Yala National Park: Ultimate Guide

Traveling to Sri Lanka? This is your Yala National Park Ultimate Guide.

Sri Lanka, a beautiful coastal country in southern Asia, is home to nature in its truest form. The landscapes, wildlife, and local culture make it one of the top travel destinations in the world. Yala National Park in Sri Lanka is a place that a tourist must visit.

This article focuses on various queries that visitors often have before going to Yala National Park. We have curated a detailed article for you that will help you know all the details about this national park. Let us first begin by learning more about this place.

About Yala National Park

Situated in the southeastern region of Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is the second largest national park in this nation. It covers an area of 979 sq. km. with its rich biodiversity, ecosystems, and wildlife. Yala received the designation of a national park in 1938. But before that, in 1900, it was already designated as a wildlife sanctuary.

Like many national parks around the world, Yala was also used as a hunting ground for the British during their rule in Sri Lanka.

The Yala National Park is divided into 5 blocks from 1 to 5. But only some of these blocks are open to the public. Visitors are allowed to block 1, 4, and 5. Block 1 is the most popular and highly visited by tourists.

It is the leopard population here that attracts the most tourists. Do you know Yala National Park is called as the Leopard Capital? Not only this, Yala’s landscapes include dense jungles, open grasslands, freshwater lakes, and coastal lagoons.

These landscapes provide diverse living conditions to flora and fauna. This is why Yala National Park is considered one of the richest wildlife areas of the country. But one must note that even if Yala has a lush green look, it is located in a hot and semi-arid area.

The temperature here ranges from 26 degrees to 30 degrees Celsius. So be prepared for hot days here. At Yala, various activities take place. The most popular being the jungle safari, nightcamping, birdwatching, and conservation learning, to name a few.

Best time to visit

The dry season is the most prominent time to visit Yala National Park. The months from February to July have low water levels and thus, wildlife sightings become easy. The animals gather around water sources, so you can spot them.

As Sri Lanka is a tropical country, the climate here is warm. September to mid-October is sometimes a rough season. And so, the national park might be closed. It is also sometimes closed for maintenance reasons.

Hence, visiting during the dry season will increase your chances of spotting leopards, elephants, sloth bears, and a variety of bird species. February to July are also the best months to explore other parts of Sri Lanka.

If you love beaches and want to try water adventures, these months are the best for that. Plan your trip to explore Yala National Park and other locations in Sri Lanka.

Things to see

Yala National Park offers a wide range of natural attractions and wildlife sightings. Visiting this national park will give you the memory of a lifetime. Various blocks of this national park have different sightings. First of all, let us discuss the main attraction of the national park, the wildlife.

Yala National Park has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. For this, be present in block 1. You will get to see many leopards here. Asian elephants in herds can be spotted the best in Yala. Here, more than 215 bird species can be seen. These also include migratory birds. You get to see Sri Lankan grey hornbills, painted storks, and rare black-necked storks. Spotted deer, sloth bears, wild boars, and golden jackals are a few mammals that can be sighted at Yala National Park.

When it comes to reptiles and amphibians, mugger crocodiles, monitor lizards, many snake species and endemic Sri Lankan tree frog are found here.

Let us now also discuss the natural landscapes. Block 1 is a popular section of Yala National Park. It is also known as Ruhuna National Park. The diverse ecosystems attract higher concentration of wildlife to this area. Thus, block 1 becomes a must-visit area.

Magul Maha Viharaya is an ancient Buddhist monastery inside the national park. It offers a glimpse of the historical and cultural heritage of the area. It is believed that marriage of King KavanTissa and Vihara Maha Devi took place here.

Buttala is a nearby archaeological site. The ruins here date back to the ancient Ruhuna kingdom. An ancient rock, Sithulpauwwa, is a place of worship here. According to a legend, this ancient rock temple accommodated around 12,000 monks.

Campsites are available inside the national park. Up to 10 people are allowed at one campsite. You can carry your tent but make sure to check the rules online. You can also go beach walking. Katagamuwa, Heena Lake, Ondaje, Buttawa Lake, and Palatupane are a few sites inside the Yala National Park where you can spot elephants, leopards, and bears.

Location

Yala National Park is situated in the southeastern corner of Sri Lanka. It spans over the districts of Hambantota and Monaragala. The park is at a distance of 300 km from Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. You can travel from Colombo to Yala National Park by road.

There are various ways to reach Yala. First of all, you can take a direct road trip to reach Yala from Colombo. Secondly, you can travel from Kandy via Nuwara Eliya. In either case, the main town you need to reach is Tissemaharamaya.

You can also travel from Galle to Yala National Park. This route will be through Matara. And lastly, you can visit Yala from Arugam Bay via Kataragama. The location of Yala Natiopnal Park is such that the direct road connectivity makes it easier to reach.

You can reach any gate of the national park. Entry is allowed from all the gates and jeeps are also available.

Opening times

Yala National Park is open throughout the year. But in the event of a severe drought, the national park may be closed from September to mid-October. If so, it will be announced on the official website. Therefore, make sure to check the website before creating any plans.

The official opening hours of Yala National Park are 6 am to 6 pm every day. If you want to spot a greater number of species, you must visit the park early in the morning or late in the afternoon. These are the times when animals are the most active.

A benefit of visiting early in the morning is that you get to spot more species of birds. The sunrise, sound of nature, and cool air make Yala National Park worth visiting in the early hours of the day.

Ticket prices

When it comes to ticket prices, there are various packages available here. Thus, cost varies for each package. There are full day and half day safari options for various blocks. Charges differ based on the block you choose. Here are the details-

For block 1 (Palatupana or Katagamuwa), half-day= LKR 16,900/-

For block 1 (Palatupana or Katagamuwa), full-day= LKR 28,100/-

For block 4 & 5 (Galge)- half-day= LKR 19,800/-

For block 4 & 5 (Galge)- full-day= LKR 29,700/-

NOTE– the above-mentioned charges are for per jeep with 6 people.

Yala National Park offers a 3-day stay inside the park at its bungalows. You need to pay different rates for each night. There are a total of 7 bungalows and each can accommodate around 10 people at once.

For Warahena, Mahasilawa, New Buthawa, and Old Buthawa Bungalows, the costs are-

First night= LKR 8008/-

Second night= LKR 14,504/-

Third night= LKR 21,000/-

For Ondaatje Bungalow–

First night= LKR 6,888/-

Second night= LKR 12,264/-

Third night= LKR 17,640/-

For Heenwewa and Thalgasmankada Bungalows–

First night= LKR 5,768/-

Second night= LKR 10,024/-

Third night= LKR 14,280/-

We suggest you book the tickets online through the official website of Yala National Park.

Conclusion

This was it for our Yala National Park Ultimate Guide. We have tried to disclose all the essential information that one must know before going to the land of the leopards. Use this article to plan your trip to Yala.

Please ensure you book the tickets in advance to avoid the queue. Before visiting Yala National Park, make sure to read the visitor guide online. You must also know which species you are about to spot at Yala. That is why we have mentioned all such details in the about section of this blog.

There are a lot of activities that you can try at Yala National Park. This you will find under the things to see section. The separate section on timings, location, and tickets makes it easier to find the information that you are seeking.

Remember, do not litter around the park. Keep the environment clean for the animals.