 15 min drive from Wild Trails Yala by Suri.” -Elizabeth (Read more reviews )

Book Now: Wild Trails Yala by Suri

Jetwing Yala

This resort is a massive 38-acre complex , complete with a spa, a large outdoor swimming pool, and TVs in each room. This is not a camp, but a large, luxury hotel close to Yala National Park.

“Great location just outside the national park and on the beach. It’s a lovely property with an exceptional pool. The staff were extremely friendly and helpful and there was an excellent choice of food and drink. We had lovely massages in the spa.” -Julia (read more reviews )

Book Now: Jetwing Yala

Camp Leopard

This glamping resort is located near the town of Katagamuwa and uses the northern entrance into Yala National Park than the south entrance used by those lodgings closer to the coast. Visitors report that the ride into camp is a bit bumpy due to its remote location, but that using a different entrance means a quieter safari experience, and that the guides here are experienced and top-notch.

Tents here are canvas and have a more rustic feel, though they are air-conditioned. Hammocks are available in the shared lounge area. They have an onsite restaurant, and can also arrange a bbq by the lake.

“The staff at Camp Leopard are phenomenal. Very accommodating, knowledgeable, and friendly. They immediately treated us like friends and taught us about the animals, food, and culture.” -Brian (read more reviews )

Book Now: Camp Leopard

Budget Lodging near Yala National Park

The nearest town to Yala National Park is Tissamaharama. This is where you’ll find most of the budget hotels and hostels. From this town, you have about a 45-minute drive to the main gate of Yala National Park. The farther away you stay from the park, the earlier you’ll have to get up in the morning to be at the gate (and in line with the other cars) before the 6 am opening. These hotels generally charge well under $100 per night.

There are many more options in Tissamaharama, here are some of the hotels with the highest guest ratings, many of these offer family rooms with multiple beds:

– Moon Light Guest House : With a 9.9/10 rating, travelers report spacious rooms, a shared garden, and staff who cook a delicious curry!

– Village Mango Resort Yala : Looking out over rice fields, these comfortable rooms are run by a lovely family who takes special care of their guests. There are hammocks and bicycles for guests to use.

– Lavender Home Yala : Run by a lovely family, you’ll find comfortable family rooms with air conditioning, some with balconies on the upper story.

Safari Options at Yala National Park

When going on a Yala National Park safari you have the option of a half-day morning safari, a half-day afternoon safari, or a full-day safari.

Half-Day Morning Safari

Mornings are the best time to see animals. You’ll line up with a lot of other vehicles outside the main gate of Yala National Park as the sun comes up, once the gates open, you’ll want to be one of the first cars in, as the vehicles often scare off any animals that are nearby.

Expect a 4:30 departure if you are leaving from Tissamaharama and a 5 or 5:15 departure from one of the border area camps.

If you choose the morning half-day option, you’ll have about three hours of safari time, then head back to your accommodation by 10 am.

Half-Day Afternoon Safari

The afternoon safaris depart from your lodging for a 2 pm entrance to Yala National Park. You’ll have about three hours of safari time, focusing on the later afternoon hours when the sun is not so hot. All vehicles must exit the park before sunset.

Full Day Safari

A full-day safari is from 6 am when the park opens, until about 6 pm. We watched the sunset on the way back to our camp. This is a long day, but it gives you the best chance of spotting animals, without a lot of back-and-forth driving.

You will need a packed breakfast and lunch to eat in the park. Also, the park closes down from 12-2, and all the full day safaris stop for a long lunch break in designated areas. The park is really strict about this, as it gives the drivers and the animals a much-needed break. You’ll see the safari jeeps line up a few minutes before 2 waiting to leave the designated area, but they take this break very seriously.

With four of us in the back of the safari jeep with four bucket seats and a rear bench seat, we had plenty of room to move around and switch seats in and out of the sun over the course of the day.

We spent our lunch break at a stop with a bathroom right by the river. Our guides put down a blanket and set out lunch, then we were free to play in the river until it was time to go. There are a lot of monkeys here so the guides were focused on keeping them away from our food, and then ate once we had finished.

After lunch we drove around a bit, it did start to feel like we were going back over areas we had already visited. At 2 pm it is still hot, so there are not a lot of animals around. One of the kids fell asleep at this time, and we let her rest, figuring we could wake her for any big sightings. By late afternoon there is again more to see, and then as you head back to the gate for your evening exit.

How Much Does Yala National Park Cost?

The entrance fees to Yala National Park are charged by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)   depending on the number of foreigners in a jeep. Children below 6 are free of charge. Children 6-12 pay a child rate, anyone over 12 is considered an adult.

As of 2023, two adults in a jeep will pay a total of 71 USD in park fees. 2 adults and 2 children will be 106 USD. Generally, these fees are included when you book a vehicle with a driver and a guide.

Prices vary, and make sure to negotiate with your provider, but in 2023 we were quoted $150 for a half-day safari (private jeep, 2 adults 2 kids), and originally quoted $300 USD for a full-day, but were able to pay $175 USD. This included a packed breakfast and picnic lunch during our safari day, as well as an afternoon bush walk the day before our actual in-park safari.

How Much Should I Tip for a Safari in Yala National Park?

Deciding when and how much to tip is always a bit stressful, and depending on where you are coming from you may have different cultural associations or expectations around tipping. To clarify, we reached out to our host at Wild Trails Yala to learn about expectations around tipping your guide and your driver after a safari in Yala.

She advises planning to tip around $10 USD per vehicle to the guide for a half-day safari, and around $20 USD for a full-day safari. It is also recommended to tip the driver as well, though generally slightly less than the guide. Adjust as you feel comfortable based on your experience. This is not per guest but per safari vehicle in total.

Yala National Park Hours

Yala National Park opens at 6 am and closes at 6 pm. There is a mandatory lunch break from 12-2 for all vehicles that are staying for the full day.

Some years, the entire park closes for the month of September. However, in 2023, the park will not be closing unless a drought hits.

When is the Best Time to Visit Yala National Park

Yala can be visited year-round, but your chances of seeing different animals will vary by time of year.

February – July is the best time for spotting leopards. This is the dry season, so while the scenery is not as lush, the animals come out into the open to visit watering holes. We visited Yala in February and had great weather for animal spotting.

In August, the Palu trees bear fruit making it much easier to spot sloth bears who love to eat this fruit.

November to January and April are the rainy months when you are less like to see animals. Keep in mind that leopards, like other cats, do not like the rain, and will retreat into caves, so you are much less like to see one on a rainy day.

Often, Block 1 of Yala closes in September to give the park time to recover from the crowds. During this time, Block 5 is available for an alternate safari.

Which Block Should I Visit in Yala National Park?

There are five blocks in Yala National Park, but most are not open to the public. They are protected land, accessible only to those doing research, filming documentaries, or similar programs that get explicit approval.

This is the block that most tourists visit. The animals that spend time here are used to vehicles going through and are unfazed by the traffic, and therefore easier to spot. The traffic here can be intense, with lines at the gate before sunrise.

Block 1 is the most popular block because this is where the highest numbers of leopards live. We toured Block 1, and while the actual area is small, we did see almost all of the animals we were hoping for, with the exception of the sloth bear.

Block 5 is usually booked for safaris during October and November when Block 1 is closed due to drought and for restoration. There is less visible wildlife here, and much less traffic. The animals are shyer, and the terrain is drier. This is a great block for bird watchers, but not for seeing the larger animals. Some tourists report being very disappointed by tours of Block 5.

Blocks 2, 3, and 4

The other blocks are generally not open to the public, although some specialized tours may enter Block 3 specifically looking to see sloth bears.

How to Get to Yala National Park

While there are buses and trains that run through various parts of Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is not on any major bus routes. You can take a bus from the south coast beach towns to Tissamaharama, but if you are staying at lodging in the buffer area of the park you will need private transportation to get there from the center of town.

From Galle, take the bus marked Kataragama, Tissamaharama is just one stop before the final stop at Kataragama.

The easiest way to get to Yala is to hire a private driver for the journey which will drop you directly at your lodging which may be quite a distance from the town center.

Alternate National Parks in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has a massive amount of protected lands over 13% of the country is a national park, reserve, sanctuary, or similar protected space. In fact, Sri Lanka has 21 National Parks! If you can’t fit Yala National Park into your Sri Lanka itinerary, there are other parks that you should consider to see wildlife in Sri Lanka.

Wilpattu National Park : Sri Lanka’s largest and oldest preserve, with a dense forest cover. Close to the historical city of Anuradhapura.  Here you will look for elephants, leopards, and sloth bears.

Udawalawe National Park : This is one of the best parks to see herds of elephants. Drier than Yala, it is located more inland. Located south of Ella and northwest of Yala.

Bundala National Park : This is the most impressive park in Sri Lanka for bird watching. Located just down the coast from Yala, the wetlands here attract migratory birds, and the park boasts over 200 species.

Wasgamuwa National Park – This park in central Sri Lanka, just south of Sirigiya, has the largest population of sloth bears in Sri Lanka. You will also see elephants, deer, and crocodiles.

Tips for Enjoying Your Safari In Yala National Park

Here are some tips to help you be prepared and enjoy your safari in Yala National Park.

1. Keep Your Expectations Low. This is especially important with kids! You may see a wild leopard right away, and follow them for an hour, or you might not see one at all. You may be called to a sighting to find 30 other vehicles waiting in line to see the same animal that is now deep in the grass. You will see wild animals, but it’s best to keep your expectations low prior to your trip.

2. Bathrooms are hard to come by in Yala National Park. Your guide may be able to find a spot for you to squat in the bush, but the only official bathroom is at one of the lunch break locations, so be prepared for that reality.

3. The best time to see animals is in the early morning, so you’ll start before dark, and be lined up (with a lot of other vehicles) at the entrance to the park before dawn. Later afternoon, starting around 4 pm is the next best time to see animals.

4. The afternoons get quite hot, and the animals take cover. If you opt for a full-day safari, keep in mind that the afternoon will be slow. One of our kids fell asleep in the car during this time, and we let her sleep. To some extent, it felt like we were driving around just wasting the hours waiting for the cooler times when the animals might emerge.

5. Bring water and a packed lunch. Your lodging can probably help with this, but there is nowhere to buy water or food inside the park, so come prepared.

6. Bring sun lotion, bug spray, and a sweater for the cool morning before the comes up. Remember to bring extra battery packs or chargers for your camera or phone!

7. Communicate with your guide. If you’d like to stop and take a picture, let them know. If you are ready to move on, speak up! They want you to have a good time but don’t always know whether you want to stop to see the fourth peacock of the day and take photos, or just keep moving.

FAQ: Safari in Yala National Park

The more hours you spend in the park, the more likely you are to see a leopard or other hard-to-spot animal. We recommend either one full day or two half days to maximize your chances of seeing these elusive animals.

There are over 100 leopards in Yala National Park, with many of them roaming through Block 1. Your guide will be able to identify and report any leopard that you view on your safari.

Yala National Park is huge- it covers 979 square kilometers or 378 square miles. That’s nearly 130,000 hectares of land. It is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka, behind Wilpattu National Park.

Yes, you can stay inside Yala National Park, though most people stay outside the park in private lodges in the buffer area around the park. The bungalows inside the park are managed by the Sri Lankan government and have few amenities. You can see the facilities here , and reserve them online .

There are many animals and birds in Yala National Park including leopards, sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles, peacocks, boars, deer, jackals are more. Birds include various storks, pelicans, and herons.

Leopards are wild animals, so they can be dangerous. Most leopards in Yala National Park as used to seeing safari vehicles all the time, and pay them no mind. However, never exit a safari vehicle unless your guide tells you that it is safe to do so. Leopards can become especially dangerous if hurt, or if their cubs are threatened. Here’s a fun article on how to survive a leopard attack .

Beginning in 2022, vehicles could no longer enter Yala National Park without a licensed guide. Currently, private vehicles cannot enter, you must be a registered tour vehicle.

You need a licensed vehicle and driver to visit Yala National Park. We strongly advise also hiring a guide who will help you track and spot animals, as well as give you guidance on their behavior.

There are supposedly a few buses that run from Ella to Yala National Park but they are not straightforward. We recommend booking a private transfer. You can ask for quotes from your hotel in Ellas as well as your camp near Yala to compare rates. We found that while everything is negotiable, most places offer fair rates based on the cost of fuel at the time. The drive time between Ella and Yala is about two hours.

Colombo is about a five-hour drive from Yala National Park. You can hire a driver to take you between the two cities, but you are better off enjoying other locations in Sri Lanka on your way to and from Yala. The southern beaches are only about a 1-2 hour drive from Yala.

There You Have It: Safari in Yala National Park

A safari in Yala National Park is a wonderful experience with wildlife you aren’t likely to see elsewhere! We’ve covered all the options from luxury to budget- whether you want to be pampered, or commune with nature. You’ve got everything you need to know to book your safari, from what to expect, and to what to bring with you to have an amazing safari. Make sure to add a safari in Yala National Park to your Sri Lanka itinerary, finger’s crossed you’ll see a leopard!

Continuing on to India? Don’t miss our guide to the Taj Mahal !

Cynthia Matthews von Berg is the founder of Sharing the Wander. She is a passionate traveler, mom, and travel coach specializing in long-term travel and family travel. She and her family embarked on a Family Gap Year in 2021, and haven't looked back.

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• Attractions

Yala National Park and Safari: Ultimate Guide

Yala National Park is a wildlife sanctuary in the southeastern region of Sri Lanka. The park is the second-largest national park in the country for the best Safari experience, spanning over 978.8 square kilometres. It is home to diverse flora and fauna, including Sri Lankan elephants, leopards, sloth bears, and over 200 bird species. The park was first established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was later declared a national park in 1938. This article will provide an ultimate guide to visiting Yala National Park and Safari.  

Flora and Fauna at Yala National Park 

It is considered one of the best places in the country for observing and photographing wildlife in its natural habitat. The park spans over 979 square kilometres and is home to many flora and fauna.

Flora:   The vegetation in Yala National Park is characterized by dry monsoon forest, thorny scrub, and savannah grasslands. The park has over 215 species, including trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses. The most common trees found in the park are Satin, Palu, Weera, Ehala, and Kumbuk.

Fauna:   Yala National Park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including 44 species of mammals and 215 species of birds. The park is most famous for its large population of Sri Lankan leopards, considered the highest density of leopards in the world. Visitors to the park can also see Asian elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer, sambar deer, wild boar, water buffalo, and the elusive Sri Lankan leopard.

The park is also a bird watcher’s paradise, with over 215 species of birds recorded within its boundaries. The most common birds found in the park are the Sri Lanka Junglefowl, Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill, Black-capped Bulbul, Indian Peafowl, and the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo.

Visitors can explore the park on safari jeeps accompanied by experienced guides knowledgeable about the park’s wildlife and vegetation. The park has five zones, each offering a different wildlife experience. Visitors can also enjoy camping, bird watching, and nature walks in the park.

However, it’s important to note that many of the species in Yala National Park are endangered due to human-wildlife conflict and habitat destruction. Therefore, visitors should not disturb the wildlife or damage their habitats.

Expect to be seen five main animals at Yala National Park .

Leopards : Yala National Park is famous for its leopard population, and it’s one of the best places in the world to spot these elusive cats. The park has a high density of leopards; visitors can spot them during their safari tours. Leopards are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, making these times the best to go on a safari.

Elephants: Yala National Park is also home to many elephants, and visitors can see herds of them grazing in the park’s grasslands. The park has around 300 to 400 elephants; visitors can spot them during their safari tours. Elephants are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, making these times the best to go on a safari.

Sloth Bears: Yala National Park is among the few places visitors can see sloth bears. The park has a small population of these bears, and visitors can spot them during their safari tours. Sloth bears are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, making these times the best safari.

Water Buffalo: Water buffalo are commonly found in Yala National Park; visitors can see them grazing in the grasslands. The park has a large water buffalo population; visitors can spot them during their safari tours. Water buffalo are most active during the early morning and late afternoon, making these times the best to go on a safari.

Crocodiles: Yala National Park is home to two species of crocodiles: the mugger crocodile and the saltwater crocodile. Visitors can see these crocodiles basking in the sun near the park’s water bodies. The park has a large population of crocodiles, and visitors have a good chance of spotting them during their safari tours.

When to Visit Yala National Park

Yala National Park is a popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka that attracts visitors from all over the world. The park is open throughout the year, but the best time to visit depends on what you want to see and experience.

High Season (December to April): The high season is the best time to visit Yala National Park to spot leopards and other wildlife. During this time, the park’s vegetation is minimal, making it easier to spot animals. In addition, the temperature during this time is pleasant, ranging from 25°C to 30°C, making it comfortable for visitors to explore the park. However, it’s essential to note that the high season is also the busiest time of the year, and the park can get crowded with tourists. Therefore, booking your accommodation and safari tours in advance is advisable to avoid any inconvenience.

Shoulder Season (May to July and September to November): The shoulder season is an excellent time to visit Yala National Park to avoid crowds and experience good wildlife sightings. During this time, the park’s vegetation is thicker, making it a little harder to spot animals. However, the park’s flora is also in full bloom during this time, making it a beautiful sight to behold. The temperature during the shoulder season is slightly higher, ranging from 30°C to 35°C, but it’s still comfortable for visitors to explore the park. It’s also advisable to book your accommodation and safari tours in advance during this time.

Low Season (August): Due to the monsoon season, the low season is the least popular time to visit Yala National Park. In addition, the park is closed for most of August due to heavy rainfall, making it challenging to explore the park. However, the park’s flora is in full bloom during this time, making it a beautiful sight to behold.

The best time to visit Yala National Park depends on what you want to see and experience. If you wish to spot leopards and other wildlife, the high season is the best time to visit. If you want to avoid crowds and still experience good wildlife sightings, the shoulder season is an excellent time to visit. However, despite the heavy rainfall, the low season is the best time to see if you want to share the park’s full bloom.

Getting to Yala National Park

Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s most famous national parks, known for its diverse range of wildlife, including leopards, elephants, and sloth bears. The park is situated in the country’s southeastern region and is easily accessible by various modes of transportation. This article will discuss the different ways of getting to Yala National Park.

By Air: The nearest airport to Yala National Park is the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, approximately 45 kilometres away. Several international airlines operate flights to the airport from various destinations, including Dubai, Doha, and Mumbai. In addition, you can hire a taxi or a car from the airport to the park.

By Train: Travelling from Colombo , you can take a train to Matara, the nearest city to Yala National Park. The train journey takes approximately six hours and offers beautiful views of Sri Lanka’s countryside. In addition, you can take a bus or a taxi from Matara to the park.

By Bus: Several buses operate from major cities in Sri Lanka to Tissamaharama, the nearest town to Yala National Park. From Tissamaharama, you can hire a taxi or a jeep to reach the park. The bus journey from Colombo to Tissamaharama takes approximately eight hours.

By Car: If you prefer a more comfortable and convenient mode of transportation, you can hire a car or a taxi to reach Yala National Park. Several car rental companies operate in Sri Lanka, and you can book a car in advance to avoid any last-minute hassle. The journey from Colombo to Yala National Park takes approximately five hours.

Once you reach the park, you can hire a jeep with a driver to explore the park’s various attractions. The entrance fee for foreigners is approximately $30 per person, which includes the cost of the jeep and the driver. You can also hire a private jeep for a more personalized experience, which costs around $50 to $70 for half a day.

Accommodation Options at Yala 

Yala National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka, known for its diverse range of wildlife and natural beauty. Several accommodation options are available near the park, from luxury resorts to budget-friendly guesthouses. 

Cinnamon Wild Yala : Cinnamon Wild Yala is a luxury resort on the edge of Yala National Park. The resort offers comfortable accommodations, including treehouses, chalets, and bungalows. The resort’s facilities include a swimming pool, spa, restaurant, and bar. Cinnamon Wild Yala is the perfect place to stay for those looking for a luxurious experience. Book Now 

Jetwing Yala : Jetwing Yala is another luxury resort near Yala National Park. The resort offers comfortable accommodations, including deluxe rooms, suites, and villas. The resort’s facilities include a swimming pool, spa, restaurant, and bar. Jetwing Yala is the perfect place to stay for those looking for a luxurious experience. Book Now

Taru Villas – The Yala Lodge : Taru Villas -The Yala Lodge is a mid-range resort near Yala National Park. The resort offers comfortable accommodations, including chalets, villas, and deluxe rooms. The resort’s facilities include a swimming pool, restaurant, and bar. Taru Villas – The Yala Lodge is the perfect place to stay for comfortable accommodation at an affordable price. Book Now

Elephant Reach Hotel : Elephant Reach Hotel is a budget-friendly hotel located near Yala National Park. The hotel offers comfortable accommodations, including standard rooms and deluxe rooms. In addition, the hotel’s facilities include a swimming pool, restaurant, and bar. Elephant Reach Hotel is the perfect place to stay for those looking for affordable accommodation. Book Now

Camping: For those looking for a unique experience, camping is also an option at Yala National Park. Several camping sites are available near the park, offering a chance to sleep under the stars and experience the park’s wildlife up close.

Things to Do in Yala National Park and surrounding Areas

Yala National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka, known for its diverse range of wildlife and natural beauty. In addition to wildlife safaris, there are several other things to do in and around Yala National Park.

Wildlife Safaris: Wildlife safaris are the main attraction of Yala National Park. Visitors can book a safari tour with a guide and explore the park’s grasslands, forests, and water bodies. The park has various animals, including leopards, elephants, sloth bears, water buffalo, crocodiles, and many more. Safari tours are available early morning and late afternoon, making it the best time to spot animals.

Visit Kataragama Temple: Kataragama Temple is a popular pilgrimage site for Buddhists, Hindus, and Muslims. The temple is located near Yala National Park and is dedicated to Lord Kataragama. Visitors can explore the temple’s beautiful architecture and learn about its cultural and religious significance.

Visit Sithulpawwa Temple: Sithulpawwa Temple is an ancient temple in Yala National Park’s outskirts. The temple dates back to the 2nd century BC and is known for its ancient rock inscriptions and beautiful architecture. Visitors can explore the temple’s ruins and learn about its historical significance.

Visit Yala Village: Yala Village is a small village near Yala National Park. The town is known for its handicrafts, including woodcarvings and woven products. Visitors can explore the village’s markets and purchase souvenirs to take back home.

Tissamaharama Temple: also known as Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara, is a Buddhist temple in the town of Tissamaharama in southern Sri Lanka. The temple is believed to have been built in the 2nd century BC by King Kavantissa, a prominent ruler of the region. It is one of the most important historical and religious sites in Sri Lanka. The temple is famous for its stupa, which is one of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka. The stupa , which is over 55 meters tall, is believed to contain relics of Lord Buddha.

Visit Bundala National Park: Bundala National Park is another famous national park near Yala National Park. The park is known for its birdwatching opportunities and is home to over 200 species of birds. In addition, visitors can explore the park’s wetlands and water bodies and spot various bird species. Explore Bundala 

Relax on the Beach: Yala National Park is located near the South coast of Sri Lanka , and visitors can relax on the beautiful beaches of Tangalle and Mirissa. The beaches are known for their soft sand, crystal-clear waters, and beautiful sunsets.

