Yala safari FAQ: Everything guests ask before they book.

A shared jeep safari in Yala costs US$26 per person for 4 hours, US$40 for 7 hours and US$65 for a full day. A private jeep for up to 6 people costs US$60 for 4 hours, US$86 for 7 hours and US$140 for a full day. Park entrance is paid on site.

A half-day (4-hour) safari suits most first visits: it covers the early morning or late afternoon, when animals are most active, from US$26 per person shared or US$60 for a private jeep. A full day gives you more time to cover the park and wait at sightings, for US$65 per person shared or US$140 per private jeep.

No, not on the Yala, Yala Block 5 & 6 and Bundala jeep safaris: park entrance fees are paid on site, about US$43 per foreign adult in Yala. On the Yala tours you can pre-pay the tickets when you book (US$43 per adult, US$22 per child) and we buy them at the gate. The Yala private jeep safari with entrance tickets (from US$140 for 2 people, 4 hours) and the two shore excursions from Hambantota Port do include the park entrance.

For three or more travellers a private jeep is cheaper: US$60 for the whole jeep against US$78 for three people on a shared 4-hour safari. For two people sharing is cheaper, at US$52 against US$60.

For leopards, the best safari in Sri Lanka is Yala National Park, which has the highest density of leopards recorded in the country. For elephants, Udawalawe National Park is the most reliable, and for birds, Bundala National Park, a Ramsar wetland, is the best choice. Yala and Bundala are 20-40 minutes from Tissamaharama; Udawalawe is about 2 hours away.

Yala National Park in south-east Sri Lanka is the best place to see leopards, especially Block 1, near the Palatupana gate. Wilpattu National Park in the north-west is the other main leopard park. Sightings are never guaranteed; early-morning and late-afternoon drives give the best chance.

A Yala safari with us lasts 4 hours (a half-day safari, starting at 5:00 AM or 2:00 PM), 7 hours (starting at 5:00 AM, with breakfast) or a full day (starting at 5:00 AM, with breakfast and lunch). On a full day, park rules require a lunch break from 12:00 to 2:00 PM at Patanangala Beach or a river area.

Early morning is best: the 5:00 AM start reaches the park as it opens, when leopards and elephants are still active and the light is good for photographs. The 4-hour evening safari from 2:00 PM is the next best, ending in golden light.

February to July is the best stretch: the park is dry, animals gather at waterholes and leopard sightings are at their most frequent. Bundala is best from December to March, when the migrant birds are in.

Yala Block 1 usually closes for about six weeks from early September to mid-October each year for maintenance, but the exact dates are set annually by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Ask us for this year's dates - when Block 1 is shut we run safaris in Bundala or in Yala Blocks 5 and 6 instead.

No one can promise a leopard - this is wild country and the animals move where they like. Yala Block 1 has the highest leopard density in Sri Lanka, our trackers know the territories, and a longer drive improves your chances, but we will never guarantee a sighting.

Udawalawe is the most reliable park for elephants, with herds visible all year on open grassland. Yala holds around 350 elephants and Bundala has between 15 and 60 depending on the season, with December the best month there.

Bundala is the best park for birds: it is a Ramsar wetland and UNESCO biosphere reserve where lagoons and dunes draw thousands of waterbirds, especially from December to March. Yala is also one of Sri Lanka's 70 Important Bird Areas, with more than 215 species and 6 endemics.

Six. One jeep carries up to 6 passengers, and a private jeep costs the same whether there is one of you or six (the private safari with entrance tickets is priced by group size, 2 to 6 people). Shared safaris are booked for 2 to 6 people. For 7 or more people message us on WhatsApp and we will arrange extra jeeps.

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included from Tissamaharama, Kataragama, Kirinda, Weerawila, Mahasenpura, Debarawewa, Pannegamuwa Junction, Yoda Kandiya, Sella Kataragama, Palatupana. Shore excursions start and end at Hambantota Port or Shangri-La Hambantota.

Yes, children are welcome; each child takes a seat and is priced the same as an adult. A private jeep is the easier option with small children because you set your own pace and can turn back early.

Bring a hat, sunscreen, a light jacket for the cold early start, a camera and your passport, which is needed when the entrance tickets are bought. Drinking water is included on every safari, and binoculars on the shared Yala safari.

You can pay online by PayPal or card when you book, or by bank transfer once we have confirmed your booking. If we cannot run your date, an online payment is refunded in full. The park entrance fee is paid separately, and we will tell you the current amount when we confirm.

Cancel 24 hours or more before the start time and you get a full refund; inside 24 hours there is no refund. If a safari has to be cancelled for bad weather, you choose between a new date and a full refund.

Yes. We run two shared shore excursions from Hambantota Port: Yala National Park at US$70 per person with the Yala entrance ticket included, and Udawalawe with the Elephant Transit Home at US$80 per person with the safari jeep and entrance fee included. Pickup and drop-off are at Hambantota Port or Shangri-La Hambantota.

Tap Book now, choose your safari, date, start time and guests, then add your details at checkout. You can pay straight away by PayPal or card, or send the booking on WhatsApp or by email and pay by bank transfer once we confirm.