Travel Guide to Yala National Park, Sri Lanka (2024)

Yala National Park and Nature Reserve in Sri Lanka is the second largest national park in the country. In the protected area there is forest and savannah, where leopards, wild elephants, crocodiles, antelopes, buffaloes, hundreds of bird species and other wild animals live.

Check this travel guide to Yala National Park in Sri Lanka; up-to-date information will help first timers to plan their visit accordingly as we’ve included such details as best day tours with prices, best time to visit, animals you can meet.

General Info

• Location: Hambantota, Sri Lanka.
• The best season to visit: year-round, but every year the reserve is closed for a month, so that all the animals have a rest from tourists and the territory can be ennobled. Usually the park is closed in September or October, the exact dates are announced on the park’s website in mid-late summer.
• Opening hours: daily from 06:00 to 18:00.
• Ticket price: from $ 25 adult ticket, from $ 6 – child.
• Official site : https://www.yalasrilanka.lk
• On the map: link .
• You can book Private Safari at Golden Hours at Yala National Park on GetYourGuide.

Animals Spotted in Yala National Park

Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is conditionally divided into five blocks. The territory stretch from jungle thickets far inland to the Indian Ocean beaches. Main target in Yala National Park are leopards, who seem completely indifferent to jeeps with tourists.

There are about 50 leopards that live on the territory of Yala National Park in Sri Lanka. If you want to take great photos, you should think in advance about purchasing lenses for high-quality shooting. Although no one guarantees that you will be able to meet these graceful animals at all.

You can also have a chance to see Sri Lankan elephants, langur, blue-tailed bee eater, painted stork and many other birds, animals and reptiles.

Tsunami that has happened in 2004 changed the appearance of safari park. 250 people – employees of the nature park were killed. Hotel built on the beach was completely destroyed. Now jeeps with tourists stop at the spacious empty area for a break. But it is noteworthy that the animals did not die during this terrible tragedy.

Best Jeep Safari Tours to Yala National Park

GetYourGuide booking service offers variety of jeep safari tours to Yala National Park in Sri Lanka from different locations, for different periods of time (day tours, half day safari experience, Yala safari packages, visits in the morning or afternoon hours, safari tours to Yala National Park for several days). Choose the best option from those mentioned below, click the link and make your booking.

Safari day tour to Yala National Park from Tangalle.

Safari tour to Yala park during the “golden hours”. The first and last two park working hours are considered the golden hours. Tours depart from hotels limited to the following locations: Kirinda, Tissamaharama, Kataragama, Hambantota.

One-day safari tour with visit to two national parks: Yala and Udawalawe. You are invited to spend the first half of the day in Yala National Park (departure from the hotel at 5.00 am), and in the afternoon before the park closes visit Udawalawe.

Yala National Park Entrance Fee

Visit to Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is possible only with a group and a guide. There are three timing options available:

• 12 hours (from 6 am to 6 pm);
• 6.00 am (from opening until noon);
• 6.00 pm (from noon till closing).

There is no recommendation in regards to the best time for visiting and booking the tickets, because no one knows where animals can be at particular time and all you can do is to hope for good luck.

Tickets must be booked in advance on the official website, because only three hundred groups of tourists can participate in safari on a daily basis. And since Yala nature reserve is a very popular place, all tickets can be taken apart before you.

In addition to the entrance ticket, you have to pay additionally park fee (from 1 to 10 dollars/ per person, depending on the season) and rent a car with a guide. To book a car for 6 hours costs $ 40, for 12 hours – $ 75. One car can accommodate up to six people, the price is shared among all the participants.

Whether you need a guide or just a driver with a car will be enough – it’s up to you. Drivers usually either speak very little English or do not speak at all. The guide can help you choose the best road, tell you about the behavior of animals, and answer your questions.

If you are ready to spend money and looking for vivid impressions, then you can stay in the park for a night: there are special campsites or you can book a bungalow. It is prohibited to drink alcohol or leave trash.

How to get to Yala National Park

By Bus From Colombo

The first option is bus number 32 (Colombo-Kataragama), there are 25 trips per day. It takes at least eight hours to travel, ticket price depends on the type of comfort of the bus.

The second option is bus number 3 that follows the same itinerary. The bus only runs once a day, travel time is seven hours. Yala national park is not their final destination, so it’s better to inform driver in advance where you’re going in order not to miss your stop.

Buses from Negombo

You can take bus numbers 3 and 270. It takes at least eight hours to go, there are no comfortable buses with conveniences on this itinerary.

Bus from Galle

Bus from Galle city will take eight hours, it runs once a day.

Book Full-Day Yala National Park from Galle/Mirissa/Unawatuna.

There are also buses from other cities, you can check their numbers and timetables at the stations. Check, if such cities like Kataragama or Tissamaharama are mentioned as one of destination points. Almost all transport to these cities will bring you to the park. Usually, park visitors arrive to these cities for overnight stay in order to spend enough time in the park.

Park Safety Rules

There are many predators living in the park, so be sure to follow certain safety rules:

1. Do not try to walk or drive alone in the park.
2. Animals feeding is prohibited.
3. You can dine during the safari only in special places, otherwise the smell of food will attract predators.
4. It is forbidden to smoke and leave trash.
5. Put your phone in silent mode.
6. Flash photography is not allowed.

If you follow this simple guide, a visit to Yala National Park will become one of the most vivid memories from your trip to Sri Lanka.

Best Time to Visit Yala Park, Sri Lanka

Yala Nature Reserve opens its doors to tourists almost all year round. In August – September, it closes to give animals some rest and carry out some work to improve the park area. The exact dates are indicated on the park’s website.

The peak season is considered to be from December to April, so it’s better to plan your visit during this period.

The chances to see leopards are higher during high season, which usually occurs in February and March. But be ready that there will be a lot of jeeps with tourists and no guarantees that you will see leopards.

You can see most of the animals during dry season which lasts from February to June. During this time the ponds become shallow and the animals come out to the water.

In addition to Yala Park, Sri Lanka has many other national parks and places to observe wild animals and marine mammals, like whales and dolphins.

Yala National Park Video Tour

Yala National Park FAQ