Suggested read: Wipattu National Parks & safari Guide  

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Planning a Yala National Park Safari: Your Ultimate Guide

If you are in the early stages of planning a Yala National park safari , you probably have a lot of questions like ‘will I actually see leopards?’ or ‘when should I visit?’

So I decided to write this Yala safari guide to help answer all of your burning questions about visiting Yala National park and help you organise an amazing wildlife safari in Sri Lanka, like the one I had personally.

Yala National Park is one of the best places for a leopard safari in Sri Lanka . With the worlds highest concentration of Leopards, you have a great chance of spotting Leopards here. But beyond leopards, you will also see a huge variety of wildlife on a Yala National park safari and it’s very likely to become one of your absolute best experiences in Sri Lanka.

Going on a wildlife safari is one of the most popular things to do in Sri Lanka and with good reason. There are so many wildlife opportunities in Sri Lanka such as spotting leopards in Yala, seeing huge herds of elephants in Minneriya National Park and whale watching in Mirissa .

Sri Lanka really is a dream wildlife destination and if you love seeing animals in the wild, a safari absolutely has to be on your Sri Lanka itinerary .

No time to read it now? No worries, save it for later…

** Pssst, this article may contain affiliate links. If you have no idea what this means, click here and everything will be explained!**

What you can expect from this article...

• 1.1 What are the alternatives locations for a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka?
• 2 The history of Yala National park
• 3.1 What are the chances of seeing a Leopard on a safari in Sri Lanka?
• 3.2 Facts about Leopards
• 3.3 Facts about elephants
• 3.4 What are the Big Five in Sri Lanka?
• 4 What to Expect on a safari in Yala National park
• 5 Which part of the park should I visit?
• 6.1 Tips for photographing wildlife on a Yala safari
• 7.1 Group Tours which include a Yala Safari
• 8.1 When is the best time of year to visit Yala National park for a safari?
• 8.2 How long should I stay in Yala National park?
• 8.3 How to get to Yala National park
• 8.4 How much does a Yala national Park ticket cost?
• 9.1 Should I camp or stay in a hotel?
• 9.2 Can you stay inside Yala National park?
• 9.3 Hotels near Yala National park
• 9.4 Yala National park camping
• 10 What Next?

So why choose Yala National Park?

There are many national parks where you can go on a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka, so why choose Yala?

The main advantage of booking a safari in Yala National Park is that you stand the best chance of seeing Leopards. If you are not fussed about Leopards and you’re all about the elephants then I would recommend visiting Minneriya National park instead. Yala National park has elephants but you won’t see nearly as many as in some other parks.

However, there is also a huge variety of wildlife in Yala National park and I saw so many more animals here than I did on safaris elsewhere. I think this is in part due to the varied landscape in Yala. There are wide open spaces, scrub bush, forest and wetlands to suit a huge variety of animals.

What are the alternatives locations for a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka?

Whilst Yala is one of the best places for a safari in Sri Lanka, especially for leopard safari’s, there are some other options. Minneriya and Udawalawe National parks are both great for seeing elephants but there is less chance of seeing leopards.

Minneriya National Park

Go here if you want to see huge herds of elephants, especially if you are visiting in August. With a lack of drinking hole options, elephants head en masse to Minneriya and sometimes you will see hundreds of elephants all hanging out by the water. Yep, hundreds. We saw about 40 or so in March. Minneriya National Park was great for elephant sightings but we didn’t see a lot of other wildlife unlike in Yala National park. If you can, visit both.

Udawlawe National park

Go here if you want to visit an ethical elephant rehabilitation centre, the Elephant Transit Home. The elephants here are going to be released back into the wild when they are ready and are not there for tourists amusements unlike other so-called ‘rehabilitation centres.’ Udawalawe National park is also a great place to see elephants in the wild however the chances of seeing Leopards are much smaller.

The history of Yala National park

Yala National Park was first designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 where it was used as a hunting ground under British rule. In 1938, it then became a National Park along with Wilpattu – the first two national parks in Sri Lanka.

It spans 979 Square Kilometres of land and borders the South east Sri Lankan coastline – it’s one of the few places where you may encounter an elephant on the beach

The National park now is the most visited National Park in Sri Lanka but there are certain zones which are not open to the public and these areas are used for education and conservation of the flora and fauna.

What animals will I see on a Yala National Park safari?

You will see so much wildlife in Yala. Whilst you are probably mst excited to see Leopards and Elephants, here are a few other animals you may see on a Yala safari…

• Sloth bears – another popular sighting although less common, the elusive sloth bear. We didn’t spot one so this is a stock photo. But I hope you get to see some as they are super cool!
• Crocodiles – keep your eyes peeled as they can be difficult to spot and look like logs floating n the water!
• Buffalo — the first buffalo we saw, we thought was a rock as it was almost completekly submerged in the water to keep cool. We were busy admiring the bird sat on top of the rock – until the rock poked his head up!
• Deer – we saw so many deer on our morning safari when they come out to graze. They can be a little skittish so keep quiet and take your photos quickly before they run away.
• Lizards – We saw a huge monitor lizard digging a hole, it didn’t seem to care that it was being watched!
• Birds – there are over 215 species of birds in Yala, 6 of which are endemic to Sri Lanka. It is a bird watching paradise here.
• Wild Boar – not the prettiest of animals but they are cute. Sort of.
• Monkeys – no matter how many monkeys I see, I still love them. Such little characters. We saw several varieties throughout our Yala safari.
• Mongoose . Although sometimes considered as a pest in Sri Lanka, I think these little animals are really cute!

And if course, if you are lucky…. Elephants and Leopards !

What are the chances of seeing a Leopard on a safari in Sri Lanka?

This can depend on the weather and time you visit. When I visited at the end of March, we were told the chances of seeing a leopard was about 50% on every safari ride. So the more safari’s you take, the more chance you have of spotting leopards. If you visit for more than 1 or 2 days, you have a very good chance of spotting leopards.

Facts about Leopards

• The Sri Lankan Leopard is an endangered species with population estimates at 700-950 (in the wild.)
• The average male Leopard weighs in at around 50-60kg but can grow up to around 100kg.
• Leopards are nocturnal hunters but are also active at dawn and dusk, hence these are the best times to spot them on a safari.
• The spots on a Sri Lankan Leopard are smaller than those on an Indian leopard.

Facts about elephants

• The Sri Lankan elephant is the largest and darkest of asian sub-species
• They hang out in a herd with 12-20 or more elephants all led by the eldest female – the matriarch
• The elephant population in Sri Lanka has fallen by 65% since 19th century and they are now endangered. Killing an elephant in Sri Lanka carries the death penalty!
• Asian elephants are 8-10 ft tall and can weigh up to 5400Kg! (600kg less than their African cousins.)
• Asian elephants have smaller ears shaped link India whereas African elephants have larger ears shaped like Africa! How cool is that?
• Elephants spend 12-18 hrs a day eating and create 1 tonne of elephant poo a week!
• Elephants throw mud and sand over themselves to protect themselves from the hot sun. Clever!

What are the Big Five in Sri Lanka?

Just like the Big Five on safari in Africa, there is a Sri Lankan Big Five too. These are the animals that everyone wants to catch sight of when they visit.

Yala National Park is the only National Park where you can see all five as it borders the beautiful coastline. The Big Five are;

• The Leopard
• The Elephant
• The Sloth Bear
• The Blue Whale
• The Sperm Whale.

What to Expect on a safari in Yala National park

Firstly, you should know that you won’t be alone! Although there are far more restrictions in Yala National park to ensure less crowding, you will still see a fair number of safari vehicles. That said, I think I saw more in Minneriya National park than in Yala.

The safari drivers get fined and banned for 2 weeks if they arrive back after 6 pm. So if it gets to 5.30, your driver will have to head back without making many stops. Don’t be surprised if this happens.

Usually you will stop once during the safari where you can get out to stretch your legs. Many safari drivers will also provide you with snacks and water at this point. There may be a toilet block here but don’t be surprised if you just have to cross your legs!

At 6 Am before the park gates open, there will be a queue. Get there early if you want to be first into the park!

Which part of the park should I visit?

The park is divided into 5 different zones or blocks, some of which are open to the public and others which are used for research and documentary purposes only.

The most popular zone for safari’s in yala is Block one. Hee there is the highest concentration of leopards. It’s also the oldest part of the park so Leopards here are used to seeing the safari vehicles and may be less shy than in other regions in the park.

Try to go on safari in Block one for the best chance of seeing a leopard.

Tips for Visiting Yala National Park

• Take LOTS of sunscreen, water and a hat. One of my friends got heat stroke on safari in Sri Lanka. Often whilst driving, there is a lovely breeze. So you can underestimate how hot it is and not drink enough water or protect yourself from the sun.
• Take bug spray. Since safaris are conducted at the start and end of the day when mozzies are prevalent, I’d encourage you to apply plenty of bug spray.
• Factor in time for at least 2-3 safari’s if you can to maximise the opportunity of seeing a leopard.
• Always take a guide or a ‘spotter.’ Some safaris only provide a driver but as you can imagine, it’s difficult to spot wildlife and avoid potholes at the same time! You can often hire a spotter at the gates as long as you get there early enough. Ask your driver to negotiate a good deal for you.

Tips for photographing wildlife on a Yala safari

• If you can, bring a camera with a decent zoom or telephoto lens. 95% of my photos were taken with a telephoto 70-300mm lens on my Sony A7III .
• Bring a ‘dust puffer’ to get rid of dust off your camera lens as it will get VERY dusty.
• Keep your shutter speed up high to capture the animals sharply when they move. You may need to increase your ISO to maintain a fast shutter speed as the sun goes down and you have less sunlight at your disposal.
• You often don’t need a wide aperture to capture wildlife photos with a nice Bokeh effect as you will be using a longer zoom. Instead, keep your aperture a little narrower so you stand more chance of getting the animal completely in focus without blurring its eyes or nose! You can always add a little extra bokeh when you are editing your photo if needs be. You can’t recover a soft, blurry photo.
• I edit my wildlife photos with a combination of iPhoto on my Mac, Photoshop and Lightroom depending on how many tweaks it needs. If it’s just the lighting, I’ll often use iPhoto for pure ease.

How to book a Yala National park Safari Tour

There are various ways you can book a wildlife safari in Yala National park.

Booking an all inclusive safari…

You could book your accommodation with a nearby hotel or game camp where the safaris will be organised for you and possibly included in your overall price. keep reading for various accommodation suggestions below…

Arrange a local day trip…

You could stay in nearby town Tissamaharama and either arrange a private safari locally or pre-arrange a safari online. Sometimes this can work out cheaper as you can join other travellers and share the cost.

You can choose to book a half day safari which operates in both the early morning and early evening, a full day safari with both, or an overnight safari with camping included. Here are a few options you may wish to look at…

Top Tip | Whilst a private half day safari may work out cheaper than a half day tour, a full day tour will usually be cheaper than a private day tour as you will incur 2 entrance fees. So the best value trip above is the all day trip. Go check it out!

Visit on a group adventure tour…

The other option is that you join an organised tour in Sri Lanka where everything will be organised for you. This is definitely the easiest way to travel Sri Lanka with minimal stress. It also means that you have an informative travel guide and ready-made travel friends to enjoy your trip with.

I travelled Sri Lanka as a guest with G Adventures on their Sri Lanka Encompassed tour . We did 2 safaris in Yala National park and 1 in Minneriya National Park as well as loads of other cool stuff like visiting tropical beaches in Mirissa , visiting Sigiriya rock, Dambulla cave temple and climbing Little Adams peak. It was an awesome trip, I’d highly recommend it! You can read my G Adventures Sri Lanka Review if you want to know more!

Arrange an excursion…

Your final option is to arrange an excursion from elsewhere. this is great if you are short of time or want to base yourself in one place and not switch hotels all the time. You can organise day trips from Colombo, Tangale, Galle and Mirissa to Yala BUT, you will have to resign yourself to an early start and late finish as it’s a fair trek away!

Group Tours which include a Yala Safari

The two companies I always recommend for group adventure travel trips are G Adventures and Intrepid Travel . Both companies I have travelled with multiple times. Both G Adventures and Intrepid Travel offer trips which include at least one and sometimes more safaris in Yala National Park. Check them out below or read my comparison of G Adventures vs Intrepid Travel .

Frequently asked questions about booking a Yala National Park safari

When is the best time of year to visit yala national park for a safari.

Leopards are best seen in the dry season. The dry season in Yala is between May and August. At this time, the Leopards can often be found at the watering holes, quenching their thirst.

How long should I stay in Yala National park?

Ideally, try to stay a few days and go on several safari’s both in the early morning and late afternoon. The more safari’s you go on, the greater chance of seeing a leopard. If you just spend a day in Yala National Park, there is the possibility you won’t see any leopards at all. If you stay for 2-3 days then you stand a really good chance of spotting at least one leopard.

That said, if you only have time for one or two safari drives, you will still have an amazing time even if you don’t get lucky with leopards. The scenery and wildlife is incredible in Yala National Park.

How to get to Yala National park

How to get to yala from ella.

A Taxi will take around 1 hour 30 minutes $30+ ( this will be cheaper if you hire a driver for the full length of trip.) There are also buses to Kataragama and you can arrange a taxi for the last section of the trip.

How to get to Yala from Mirissa

Yala is a 2 hour 20 minute drive and a taxi will cost $35+.

The closest town is Tissamaharama and there are direct buses from Mirissa.

How to get to Yala from Colombo

You will need to get a train or bus to Matamara then from there arrange a taxi or bus to Tissamaharama.

How much does a Yala national Park ticket cost?

Adults: $15 per person entry fee

Children age 6-12: $8 per child

(as per May 2019)

How much will a Wildlife safari in Sri Lanka cost in total?

If you arrange your own safari, then you will need to consider some additional costs.

In addition to the Yala park entrance fee, you also need to consider the cost of hiring a jeep with a driver and a spotter as well as the expected tips for the driver and spotter. The spotters are usually volunteers so the only payment they get is the money you tip them. We were advised by a local that it was standard to tip our spotter and driver 1000Rs each (That’s just under $6.)

You will also need to factor in the cost of accommodation if you decide to stay nearby.

Alternatively, you could organise a group tour or split the cost of the safari jeep with other people to keep the costs down.

Total Costs

Entrance fee: $15

Jeep and driver fee: $35

= Total $62

Yala National Park – where to stay?

Should i camp or stay in a hotel.

I would encourage you to camp near Yala National park. You don’t have to rough it – there are some very glamorous glamping sites with beds, fans, bathrooms and even wifi inside your tents! But for me, camping was all part of the safari experience. However, there are several hotels nearby if you really can’t imagine sleeping inside a tent.

Can you stay inside Yala National park?

No, there are no campsites or hotels inside the park. You can, however, stay on the outskirts near to the main park entrance so you won’t have to travel for miles to reach the park.

Hotels near Yala National park

For budget options check out Banana resort and if you want a compromise between camping and staying in a hotel then a great budget option is the Lakeside Cabana .

If you are on a mid-budget (neither shoestring or all-out luxury) then check out Leopard Corridor Yala , Go Yala Farm Villa and Ariya Tissa .

For those fancy-pants with a luxury budget (lucky you) check out The Coconut Gardens Hotel & Restaurant

Yala National park camping

I stayed at The Big Game Camp Yala and absolutely loved it. Our tent was comfy with proper beds, a fan, plenty of space to stand and even an ensuite bathroom. We even had a wifi tent! The food was amazing, the guides informative and super friendly. I highly recommend it for those with a low-mid budget.

Here are a few other suggestions…

For those on a shoestring budget, check out the no-frills wild eco safari.

For those seeking a bit of luxury without draining the bank account, The Flameback Eco Lodge would be a great choice.

If you can afford it, the Wild Coast Tented Lodge is totally dreamy. This one is #lifegoals for me…

Now that your wildlife safari in Yala National park is over, what’s next?

You could hop over to Arugam Bay for some yoga and surf on one of the best beaches in Sri Lanka or head to the South coast where you can visit charming Galle, hang out at the Secret Beach in Mirissa , go whale watching or visit gorgeous Dalawella beach – the perfect place for some R&R.

Alternatively, you could head inland towards Ella, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya to explore the mountains, tea plantations, temples and rock fortresses such as Sigiriya rock!

For more inspiration, check out this 10 day Sri Lanka itinerary and these lists of 57 awesome things to do in Sri Lanka and 14 things to do in Mirissa .

I hope you’ve enjoyed this Yala National park safari Guide and hopefully you are convinced that a Yala safari to see Leopards is an absolute must-do in Sri Lanka!

Do you have any questions that I haven’t already answered? In which case, pop them in the comments and I’ll do my best to get back to you asap!

Happy travelling!

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A guide to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s best safari destination (Update 2023)

Looking to do a jeep safari in Yala National Park? Here’s my guide to Sri Lanka’s best safari destination, including what to see and do, the jeep safari price, and insightful travel tips.

For me, someone who never went on a wildlife safari before, Yala National Park was, without a doubt the most rewarding and exciting adventure during my trip to Sri Lanka.

It’s an exhilarating happening to embark on a jeep safari, knowing you’re about to observe extraordinary animals in their natural habitat while driving along the bumpy roads of the wildlife park.

Especially if you realize that Yala National Park is considered the most popular wildlife park on Sri Lanka’s teardrop-shaped island.

This excellent reputation is due to its dynamic landscape, great variety and density of wildlife – plus the fact that the park is acknowledged as one of the best places in the world to see leopards in the wild.

Here’s my guide to Yala National Park, featuring what to see and do, which safari to choose, and where to stay – plus insightful travel tips, including costs, the best time to visit, and how to get to Yala National Park.

If you choose to use any of the links on this page, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. By using these links, you’ll have a direct impact on WTSW and my ability to continue to create free insightful travel content for you. If you find any of my tips useful, you can support me by buying a virtual coffee here .

WHERE IS YALA NATIONAL PARK?

Yala National Park is situated in the southeast region of Sri Lanka’s teardrop-shaped island and stretches over the two provinces, Hambantota and Monaragala.

The Yala National Park is quite remote, and therefore it’s almost inevitable to visit a town named Tissamaharama.

Tissamaharama itself isn’t the most interesting town and it’s also quite difficult to get to. Nevertheless, it functions perfectly as the only official gateway to the wildlife park.

The official Yala visitor centre is around 20km east of the town, which is easily reached by joining a Yala National Park tour from Tissamaharama.

Where |  Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

WHERE TO STAY IN YALA NATIONAL PARK

You’ll find an abundance of excellent accommodations (both in and outside the park) that suit almost every budget and travel style.

Tissamaharama has no shortage of budget-friendly options, comfortable lodges and luxury hotels, while there’s also a great number of luxurious wildlife campings and chalets inside the Yala National Park itself.

Going on a safari in Yala National Park is extremely popular and therefore it’s wise to book your accommodation a couple of weeks in advance, especially if you’re planning to visit during the high season.

Some of the accommodations I recommend include:

Hotel River Front

A charming riverfront hotel with spacious air-conditioned rooms, comfortable beds, and a great outdoor swimming pool. The hotel has a good in-house restaurant that serves excellent local, Chinese and Continental food.

Booking.com | Hotels.com

Thaulle Resort

Located directly at the Yoda Lake, Thaulle Resort is a great hotel with traditional Sri Lankan-style rooms, spectacular lakeside views, a large outdoor pool and a courteous and helpful staff. This hotel literally provides all the essentials to unwind after an adventurous safari tour in Yala National Park.

Cinnamon Wild Yala

If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, look no further. Cinnamon Wild offers astonishing eco-friendly chalets in the midst of the lively jungle of the beloved Yala National Park. Undisputedly one of the best picks when it comes to uniqueness, comfort and world-class service.

Jetwing Yala

A luxurious hotel with a marvellous outdoor pool, spacious air-conditioned rooms, and a charming ambience. Given the location of the hotel, you’ll be encircled by delicate nature and fascinating wildlife. The friendly staff also provide great service and hospitality.

WHAT ANIMALS WILL YOU SEE ON A YALA NATIONAL PARK SAFARI?

Yala National Park is a vast dynamic reserve, consisting of dense jungle, endless grasslands and several lakes and lagoons.

This distinct landscape ensures the perfect habitat for a great variety and density of wildlife, making Yala one of the best national parks in Sri Lanka .

But it isn’t just the variety of animals that makes Yala National Park so popular. No, it’s mostly the fact that it’s acknowledged as one of the best spots in the world to see wild leopards.

THE ANIMALS OF YALA NATIONAL PARK

Although taking a safari tour doesn’t guarantee that you’ll see every animal that lives in the Yala National Park, it’s safe to expect to get up close and personal with water buffalos, wild boars, spotted deers, monkeys and peacocks.

Beyond the aforementioned wildlife, there is the potential sighting of leopards, elephants, Black Sloth bears, Fishing cats, Red Slender loris and crocodiles.

In total, the Yala National Park is home to 44 species of mammals, 215 species of birds and 46 species of reptiles, which makes it impossible not to spot any animals during your safari.

LEOPARD SIGHTINGS IN YALA NATIONAL PARK

According to extensive research, Yala National Park is said to have the biggest concentration of leopards in the world.

And given the fact that there live a total of approximately 55 leopards in the park, you might have the good fortune to encounter one during your jeep safari in Yala.

However, each safari is completely unique and it’s impossible to guarantee what animals you’re going to see (especially the rare species). Therefore I highly recommend lowering your expectations, as it’s less common to encounter leopards.

JOIN A YALA NATIONAL PARK TOUR

Tissamaharama is home to an abundance of safari tour operators, that are all extremely willing to take you on your once in a lifetime Yala National Park safari experience.

A Yala safari jeep has the capacity for up to 6 people and the safari tour operator will usually arrange a pick-up and drop-off at your accommodation.

Yala National Park can be visited as part of a morning, afternoon or full-day jeep safari.

Book | Arrange your Yala National Park Safari Tour in advance

MORNING SAFARI IN YALA NATIONAL PARK

It is often said that a morning safari in Yala National Park provides the best circumstances when it comes to the potential sightings of elusive wildlife.

This is mainly due to the fact that the animals aren’t yet disturbed by the countless amount of jeeps that drive along the park’s dusty roads throughout the day.

Even though waking up at 04.30 is pretty intense, it’s safe to say that it’s completely worth the struggle.

By joining a morning safari, you’ll get picked up at your accommodations around 05.00 with the mission to arrive at the entrance of the park before it opens at 06.00.

In my opinion, the best part of a morning safari is the exciting journey to the park whilst it’s still dark, knowing you’re about to witness exquisite wildlife while it’s still relatively quiet in the park.

BOOK | This extremely popular guided safari during the golden hour

Duration  | 05:00 – 10:00 with approximately 3 hours in the park.

AFTERNOON SAFARI IN YALA NATIONAL PARK

A great alternative for those that experience difficulties when waking up early is taking the slightly more popular afternoon safari in Yala National Park.

