The best chance of a leopard in Sri Lanka.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park is Sri Lanka's best park for leopards: about 469 square miles in six blocks, of which Blocks 1, 5 and 6 are open to visitors, reached in 20-40 minutes from Tissamaharama.
- Leopards, sloth bears, elephants, birds
- February - July (Block 1 usually shut early Sept - mid Oct)
- 20-40 minutes to the Palatupana gate
- Private jeep US$68 for 4 hours
Way more than just leopards
Yala holds 44 mammal species and around 350 elephants, so even on a quiet leopard day the park is busy with animals.
You will almost certainly see wild water buffalo, wild boar, spotted deer and sambar. With luck you may find a golden palm civet or a red slender loris. Sloth bears are easier to see when the palu fruit is in season.
Birdwatching in Yala
Yala is one of Sri Lanka's 70 Important Bird Areas, with more than 215 recorded species.
Six of them are endemic to Sri Lanka: the Sri Lanka grey hornbill, Sri Lanka junglefowl, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, black-capped bulbul, brown-capped babbler and crimson-fronted barbet. Winter brings migrants including pelicans, spoonbills, peregrine falcons and serpent eagles.
Reptiles
The park has 47 reptile species, five of them endemic - including the mildly venomous Sri Lankan flying snake.
Both mugger and saltwater crocodiles live here, and all five globally endangered sea turtle species come ashore on the coast.
Yala's blocks, and which one to book
Yala covers about 469 square miles in six blocks. Blocks 1, 5 and 6 are open to visitors. Block 2 needs special permission and two 4WD jeeps, Block 3 is closed, and Block 4 is a strict reserve.
Block 1 has the highest leopard density and is the busiest. Most jeeps enter at the Palatupana gate; the Katagamuwa gate is quieter but about 45 minutes further.
Blocks 5 and 6 are quiet, with excellent elephants and birds and fewer leopards. They are entered through the Galge gate near Buttala. Block 6 is Lunugamvehera, with a gate near Thanamalwila; its reservoir alone has recorded more than 184 bird species.
Gates
Palatupana (busiest, closest), Katagamuwa (quieter, about 45 minutes further), Galge near Buttala for Blocks 5 and 6
Orientation
The blocks, mapped.
Available here
Safaris in Yala
- Yala Morning Safari Tour (4 Hours)
- Yala Afternoon Safari (4 Hours)
- Yala 6 Hours Morning Safari
- Yala Full Day Safari (Lunch & Cool Water included)
- Yala National Park Private Jeep Safari with Entrance Ticket
- Private Jeep Safaris Tour in Yala National Park
- 7-Hour Wildlife Shared Jeep Safari in Yala National Park
- Yala National Park Safari Shared Tour from Hambantota Port
Planning
Yala questions
What guests ask before they choose this park.
01How much does a Yala safari cost?
A 4-hour private jeep safari in Yala costs US$68 per jeep for up to 6 people, and a shared seat starts at US$58 for one or two travellers. A 6-hour private safari is US$75 and a full day is US$110 per jeep. Park entrance tickets are paid separately.
02Are park tickets included in the price?
On our own Yala and Bundala jeep safaris the tickets are not included: your payment covers the jeep, driver and guide only, and you buy the park entrance ticket separately, which is about US$43 per foreign adult in Yala. Our Viator listings with tickets included are priced differently and say so.
03What is the best time of day for a Yala safari?
Early morning is best: the 4:30 AM start puts you at the gate as it opens, when leopards and elephants are still active and the light is good for photographs. The afternoon drive from 1:45 PM is the next best, ending in golden light.
04What is the best month to visit Yala?
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.
05Is Yala closed in September?
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.
06Will I definitely see a leopard?
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.
07Which park is best for elephants?
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.
08Which park is best for birds?
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.