According to most Yala safari rangers, there isn’t a significant difference between the morning and afternoon safari when it comes to the sightings of wildlife.

I’ve seen a great variety of animals during my afternoon safari in Yala National Park, and found it a tranquil yet adventurous experience – plus I witnessed a magnificent sunset while leaving the park.

Duration  | 13:00 – 18:00 with approximately 3 hours in the park.

FULL-DAY SAFARI IN YALA NATIONAL PARK

Although it sounds pretty attractive, I personally wouldn’t recommend going on a full-day safari in Yala National park.

Being in the park for 12 hours straight is extremely exhausting – plus you should keep in mind that you’re in the park during the hottest part of the day. Believe me, this can be quite intense in Sri Lanka.

It is also not guaranteed that you’ll see more animals during a full-day safari than during a morning or afternoon safari in Yala National Park.

BOOK | This exceptional full-day safari with lunch

Duration  | 05:00 – 19:00 with approximately 12 hours in the park.

YALA NATIONAL PARK SAFARI COST

The price of a jeep safari is made up of the official Yala National Park entrance fee – plus the price that you’ll arrange with your safari tour operator.

The price of a safari tour operator varies and depends on the following elements: the duration of the tour, the tour operator and the number of people that join the safari tour.

The jeep safari tour prices are often per jeep, which can hold up to six persons, and are easy to organize at nearly every accommodation in Tissamaharama.

I made an insightful summary, so you’ll have a clear indication of the costs of a jeep safari in Yala National Park.

Yala National Park entrance fee | 7.000 LKR, ($21.50) per person.

Half-day jeep safari | 11.000 – 15.000 LKR, ($33.00 – 45.00) per jeep

Full-day jeep safari | 24.000 – 30.000 LKR, ($72.00 – 90.00) per jeep

YALA NATIONAL PARK OPENING HOURS

The Yala National Park is open daily from 06:00 till 18:00 and is pretty strict regarding the regulations of the opening hours.

If you’re joining a morning safari, the goal is to arrive at the gate well before it opens. Being one of the first in line provides the benefit to enter the park as early as possible.

It’s also essential that all jeeps are out of the park before it closes at 18:00. This is monitored by the official wildlife officers that note and check the license plates of the jeeps that enter and leave the park.

BEST TIME TO VISIT YALA NATIONAL PARK

Although you can visit the park year-round, the absolute best time to visit Yala National Park is during the dry season. This season runs from February to June, with February and March as the undisputed peak months to spot leopards.

It is said that it’s easier to spot wildlife during this period, mainly because of the deficient natural water resources that are available in the park. For that reason, animals get active to go out of their hideouts and drink from the accessible water ponds.

I personally visited Yala National Park during the offseason in September and had a great safari experience with an impressive number of animal sightings.

Do keep in mind that there is a great possibility you’ll find the park closed for maintenance in September.

HOW TO GET TO YALA NATIONAL PARK

The Yala National Park is slightly off the beaten path compared to other popular sights in Sri Lanka. This doesn’t mean you’ll have to be discouraged, it’s more than worth the extra effort.

The only gateway to the Yala National Park is a town named Tissamaharama, which is best reached by local bus or car.

The journey by bus can be quite long, intense and exhausting, but trust me, it’s one of the best ways to experience daily local life.

Do keep in mind that the local bus stops frequently and that you’ll need to change busses on several occasions to reach Tissamaharama.

The Yala National Park is usually visited after Mirissa, Ella or Arugam Bay.

FROM MIRISSA TO TISSAMAHARAMA

Bus journey | Mirissa – Matara – Tissamaharama Cost | 250 – 330 LKR, ($1.30 – 1.80) per person Travel time | Around 3.5 hours

FROM ELLA TO TISSAMAHARAMA

Bus journey | Ella – Tissamaharama Cost | 220 – 250 LKR, ($1.20 – 1.35) per person Travel time | Around 2.5 hours

FROM ARUGAM BAY TO TISSAMAHARAMA

Bus journey | Pottuvil – Monaragala – Wellawaya – Tissamaharama Cost | 350 – 380 LKR, ($1.90 – 2.10) per person Travel time | Around 6.5 hours

INSIGHTFUL TRAVEL TIPS FOR A VISIT TO YALA NATIONAL PARK

Photography gear | If you’re into serious photography you might want to bring your camera and zoom lens. See what’s in my camera bag here .

Sunscreen  | Even though the jeep is partly covered, the sun can be extremely harsh during a safari in Yala. Better safe than sorry.

Bug repellent | It’s always good to have a good bug repellent within hand reach.

Sweater  | Bring a warm sweater. This will be your best friend during a morning safari.

Drinking water  | Bring drinking water to stay hydrated throughout the day.

No toilets in the park | Do keep in mind that there are no toilets available inside the park.

Visit without expectations | Last but not least, lower your expectations before going on a safari. Every safari is unique and there is no guarantee that you’ll see all the animals you hope to see.

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Yala National

Park safari.

Park Safari 

Book your Safari Now

Yala National Park Safari

Yala National park safaris provide a unique opportunity to explore one of the most iconic landmarks in Sri Lanka with the help of dedicated, knowledgeable guides. The safari jeep can carry up to six people and is well suited to make forays across the natural pathways and clearings across the forest.

The open-air jeep provides both comfort and safety as it traverses across the grasslands where you can get an up-close look at the flora and fauna that make up the national park. You are free to customize your experience whether you would like to visit for 3 or 4 hours or even spend a half or full day. Furthermore, our knowledgeable staff will help you hone in on the wildlife you may be more interested in encountering, be it deer or the various birds across the park.

While we recommend that the tours are booked for early morning in order to give you an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the park, the afternoon will also provide you with ample opportunity to encounter a herd of elephants, deer, or even a leopard.

Yala National Park Safari Information

While we recommend that the tours are booked for early morning in order to give you an opportunity to truly immerse yourself in the park, the afternoon will also provide you with ample opportunity to encounter a herd of elephants, deer or even a leopard.

4 Hour Safari

Three hours are just enough to see basic animals. But this is not an ideal safari to see more animals and observe

the park well. It’s better to choose a half-day or full-day safari. This is a tour of finding animals in a huge forest. Better to have more time 

★ This rate is for the jeep.

Half-day Safari

In a half-day safari in Yala, You will be able to cover a considerable area of the park and will be able to see many 

different kinds of wild animals. This safari takes around 6 hours. This is a good safari for photographers.

Full-day Safari

Full-day safari is the ideal safari for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and explorers. This safari starts early

in the morning and you can stay the whole day in the National Park. in this safari, you will be able to cover a considerable area of the National Park. We recommend this safari if you are a wildlife enthusiast.

Why Book With Lepo Safari?

Experienced safari jeep drivers.

We have friendly drivers with good experience 

We provide you good condition safari jeeps

Jeeps with front-facing seats for a better view

Free hotel pick-up and drop-off

If you are in a nearby hotel we provide this.

We focus on your needs

Our drivers will support to fulfill your needs in the safari

No hidden charges

We don’t charge any additional fee at the end of the tour.

One of the best experiences I've ever had in my life. Sri Lankan Leopard is the main attraction and we've seen several leopard cubs during our last visit. You must visit. You can have the best experience if you book a full-day safari. Our driver was excellent.

Maciej Diaries

A five-star review simply for being ethical and cruelty-free. However, the place in itself could use a few tweaks of improvement and more wildlife in a larger span of ground, also with more knowledgeable guides

Rubina Rajaratnam

Isn't a topical safari that you do in Africa but still pretty cool. We've seen some elephant plenty of buffalo and lizards some crocodiles and many different birds. Our tour guide as knowledge and attentive.

Slawek Cisowski

Reservation

Book your safari.

Book your Yala safari with us now. We give the best service to our level best for you. Fill out this form now and our members will contact you soon through WhatsApp or Email.

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Hotel (Where you stay)

Entrance fee for Yala National park

Sri Lanka National park entrance fees have been increased for local and foreign tourists from the 1st of September 2022 (Gazette Notification No. 2292/11 Aug 2022).

You have to buy tickets before you enter the national park from the entrance gate. These tickets are issued by Wildlife and conservation department. Sometimes the entrance ticket counter is busy. our drivers will support buying tickets.

All tickets will be added 15% VAT, Service charges, and Other taxes.

* If you stay overnight in the National park this price will be doubled.

Peak season 

Off peak Season

 Foreign Adult (12+)

 foreign child (6-12), saarc country adult (12+), saarc country child(6-12), local adults (12+), local child (6-12), our rates include, safari jeep with experienced driver, free hotel pickup and drop, bottle of water, our rates do not include, entrance fee.

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How to Take a Yala National Park Safari

Taking a Yala National Park Safari is the reason that we went back to Sri Lanka for our second month long trip.  We’d been here a few years back, and had a glorious, if very, very wet month, and didn’t get to Yala (there was a lot of flooding) so we made it this year.  Yala National Park is the most popular National Park in Sri Lanka, primarily because it’s the number one place to see leopards in Sri Lanka.  But there’s a lot more wildlife here in Yala than just leopards, as we came to find out.  Here’s our guide to taking a Yala National Park Safari, which we’ve now planned twice!

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN  OUR DISCLAIMER

Where is Yala National Park?

Yala National Park is in the south-east of Sri Lanka, adjoining the stunning Indian Ocean.  The National Park is one of 26 National Parks in the country, which cover a total of 5,734 square kilometers (2,214 square miles).  The park straddles two of Sri Lanka’s provinces, Hambantota and Monaragala.

Yala is the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka, after Wilpattu National Park.  Yala is about 6 hours’ travel or 260 kilometers (161 miles) from Sri Lanka’s capital city of Colombo.  We traveled from Galle to Yala National Park, that journey is 190 kilometers (118 miles) and it took about 3 hours using the Expressway to drive to Yala from Galle.

EASIEST WAY TO VISIT

Full Day Private Yala Safari

This is a superb way to see Yala National Park, a full-day safari in your own private safari jeep, with lunch and a driver provided

How to Get to Yala National Park

If you search for Yala on a map it’s quite hard to figure out exactly where you have to get to to take a Yala National Park Safari.  Let’s make it really simple. 

The absolute easiest way to get to Yala National Park is to take a tour.  You can do this from Colombo, you can take a Yala National Park Safari from Ella, you can take a safari in Yala from Galle or you can take a safari in Yala from Tissamaharama. These are long days, but it’s a truly fabulous experience, and the transport is also comfortable. Here are the best tours to Yala

This tour from Ella includes a safari in Yala and Udawalawe too + lunch

If you’re staying in Tissamaharama , then this full-day private safari gets superb reviews.

You can visit Yala from Galle and also combine a safari to Udawalawe too

We chose to travel from Galle to Tissamaharama and stay in the town for two nights.  We stayed at the fabulous value Nehansa Resort and arranged our National Park Safari via our accommodation.  I wouldn’t say it was a resort as such, but we had a great room, the food was excellent, and it seemed like there were several members of staff all on hand at the same time.  The tour they arranged for us was excellent.

Our guide on how to go from Galle to Yalla National Park is here.

We planned to stay in Tissamaharama until we’d spent at least one full day in Yala, possibly longer if we didn’t see a leopard on that day.

While there are several entrances to the park, the entrance most used is via the town of Tissamaharama.  It’s about 40 kilometers (25 miles) from Tissamaharama to the entrance of Yala and all Yala National Park Safari tours will pick you up from your hotel and take you into the park.  The further away you stay from the park, the earlier your pick-up.

To get to Yala National Park you need to transfer to Tissamaharama. 

Galle to Yala

You can take the slow local bus along the coast from Galle to Yala, but it will take you about 5 hours. We traveled from Galle to Tissamaharama and it took 3 hours in a taxi, that we booked through the PickMe app. You can make good use of your time in Sri Lanka and combine a visit from Galle to Yala and Udawalawe in a full day tour.

Ella to Yala

We left Tissamaharama and traveled to Ella.  There are currently no direct buses for this route, so rather than spend the entire day on several buses we took a taxi from Tissamaharama to Ella.  You can use the PickMe app in Sri Lanka to get an idea as to how much a taxi or a tuk-tuk should be. Alternatively, you can maximize your time and take a Yala Safar from Ella and return back to Ella

Mirissa to Yala

You can take a bus from Mirissa via Matara to Tissamaharama.  It takes about 3.5 hours.  A bus still costs around 350 LKR. 

Animals to see in Yala National Park

Yala National Park covers a variety of different landscapes – there’s jungle here, grasslands, lagoons, coastline, lagoons and lakes. 

This means it provides a habitat for a variety of different mammals and birds.  There are 44 species of mammals and 215 species of birds that call Yala home, plus 46 species of reptiles.

Just because the animals live here doesn’t mean that you’ll see them though, although it’s pretty safe to say that you’ll see peacocks, water buffalo, spotted deer, and monkeys.  You’re also highly likely to see elephants at Yala. 

Leopards, the animal that Yala is famous for are more elusive,

Leopards in Yala National Park

Usually the most asked question is “How many Leopards are in Yala National Park?”  The answer, of course, is mostly irrelevant.  As the answer that you’re interested in is if you’ll see a leopard in Yala National Park.

So here’s the situation on Yala National Park leopards.  Yala has the biggest concentration of leopards in Sri Lanka.  Yala isn’t fenced.  So they may or may not be there.  There are usually around 55 leopards in and around the park area.  However, leopards are elusive.  They’re most likely to appear at the beginning or the end of the day.  Leopards are both solitary and territorial, so you’re not going to see a big pack of leopards, but they usually go back to the same places.  That’s why the safari guides and drivers will gravitate to the same places to spot leopards.

Elephants in Yala National Park

The elephant herd of Yala National Park numbers between 300 and 350 animals.  However, while this seems like a large number Yala is also a large park.  Depending on the time of year you may or may not see elephants.  We saw several, all individuals, no herds.  And all in different places in Yala.

Other Animals in Yala National Park

It feels a little mean to group all the other animals – the 44 species of mammals into “other animals” in Yala National Park.  You’ll see deer here, and crocodiles, water buffaloes for sure. 

You may or may not see the Black Sri Lanka Sloth bear (they’re elusive too).  However.  Most people are coming to Yala to see the leopard and elephants. 

If you’ve taken a guide or have a great driver (we did), then they’ll point things out to you.  They’ll also have a book on animal and birdlife.  We saw lots of birdlife in Yala National Park

BirdLife to see in Yala National Park

For me, the fact that our driver, who spoke some English, but not a huge amount, had a book of Sri Lankan birds made all the difference.  Many of the birds were incredibly pretty, however many were also very small and very fast in flight. Also, many looked very similar, so having the book made a huge difference in identifying them.  There are 215 species of bird life in Yala.  That’s a lot to know about!

Yala National Park Entrances

There are 5 blocks or zones to Yala National Park, and you’ll get to visit one if you take a half-day trip. Two (possibly) if you take a full-day trip, although a full day trip is a bit of a misnomer.  Everyone, you, your driver, and the animals need a break, and so if you take a full day Yala Safari what actually happens is that you simply stop somewhere for your lunch, for a very long lunch.  It’s during the hottest part of the day, so your chances of seeing animals are pretty limited anyway.

And so while Yala National Park has 5 zones, and entrances to each of them, unless you’re hanging around and visiting Yala for multiple consecutive days, then you likely won’t have much of a choice on the zone that you visit.  You may not even know which zone you’re in.  Relax, don’t worry about it, and let your driver and guide point things out.  It’s very like when we went on a Tiger Safari in Ranthambore National Park in India, we *really, really* wanted to go to a certain zone, because we’d read that it was THE zone where all the Tigers went.  In the end, we just relaxed, went with the flow, and saw some amazing tigers.

The entrance to Yala is about 40 kilometers from Tissamaharama and what time you go through the entrance depends on how far away your hotel or camp is from the entrance, as well as if you choose a morning or an afternoon safari, and also if you’re taking a private or a shared safari.

Private Yala National Park Safari or Shared

Unless you are traveling on a severe budget, then I would definitely go for a private safari.  Why?  You’ll get all the seats in the jeep to yourself, which means you can slide around getting into the best possible place to avoid the sun/rain/weather and the best possible place to see the wildlife, instead of having to climb over someone else.

This is probably going to be the most budget-friendly place in the world for taking a private safari.  And no, it’s not expensive. We paid US$148 for a private full day Yala National Park Safari including lunch.  I’ll touch on that later, but it was well worth it.

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Where to stay to Visit Yala National Park

You can stay either in the National Park or just outside the National Park.  Most visitors will stay in or around the town of Tissamaharama.  There are lodges managed by the National Park that you can rent to stay in, but they’re usually for bigger groups and you’ll need transport to get to them.  They’re basic.  You can also stay at tented camps inside or next to the National Park.  Or you can stay at a lodge, hotel, or hostel in Tissamaharama.  These are the places that we looked at to stay.  Our choice in the end came down to our poor planning.  And we booked what was available.  Traveling over the holidays means you NEED to book things in advance.

Cinnamon Wild Yala:   We put this on our list because of the views of the sea and the fact that it was just 5 minutes from the entrance to Yala National Park.  That and the fabulous reviews, of course, the sound of the waves and the jungle also drew me.  But they were full for days either side of our time in Yala.  Don’t make the same mistake we did, and book early.

Leopard Trails: We also looked at staying more in the jungle environment, and Leopard Trails comes top of the list for this type of property.  Tents are air-conditioned and some have plunge pools too. You can check availability here.

We managed to successfully book the fabulous value Nehansa Resort .  We were the only people staying here and the staff were fabulous.  It wasn’t luxurious, but felt very local.  When we needed to get cash from the ATM our host took us out, and then took us on a private wildlife spotting tour in his tuk-tuk – the night before our Yala Safari – and that was amazing.  You don’t need to go into the park to see wildlife, you just need someone who knows where to go!

The Best Time to Visit Yala National Park

I guess that your choice of when you visit Yala is going to be based on when you go to Sri Lanka unless you’re specifically coming here to come to Yala.  So, the best time to come to spot wildlife in Yala is during the dry season.   And the dry season in Yala is between February and June, although the best time to see leopards is from February to March.  We were here between Christmas and New Year (and yeah that’s why there was so little availability for accommodation!)           

Cost of Yala National Park Safaris

The cost of a Yala National Park Safari has several parts of it.  There’s a National Park fee to pay (and this differs, with exchange rates and the Sri Lankan government seems to make changes to it as well) and then there’s a jeep and driver fee and then if you choose to have a guide, there’s an additional fee for your guide.

If you’re taking a shared safari, then the shared costs of the driver, jeep, and guide will reduce the cost per person.  If you’re taking a full day safari (which is really a morning and an afternoon safari, as you do not leave the park in between – you just hang around having a long lunch),  then it’s less than the cost of booking separate morning and afternoon safaris.

If you want to save money, join a group.  You can get 6 people in a jeep.  If you want a better experience, then take a private jeep safari tour of Yala.

Cost of a half-day Yala National Park Safari

If you decide to take a half-day safari of Yala, then the cost – including the jeep, driver, and National Park fees will be about US$50 per person.  You can opt for a morning safari tour, or an afternoon safari tour.

Morning tours are scheduled to go through the gates when they open.  Yala National Park gates open at 06:00.  This means that you’ll be sat in a line of jeeps well before that.  The plan is generally to get to the front of the line.  A morning tour will finish at around 10:00 which means you’ll be driving back to your accommodation by then.

Afternoon tours of Yala go through the gates at 14:00 and finish at 18:00. 

So you’ll be picked up at a time confirmed by your hotel or safari organizer to be sat at the gate for those opening times. 

Cost of a full-day Yala National Park Safari

A full-day safari of Yala National Park is what we opted for.  We’d have kicked ourselves if we’d only taken the morning safari and not seen leopards.  We saw our leopard in the late afternoon.  And as we planned to hang around until we saw one, we might have still been there now if we hadn’t taken the full-day tour.

We paid US$148 for a private full-day Yala National Park safari.  We paid cash, in Sri Lankan rupees. And yes we tipped our driver, Ranga, when we were done.  Sri Lanka and its people have had a really, really rough time over the past few years.  He was a great driver, he was a great guide, even though he didn’t have to be a guide to us and he prepared us a fabulous tiffin lunch too – Sri Lankan Food is truly fabulous.  He picked us up at 04:40 and dropped us off after 19:00.  And tomorrow he’ll do it all again.  So long as he can find a customer.

Costs will vary depending on exchange rates, how you pay, and if you decide to take a private or a shared tour.  There are a limited number of jeeps that are allowed into the park for each safari time.  And of course, we were traveling at a major holiday time, so I felt very lucky that we got our private jeep and such a great driver.

What to take on a Yala National Park Safari

On the basis that we took a full day safari into Yala, we’d prepared, It was chilly when we got picked up, and when the jeep is racing along in the dark the wind is quite cold.  It was hot during the day.  No matter how much you stay out of the sun, it’s relentless, so sunglasses, a hat, and sunscreen were necessary.  Insects weren’t so much of a bother, although I did have mosquito spray with me.  We took water with us, but our driver had brought way more bottled water than we could have drunk during the day.

Check with your safari organizer about what they’ll be providing.  We were given a small breakfast before we left the resort, and coffee or tea, but our driver had also provided snack bars, fruit, and a fabulous lunch.  Honestly, the amount of food was way, way too much for the two of us, and it was really, really good.

Our Yala National Park Safari Experience

We had planned to visit Yala on our first trip to Sri Lanka, but we didn’t get there.  On that 28 day trip, it rained for the full 28 days and Yala was underwater then.  And so it was a long-term dream to finally get there.

Yala is the top place in the world to see leopards. This Sri Lankan National Park has the highest density of leopards in the world. There are varying counts of how many – from 40 to 120, but I guess the only relevant count to you is how many you see.

We took an all day private safari. (Probably the only place in the world we can afford that!) – left the hotel at 04:40 (yes, ouch) and didn’t get back until 19:00 for US$148 for both of us, in a safari jeep to ourselves, along with driver and guide, Ranga. This included breakfast, lunch, National Park entry fees, and all transport.

Suitably fortified by the coffee provided by the team at our hotel, and loaded with enough breakfast and lunch to feed an army we set off.

We drove fast through the dark of the morning (it was cold and windy), and then stopped at the visitor center for Ranga to sort out our entrance fees, Nigel walked off into the dark to find the toilets and we waited for the sign to be able to head to the entrance gates.

And so we joined the line to enter Yala National Park.  The gates open at 06:00 on the dot and there is something of a race as the jeeps and drivers aim to get to where the animals might be (it’s quite a distance), along the rutted, bumpy, dusty roads. 

Ranga takes it easy.  We have all day.  And to be fair some of those jeeps look particularly uncomfortable with the way that everyone is getting bounced around!

The landscape here is glorious too.  It’s very flat in this part of the park.  And the early morning light is glorious.  We see the first of many peacocks.  Which you know, I really wasn’t expecting.

And water buffalo.  Both domesticated and wild. There are spotted deer too.

And it’s not long before we find our first elephant.  There are mongooses.  Reptiles.  Crocodiles. And Ranga’s book of birds comes in handy.

Elephants, deer, water buffalo, macaques, birds of all types, and yes, leopards were spotted. 

Spending a full day in the park means that we get to have our lunch inside the park and don’t need to take the time to drive back out, and that means we actually get a LOT longer on Safari than the half-day folks.  It’s 12:30 before we’ve arrived at our lunchtime.

Ranga has brought a set of tiffin boxes and we stop at (what the map says is) the Yala Mobile Leopard Camp for lunch.  There’s little more than a space under the trees, some concrete walls to sit on.  Well, there are toilets, which are basic (and responsible for the only insect bites I get all day).  And we tuck in.  Lunch is fabulous.

And then we chatted with an extended Indian family who are here for the Christmas break and having a great time.  We avoid the monkeys desperately trying to out-maneuver us to get at the remnants of lunch.  And then after a break, we’re back in the jeep for the afternoon session of our Yala National Park Safari.

The afternoon is more of the same.  Although it’s much warmer now.  There’s an elephant that we find on a massive rock, more deer, lots of birds. 

And then we stop for what seems like an age as another driver says he’s spotted a leopard at a distance.  We have binoculars, but none of us are sure.  Even Ranga says “Maybe”.  Which is Sri Lankan for “not a chance”.

And so as we head towards the exit, we’re rapidly getting towards sunset.

We come across an elephant on one side of the dirt track that all the jeeps are driving on.  It clearly wants to be on the other side of the track, but no one is willing to let it pass.  I want it to ram the jeeps.  This feels wrong the way it doesn’t have right of way and they’re not willing to let it pass as visitors glamour for photos.

Eventually, it finds a gap and I feel dirty, soiled, and voyeuristic.  And sad.  Very sad.

So I’m not in the best frame of mind when a few minutes later we stop.  And there is it.  Our leopard for the day.  It’s about 300 meters away.  My phone is my camera.  But it’s a leopard.  In a tree.  At dusk.  A leopard in Yala National Park.

Had I been willing to lug a proper camera with me, then the photos would be better, but these photos are from my Google Pixel. Not bad for the leopard being nearly 300 meters away. In a tree. At dusk.

And as we drive, through the increasingly darkening night, I realize that I adore this country, the landscapes, its food, and its people.

Please do come to Sri Lanka. This country needs you, they are struggling for tourism business in the wake of the pandemic and the financial crises of recent years.

History of Yala National Park

Cipriano Sanchez, a Spanish mapmaker noted the area that is now Yala in 1560, stating that it looked abandoned.  Under British rule, the forest here was used for hunting, and Yala finally became a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and then became a Sri Lankan National Park in 1938.

Yala National Park and the 2004 Tsunami

Yala National Park was hit directly by the Indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004.  I remember the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami from disjointed TV pictures. From videos that don’t seem real, where the water seems to flood so slowly and unrealistically. I remember, that my concern was for the Chairman of our company at the time, who was on vacation in Thailand (he was fine). The reality of this disaster, I truly don’t believe hit me until I arrived in Sri Lanka.

There were perhaps 50,000 people who died in Sri Lanka. I say perhaps because numbers are uncertain, thousands are still missing, and bodies have never been found. That number pales into insignificance when you consider the more than 200,000 Indonesians who died on the same day.

250 people died here in Yala National Park, where the waves were reported to be more than 6 meters high (20 feet).

This disaster is real to me because I opened a book – Wave – as I arrived for the first time in Sri Lanka.  Sonya Deraniyagala – a Cambridge-educated native Sri Lankan, married to an Englishman, with two sons lost her husband, both sons, her parents, and, for a while, her mind. The family was spending the Christmas holidays in Yala. Sonya wrote of her experience, her despair, and her desire to die. The book is a brutal, but enthralling read and I do recommend it whether you come to Yala or not.

Weeks after reading her account, my throat still clenched, and my hand still automatically went to cover my mouth when I think of it.  Her voice still, now, bounces off the inside of my head. And even now, 9 years after first reading the book I still feel her despair in the bottom of my stomach as I gaze out at the flat ocean off the beach on the coast here in Yala.

If you’re looking for other Sri Lanka National Parks to visit, then head to Horton’s Plain National Park and hike to World’s End. I wrote about it here.

Transport & Popular Routes in Sri Lanka

• Here’s our guide to travel and transport in Sri Lanka
• Here’s how to buy train tickets in Sri Lanka – online, on the phone and in person
• Want to know what Sri Lankan buses are like? Here’s our guide.
• How to go from Colombo to Galle
• Going from Galle to Yala National Park
• How to go from Nuwara Eliya to Colombo
• How to go from Colombo to Kandy
• How to get from Ella to Nuwara Eliya
• How to go from Jaffna to Anuradhapura
• How to go from Colombo to Jaffna

FAQS about taking a Yala National Park Safari

We had so many questions about taking a safari to Yala.  This was, after all the second time we’d planned it.  Thankfully, this time it came off.  So here’s our consolidation of all those questions.

Do I need a guide on a Yala National Park Safari?

It depends on the experience that you want.  A driver will point out what you’re seeing, or what you’re missing if you don’t see it. If you want to know more about the animals and the environment, then a guide will be invaluable.

Can I drive myself into Yala National Park?

Yes.  If you have a 4×4 you can drive yourself into Yala National Park.  However, most foreign visitors will neither be driving nor have a 4×4, and the roads are rutted, often underwater and not on a map.  Do yourself a favor and take a driver and jeep into the park.

Which Entrance Should I use for Yala National Park?

To be fair you probably won’t know which entrance you go in to the park.  Plan your accommodation near Yala, then book your safari and they’ll take care of all of that.

What animals will I see on a Yala National Park Safari?

You’re most likely to see water buffalo, deer, and elephants in Yala.  Everyone wants to see leopards, and you may be lucky to see them.  There are 44 species of mammals here and 215 species of birdlife.  However, this is the wild.  They don’t come out on demand.

How long do you need in Yala National Park?

If you’re short on time a half-day safari is the shortest trip that you can take into Yala.  You can take a full-day safari too.  We planned to stick around until we saw a leopard.  We were lucky and saw a leopard – at a distance – at the end of our full day Yala Safari.

What are the opening times of Yala National Park?

Yala National Park opens from 06:00 to 18:00.  All jeeps are supposed to be out of the park by 18:00.  This time is slightly flexible.  We left the park exit very late (!), as our driver had spotted a leopard in a tree at a distance and we were waiting to see if it moved.  So too were other jeeps. 

Are there toilets in Yala National Park?

Yes, there are toilets in Yala National Park, but they are few and far between.  You’ll only really get to use them if you’re taking a full day Yala National Park Safari, and when you stop for lunch.  They were really basic, and I blame using them for the numerous bites I got “on my lower body” that day.

Final Words on Taking a Yala National Park Safari

This trip has been more than 8 years in the making and I’m so glad we got there this time. Coming to Yala is the primary reason we came back to Sri Lanka. Wait, no, maybe it was the food. Or the people. Well, let’s say it was a big part of the reason we returned to Sri Lanka and it was a great decision. Our private Yala National Park Safari was a fabulous, extremely long day, we saw so much wildlife and birdlife, and, yes we saw our leopard too.

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Sarah Carter

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Yala Safari Glamping

Guided Jeep Safaris, Glamping, and Camping in Yala, Kumana, and Lunugamvehera National Parks.

Camp Leopard Sustainable Safari Tours in Yala and service excellence has been recognized by many awards and has been listed on Best Glamping Sites in Sri Lanka  and Best Places to Stay in Yala.

Looking for the Best Yala Jeep Safari and Glamping Tour?

Guided Private Safaris

“Lux Wild” Safari Tour – Camp Leopard X Grand Tamarind Lake

Yala Unplugged – Two Nights 3 Safaris

Why Camp Leopard ?

We are a small Safari Camp renowned for our best practices in Sustainable Safari operations and service excellence, AC Glamping Tents with creature comforts, and experience-oriented exclusive tours. All our tours are carried our with a minium footprint on nature, sustainably, professionally and ethically.

Our tours are curated to cater any traveller’s budget and time frame from young backpackers to groups and families with children visiting Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

We also happen to have a very high success rate in leopard sighting on multi night tours across different blocks  (sectors) of Yala, off the beaten track, since 2016.

Questions? Get in Touch!

Camp leopard 5 star features.

It’s Rustic and Homely, yet Professional and Sustainable. Truly an Authentic Sri Lankan Safari Glamping Experience with the Best Private Safari Rangers on the Island.

Professional & Sustainable Guided Safaris

Guided Yala Jeep Safaris with the island’s top, professional, ethical/sustainable, and experienced safari guides (Private safari rangers)

Elevated Air Conditioned Tents

Semi-permanent structures yet without compromising the guest creature comforts and safety

Ensuite Bathrooms & Toilets

Tents are attached to permanent structured ensuite tiled bathrooms with running hot and cold water.

Located away from the Crowds

Access to off-the-beaten track, less crowded entrance gates of Yala for different blocks; Katagamuwa (B-1), Galge (B-3), Weheragala (B-5), and Dambakote (B-4).

Excellent English Communication

Our Team speaks excellent English. Making it an  exciting and effortless experience in planning and take part in tours. Get in touch with us on WhatsApp

Feels like Homestay in the Jungle

Authentic Sri Lankan ambiance makes you feel homely and cozy in the jungle. We are small; operate only 3 tents to ensure personalized service for each guest.

Tours & Itineraries

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#yala #safari #glamping whether it is..,.

• Wanting to see a Leopard  or other flora & fauna,
• Spend a romantic time in the bush with riverside picnics, river dips, and candlelit dinner under the stars,
• Have your family have an amazing time as simple as staying in a safari camp where your kids can toast marshmallows over the campfire and learn about nature with our rangers,
• Getting a gaggle of teenagers more interested in the experience than their latest post on social media,

Camp Leopard got you covered!

What is Yala National Park?

Yala National park is the oldest and the second largest national park in the Country. It is a secondary growth of the forest where used to be an ancient kingdom over 2000 years ago.

Yala is home for an array of wildlife while the different blocks (sectors) of the park fall under multiple climate zones, changing landscape, vegetation and animal densities different between each block.

Yala is renowned for its highest density of leopards in the world making it the world’s best destination to see a leopard in the wild, even ousting Africa. 

Collaborative research carried out by frequent visitors of Yala has identified and profiled over 100 individual leopards in Block 1 it self over 5 years time.

As in climate zones While block 2 of Yala falls under the arid zone, block 1 falls under semi arid and block 3-4-5 extends into intermediate and dryzone. Therefore vegetation in Yala extends from shrub jungles of thorny bushes to dual layered riparian gallery forest with a tree canopy.

Yala National Park Map

• Yala Park Entrance Fees
• Best Times to Visit Yala

What animal to see in Yala National Park?

When it comes to exciting big animals, all of the terrestrial Ceylon big five, elephants, leopards, bears, wild water buffalos, and wild bores can be encountered in Yala national park.

Also a lesser known top-fact of Yala is that it is also the highest density of mugger crocodiles in the world.

For birding in Yala national park, is like birders paradise! The great yala complex is home to over 200 species of resident birds with over another hundreds of migrant and vagrant species in winter months. There are several bird species endemic to the park itself.

The Greater Yala Complex

Alone, Yala National Park area extends over 96,000 ha (hectares) among 5 blocks or sectors.

But the Great Yala complex is a bigger nature reserve in the country  combining; Yala (Ruhunu), Lunugamvehera (Yala West or Block 6), Kumana (Yala East) National Parks, along with Kataragama, Katagamuwa, Panama-Kudumbigala wildlife sanctuaries and a  a Tier 1 protected area called  Yala strict nature reserve.

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Things to do in Yala National Park in August

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Looking for a different month?

August is a good time to visit Yala National Park . The weather is usually very warm and breezy, with temperatures ranging from 77—86°F (25—30°C).

Yala National Park has plenty to offer for visitors of all ages and interests. In this article, we tell you the top things to see and do for your August trip to Yala National Park. Get inspired by the events, activities, attractions, and experiences unique to August. We’ll let you know where to explore events based on your interests, whether that’s food, culture, art, music, sport or others.

We’ll let you know everything you need to prepare for the weather in Yala National Park in August. Learn about what to wear and pack for your trip, the average temperatures throughout August, temperature changes from morning to evening and much more.

Table of contents

• Experiences
• Weather and what to wear
• Attractions

Best events and things to do in Yala National Park in August

Top experiences in august, holidays in yala national park in august.

• Nikini Full Moon Poya Day ( August 19 )

Other notable holidays

• Esala Full Moon Poya Day ( July 20 )
• Milad-Un-Nabi ( September 16 )
• Binara Full Moon Poya Day ( September 17 )
• Vap Full Moon Poya Day ( October 17 )
• Deepavali ( October 31 )
• Il Full Moon Poya Day ( November 15 )
• Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day ( December 14 )
• Christmas Eve ( December 24 )
• Christmas Day ( December 25 )
• Weather in Yala National Park in August

Temperatures on an average day in Yala National Park in August

The average temperature in Yala National Park in August for a typical day ranges from a high of 86°F (30°C) to a low of 77°F (25°C). Some would describe it as very warm and breezy.

For comparison, the hottest month in Yala National Park , April, has days with highs of 87°F (30°C) and lows of 78°F (26°C). The coldest month, January has days with highs of 82°F (28°C) and lows of 73°F (23°C). This graph shows how an average day looks like in Yala National Park in August based on historical data.

Visiting Yala National Park? See our Yala National Park Trip Planner.

Historical temperature average in August

General weather summary, what to wear in august, best attractions for yala national park in august.

Popular road trips from Yala National Park

What's the weather like in yala national park.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Yala National Park for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

• Weather in Yala National Park in January
• Weather in Yala National Park in February
• Weather in Yala National Park in March
• Weather in Yala National Park in April
• Weather in Yala National Park in May
• Weather in Yala National Park in June
• Weather in Yala National Park in July
• Weather in Yala National Park in September
• Weather in Yala National Park in October
• Weather in Yala National Park in November
• Weather in Yala National Park in December

All road trips from Yala National Park

• Yala National Park to Kandy drive
• Yala National Park to Ella drive
• Yala National Park to Colombo drive
• Yala National Park to Galle drive
• Yala National Park to Sigiriya drive
• Yala National Park to Bentota drive
• Yala National Park to Tangalle drive
• Yala National Park to Trincomalee drive
• Yala National Park to Unawatuna drive
• Yala National Park to Negombo drive
• Yala National Park to Arugam Bay drive
• Yala National Park to Nuwara Eliya drive
• Yala National Park to Kalutara drive
• Yala National Park to Haputale drive
• Yala National Park to Hikkaduwa drive
• Yala National Park to Mirissa drive
• Yala National Park to Matara drive
• Yala National Park to Ahungalla drive

Explore nearby places

• Yala National Park
• Tissamaharama
• Tanamalwila
• Bandarawela
• Embilipitiya
• Haldummulla
• Kahandamodara
• Netolpitiya

All related maps of Yala National Park

• Map of Yala National Park
• Map of Kataragama
• Map of Palatupana
• Map of Tissamaharama
• Map of Debarawewa
• Map of Kirinda
• Map of Tanamalwila
• Map of Buttala
• Map of Monaragala
• Map of Hambantota
• Map of Wellawaya
• Map of Panama
• Map of Koslanda
• Map of Arugam Bay
• Map of Sevanagala
• Map of Pottuvil
• Map of Udawalawa
• Map of Ella
• Map of Haputale
• Map of Bandarawela
• Map of Embilipitiya
• Map of Diyatalawa
• Map of Beragala
• Map of Lunugala
• Map of Haldummulla
• Map of Kahandamodara
• Map of Badulla
• Map of Ohiya
• Map of Welimada
• Map of Netolpitiya
• Map of Belihuloya

Yala National Park throughout the year

• Yala National Park in January
• Yala National Park in February
• Yala National Park in March
• Yala National Park in April
• Yala National Park in May
• Yala National Park in June
• Yala National Park in July
• Yala National Park in August
• Yala National Park in September
• Yala National Park in October
• Yala National Park in November
• Yala National Park in December

Looking for day-by-day itineraries in Yala National Park?

Get inspired for your trip to Yala National Park with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Check them out here:

• 1-Day Yala National Park Itinerary

• Itinerary + map in one view
• Live collaboration
• Auto-import hotels and reservations
• Optimize your route
• Offline access on mobile
• See time and distance between all your places

Ultimate guide to visiting Yala National Park in Sri Lanka

Visiting Yala National Park is a bit like stepping into a nature documentary. It’s a must-visit destination for anyone who loves wildlife. 

Tucked away in the southeast of Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is a place where leopards prowl, elephants roam free and over 200 species of bird reside. 

But Yala isn’t just about spotting wildlife. Its raw, natural beauty comprises vast forests and grasslands, breathtaking beaches and ancient temples. 

In my guide to visiting Yala National Park, I share everything you need to know before visiting. Getting there, the best time to visit, where to stay, and pinpointing the must-dos – I’ve got the lowdown for you.

Plus, I’ll share a few tips to help you make the most of your visit. 

If you prefer video to a blog post then you can watch my vlog of visiting Yala National Park here:

This post contains affiliate links.

Author Bio: Jessie Moore

Jessie Moore is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

How to get to Yala National Park

Getting to Yala National Park is part of the adventure. On our drive into the park, we saw a huge elephant on the side of the road, which was a great introduction to our visit!

Whether you’re coming from the buzzing capital city of Colombo or the serene highlands of Nuwara Eliya , you’ve got a few options to consider.

Here’s how you can make your way to this wildlife haven:

From Colombo to Yala

By bus: You can catch a bus from Colombo to Tissamaharama, the town closest to Yala National Park. The journey takes about 6-7 hours, depending on traffic.

Once in Tissamaharama, you can easily find local buses or tuk-tuks to take you to the park entrance. It’s a budget-friendly option and gives you a real taste of local life.

By car: Hiring a car with a driver is another popular option. It’s more comfortable than the bus and offers the flexibility to stop along the way.

The drive from Colombo to Yala takes about 4-5 hours. This is a great choice if you’re looking to combine comfort with the convenience of getting to Yala on your own schedule.

If you’d like the details of our driver, please feel free to DM me on Instagram and I’ll send over his details – he was brilliant!

By train: There’s no direct train to Yala, but you can take a train to Matara and then catch a bus or taxi to Tissamaharama.

The train journey offers gorgeous views, especially as you travel along the coast.

From Nuwara Eliya or Ella to Yala

By bus: There isn’t a direct bus from Nuwara Eliya to Yala, so you’ll need to make a transfer.

First, take a bus to Ella or Badulla, and from there, catch another bus to Tissamaharama.

It’s a bit of a journey, with the total travel time being around 6-8 hours, but it’s an opportunity to see more of the country’s beautiful landscapes.

By car: Driving from Nuwara Eliya to Yala with a hired car and driver is arguably the most comfortable option, and is what I personally did.

The journey takes about 4-5 hours and takes you through some breathtaking highland scenery before descending to the plains.

This option allows for flexibility in your itinerary and the chance to stop at interesting spots along the way.

By train and bus or car: You can take a train from Nanu Oya (near Nuwara Eliya) to Ella and then catch a bus or drive from Ella to Tissamaharama.

This combo was actually my intended plan, as I really wanted to experience the train.

However, I didn’t book tickets in advance so we couldn’t get on the train – don’t make the same mistake as me!

Organised day trips from Ella: You can also book an organised day trip or transfer from Ella. Some of the best options are as follows:

• Ella: Safari Day Trip to Yala & Udawalawe with Lunch
• Ella: Transfer to Mirissa/Galle/Hikkaduwa & Yala Safari Tour
• Ella: Yala National Park Thrilling Half-Day Safari

How many days to spend in Yala National Park

For the best experience at Yala National Park, I personally recommend dedicating around three days to your visit.

Not only does it allow you to completely disconnect from the hustle and bustle, it also enhances your chances of witnessing those once-in-a-lifetime wildlife sightings (i.e. those elusive leopards!).

Plus, three days gives you time to explore beyond a safari. You can explore the park on a bush walk, visit Sithulpawwa Temple, take your time with photography or spend an afternoon at the beach.

Where to stay in Yala National Park 

When visiting Yala National Park, finding the right place to stay is crucial for enhancing your experience.

I can wholeheartedly recommend a stay at the recently opened Hilton Yala Resort . We enjoyed a truly unforgettable stay here.

Nestled on the edge of the park, this luxurious resort offers the perfect blend of comfort, elegance, and proximity to nature, making it an ideal base for your wildlife adventures.

One of the highlights of staying at Hilton Yala Resort is the convenience it offers for organising all your activities. The amazing staff take care of everything for you.

The hotel can arrange guided tours of the park, whether a private jeep safari or a bush walk at dusk, as well as sunrise visits to Sithulpawwa Temple.

Other amazing hotels which have come highly recommended by friends and our driver are:

• Uga Chena Huts
• Wild Coast Tented Lodge
• Cinnamon Wild Yala

You can read my full review of Hilton Yala Resort here or discover more of the best luxury hotels in Sri Lanka .

Best time of year to visit Yala National Park

The best time to visit Yala National Park largely depends on what you’re hoping to see and do. But generally, the period between February and June is considered ideal.

During these months, the dry weather reduces the foliage and water levels in the park, making wildlife, especially leopards, more visible as they come out to the park’s waterholes to drink.

This is arguably the best time to see leopards, as the sparse vegetation makes these elusive creatures easier to spot.

Yala experiences a monsoon season from September to December, which can lead to parts of the park being closed due to flooding.

While the monsoon brings lush greenery and a rejuvenation of the park’s flora, it can make wildlife viewing more challenging.

For birdwatchers, the migratory bird season from November to April offers a fantastic opportunity to see a variety of bird species.

I personally visited in January and while it was a good time to visit, parts of the park were still closed due to flooding from the end of the monsoon season.

Sadly we also didn’t get to see any leopards, but we did see plenty of other wildlife, including elephants, crocodiles and water buffalo.

What to wear when visiting Yala National Park

I’d recommend opting for lightweight, breathable clothing in neutral colours so that you blend in with the natural environment. 

Long sleeves, trousers and a hat can help protect against the sun and those pesky mosquitoes. 

If you’re embarking on a bush walk then you’ll definitely need some comfortable, closed-toe shoes for walking on dusty, uneven terrain. 

I’d also suggest bringing a scarf or cover-up that you can use to cover your mouth and nose for when the jeeps throw up lots of dust. 

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Things to do in Yala National Park

While going on safari is the obvious attraction of visiting, there are a handful of fun things to do in Yala National Park:

1. Safari tour

A safari tour is the highlight of any visit to Yala. With the chance to see leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and a myriad of other wildlife in their natural habitat.

I’d recommend opting for a morning or late afternoon safari for the best wildlife viewing opportunities.

The park’s experienced guides can navigate the terrain and help spot the park’s inhabitants.

2. Bush walk

For those who want to stretch their legs and enjoy the park from a different perspective, a guided bush walk is a fantastic option.

It’s a chance to get up close with the smaller wonders of Yala, from its diverse plant life to the insects and birds that call it home. 

I have to admit, I did feel very nervous walking alongside where crocodiles were swimming and water buffalo were hanging out.

But our guide very much made us feel at ease and it was wonderful to explore the park from a different perspective.

3. Bird watching

With over 200 bird species, including migratory birds and endemic species, Yala is a bird watcher’s paradise.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a seasoned birder or a casual observer, the park’s feathered inhabitants are sure to captivate. Whether it’s the flamboyant peacock or the elusive jungle fowl.

Early morning is the best time for bird watching, as this is when many birds are most active.

4. Sithulpawwa Temple

Nestled within the park is the ancient Sithulpawwa Temple, a significant Buddhist monastery dating back over 2,000 years.

It offers a peaceful retreat and a glimpse into Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage.

The temple is not only a spiritual site, but also provides epic views of the surrounding countryside.

We visited at sunrise and I’d definitely recommend doing the same – trust me, the 5am start was worth it!

Visiting so early meant we largely had the temple to ourselves, with not a single tourist in sight. It was incredibly peaceful and the views were just jaw-dropping.

Plus, you drive through the park to get to the temple, so you essentially get another safari as part of the experience!

5. Beach visit

The coastline that borders Yala National Park is breathtakingly beautiful and relatively untouched.

A visit to the beach offers a tranquil contrast to the rugged wilderness of the park.

Swimming is not advisable due to strong currents and the presence of wildlife.  But the beaches near Yala provide stunning settings for a leisurely walk, a picnic, or simply to relax and enjoy the sunset.

If you have any tips for visiting Yala National Park then please do let me know in the comments! Or watch my experience of visiting over on YouTube .

For more Sri Lanka content, you may also like: 

• 10 fun things to do in Nuwara Eliya
• 15 amazing things to do in Colombo
• Hilton Yala Resort hotel review
• 10 best things to do in Galle
• 12 beautiful beaches in Sri Lanka

Jessie is a luxury travel expert with years of experience travelling the world to find the best destinations, hotels and adventures.

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The Best Guide to Visiting Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

World-renowned for leopard sightings, visiting Yala National Park is the best place in Sri Lanka to see a diverse number of species in their natural habitat. A Yala National Park safari is a must on anyone’s Sri Lanka bucket list . A Yala National Park Sri Lanka safari will have you spotting Asian elephants, spotted deer, crocodiles and bird species galore. 

To ensure you see as many animals as possible, give yourself time to take a morning and afternoon Yala safari in Sri Lanka. 

Here’s everything you need to know before visiting Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.

READ MORE |  This 3 weeks in Sri Lanka itinerary includes 2 safaris in Sri Lanka

* This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see my  full disclosure  for further information.

Yala Sri Lanka Quick Guide

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YALA SRI LANKA GUIDED TOURS Check Yala Tour Prices + Availability

Yala National Park Safari Guide

About yala national park.

One of the most popular Sri Lanka national parks, Yala National Park at a size of 980 square kilometres is visited over 650,000 times a year. Yala consists of 5 different blocks, of which only block 4 is closed to the public to ensure the park animals and landscapes are protected from over-tourism.

The park runs from the inland jungle to the golden coastline of the Indian Ocean and features red earth, lakes and arid landscape vegetation. There are a total of 3 different entrances for visiting Yala National Park. 

Where is Yala National Park?

Yala Park is situated on the Southeast corner of the island of Sri Lanka and cradling the boundary of Uva and Southern Province. Yala national park is about a 4-hour bus ride from Ella or 6 hours from Galle Fort . 

Yala National Park Animals

Home to over 44 mammal and 215 bird species, you can expect to see large packs of Asian elephants (including babies!), sloth bears, spotted deer, peacocks, crocodiles and of course, the majestic Yala leopard. The wildlife in the park is plentiful.

The size of the park will affect how many animals you see on any given safari Yala. To ensure you see as much wildlife as possible, take a proper safari tour arranged by your Yala National Park hotel. 

NOTE | Yala National Park leopards are elusive creatures, so seeing one is not guaranteed. It’s common to see one every day for a month and then not see one for a week. I’d say you have about a 1 in 3 to 50/50 chance of spotting a leopard. 

Best Time to Visit Yala National Park, Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka has two distinct monsoon seasons, each striking the northeast and southwest coasts at opposite times of the year. The best time for visiting Yala National Park is during the driest months of May to August , but can be visited all year round due to the mild rainy season weather.

December and January are the busiest months in Yala National Park as international and domestic tourists alike flock to the park on various holidays. 

Weather in the southeast of Sri Lanka fluctuates only a couple of degrees (roughly between 29 and 31 celsius), so you can visit Yala National Park any month of the year. Bring a warm sweater with you for the early morning Yala safari jeep tour starts.

TIP | Be aware that in September and October, Yala Sri Lanka closes down for maintenance. 

Love food? Here is my guide to the Best Cafes in Southern Sri Lanka

How many days in Yala National Park? 

A one-night stay, arriving around lunchtime, should be the bare minimum you spend in Yala National Park. That allows time for an afternoon safari and then a morning safari the next day before heading off either west towards Mirissa, or North towards Ella. I

f you have time to spend 2 nights in the best national park in Sri Lanka that will ensure your visit is more successful.

How to Get to Yala National Park Sri Lanka

How to get from ella to yala national park.

Take the bus from Ella bus Station bound for Wellawaya, before changing to the bus bound for Tissa, about a 4-hour journey. If you’d like to quicken your pace by taking a taxi, it will cost you upwards of $30 USD.

How to get from Mirissa to Yala National Park

Take any bus from Mirissa heading to Matara. Alternatively, you can hire a tuk-tuk from Mirissa to take you the 25-minute journey. Once you’ve reached the Matara bus station, jump on the #32 ($0.50 USD) that will take you all the way to Tissa, one of the main hubs for accessing Yala National Park (a 3.5-hour drive).

If neither of those sound appealing, you can take this guided tour from Galle or Mirissa that will pick you up and drop you off from your hotel.

BOOK A TOUR | Yala National Park Safari from Galle or Mirissa

TIP | Make sure you have small denominations of Sri Lankan rupees available as the bus driver will not give you change until the end of your bus ride.

NOTE | Sri Lanka busses along the south coast are not air-conditioned, so you are in for a sweaty, yet authentic experience

Where to Stay near Yala National Park 

Sri Lanka Yala National Park has two main hubs for accommodation outside of the gates: Tissamaharama (Tissa) and Kataragama. These two towns are where the majority of visitors to Yala in Sri Lanka base themselves and most. of the Yala National Park hotels are located. If you want the ultimate safari experience and have the money to spend, book a stay inside the gates of the park at one of the luxury bungalow resorts. 

Where to Stay in Tissa + Karinda

Located close to the ocean at the southwest corner of Yala National Park, you will find the hub of Tissa and the adjacent village of Karinda. Here, there are plenty of safari camps to suit your budget, (ranging from $13 – 250 USD).

This is the main stop for most tourists along their Sri Lanka route with close proximity to block 1 and 2 along the coast. The main entrance is at Palatupana, a 21km drive from the centre of Tissamaharama, due east.

Here are a couple suggestions on where to stay in Tissamaharama or Karinda:

CINNAMON WILD YALA   | LUXURY

Located 5 minutes from the Palatupana entrance this luxury resort comes complete with individual chalets dotting the jungle right at the edge of the Indian Ocean. Spa, restaurant and daily excursions are all available on site.  

CHECK PRICES + AVAILABILITY

EKHO SAFARI TISSA | MID-RANGE

Located right on Tissa Lake, this beautiful hotel offers a pool with plenty of loungers, spacious bathrooms, and a buffet or a la carte breakfast.

HOTEL SENORA | BUDGET

Basic and clean rooms in the heart of Tissa.

 Looking for some Sri Lanka inspiration? Check out my Sri Lanka Bucket List

Where to Stay in Kataragama

A little less known than Tissa, Kataragama is located on the west side of the Yala National Park. Here you will find a smaller selection of safari camps to choose from, ranging from $12 – 170 USD, with access to the park through the Katagamuwa entrance, a 12km drive from the city centre of Kataragama.

Kataragama can also access the entrance gate at Galge, a 19km drive north of the town, with access to blocks 3 and 5. Animals in this area of the park are much warier than vehicles, making sightings here hit and miss, but still one of the best things to do in Yala.

TIP | This side of the park offers fewer elephant sightings but will give you a greater chance of seeing a leopard. I managed to see a mother and her two cubs at the end of my outing, which was a real shock, given that I hadn’t seen much wildlife other than a crocodile and some really cool birds. You will not always have my luck though, as leopards are an evasive mammal.

Here is a collection of accommodation options in Kataragama, Sri Lanka National Park Yala:

  BIG GAME – YALA  | LUXURY

A glamping accommodation just outside of Yala’s Katagamuwa Gate, Big Game Camp Yala offers enclosed tents with comfy beds, flush toilets and running hot water showers. A true Yala camping experience. They offer an evening bonfire experience with beverages and a 3-course meal.

TAMARIND LAK E HOTEL   | MID-RANGE

This midrange casual three-story hotel sits on a tree-lined property with a pool. Free parking is available on site.

SERENITY KATARAGAMA  | BUDGET

An economical motel-style accommodation in the heart of Kataragama that comes complete with refurbished air-conditioned rooms.

Yala National Park Safaris

There are two different times of day that Yala safari tours are allowed visiting Yala National Park, 6 am and 2 pm. Yala safari Sri Lanka tours usually last 3-4 hours and can access the park through one of the three park entrances: Palatupana (out of Tissa), Katagamuwa and Galge (out of Kataragama). Taking an organized safari tour can ensure you see as many animals in the park as possible. And having a park guide aboard your jeep to teach you about Sri Lanka national park animal life and habits is absolutely invaluable. The Yala National Park safari price depends on what inclusive safari tour you take (see below for options).

BOOK A SAFARI | Inclusive Yala National Park safari options

Looking for more to do in Sri Lanka? Peruse my guide on things to do in Weligama

Yala National Park Entrance Fee + Yala Safari Price

Yala National Park entrance fee is approximately 3,700 LKR , but this number can fluctuate based on what block you’d like to visit and if you are doing a half day or full day safari. 

An organized safari in Sri Lanka of Yala National Park arranged by your hotel can cost anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 LKR, while larger outfits like Viator (great for solo travellers!) can charge from $40 – 75 USD depending on the length of your safari.

Driving with your Own Car in Yala National Park

Personal cars are allowed into Yala National Park, but only SUV-type vehicles that come equipped with 4 wheel drive. You will need to hire a tracker to be permitted into Yala, which can be done at the park gate and is a good idea for visiting any national parks in Sri Lanka.

Personal motorcycles or smaller cars are not able to enter the park due to safety issues (potholes and elephants!).

Yala National Park versus Udawalawe National Park

If you don’t have an abundance of time to spend adventuring in all of the national parks of Sri Lanka, it can be hard to choose which one to spend your valuable time in. 

It’s pretty simple, Yala National Park is known for leopard sightings, drier landscapes and Indian Ocean views, while Udawalawe is known for large herds of Asian elephants, is smaller and has a lusher landscape. You choose!

BOOK A TOUR | Visiting Udawalawe National park? Check out this guided tour

Don’t Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Made popular by large travel influencers flocking to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to get a photo with elephants, it can be tempting to add this to your Sri Lanka bucket list . Just don’t. Since the media hype surrounding this place a few years back, the orphanage has started to withhold rereleasing elephants into the wild and keeping them on-site for the amusement of tourists instead. 

As a strong advocate for ethical animal treatment, I suggest you forgo the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and opt for a more authentic national park Sri Lanka experience where you can watch elephants in their natural habitat.

MORE ESSENTIAL GUIDES FOR SRI LANKA

Want to continue planning your trip to Sri Lanka?

Check out my  3 WEEK SRI LANKA ITINERARY  or if you prefer to determine the route yourself, read the specialized guides below for some of the best experiences in Sri Lanka:

SRI LANKA BUCKET LIST  | Get inspired by all that Sri Lanka has to offer. Here are my Sri Lanka highlights.

SRI LANKA TRAVEL TIPS  | Prepare for your Sri Lanka trip by reading my 21 top tips on what you should know before visiting the beautiful teardrop isle

KANDY   | Bustling market streets, quiet strolls around the lake, lush botanical gardens, and ornate Buddhist temples, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka has it all

ELLA   | Nestled in the green centre of Sri Lanka, this hiker’s paradise features trails with panoramic views of jagged green hills, deep valleys and rushing waterfalls.

WELIGAMA   | Where surf culture is alive and thriving, this central town is located on the golden south coast of Sri Lanka and offers the best surf beach for beginners, and an abundance of traditional and modern eateries.

MIRISSA   | A small surf town located 15 minutes away from Weligama, offers golden beaches, surfing, serene spas, and healthy food.

GALLE FORT  | Fortified stone walls, dutch and Portuguese style architecture, great food and shopping all culminate in this little town that was once a major Sri Lankan trading post.

SRI LANKA PACKING LIST  | Take the guesswork out of packing and easily check off my list to all things you will need for Sri Lanka’s warm climate

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Haley is the founder of the global travel blog, Haley Blackall Travel. She has travelled to 40+ countries across 5 continents over the last 15 years. She loves to share in-depth travel guides and recommendations to help travellers get the most out of their vacation time, including her favourite boutique hotels, things to do and travel itineraries.

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ANIMALS & WILDLIFE , ASIA , SAFARI , SRI LANKA · February 13, 2018 Last Updated on March 14, 2024

A COMPLETE GUIDE TO VISITING YALA NATIONAL PARK, SRI LANKA

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Yala National Park is situated on the south coast of Sri Lanka, with parts of the park reaching to the water and touching the Indian Ocean. Unlike the safaris of Africa, Yala is still relatively undiscovered and catching up to its African counterparts in many ways.

But one thing that it can certainly compete on is the wildlife! In this guide I share information about the park, the animals you can expect to see, when and how to visit and other tips to make you experience at Yala National Park amazing!

About Yala National Park

Yala is divided into 5 zones. The two zones that are open to the public and tourists are zone 1 and zone 5. The other zones are reserved only for professional research and documentary filming.

This allows for a large proportion of the park to remain a natural habitat for the animals without the intrusion of safari jeeps. Depending on how many drives you do, you will likely spend the majority of your drives in zone 1 where there are more sightings of animals since this part of the park has been open longest and the animals are more accustomed to the sound of the vehicles.

In zone 1 you will find that the bush reaches right up to the trails, so you will have limited views into the animal’s habitat and have to get lucky that the animals are in the road or beside the road in many areas of the park.

In zone 5 you will have broader landscape views, so it is definitely worth at least one visit. Certain parts of this zone have winding trails with a tree canopy over and mossy forests that touch the sides of the trail. The only way to describe this part of the park was like a scene from Lord of The Rings and we were so glad to experience it.

We also got lucky and saw a herd of breeding female elephants with two babies in zone 5!

Yala National Park is particularly popular as it offers the chance to see one of the most beautiful big cats, the Sri Lankan leopard. Many visitors to Sri Lanka will choose Yala as they not only want to see elephants, birds, buffalo etc, but they really want to see one of these majestic cats in the wild!

When To Visit

You can visit the park year-round and our guides told us it doesn’t matter when you visit since animal sightings happen throughout the year.

We visited in February which is considered the high season, but this time of year offers a pleasant climate across Sri Lanka, less rain and plenty of opportunities to spot some wildlife!

Do I Need A Guide?

Absolutely yes, you need a guide! There are currently no regulations requiring a guide for the safari, so many people will opt to only hire a driver. However, whilst the driver, of course, provides transport around the park, they often speak little English and do not have the experience and knowledge that a guide can offer you.

We booked our safari with Leopard Trails , staying at their luxury tented camp and included a guide, Dhanula, for our entire stay. This is invaluable for you to both learn about the park and its inhabitants, and to have the highest chance of spotting the animals you want to see.

A good guide will know which locations are most likely for sightings in addition to avoiding big tourist crowds. We were able to ask lots of questions throughout the safari and really get to understand the animal’s behavior and more about the park itself.

What Animals Will I See In Yala?

As with any safari, there is no guarantee of the animals that you will see in the park. However, it is pretty likely that you will see many different species of birds, including crested serpent eagles and peacocks, lots of spotted deer, buffalo, monitor lizards, and wild boar.

The more difficult sightings are of elephants, crocodiles and of course leopards. There are around 10-15 tusked elephants in zone 1, so seeing one of them is rare but not impossible – we were fortunate to see two tusked elephants.

One of them was the famous male tusked elephants Gamanu who once ate a tourist’s handbag, passport and all! We also saw other young males and a herd of breeding females in Zone 5 with two babies.

What Are The Chances Of Seeing A Leopard In Yala Sri Lanka?

There are estimated to be around 75 leopards in zone 1, the zone is 144 square kilometers so the ratio is around 1:2 meaning there is a good chance you may see one.

However, the guides told us they can see them every day for a month and then not see one for several days. It really up to chance and if you are a minute later you may miss a sighting.

Our Leopard Sightings

On our very last drive, as we were leaving the park, my husband pointed out a peacock displaying its feathers, so we slowed down to view the peacock and the jeep behind drove past us.

That jeep had two other guests from Leopard Trails and when we returned to camp, they showed us the photos of an incredible sighting of a leopard in the road!

If we had kept driving instead of viewing the peacock we would have had a leopard sighting all to ourselves (a fact I don’t let my husband forget), which goes to show the random nature of leopard sightings.

During our time at Yala National Park, we saw a leopard on our first drive and were lucky enough for him to walk right out into the trail ahead of us, walk up towards our jeep before going into the forest.

We also had the incredible luck to see a live kill on our last drive. The guides had not seen a live kill for over 18 months and it is incredibly rare to see.

We saw the leopard cross the road and watched her stalk the prey for over an hour before finally making the jump and capturing a young buffalo and taking it up a nearby tree.

How Many Days Should I Spend At Yala National Park?

We spent two nights at the Leopard Trails camp, which gave us the opportunity to go on four safaris. Some guests just do one night or even three nights if you really want to maximize your chances of seeing the animals.

On the first day, we arrived around midday, had lunch then went on our first safari around 3 pm. The following day we left for the morning safari at 5 am and got back to camp at 9.30 am for breakfast. The afternoon safari that day was at 3 pm again, and then our final morning safari at 5 am.

I would recommend at least two nights so that you can really have the time to enjoy the park and also to make sure you have the maximum chance to spot the leopard!

Related Post: 5 Of Sri Lanka’s Best Beach Towns

Do I Have To Get Up Early?

This may seem like an odd question, but I wanted to make a note about the wake-up times and when you get going on your safaris. You will probably wake up around 4.30 am and aim to leave around 5 am (depending on where you are staying).

The park opens at 6 am and the goal is to be first in line at the gate. On our first morning drive, there was a large group of jeeps ahead of us, so we didn’t really understand why the guides wanted to be first in.

On the second morning, when we were first in line and the first car into the park we quickly realized why it was so important to get in first!

As you enter the park, many of the animals are still just waking up and are sitting or walking on the trails that the cars drove along. The first thing we saw was a huge crocodile stalking up the road, as we approached we had a great view before it disappeared off into the undergrowth.

So, of course, the cars behind would miss this. Pretty soon after we came across a young male elephant by the side of the road.

So I can tell you, listen to the guides, get up early and make sure you are first in!

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Why Not Just Go To Pinnawala?

Pinnawala elephant orphanage has enjoyed recent fame from its prevalence on Instagram, with many of your favorite bloggers and social media stars heading to this part of Sri Lanka to have their photos in front of the many elephants here.

Whilst I have not been to Pinnawala (through conscious choice not to support this organization), I cannot encourage you enough to instead go to a park-like Yala National Park where you see the elephants in their natural habitat.

Pinnawala Is Unethical

Yes, it is true that Pinnawala is an orphanage and does some good in rescuing elephants in Sri Lanka. However, it has now started to breed the elephants for captivity and it does not release them back to the wild.

We have also heard stories that whilst the elephants look like they are bathing and having fun on the rocks over the water they are actually chained to these positions – so that tourists can achieve their perfect selfie. Please don’t be that person.

If you would like to read more please see information on Born Free and also this article by Hand Luggage Only gives a personal experience of a visit to Pinnawala. 

If you wish to go to an elephant orphanage, our guide recommended Elephant Transit Home Udawalawa where the elephants are rescued and reintroduced back to the wild. Or I would highly suggest sticking to the national parks Yala National Park, Minneriya National Park, and Udawalawe National Park to see these animals in their natural habitat.

Places To Stay

We chose a luxury camp Leopard Trails and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Leopard Trails has 8 luxury tents, complete with full bathroom, outdoor shower, a comfy double bed, and air conditioning. It was better than a hotel room!

At Leopard Trails, you get the full package of all your meals, alcohol and guides. At the end of a day out on safari, we got to sit by candlelight and enjoy a glass of wine with the other guests looking up at the stars, before having a delicious dinner.

The camp is so pretty in the evening, the walking paths and dining tables are lit by lanterns, it really is a special experience!

The other thing that I loved about Leopard Trails was the guides . We had a dedicated guide every day who took us out on safari, as I mentioned earlier having a guide is such an important part of the safari and having Dhanula with us made all the difference.

Other Tips About Yala National Park Sri Lanka

• Invest in a good camera. A Yala National Park safari is a once in a lifetime experience and you will want to capture it. Leopard Trails actually rents camera equipment, so if you don’t want to splash out on a fancy new lens look into a rental option in advance.
• Bring sunscreen. The jeeps are covered but the sun shines in, so make sure to use sunscreen and / or cover-up.
• Bring a sweater to wear in the morning when you leave as it’s cold before the sun comes up.
• Don’t drink too much before you drive. There are no toilets in the park and only a few places to legally stop for a dash into the bushes.
• Don’t set your expectations too high. Every safari experience is different and even if you don’t see the animals you are hoping for the drives are wonderful anyway.
• Safari etiquette is to not tell new guests all the amazing things you saw on your drive. They may not be as lucky and you don’t want them to be disappointed.

Overall you will not be disappointed with your visit to Yala National Park and I recommend you make sure to add this to your Sri Lanka itinerary.

We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Yala National Park. If you have any questions about Sri Lanka or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.

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Mike Ballard says

February 14, 2018 at 5:19 am

Thanks for the informative article! We will be visiting Sri Lanka in December of 2018 as part of our trip around the world. I had originally planned to be in the country for only a few days, but it looks like I’m going to have to extend it visit to Yala. Thanks again!

We Are Travel Girls says

February 14, 2018 at 4:45 pm

Thanks for reading Mike, glad you enjoyed the article! Have a wonderful time in Sri Lanka and on the rest of your world adventure! I definitely recommend having at least a week, preferably two for Sri Lanka. One of my favourites in Asia! Becky, Founder – We Are Travel Girls

Vivien says

February 14, 2018 at 12:51 pm

Well this sure beats the animal safari at Animal Kingdom haha! I loved all your photos, and thank you for sharing insights on Pinnawala. It’s so sad how elephants are continually exploited for money. Really hope to make it to Sri Lanka soon!

February 14, 2018 at 4:44 pm

Thank you so much for reading Vivien, I am glad that you enjoyed this article! Sri Lanka was wonderful – you should definitely visit soon! Thanks, Becky, Founder – We Are Travel Girls

vanessa says

August 13, 2018 at 9:26 am

Incredible! We are coming here in two weeks, thank you for all the tips. What lens are you shooting with for the photos in this blog post?

August 13, 2018 at 10:37 am

June 15, 2020 at 2:59 pm

Hey hey, Sri Lanka traveller and fellow writer of travel things. It’s good that you highlighted Pinnawala as unethical, however, the point may be self-defeating in a travel guide for Yala anyway. Based on both hands-on experience and research on the topic, the animal tourism sector in Sri Lanka is a mess. Total exploitative shambles, and Yala National Park is one of the finest repeat offenders.

Overbooked safaris, high amounts of traffic, reckless driving, irresponsible tourers and tourists, and, of course, the death of local wildlife as a result of this on numerous occasions. Anyway, not here to preach; people are going to make up their own mind. I just hope this comment stays here as a potential deterrent to people considering a visit to Yala and a safari in Sri Lanka.

Personally, I wouldn’t want any tourists engaging with Sri Lanka’s wildlife tourism. It’s a real ugly scene without much moral backbone. If you really wanna see a leopard, go look for it yourself in the Knuckles Mountain Range. Safaris are a poor man’s wildlife spotting anyway, and the majority of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry doesn’t have a good grip on them any way you swing it.

Becky van Dijk says

June 15, 2020 at 3:37 pm

Hi Ziggy, Thank you so much for sharing this comment, your experience and research. I went to Yala a few years ago and with Leopard Trails we felt that the guides, drivers and everyone involved in the safari that we took were extremely conscious of not disturbing any of the animals. Our experience did not feel overcrowded and we only saw another a group of other vehicles at one point during the day. However, of course no one experience is the same, and I hope that more controls are put in place to prevent overcrowding, plus controlling who is permitted to operate tours there going forwards. Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts and some alternatives to see leopards in the wild in Sri Lanka.

February 3, 2022 at 1:17 pm

Hey! We’re heading to Yala soon but your recommendation of accommodation is a bit out of budget – can you recommend any others? Thanks :)

Sandra Bryant says

March 21, 2024 at 11:23 pm

Hi, just to let you know that I think your Sri Lanka information needs updating. We went on safari and visited block 5 and 6 in Yala National Park as tourists. We were the only visitors, that I could see in block 6. We stayed at Tranquil Wild, which was amazing. We had a driver and a guide. It was a fantastic experience. Thank you, Sandra

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The Best Sri Lanka Safari – Yala National Park

Written By: The Planet D

Updated On: August 16, 2021

Our first Sri Lanka safari was more than a decade ago. It started out on a local bus from Hikkaduwa to a small guest house in Tissamaharama where we joined a group tour on a crowded jeep. That was an incredible experience, but cut to a few years later when we had the opportunity to have a private driver while staying in a luxury lodge, well that took it to a whole new level.

Table of Contents

Sri Lanka Safari  to Yala national Park

We had two glorious days in Yala National Park with a total of three outings in the park. Touring the park with a private driver and guide gave us the luxury of spotting wildlife in our own time without the crowds. We booked two nights inside at The Cinnamon Wild Lodge where we stayed right in the middle of the wildlife. This was the way a safari in Sri Lanka was meant to be.

Wildlife actually roams through the Cinnamon Wild camp, and once the sun goes down, you need to call an escort to walk you from your treehouse bungalow to the main lodge. You never know what you’ll run into!

Men with flashlights check out the grounds to make sure you don’t come upon any unexpected man-eaters or giant animals. Elephants roam through the resort regularly, but we only ran into a wild boar on the way back to our suite.

 The Wildlife of a Yala Safari

Safaris leave directly from the lodge each morning and evening and are run by Nature Trails . The comfortable 4X4 Safari trucks sit high and offer clear views for everyone.

Dave and I had the jeep to ourselves and could stay as long as we wanted at each spot. The guides know this park inside out and know where to spot the animals. Trust that they know what they are doing and take their advice. We ended up seeing every single species we wanted to see in Sri Lanka on our safari in Yala.

Yala National Park Is The Best Place To See Leopards On Earth

We had the chance to go on three different safaris in search of the star attraction of Yala National Park ; the elusive leopard . In Yala, the leopard is not so elusive though. Yala National Park actually houses the highest concentration of leopards in the world.  The chances of spotting one here are the best you’ll ever have.

In Africa, a leopard’s range is about 100 square kilometers, whereas, in Yala, the territory range is around 8 square km, meaning you are going to see a high concentration of leopards in a very small area.

How Many Leopards Did We see?

The last time we were in Yala, we saw one leopard sitting on a branch in a faraway tree. This time, we saw five leopards in total and one really good view of a nearby leopard climbing a tree. It was a huge success.

But it’s not just the leopards that attract tourists from around the world, it’s the abundance of wildlife and the beautifully rugged landscape.

About Yala National Park – Sri Lanka

When visiting Yala in 2011, there was no mention of sloth bears. This time around, sloth bears were another star attraction.

We managed to spot three sloth bears during our safaris, the most interesting encounter was when we came upon a bear walking across the road. Our driver stopped to look at him and instead of running away, the bear sat down in the middle of the path and looked at us. He was almost daring us to come closer.

But the most exciting bear moment came when a buffalo chased one away from a watering hole. You can see it in the video below, or click here to watch it on YouTube. This watering hole was teeming with wildlife.

Other Wildlife on Safari in Sri Lanka

An elephant sauntered by after the buffalo chased off the bear. Different deer, wild boar, and bird varieties drank by the water and crocodiles basked in the sun. It was a beautiful display of Mother Nature in perfect balance and harmony.

We then drove onto a beautiful rock formation deeper in the park where we saw countless monkeys running and jumping along the giant boulders. Seeing the monkeys playing at sunset just before heading to the resort for the night was a magical sight.

Yala Wild is a lovely place to spend the evening as you listen to the sound of the jungle and watch the buffalo, deer, birds, and monkeys relax by the watering hole, right in front of the hotel.

Even the most common wildlife looked spectacular in the landscape.

Staying Overnight in Yala made the Experience Amazing

We stayed in a beach chalet at Cinnamon Wild and could hear the crashing waves just outside our door as we stood 10 feet in the air on a raised platform that let us watch wild boar scamper down below.

The resort is in the heart of Yala and immerses you in the wildlife experience.

ou can use the pool and walk the grounds during the day, but at night you do need an escort to protect from possible wildlife encounters. Dinner is buffet style with traditional Sri Lankan Cuisine on the menu but there is also American and European food to choose from as well.

Luxury Safari in Sri Lanka

We highly recommend staying at the beautiful  Cinnamon Wild Lodge located just outside the park’s gates surrounded by wildlife and jungle.

It’s worth the splurge and less expensive than you’d think.

Costs for A Safari in Sri Lanka with Overnight in Yala

• A night at Cinnamon Wild Resort costs about anwhere from $150 – $300 USD Depending on Season and choice of suites. 
• A private safari costs $90 per person
• Check out Cinnamon on TripAdvisor

The resort has jungle chalets and beach chalets and offers everything you’ve ever dreamed of having when going on a wildlife safari.

There is a roof bar to watch the sunset and when you are finished you are escorted back to your chalet for a night in pure heaven. We slept like babies in our inviting bed.

See our top picks for luxury romantic escapes around the world. 

Two-Day Safari in Yala is a Must

We were up bright and early the next day for another safari where we had the chance to see even more wildlife. Two days allowed us to take our time and relax. We saw a lot on day one, so day two was about looking for the more obscure animals on safari.

Most Exciting Wildlife Spotting on our Sri Lanka Safari

The most exciting wildlife we saw on safari in Sri Lanka wasn’t the leopards or even the elephants. It was a giant python that crossed our paths in the jungle.

It was our first time seeing such a gigantic snake in the wild. This five-meter long (15 Feet) python spanning the entire width of the road. We stopped to watch it slowly cross into the jungle and marveled at its beauty and strength.

I wouldn’t want to meet one of these while out for a walk in the jungle!

Birds of Yala

It was then a day of more safar sightings.  And the birds of Yala caught our attention today! Herons, hornbills, painted storks and peacocks.

It was the wrong time of year for peacocks to show off their feathers, but the last time we were there, we saw many a peacock strutting their stuff.

When to go to on safari in Sri Lanka for birds : January is a good time to see peacocks in blume, we were in Sri Lanka this time in June. It was great for other wildlife, but it was not mating season for the peacocks.

We don’t normally get excited over birds, but in Yala, the hornbills and other birds will certainly grab your attention.

Whether you are into birds, big cats, elephants or reptiles, a safari in Yala National Park will get your heart pumping. There is nothing more exciting than seeing a rare species in the wild.

We had seen storks in the wild before, but the painted storks of Yala were something new for us.

And don’t forget the dazzling bee-eaters of Sri Lanka. They may be small, but they are cute!

Leopard Conservation at Yala National Park

Something we were very impressed with was the Project Leopard initiative started by Cinnamon Resorts. Yala National Park is located in a rural Sri Lankan community and local farmers are greatly affected by leopards hunting their cattle. In the past, farmers would kill and poison leopards to keep their cattle safe, but with the Project Leopard plan, they are given other options.

So far, Cinnamon and the John Keells Group  have built more than 55 pens to keep farmers’ livestock safe from leopard attacks. It’s a great start to preserving this magnificent species.

Read more about Wildlife Conservation at The Human Elephant Conflict

Other Excursions in Yala National Park

There are many different types of excursions offered at Cinnamon Wild. You can visit one of the local farmers and see Project Leopard at work for yourself.

They also offer night drives, guided nature walks, champagne breakfasts and sunset dinners in the bush overlooking the watering hole.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Cinnamon Wild and one could easily spent 3 to 4 days taking in the wildlife, but also enjoying the pool, spa and comfortable rooms. If you are going to do a Sri Lankan Safari, this is the way to go.

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For more information on Sri Lankan Safaris and accommodation all around the country, check out Cinnamon Resorts for more information. We also spent a week in the Maldives. See all there is to do there as well!

• The Best Things to do in Sri Lanka

Discover the Beauty of Sri Lanka in Photos

• Train Travel Sri Lanka
• Adam’s Peak Pilgrimage Sri Lanka

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About The Planet D

Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil are the owners and founders of The Planet D. After traveling to 115 countries, on all 7 continents over the past 13 years they have become one of the foremost experts in travel. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine , the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field.

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22 thoughts on “The Best Sri Lanka Safari – Yala National Park”

I went on safari in Yala National Park many years ago, but was nowhere near as lucky with the animals we saw. Some great photos – that sloth bear is so cute. I definitely need to go back.

Thank you on a detailed impressive guide! Saved your post for the future ?

Pictures are incredible and very informative content. Thanks for sharing.

Such stunning pictures! This would certainly help me plan my travels!

Wow, what an incredible experience – I am definitely adding this to my Sri Lanka list. I can’t believe how many varied animals you got to see. The leopard, obviously is the star attraction and would be amazing to see in the wild. But what about those sloth bears? How cool are they?! Hmmmm…not so sure about that giant python though, not sure I would be able to sleep at night after seeing that, lol…

It was great to see the sloth bear. The last time we were in Yala, the bears weren’t there. They have reintroduced them and the numbers are growing. It’s such a great thing to see the conservation efforts going on in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka looks like an awesome place to visit. Your article is really very nice to read and with great photos. Great work!

Sri Lanka is a very beautiful place to travel

Sri Lanka is an magical island blessed with natural beauties,pristine golden beaches,mountains,waterfalls.I visited Sri Lanka last year.I Could have a sweet memorable holiday.

Nice clean write up, loaded with beautiful pics. Sri Lanka is so beautiful !

Would love to visit sri lanka!

Wow love this!! Your article has helped us planning our trip this September. Thank you

Indeed Sri Lanka is a very beautiful island. I visited there 3 months ago, the people were also nice.

Vey positive to hear of their efforts to protect leopards, and that you saw more this time than 5 years ago. I’d love to go to Sri Lamka- my plans were more around eating, but the wildlife sounds amazing. We weren’t that into birds until we went to africa and one day at our Lodge another guest was an elderly Englishman and he was the most amazing birdwatcher! He could find things everywhere- it turned out to be a most interesting day and got us much more interested in birds!

Hey Dave and Deb, Thanks so much for this wonderful post. My wife and I went to Kenya and Tanzania as part of a 16 month honeymoon and got into about 9 or 10 different parks. Each one so different.

Sri Lanka’s keeps hitting are radar a lot because of the bird game, were aspiring bird nerds. The leopard is also one animal we fell in love with while on safari.

Your photos are gorgeous and remind us our our honeymoon and Africa, though we know it’s not. Thanks again for another great one!

Wow, What a Great Pics. My Next Travel Plan will be Srilanka with My Family.

incredible pictures congratulations for the work was sensational

The place is amazing. The photos are spectacular. I did not know Sri Lanka is such an beautiful country to tour

Wow that place looks beautiful and wonderful video. I cannot believe how big that snake was in the road! Snakes kinda still scare me. One time Megan and I were living in Cambodia and there was a Malayan Pit Viper in our kitchen we were working and then the next night we heard someone screaming bloody murder and we just assumed someone was a goner. But it was just a guest having a nightmare. Anyhow this place looked beautiful and loved seeing it through your eyes.

Beautiful shots! Takes me back to my Sri Lanka safari. Now I want to go back!

Really wonderful experience of Sri-Lankan Jungle you shared. Impressive work.

Really Very Nice Photography And Content In This Post. Sri Lank Is A Wonderful Island.

Frequently Asked Questions about Yala National Park

Table of contents, what is the best time to go to yala national park, what is the opening hours yala national park.

• How to get to Yala National Park?

What is the nearest town from Yala National Park?

What is the distance to nearest town from yala national park.

• What is the mode of Game Drive?
• Approximate drive time from Colombo to Yala National Park?

Is it worth to visit Yala National Park?

How to book a safari in yala national park, do you need a guide when visiting yala national park, what are the animals that i can expect to see in yala national park, what kind of weather can i expect in yala national park, what is the rainy season in yala national park, what is the ecological diversity of yala national park, what should a guest bring during the safari in yala national park, can a guest bring camera equipment’s for the safari ride, map of yala national park, yala national park contact number, best hotels to stay at your visit to yala national park, where is the yala national park situated, what are the main entry points of yala national park, what kind of animals to see in yala national park, can you see leopards in yala national park.

• Is Yala National Park a good bird watching site?

Raptor Birds of Yala National Park

• Mating habits of leopards of yala national park

Leopard Watching in Yala National Park

If you are willing to visit Yala National Park, the best time to visit Yala National Park is from January to the end of August and from November and end of December where the water levels of the park becomes quite low because of that most of the wild animals can be seen around the main waterholes.

May and June - It’s the dry season to the park and there are less tourists. You will be able to observer wildlife in peace.

July and August - Still the dry season to the park and sightings are very good but the park is crowded during to European summer holiday.

September and October - The whole September Park remains closed for rejuvenation up to 15th October the last two weeks of October is very good to visit just before the rains.

November - Less crowd and good sightings but there is a chance of rain.

December to March - Most crowded time of the year but the sightings are very good. There are chance of rain in first two weeks of December.

April - Very good for sightings but you should avoid the Sinhala new year period.

North East monsoon starts from November to February and you can find most of migratory birds this time.

Jeeps are allowed to enter Yala National Park two times a day; at 6 AM in the morning and 2 PM in the afternoon. According to the rangers, there is no perfect timeframe to choose from. A Yala tour takes about 4 hours.

Best way to travel is by a privately hired vehicle

• From Colombo/Colombo Air Port - 5 - 6 hrs
• From Galle/Mirissa/Tangalle - 2 - 4 hrs
• From Ella - 2 hrs

Tissamaharama

What is the mode of Game Drive ?

Approximate drive time from colombo to yala national park .

5 - 6 hours

Yala with all its flora and fauna is a unique experience and one of the must-sees of Sri Lanka. The park is worth visiting at all times of the year, however, planning your visit during peak season (December to April) is recommended.

Yala National Park is one of the main National Parks in Sri Lanka. It is teeming with wildlife and fauna. Yala National Park is the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka.It is located in the southeastern side of Sri Lanka.

It is bordered by the sea on two sides and surrounded by the local villages in the landside. Yala was declared as a national park in 1939 and it occupies around 1000 square Kilometers. Yala National Park is divided into five blocks and only two of them are open to the public. The blocks that people visit are block 1 and block 5.

If you are looking to book a safari in Yala National Park it is always better to pre book your Yala Safari jeep and the Safari Jeep service is provided by private service provided. April, August & December are the months where the local crowd mostly gather in the Yala National Park so it is recommended that you pre book your safari jeep in Yala National Park. This helps you to be picked up directly from your Hotel and the drop off also will be at your hotel.

When you book a safari in Yala National Park you have an opportunity of selecting your safari ride time which is as Morning Safari ride, Afternoon Safari Ride and Full day safari ride. The morning safari spans from 6.00 am to 10.00 am .The afternoon safari spans from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm and the full day safari spans from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm

When you book a safari in Yala National Park we recommend you book with following service providers

Yala Jeep Safari Bookings

These service providers provides you with tailormade Yala Safaris in Yala National Park and offers half a day safari and full day safari. These safaris are designed to make your experience the real spirit of Yala National Park. These service providers have Knowledgeable and disciplined drivers that will arrange everything from the moment they pick you up with no additional charge. They will purchase tickets behalf of you and you will get a tracker from Wildlife Department and your meals also. You will have a hassle free safari in Yala National Park. This is one among the many reasons to pre book your safari with us.

Indeed you need a guide for your safari tour in Yala National Park. A guide is very useful to spot animals, pick the best route, and explain how the circle of life works within the park. This gives you a better understanding of the animal’s behavior, and you can ask questions throughout the safari.

Yala National Park is most popular because of its high leopard density and it is a world record. Other than that there is an elephant population around 250-300. Apart from them there are Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Spotted Deer, Mouse Deer, Rusty spotted cat and rich birdlife. The prize of the safari tour in Yala National Park is spotting the apex predator the king of the jungle the “Elusive Leopard”.

Yala National Park is in the dry zone of Sri Lanka and climate is regularly hot and occasionally humid. The temperature is between Min 20°C / 68°F and Max 33°C / 91°F.

Most of the rain comes to Yala National Park between mid-October to late December and it’s the northeastern monsoon to the park.

Yala National Park has a diverse ecology and landscape. The park consist of shrub jungle to riverine forests, moist and dry monsoon forest, thorn forests, open plains and grasslands, water wetlands and sand dunes.

You should bring effective sunscreen, a hat and shades to avoid sunrays. Other than that you can bring a mosquito repellent. It will be good if you could wear some khaki color clothes during your safari and avoid wearing bright color clothes.

Yes if you have camera equipment’s that you are familiar you can bring them along the safari in order to take pictures. Other than that it’s good to carry a binocular because you have to spot wildlife from a distance. Make sure your binocular has a good zooming.

Below is the map of Yala National Park for your convenience

Below mentioned is the Yala National Park contact number +94 47 3489297.

Yala National Park is situated in south eastern tip of Sri Lanka and it is famous for diverse wildlife and much loved Sri Lanka’s big three the apex predator the Leopard, the Elephant and the Sloth Bear. When you visit Yala National Park it’s better to book a accommodation in advance because it helps you to explore the Yala with ease in mind. The accommodation options are wide ranging from simple home stay guesthouses to luxury safari lodges.

Wild Coast Tented Lodge – “Glamping” doesn’t quite cut it when trying to describe Wild Coast Lodge. This is an ultra-luxurious, romantic safari experience, where the “tents” include teak floors, four-poster beds and handmade copper bathtubs. The entire hotel – from the classy bar to the snug library and TV room – has been built to blend into the landscape, a divine intersection of forest and ocean, where elephants, leopards and monkeys roam.

Cinnamon Wild Yala – The chalets at Cinnamon Wild Yala offer either beach or jungle panoramas from their wide, private verandas – but you’ll probably be torn between this view and the one from the treetop bar. If you want an extra-special dining experience, book dinner by the lake, watching out for the resident crocodiles (staff will escort you) before ending the evening on an infrared night drive, where you might spot leopards on the prowl.

Safari Lodge Yala – Sitting between Yala National Park and the holy town of Kataragama, Safari Lodge Yala is close to shops and restaurants, unlike many of the remote lodges around these parts, while still providing easy access to the most popular wildlife spot in Sri Lanka. Peacocks and other critters wander around the cobblestone paths and between the freestanding bungalows (which are great for families and small groups) – don’t forget to pick up a pre-packed breakfast if you’re heading out for an early-morning safari.

Jetwing Yala – One of the larger luxury Yala resorts, Jetwing Yala backs onto a prime stretch of rugged beach; time it right to watch turtles hatch (five of the main marine species make landfall on Sri Lanka’s south coast between April and July to lay their brood), or enjoy a bonfire-lit dinner on the sands. If rattling around in a safari jeep all day has left your bum bruised or shoulders shuddering, you’ll find numerous cures back at the hotel – take your pick from Balinese massages, a dip in the 75-metre-long (246ft) pool or a strong, cold cocktail.

Uga Chena Huts – Guests at Uga Chena Huts, another of Yala’s luxury-camping-like retreats, can enjoy morning and evening safaris every day of their stay, at no extra cost. But if that doesn’t convince you to splash out, perhaps the opulent digs will. The 14 huge thatch-roofed cabins sprawl out over 7 acres (2ha) of land, flanked by wildlife-packed Yala National Park and the crashing Indian Ocean. Every room has a private plunge pool, so if it’s seclusion you’re after, this is it.

EKHO Safari Tissa – With Yala National Park to the east, Bundala National Park to the west and a rugged coastline to the south, EKHO Safari Tissa is a fine launchpad for outdoor adventures and animal enthusiasts. Cosy earth-toned rooms overlook the sparkling pool, beyond which lie Tissa Lake and a verdant wildlife sanctuary. Take a wander around Tissa town to find an array of restaurants (try Chef Lady for top-notch seafood) and intricate Buddhist temples.

Yala National Park is situated in the south-eastern corner of Sri Lanka. It is the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka.It is the most preferred National Park in Sri Lanka by local and foreign visitors both. Yala National Park is famous for its great diversity of animals and birdlife. Other than that it has biggest density of Leopards and it’s a well-known place in world to spot Leopards. The habitats found in the park are wide-ranging, from freshwater lakes to beaches, rocky outcrops to green plains and jungle. Yala National Park covers around 979 square kilometers and located about 300 Kilometers from Colombo.

There are four main entry points to Yala National Park and they are Palatupana and Katagamuwa and two other entrance are from Galge & Yala west gate on Buttala - Kataragama road. The Palatupana and Katagamuwa entrances are leading to Block 01 and Block 02. The Yala Block 01 and Block 02 remains as the most visited parts of the Yala National Park. The Galge and Buttala- Kataragama entrances leads to Yala Block 03 and Block 05. These two entrances leads where there is less crowd in Yala National Park. Most of the Leopard sightings are made in this blocks due to less congestion.

Yala National Park is an ideal place to observe the “Big Four” of Sri Lanka. Those are the Elephants, the Sloth Bear, the elusive Leopard and the Wild Buffalo. There are herds of elephants ,deer, monkeys, buffaloes, large variants of birds and of course the crocodiles both mugger and saltwater crocodile and there are many more wildlife.The roaming elephant herds can be easily seen during the dry season in Yala National Park. There are small scale reservoirs like Butuwe and Mahaseelawa while Uraniya is best known for its aquatic Aquafina. The Black sloth bear is more difficult to spot as it is more solitary animal with nocturnal habitat.

Yala National Park is the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka.It is located in the southeastern side of Sri Lanka.

The parks vegetation is consisted mainly with forests, shrubs, grasslands and lagoons. There are around 44 mammal species and 215 bird species within the Yala National Park. The Yala National Park is most popular because of its high density of Leopards. It is believed to be the highest density of the world. The Leopards of Yala National Park is the Apex predator in the park. There are no natural predators for Leopards in Yala National Park so it is a common view that they silently move across the Yala National Park for their next prey. They are less nocturnal because they are in the top of the food chain and can be seen on top of trees and near waterholes during the day.

The Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) is a Leopard subspecies native to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Leopard has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN. The Leopard density of Yala National Park is considered around 60-70. The Leopards of Yala National Park is the apex predator and “King of the jungle”.

Is Yala National Park a good bird watching site ?

Yala National Park is situated 260km to south east of Colombo. It covers an area of 378 sq miles. Yala National Park has a dry climate most of the year round. Yala National Park can be reached from several destinations. These include Colombo via Thanamalvila and Thissamaharama to Yala block 01, From Kandy via Nuwara Eliya to Thissamaharama to Yala block 01, Galle via Thissamaharama Yala block 01, Arugambay via Buttala, Kataragama to Yala.

If you are a keen birdwatcher Yala National Park is the best place to observe the birds in their natural habitat.Yala National Parks vegetation consists of scrubs, forests, lakes and lagoons. Yala National Park is divided into five blocks and only two of them are open to the public. The blocks that people visit are block 1 and block 5.Yala National Park is the one of the most visited national parks in the country.

Yala National park is known to have around 70 most important areas that are filled with birds. There are around 215 bird species and six of them are endemic to Sri Lanka. This consist Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka jungle fowl, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Crimson fronted barbet, Black capped bul bul & Brown capped babbler. Other than that there are migrant birds which come to Sri Lanka when there is winter.

Below mentioned is the Full list of Birds that can be seen in Yala National Park

Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill | Sri Lanka Junglefowl | Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon | Crimson fronted Barbet | Brown Capped Babbler | Garganey | Grey Heron | Tringa | Charadrius | Spot billed Pelican | Lesser Flamingo | Pelicans | Eurasian Curlew | Whimbrel | Yellow wattled Lapwing | Red wattled Lapwing | Barred Buttonquail | Indian Peafowl | Black winged Stilt | Orange breasted Green Pigeon | Old world Oriole | Megalaimidae | Old World Flycatcher | Northern Pintail | Ruddy Turnstone | Great White Pelican | Eurasian Spoonbill | Painted Stork | Black headed Ibis | Asian Paradise Flycatcher | Godwit | Hornbill | Asian Openbill | Purple Heron | Black crested Bulbul | Lesser Whistling Duck | Little Cormorant | Indian Cormorant | Lesser Adjutant | Nycticorax | Egret | Purple Swamphen | Oriental Darter | Black necked Stork | Great Stone Curlew | Rock Pigeon | Black Stork | Greater Flamingo | Crested Serpent Eagle | White bellied Sea Eagle | White winged Tern

Yala National Park, an ecological gem in Sri Lanka, not only enchants visitors with its diverse wildlife but also captivates bird enthusiasts with its impressive population of raptor birds. Embarking on a Yala Safari unveils a thrilling opportunity to witness these majestic predators in their natural habitat.

Yala's varied landscapes, ranging from scrublands to dense forests, create an ideal setting for a thriving raptor population. The park is home to several species of eagles, hawks, kites, and falcons, making it a haven for those eager to witness the prowess of these airborne predators. The open-top yala safari vehicles provide an unobstructed view, ensuring that every soaring silhouette and hunting maneuver can be observed with awe.

Among the notable raptors in Yala National Park, the White-bellied Sea Eagle stands out with its striking appearance and impressive wingspan. The Crested Serpent Eagle, known for its distinctive call and agile flight, is another captivating species that often graces the skies of Yala. Additionally, the Grey-headed Fish Eagle, with its unique hunting techniques, adds to the allure of raptor watching in the park.

Timing is crucial when it comes to raptor watching in Yala. Early morning and late afternoon yala safari offer optimal conditions for spotting these birds of prey. During these hours, raptors are more active, either hunting for prey or soaring in search of thermal currents. A patient and observant safari experience increases the likelihood of witnessing impressive aerial displays.

The presence of a healthy raptor population in Yala National Park is indicative of the park's ecological balance. Raptors play a vital role in controlling prey populations, contributing to the overall health of the ecosystem. Conservation efforts within the park ensure the protection of these majestic birds and their habitats.

For enthusiasts eager to make the most of their Yala Safari focused on raptor watching, bringing binoculars is a must. The ability to zoom in on distant birds enhances the overall experience. Additionally, a knowledgeable safari guide can provide insights into the behavior and habits of raptor species, enhancing the appreciation of these magnificent birds.

Embarking on a Yala Safari for raptor bird watching promises an enthralling adventure through the skies of Yala National Park. The sheer diversity of raptor species and their awe-inspiring aerial displays make this experience a highlight for nature enthusiasts. With the wind in your hair and the call of eagles echoing, a Yala Safari unveils the captivating world of raptor birds in all its wild splendor."

Witnessing the mating habits of Leopards in Yala National Park while on Yala Safari

Yala National Park stands as a beacon of biodiversity, a sanctuary where nature's wonders unfold in captivating scenes. Among its inhabitants, the elusive leopard prowls with an aura of mystery, its mating rituals veiled in secrecy. Embarking on a Yala safari unveils a realm where the dance of life takes center stage, offering glimpses into the intricate tapestry of leopard courtship.

Yala's leopard population is renowned for its density and diversity, making it a prime location for studying their behavior. Amidst the sprawling landscapes of scrub jungles, rocky outcrops, and lush forests, leopards navigate their territories with stealth and grace. Yet, it is during the mating season that these solitary creatures reveal a different facet of their existence.

Timing the Courtship

The courtship ritual, the mating dance, the role of territory, the legacy of mating.

A Yala safari transcends mere sightseeing, offering a profound connection to the intricate web of life that unfolds within its borders. Through the lens of leopard mating habits, visitors gain insights into the complexities of nature's design, where survival and reproduction intertwine in a delicate balance. As the sun sets over Yala National Park, the enigmatic dance of leopards continues, a timeless spectacle that captivates all who bear witness to its majesty.

Yala National Park is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Yala National Park boasts of largest density of leopards in Sri Lanka and is the most preferred national park by the foreign and local visitors both. There are 44 specials of mammals, including an estimated 25 leopards, 350 elephants and many species of bird. If you are planning to spend a vacation in Sri Lanka Yala National Park is a must travelling place in Sri Lanka. Yala National Park is famous for the biggest leopard lot in Sri Lanka and it’s definitely a birders paradise. The best time to witness Leopards in Yala National Park is in times of new moon and leopards are more active in the evening times of Yala National Park and when it’s less crowded. Dawn or dusk are the most suited times to capture the perfect portrait of a leopard, the monarch of Yala National Park. The Leopard in Sri Lanka is subspecies in Sri Lanka called Panther Paradus Kotiya. The subspecies in Sri Lanka is bigger than the other found around the world. Witnessing a Leopard in Yala National Park is every safari goer’s dream. This is due the rareness, elegance, beauty and the mystery lifestyle of the Leopard. The Sri Lankan Leopard has no competition so it’s the Monarchy of Sri Lankan wildlife. The best time to see Leopard on a hunt is the night .With superb eyesight, the leopard prefers the darkness to maul and kill its favorite prey of deer, sambur, boar or monkey. Dawn or dusk is the perfect time to take pictures of Leopards you can find Leopards lurking under the ticket or drinking water near a waterhole with its slender neck extended, eyes still alert, and his golden skin with black rosettes glowing. If you are very lucky you can spot a Leopard in a distance with its mid-day hunt or chewing a carcass. Yala National Park is usually busy with many jeeps and of course all of them want to see even a glimpse of Leopard. If you want to enjoy Yala National Park’s wildlife without interference of many other Safari jeeps avoid weekends and public holidays. The Yala morning safari jeep ride is busiest and you can’t enter the park immediately. First your driver has to wait in queue to get the ticket. The very convenient time to spot Leopards and other wildlife such as Elephants, sloth bear and wild boar is from May to August. Most of the animals gather around waterholes during the drier months. From October to December you can spot deer, Crocodiles and many birds. The park is closed from September to October because the animals gets too aggressive after a heavy droughts. Yala National Park is divided in to five blocks and most visited are the block 01 and block 02. Block 04 is not opened for public. There are three main entrances to Yala National Park and they are Palatupana – where is leads to Yala Block 01 and Block 02 , Katagamauwa – This also another entrance to Block 01 and Block 02 but less crowded. Galge – entrance to Block 03 and Block 05 less known and less crowd. You have to note that when it comes to safari in Yala National Park there is a possibility of overcrowding a Leopard and tis a downside of seeing a Leopard in Yala National Park. This makes the Leopard usually shy and nocturnal creatures to flee from their natural habitat. We have to respect its privacy during our safari ride in Yala National Park. It’s in the best interest of wildlife and Sri Lankans if can ensure that future generations will have the same incredible leopard spotting opportunities that we have today. Below mentioned are some tips to Know before you go to Leopard spotting in Yala National Park

Yala National Park

• Yala National Park opening times
• Yala National Park Taxi Transfers
• Yala National Park Map
• What is the best time to visit Yala?
• Yala National Park Safari times
• Where to stay in Yala National Park

Other Important links

Yala national park jeep safaris.

• Morning Safari in Yala National Park
• Afternoon Safari in Yala National Park
• Full day Safari in Yala National Park

Lunugamvehera National Park Jeep Safaris

• Morning Safari in Lunugamvehera National Park
• Afternoon Safari in Lunugamvehera National Park
• Full day Safari in Lunugamvehera National Park

Accommodation Guide to Yala Hotel

• Best Hotels to stay in Yala National Park
• Best Tented Safari Camps in Yala National Park
• Best Guest Houses in Yala National Park

Tented Safari Camps in Yala National Park

• Flame Back Luxury Tented Safari Camp (Yala South)
• Kumana Safari Camp (Yala East)
• Sri Lanka Travel Guide

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The Best Sri Lanka Safari: Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala

This post is a travel guide about the best Sri Lanka safari destinations and whether you should choose to visit Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala National Park for your Sri Lanka safari.

A safari in Sri Lanka is a unique wildlife-watching experience. The most popular safari destinations in Sri Lanka are Yala and Udawalawe National Parks, but there are also several other parks and reserves that offer safari experiences, such as Minneriya, Wilpattu, and Kaudulla.

They are among the best places to go on a Sri Lanka safari and each national park in Sri Lanka has its own unique features. Whether you should visit Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala depends on what you are looking for.

Why go on a Sri Lanka safari?

If you think about going on a safari, you probably think about Africa. Sri Lanka is more famous for its beaches and tea plantations, not so much for its wildlife. Therefore most people are surprised to hear that there are some incredible national parks in Sri Lanka that make it a great budget safari destination.

I love wildlife and I did read about Sri Lanka’s incredible nature. It was one of the reasons why I choose to go to, but even I did not expect to see the variety and amount of wildlife I ended up seeing in Minneriya, Udawalawe and Yala.

Sri Lanka is, for example, the best place to spot leopards in the world and seeing one was definetly the highlight of my trip. Then you have the Asian elephant, deers, langur monkeys, pea cocks and a large variety of bird species, including my favourite Great Hornbill .

Compared to Africa, going on a safari in Sri Lanka, is relatively cheap and therefore I was able to include all three major parks: Minneriya, Udawalawe and Yala. However, if you don’t have time to visit all three, I hope this guide will help you to choose whether to visit Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala for your Sri Lanka safari.

What is a Sri Lanka safari like?

A typical safari in Sri Lanka includes a guided tour of the park in a specially-designed vehicle, such as a jeep or a land rover. The tour is led by a local guide who is knowledgeable about the park’s wildlife and the best places to spot them.

Most tour operators offer early morning safari’s or late afternoon safaris that last between 2 to 3 hours. This is when animals are the most active and you have the best chance to see them. Some safaris offer full-day tours, which include lunch and a break in between the morning and evening safari.

Where to go on a Sri Lanka safari

Udawalawe national park.

We had to get up early for our safari in Udawalawe National Park. It was still dark and cold when we were on our way to the entrance. However, once we entered Udawalawe, the sun was rising and all the birds came to life. The scenery was beautiful and soon we also saw our first female elephant.

The elephant slowly walked towards us and stood still in front of our jeep, quietly watching us. After 10 minutes our driver decided to move on, but as soon as we started our jeep the elephant got angry. We could do nothing else, but wait till the elephant moved.

The elephant did not move, instead another male elephant came to show his interest in her. Slowly touching her with his trunk they stood together for quite a while. The female clearly enjoyed all this attention, both from the male elephant and from us. When the male finally left, it seemed she made some goodbye picture poses for us, before leaving in the direction of the male elephant.

It was in fact Valentine’s day today and it wasn’t the last courtship ritual we saw on our safari. We also encountered a peacock displaying its beautiful feathers trying to impress a female peacock. Later we encountered another group of elephant with baby’s, but nothing could beat the early morning tender courtship experience.

At Erica’s travels you can read more about her experience in Uda Walawe National Park .

Logistics Udawalawe National Park

Base town: Udawalawe or Embilipitiya.

Logistics : Udawalawe is located about 200 km southeast of Colombo and is easily accessible by car or bus. It’s also closer to the popular southern beach towns of Mirissa and Unawatuna . I took a bus from Ella to Wellawaya and got out at Thanmalwila junction. From there you can either take a tuk tuk or another bus to Embilipitiya (90 minutes)

Accomodation : You can stay in the Max Safari Villa or the Green View Safari resort

Time to visit : During the dry season from May to October and in February/March

Wildlife peak times : early morning (5-8 AM) or late afternoon (5-7 PM)

Animals spotted : Elephants, peacock, hornbills, eagles, wild buffalo, wild foxes, monitor lizard, deer

Pro’s and cons : in this nationmal park you will have a good chance of seeing a variety of wildlife. It is also relatively quiet and you will not encounter a lot of other jeeps.

Entrance fees : 3300 per person, 250 rupees per vehicle.

Yala National Park

And all of a sudden there it was. A leopard crossed the road right in front of our jeep. It looked at us and disappeared in the bushes again.

I couldn’t believe that I saw a leopard at that moment. We had just entered Yala National Park and we were still waiting in a long line of jeeps on a dirt road when this leopard showed up.

Before the leopard, I was slightly discouraged about our safari. We woke up at 3 am to reach as early as possible at the entrance of the park. Once we arrived, there must have been at least 100 jeeps waiting in line. For more than half an hour we were waiting in the dark, before we could finally proceed, just as the sun started to rise.

We were very lucky with the leopard crossing the road only a meter in front of us. It was the only leopard we saw, but we did see many other animals after that.

Yala on the Southern Coast of Sri Lanka is the most touristic National parks in Sri Lanka and every day there is a high number of jeeps getting in. The jeeps dispersed throughout the park trying to avoid each other as much as possible, but at the same time informing each other about the whereabouts of the animals.

As soon as one jeep spotted some elephants, other jeeps followed. We joined a group that had surrounded a mother elephant with her child. The child was very curious and approached one of the jeeps. It went with his trunk inside, looking for food. When it didn’t find any, the elephant broke one of the side mirrors.

Not sure what to do with the mirror, the elephant threw it on the floor and started kicking around with it as if it was a football. It was a joy to see this elephant playing, but I am sure the jeep owner was less pleased.

I also had mixed feelings about this situation. Even tough the elephants didn’t seem to mind us coming so close to them, we were clearly disturbing their natural behaviours. I can see that if tourism is increasing further in Yala, this becomes even a bigger problem. In hindsight I wished I would have said something about this to our jeep driver

Logistics Yala National Park

Base town: Tissamaharama or Kirinda.

Logistics : There are frequent buses to Tissamaharama from Galle (5 hours), Ella (4 hours) or Tangalle (3 hours)

Accomodation : Tissamaharama Safari Inn

Time to visit : The dry season from May to August, the park closes for six weeks in September and the beginning of October

Animals seen : Elephants, peacock, eagles, wild buffalo, mongoose, monitor lizard, deer, crocodile, langur monkeys, macaque monkeys

Pro’s and cons : This park is the best national park in Sri Lanka to spot leopards and bears. It also had the most beautiful scenery and the biggest variety in wildlife I saw, but it is also crowded. Expect to see more other jeeps than animals.

Minneriya National Park

Nothing feels like the excitement and thrill of seeing a wild elephant up close. Our jeep driver points out the dark back of an elephant behind the tall grass. He drives closer and soon we see it is not just one elephant, but a herd with several baby elephants. Minneriya National Park has one of the largest populations of elephants in Sri Lanka.

Every year around august they gather all together in Minneriya National Park . The rest of the year they actually wander around into neighbouring parks unaware about the manmade borders. They are wild elephants, but quite used to visitors in their habitat.

Due to conservation efforts the elephants are well protected and are not scared of people. With the jeeps you can get pretty close to them and the elephants will simply continue with whatever they are doing.

Logistics Minneriya National Park

Base town: Habarana, arrange safari’s through your hotel or independently by arranging your own jeep (slightly cheaper, expect 3000 rupees for a jeep).

Logistics : Habarana is 30 minutes from Dambulla by bus, or 5-6 hours from Colombo.

Accomodation : The nearest town is Habarana with a great number of resorts like the Priyavimana resort .

Time to visit : August for the gathering, The dry season from May to September

Wildlife peak times : late afternoon is when the elephants come out and are most active. During the day they are hiding in the shadow.

Animals seen : Elephants, peacock and birds

Pro’s and cons : This park is easily accessible if you visit the cultural triangle of Sri Lanka . The biggest draw are the elephants, but due to the high grass, chances of seeing other wildlife are rather small

Note : Be aware that there are actually 3 different national parks in this area. Minneriya, Kaudulla and Hurullu. There is just one herd of elephants tough and they do not know anything about park borders. The jeep drivers are quite aware of where the elephants are and will bring you to the right park. If for some reason you specifically want to visit Minneriya, because of other wildlife you want to see be clear about this.

Entrance fees :

Minneriya: 3300 per person, 250 rupees per vehicle.

Hurullu Eco park: 1000 per person, 750 per vehicle

Kaudulla: 1500 per person, 125 per vehicle

Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala?

For those we do not have the time or money to visit all national parks in Sri Lanka I will try to make a recommendation whether to visit Minneriya, Uda Walawe or Yala for your Sri Lanka safari.

If you have to skip one national park in Sri Lanka I would suggest Minneriya. Except when you happen to be there in August. Watching the largest elephant gathering in Asia is of course something you should not miss.

Minneriya is mostly about elephants tough. Because of the high grass it is hard to spot other wildlife and the scenery is less beautiful than in Udawalawe or Yala.

Udawalawe or Yala National Park

So the question remains whether to visit Udawalawe or Yala. Both parks offer a beautiful scenery almost resembling the African savannah and both offer a variety of wildlife to spot.

Yala is known for its high leopard density, as well as its large elephant and bear populations. Udawalawe, on the other hand, is known for its large herds of elephants and also provides a great opportunity to see water buffalo, crocodiles, and a variety of bird species.

In my opinion Yala is slightly more beautiful and there is a better chance to spot the leopard or a bear. But Yala is also very crowded, making the overall experience in Udawalawe more pleasant.

Sri Lanka safari tips

When to go on a sri lanka safari.

For Udawalawe and Yala the best time to go on a Sri Lanka safari is in the dry season between May and October/November and the months of February and March. This is when the animals congregate around water sources and are easier to spot. During peak season the parks can get crowded, especially Yala.

The northeast monsoon from December to February can bring rain to Udawalawe and Yala National Park. The lush greenery makes it more difficult to spot wildlife, but the parks are more quiet. Another important thing to know is that Yala National Park closes for six weeks in September and the beginning of October.

Minneriya is in a different climate zone. The dry season in Minneriya runs from May to September when hundreds of elephants gather around the Minneriya Tank to drink and bathe, creating an unforgettable experience for visitors. August is considered the best month in Minneriya to see the biggest elephant gathering in Asia.

Sustainable Sri Lanka safari’s

Tourism is increasing in the National Parks of Sri Lanka. Although this is a welcome source if income, mass tourism also brings pollution and other problems. Traveling sustainably on a Sri Lanka safari is essential to minimize your environmental impact.

Safari’s in Sri Lanka are not well regulated at the moment. As a result, tour operators might not follow the proper guidelines. Think about having too many jeeps in the park, jeeps getting too close to the elephants, littering and going off the tracks to chase animals.

Choose a responsible Tour operator : It will be difficult to know if your tour operator is a sustainable choice. However, it is good to ask some questions beforehand. Also during the safari it is up to you to discuss any unethical behaviour from your guide. Let your driver know that you feel uncomfortable getting too close to the animals or chasing them down.

Support the local community : You can support the community by purchasing goods and services from local vendors. It is better to try Sri Lankan Cuisine that uses local ingredients rather than imported foreign foods. Sri Lankan food is vegetarian friendly and it is very easy to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Stay in small scale sustainable hotels : It is also better to stay in locally-owned guesthouses or homestays to support the local economy directly. These accommodations often have a more positive impact on the environment compared to large hotels.

You can try to look for guesthouses or homestays that prioritizes sustainable practices. That said, environmental awareness is still low. It’s up to you to use water sparsely, turn off lights and air conditioning when leaving your accommodation.

Leave no trace principle : I encourage you to take all your trash back with you when you go on a safari in Sri Lanka’s beautiful nature and dispose of it responsibly. In other words, leave no trace of your visit. Even better is when you bring something to pick up any of the trash that other people left behind.

To avoid single-use plastics, invest in reusable items. For example, you can bring your own water bottle with a filter. At last, use biodegradable and eco-friendly personal care products to minimize pollution of water sources.

Disclaimer : This post about the best national parks in Sri Lanka and whether to choose Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala for your Sri Lanka safari contains affiliate links. If you buy any service through any of my links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you. These earnings help me to keep Backpack Adventures alive! Thanks for your support!

14 thoughts on “The Best Sri Lanka Safari: Minneriya, Udawalawe or Yala”

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so nice pics!

Great post. I absolutely Loveeeeee Sri Lanka 😊

Wow it’s so easy to spot wildlife in Sri Lanka, I had no idea! I would love a safari there, thank you for all the useful info!

Thank you for all of this info!! Sri Lanka is so high on my must visit list!! Your pictures are amazing too! 🙂

Awesome! I didn’t know Sri Lanka had so much wildlife! I’d love seeing elephants in the wild one day. We did visit an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, but that’s not the same as spotting them in the wild. So cool you saw a peacock spreading its feathers as well 😀 Pinned for when we make it to Sri Lanka one day. 😉

Beautiful photos! Very thorough and informative post. thank you!

Thanks for this detailed info. We’re heading to Sri Lanka later this year so this is great inspiration 🙂

Thank you for this post! We love Sri Lanka and can’t wait to return! We had no clue you could go on safaris there, otherwise we definitely would’ve gone on our last trip! Great tips!

Really enjoyed reading about the mating rituals, especially the peacocks. We had a male peacock follow us in a park in Porto and open his tail, not sure if he was just showing off or trying to mate with us haha. I really like that you have mentioned the costs for those who plan on visiting soon.

Great post, my absolute favourite was Yala, so amazing seeing the leopards! However, I also loved Minneriya BUT we did see herds of elephants with their babies which was something I’d never seen before. I’d only seen solo elephants or groups of 2 – 4 before in India before!

How sweet that you saw courtship rituals of elephants and peacocks on Valentine’s Day! Love your photos, especially the close-ups of the birds and the mother and baby elephant. I’ve always wanted to do a photo safari like this – thank you for the pros and cons of the different parks.

Such a great post! Brought back fabulous memories as I have also been to the 3 amazing parks. Way too hard to choose a favourite. We also had a leopard cross right in front of the jeep in Yala. I will never forget that gorgeous muscular body. What a thrill. Just love Sri Lanka and everything it has to offer.

Very thorough and insightful tips! If you love Sri Lanka then you’re gonna love India! I am so happy that I found your blog; it’s fabulous! I’ll be sure to give your blog and read through and connect via social media.

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8 Best National Parks For Safari In Sri Lanka (2024)

• Last Updated: April 8, 2024
• Asia , Destinations , Sri Lanka

Welcome to my comprehensive guide to the best national parks in Sri Lanka. If you’re looking to go on a wildlife safari in Sri Lanka, these parks are the best places to do it.

I’ve been fortunate enough to go on many safaris in Sri Lanka – and in several different national parks around the country. Each one was good in its own way, but quite different, as you’ll see below.

However, my favourite one by far was in Wilpattu National Park , and not only because I had amazing sightings of both a sloth bear and a leopard there.

It’s a bit more out of the way, but more than worth the extra effort to get there. If you ever get the chance to visit, do it – it’s an amazing place!

Table of Contents

National Parks in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is famous for its incredible biodiversity and spectacular landscapes. This small island nation has no fewer than 26 national parks, each one offering something unique and special.

Many of these national parks are ideal places for spotting some of the country’s iconic wildlife, such as elephants, leopards, crocodiles, sloth bears, spotted deer, and mongooses.

Sri Lanka’s national parks are important because they help to protect the diverse range of wildlife found there. They’re also really varied, from the dry savannahs of Yala to the steamy rainforests of Sinharaja.

8 Best Safaris in Sri Lanka

Going on a Sri Lanka safari trip allows you to observe a stunning array of wildlife. Your park entrance fees also help to fund various conservation efforts, ensuring that these special places, habitats, and creatures are taken care of.

Here’s my pick of the best national parks for safari in Sri Lanka.

1. Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the most visited national park in Sri Lanka and one of the best places to go on safari in the country.

This huge area spans more than 975 square kilometres (375 sq mi) across the southeast corner of the island. It’s the second-largest national park in the country (after Wilpattu).

Yala is home to a wide range of wildlife, including more than 215 species of birds, 44 mammal species, and 26 species of reptiles.

Yala boasts one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. So, it’s one of the best places to come if you want to see one of these majestic and elusive creatures in the wild.

Other highlights include Sri Lankan elephants, buffalo, sloth bears, crocodiles, monkeys, hummingbirds, jungle fowl, peacocks, toucans, and bee-eaters.

The best way to experience Yala is to take a Jeep safari through the wilderness. You’ll get to observe some of the country’s most iconic animals in their natural habitat.

Depending on where you’re coming from, you can either arrange a tour that includes transport to/from Yala (usually more expensive) or make your own way there first (usually cheaper).

It takes about 6 hours to drive to Yala from Colombo .

Most Yala tour providers offer either morning, afternoon, or full-day safari trips. This full-day safari is particularly good and includes transport to/from any hotel or guesthouse in the Yala/Tissamaharama area.

However, if you have time, I highly recommend spending at least one night in the national park.

An overnight safari in Yala allows you to experience the park at all times of day and night.

It’s a really immersive experience that takes you deep into the jungle. You’ll have the opportunity to go on multiple game drives, to maximise your chances of spotting wildlife.

There are a few luxurious tented lodges in Yala. You can stay at one of these and then organise your own game drives.

Alternatively, you can book a multi-day tour that includes game drives and accommodation. This 2-day Yala safari includes a night in a gorgeous treehouse .

Going on a safari in Yala National Park is the highlight of many people’s time in Sri Lanka. However, this is also one of the most popular (and therefore one of the busiest) national parks in Sri Lanka.

Personally, I preferred the experience at Wilpattu, which receives far fewer visitors and is much quieter, although my Yala safari trip was still very good.

Best for: Spotting leopards

Location: Southeast

Best time of year for safari in Yala National Park: February–June

Where to stay in Yala National Park (if your tour doesn’t include accommodation)

Budget: Yala Wild House (if they don’t have any availability, I’ve also stayed at Rice Rice Villas , which is a 30-minute drive away and is another great budget option)

Mid-range: Mahoora – Yala by Eco Team

Luxury/high-end: Tribe Yala OR Leopard Trails Yala

2. Udawalawe National Park

Udawalawe National Park is probably the best place to see wild elephants in Sri Lanka.

It’s home to stunning landscapes full of vegetation, abundant flora and fauna, and one of the largest concentrations of elephants in the country.

You’re virtually guaranteed to see these amazing animals at Udawalawa, either drinking and playing at waterholes, or grazing on the park’s fertile grasslands.

In addition to elephants, the park is home to an array of other wildlife, including water buffaloes, spotted deer, and exotic birds.

Crocodiles are commonly spotted along the banks of the lake and rivers throughout the park. As are Sri Lankan sambar deer, which roam around freely grazing amongst the trees and shrubs.

The park also serves as a sanctuary for orphaned elephants. Sadly, many elephants are killed each year, largely due to conflicts with humans – especially farmers whose crops are eaten or destroyed by elephants.

You can visit the Uduwalawe Elephant Transit Home (ETH) facility inside the park, which offers a unique opportunity to see some of Sri Lanka’s orphaned baby elephants up close.

Please: do not visit the unethical Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, just west of Kandy . The welfare standards here are shocking – including chaining the animals up for tourists to photograph – it’s horrible.

Uduwalawe ETH, on the other hand, is a much more ethical place. The elephants are properly looked after, visitors are kept at a distance, and the animals are eventually released back into the wild following rehabilitation.

If you’re short on time, you can even visit both Yala and Udawalawe in one (long) full-day tour .

Best for: Elephant sightings

Location: South Central

Best time of year for safari in Udawalawe National Park: December–March & May–September.

🤩 This is the most highly-rated safari tour of Udawalawe National Park (it’s also excellent value!)

🤩 This one is more expensive but includes transport to/from lots of places (including Galle , Ahangama, Mirissa , Weligama, Ella , and Hikkaduwa)

Where to stay in Udawalawe National Park

Budget: Nature House OR Green View Safari Resort OR Max Safari Villa

Mid-range: Kottawatta River Bank Resort

Luxury/high-end: Kalu’s Hideaway Udawalawe

3. Minneriya National Park

Minneriya National Park, near Sigiriya , is another amazing safari destination in Sri Lanka, and another great place to see elephants.

Minneriya is most famous for its annual Great Elephant Gathering, which occurs between July and September.

During these months, elephants from various parts of the island migrate to Minneriya National Park to feed on the lush grasses and socialize with other herds.

This is the largest gathering of Asian elephants in the world and is a truly spectacular sight.

You can see literally hundreds of elephants in one place, socialising, playing, washing, and drinking together. It’s an incredible experience!

As a natural phenomenon, the Great Elephant Gathering is keenly studied by conservationists and zoologists. It gives valuable insight into the behaviour of these amazing animals.

You can either witness it from ground level on a jeep safari, or from high above in a balloon.

Hot air balloon safaris offer a totally different perspective on Minneriya. You’ll get breathtaking aerial views of the elephants roaming freely through fields and forests below.

Keep an eye out for leopards and Sri Lankan sloth bears too. They also live here, although spotting these creatures is much rarer.

Even if you can’t visit between July and September, you’ll probably still see plenty of elephants and various other animals. It’s worth coming here either way.

Best for: Witnessing the Great Elephant Gathering

Location: North Central

Best time of year for safari in Minneriya National Park: July–September

🤩 This is the best safari tour of Minneriya National Park

Where to stay in Minneriya National Park

I’m not aware of any good places to stay in or right next to Minneriya National Park itself. (If you are, please let me know in the comments below!)

However, there are plenty of great places to stay in nearby Sigiriya , which is only a short drive away from Minneriya.

These include:

• Anu Homestay (budget)
• il Frangipane  (mid-range)
• Roo Mansala Boutique Villas (luxury)

4. Wilpattu National Park (my Favourite National Park in Sri Lanka)

If you’re looking for an authentic wilderness adventure, far away from most other visitors, I can highly recommend a trip to Wilpattu National Park .

Wilpattu is my absolute favourite national park in Sri Lanka. It’s the largest national park in the country, spanning an area of over 1,300 square kilometres (500 sq mi), and is one of its oldest protected areas.

Due to its size and remoteness, Wilpattu is much less crowded than many of Sri Lanka’s other national parks. I did this full-day jeep safari in Wilpattu and saw fewer than 10 other jeeps all day.

I also saw a sloth bear (very rare) and a leopard up close for several minutes. It was awesome!

The drive into the park is also very atmospheric. You follow a dirt track for almost an hour as the forest grows denser and denser all around you. Keep your eyes peeled for animals moving through the trees.

Then, all of a sudden, you get to a series of grassy clearings and giant lakes that are teeming with wildlife.

One of my favourite spots is the viewing tower that overlooks one of the lakes. It’s so peaceful, beautiful, and untouched. The atmosphere is truly magical and I was utterly transfixed by the surroundings.

Witpattu offers a unique, unspoiled safari experience in one of Sri Lanka’s most pristine wildernesses. It’s definitely worth making the effort to get there.

Also, if you’re visiting Anuradhapura , it’s only about an hour’s drive away. Don’t miss it!

Best for: Unspoilt nature and fewer crowds (also leopards and sloth bears!)

Location: Northwest

Best time of year for safari in Wilpattu National Park: May–October

🤩 This is the best full-day safari tour of Wilpattu National Park

🤩 Or, for the ultimate safari experience, check out this epic 2-night camping safari in Wilpattu

Where to stay in Wilpattu National Park

Budget: Big Game – Wilpattu by Eco Team

Mid-range: Leopard Cross

Luxury/high-end:   Mahoora Safari Camp OR Leopard Trails Wilpattu

5. Gal Oya National Park

Gal Oya National Park is a large conservation area that was established in 1954. In the centre of the park lies the biggest reservoir in Sri Lanka, Senanayake Samudraya.

As well as being an important source of water for irrigation in the dry eastern areas of the country, it’s also home to a huge amount of wildlife, including elephants, leopards, bears, monkeys, wild boar, deer, and water buffalo.

There are more than 200 elephants living here and you can see them throughout the year. Unlike the elephants in some other parks, the elephants in Gal Oya don’t need to migrate to find food and water during the dry season.

This makes it a good national park to visit year-round, although the elephants do tend to be more active between March and July.

One of the highlights of Gal Oya is that you can often see elephants swimming in the reservoir. I had no idea that these enormous land animals could swim – but they can. Apparently, they really enjoy it too!

Gal Oya is also one of the less-visited national parks in Sri Lanka, so is another great option for those looking to escape the crowds. It’s a paradise for any nature lover.

It’s also one of the only national parks where you can get out of your jeep and hike through the park on foot (accompanied by a guide).

Most wildlife tours in Sri Lanka don’t allow you to do this. But it’s a really exciting and unique experience and a great way to get up close to nature.

If you have time, the best way to fully experience this amazing national park is to stay in the Gal Oya Lodge, a beautiful eco-lodge with bungalows spread across 20 acres of private forest.

Best for: Walking safaris & observing elephants swimming

Location: Eastern Sri Lanka

Best time of year for safari in Gal Oya National Park: June–December

🤩 Check out this short Gal Oya safari tour

🤩 …Or, this overnight safari tour (includes 1 night at the Gal Oya Lodge + free transfers)

Where to stay in Gal Oya National Park

Budget: Charitha Rest

Mid-range: Gal Oya Lake Club

Luxury/high-end: Gal Oya Lodge OR Wild Glamping Gal Oya

6. Bundala National Park

Bird lovers: this one’s for you.

Bundala National Park is one of the best places for birdwatching in Sri Lanka. It’s known for its large flocks of migratory birds who come here to escape the cold winters of Europe and northern Asia.

There are many species of birds that live here year-round too.

Flamingos are perhaps the most famous sight in Bundala, their elegant pink presence adding an extra splash of colour to the landscape. Also keep an eye out for spoonbills, which are commonly spotted and very photogenic.

Other species that live here include pelicans, painted storks, kingfishers, egrets, cormorants, coots, black-necked storks, and various ducks.

The park also has a healthy population of wild Sri Lankan elephants, crocodiles, tortoises, jackals, monkeys, wild boars, pangolins, and snakes.

If you’re lucky, you may even spot an elusive fishing cat or a (critically endangered) rusty-spotted cat.

Bundala is a very scenic place, with its stunning coastal lagoons, lush grasslands, and intricate network of waterways teeming with wildlife.

It’s also one of Sri Lanka’s quieter national parks and offers a peaceful, uncrowded natural escape.

I’ve never actually been inside this national park. But I have ridden a motorbike on the little road that runs around the edge of it, and even then I saw loads of wildlife (birds, crocodiles, monkeys, etc.)

Best for: Birdwatching and flamingo sightings

Location: South Coast

Best time of year for safari in Bundala National Park: November–March

🤩 This is the best full-day safari tour of Bundala National Park

Where to stay near Bundala National Park

Accommodation options are very limited here. You can’t actually stay inside the national park and there aren’t many other places nearby.

Budget: Lagoon Inn

Luxury/high-end: Shangri-La Hambantota (in nearby Hambantota)

Here’s a collection of the  best safari captions and quotes .

7. Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Sinharaja Forest Reserve is Sri Lanka’s only remaining tropical rainforest. It’s been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988 due to its incredible biodiversity and huge numbers of endemic species.

Picture a dense, steamy rainforest that’s filled with exotic plants and animals, waterfalls, orchids, and giant liana vines snaking down from the thick trees. Imagine the sights, smells, and sounds.

That’s what Sinharajah is like.

It’s a really ancient forest and has been there since the Jurassic period, more than 150 million years ago!

At only 8,864 hectares (89 km²), Sinharaja Forest Reserve isn’t particularly big. However, it’s one of the densest rainforests in Asia, with roughly 240,000 plants per hectare.

Sinharaja is home to hundreds of different species of trees, plants, and animals, including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians.

Many rare and endangered species live here, such as leopards, purple-faced langurs, flying squirrels, grizzled giant squirrels, and Sri Lanka hanging parrots.

There are no roads through Sinharaja, the only way in is on foot. And you need to be accompanied by a guide at all times. So, the best way to explore this amazing jungle is on a guided nature walk.

Your guide will teach you about the rainforest and its inhabitants. Common sightings include chameleons, tree frogs, hump-snout lizards, monkeys, parrots, green pit vipers, hump-nosed vipers, Indian pythons, and tarantulas.

Sinharajah is an amazing destination for anyone who wants to experience a true rainforest safari in Sri Lanka.

Best for: Rainforest adventures

Location: Southwest

Best time of year for safari in Sinharaja Forest Reserve: August–April (avoid May–July, when this area experiences the heavy southwest monsoon)

🤩 This is the best full-day tour of Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Where to stay near Sinharaja Forest Reserve

Budget: Sinharaja Vini Villa

Mid-range: Dolagawa

Luxury/high-end: Boulder Garden

8. Kumana National Park

Kumana National Park is a stunning and diverse place on the wild southeast coast of Sri Lanka.

If you’re heading to Arugam Bay for a spot of surfing , this is the national park for you!

Spanning over 350 square kilometres (135 sq mi), Kumana contains a wide range of habitats including mangrove swamps, lagoons, scrublands, grasslands, and woodlands.

It’s home to loads of wildlife, such as elephants, crocodiles, and buffalo. You’ll also find large numbers of migratory birds here (from August–April), and resident species like painted storks, spoonbills, and pelicans year-round.

The park’s vast wetlands, including the picturesque Kumana Villu and numerous lagoons, provide an ideal habitat for both water and land birds.

The park is also home to several species of raptors, including white-bellied sea eagles and crested serpent eagles.

Kumana is one of the most remote national parks in Sri Lanka. It used to be known as Yala East National Park because it shares a border with the eastern boundaries of Yala NP.

However, you can’t access it from the Yala side. To get to the park entrance, it’s an hour’s drive south of Arugam Bay (which is quite remote itself).

South of the village of Panama, the paved road ends and you need to take a long and bumpy dirt track full of giant potholes for the final 15 kilometres.

I drove this in a rented tuk-tuk and it was slow going, but really amazing. On the way to the park entrance, I saw so many different animals, including elephants, buffalo, and toucans.

It felt like a self-drive safari just to get to the park. So fun! And also free, other than the cost of hiring the tuk-tuk.

Also, the advantage of driving yourself is that you can also visit Okanda Beach. This is located close to the entrance of Kumana National Park and is one of the most incredible wild beaches I’ve ever seen.

However, if you don’t have your own wheels, you can easily book a safari trip to Kumana that includes transport from Arugam Bay.

Best for: Birdwatching and getting away from other tourists

Best time of year for safari in Kumana National Park: May–September

🤩 This is the best full-day safari tour of Kumana National Park

Where to stay in/near Kumana National Park

Budget: Little Lagoon (Arugam Bay)

Mid-range: Surf Gangs (Arugam Bay) (this place is awesome!)

Luxury/high-end: Explorer by Eco Team – Kumana (inside Kumana NP)

Other National Parks for Safari Trips in Sri Lanka

The 8 parks mentioned above are the best-known national parks for safari trips in Sri Lanka.

However, there are several other national parks in Sri Lanka where you can go on safari. For example:

• Wasgamuwa National Park – (Central Sri Lanka, wild and remote, large numbers of elephants, birds, monkeys, and crocodiles)
• Kaudulla National Park – (close to Minneriya, great for spotting elephants, deer, pelicans, and other birds)

Choosing the Right Accommodation

Of all the parks in Sri Lanka, Yala National Park has the largest number of accommodation options available.

Here you can choose from a wide range of places to stay, from simple guesthouses and budget bungalows to high-end hotels and luxurious tented camps.

Yala, Wilpattu, and Gal Oya each have camping and glamping sites inside the parks themselves. These offer a unique and immersive nature experience.

For the other parks, you’ll probably need to stay somewhere nearby. Most safari tours include transport to/from the park, but it’s important to double-check what’s included when booking.

Some lodges have facilities such as on-site restaurants, hot water showers, and pools. Some even include game drives in their packages too.

Wherever you decide to stay for your Sri Lankan safari adventure, check its proximity to the relevant national park(s), as well as the amenities on offer.

Here are some frequently asked questions about planning a safari trip in Sri Lanka.

Can you go on safari in Sri Lanka?

Yes, there are many places in Sri Lanka where you can go on safari. The country has 26 national parks, and most of these offer thrilling and up-close experiences with an amazing range of wildlife.

How much do safaris cost in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lankan safari tours vary in cost depending on the length and type of safari you are looking for, and where you want to do it.

All-inclusive safari excursions that include transport, meals, and a professional guide cost anywhere from $50 USD to $400 USD per person.

What do you see on safari in Sri Lanka?

On safari in Sri Lanka, you can spot elephants, buffalo, crocodiles, deer, jackals, wild boar, monkeys, and (if you’re lucky) leopards and sloth bears, as well as a huge range of birds and other creatures.

Is Yala good for safari?

Yala National Park is home to the highest density of leopards in the world and is one of the best places on Earth to spot these incredible animals. The park is well-maintained and has excellent facilities.

That said, it can also get quite crowded which, for me, is the biggest downside to going on safari in Yala. Personally, I much preferred my safari in Wilpattu.

Can you see tigers in Sri Lanka?

No, there are no tigers in Sri Lanka. However, there are plenty of leopards.

How likely are you to see a leopard in Yala?

Yala National Park is known for its Sri Lankan leopard population. Your chances of seeing a leopard are higher in Yala than virtually anywhere else in the world. However, leopard sightings aren’t guaranteed. They are generally quite shy and elusive animals. Even if you do visit Yala, there is no guarantee that you will be able to spot one.

What should I wear for my Sri Lanka safari?

It’s a good idea to wear lightweight, breathable clothing that offers protection from the sun while on wildlife tours in Sri Lanka. Bring a hat and sunglasses, and don’t forget to pack plenty of water and mosquito repellent.

What’s the best time of year to go on safari in Sri Lanka?

Sri Lanka’s tropical climate and long dry seasons make it an ideal destination for safaris all year round. However, different parts of Sri Lanka experience very different weather throughout the year.

Morning or evening safari?

The received wisdom is that morning safaris are the best time for spotting wildlife in Sri Lanka. Early mornings have the advantage of cooler temperatures that allow animals to move around more freely. It also allows for better visibility.

However, I’ve done several safaris in Sri Lanka – both in the morning and afternoon. The two times I saw a leopard, and the only time I saw a sloth bear, were all in the late afternoon. Draw from that what you will!

🤩 This is my favourite Sri Lanka safari tour

Final Thoughts

Going on safari in Sri Lanka is an unforgettable experience.

The country is full of breathtaking national parks, each one offering unique opportunities to experience the diverse wildlife and natural beauty that Sri Lanka is known for.

My personal favourite is Wilpattu, and I’d highly recommend making the journey up there if you can.

Of course, with wild animals, no sightings are guaranteed. Part of the thrill of going on safari is not knowing what you might be about to see!

I hope this post has helped you decide which national park to pick for your Sri Lankan safari. I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time whichever one you choose.

Which park is your favourite? I’d love to hear below!

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Alex Tiffany

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• I’m Alex Tiffany.  Former corporate city robot; lifelong travel addict.
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