Yala

Yala National Park is a huge area of forest, grassland and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean, in southeast Sri Lanka. It’s home to wildlife such as leopards, elephants and crocodiles, as well as hundreds of bird species. Inland, Sithulpawwa is an ancient Buddhist monastery. Nearby caves contain centuries-old rock paintings. Southwest, Magul Maha Viharaya also has ancient Buddhist ruins. Both are pilgrimage sites.

Yala combines a strict nature reserve with a national park. Divided into 5 blocks, the park has a protected area of nearly 130,000 hectares of land consisting of light forests, scrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons. Two blocks are currently opened to the public.

Situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east hugging the panoramic Indian Ocean, Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was designated a national park in 1938. Ironically, the park was initially used as a hunting ground for the elite under British rule. Yala is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted dear, peacocks, and crocodiles. The best time to visit Yala is between February and July when the water levels of the park are quite low, bringing animals into the open.

Yala Night Photo

Yala Nights A thrilling date with nature

There are many ways to experience Yala National Park in Sri Lanka at night, including camping, evening safaris, and nature treks.

  • One Night Camping in Yala National Park: Spend the night in tents under the stars, with meals and drinks, and explore the park with a private guide
  • Yala Evening Safari: Spend the night in tents Take a safari jeep tour in the evening with an English-speaking driver, and see the park's wildlife

Yala Camping Photo

Interested in camping?

The campsite can provide accommodation for a maximum of 10 people at a time. You can also have 2 kids below the age of 6 in addition to that.

Campers must be fully aware of the rules of the park and expected to be in line with all of them.

Yala Bird watching Photo

Bird Watching

The number of water birds inhabiting the wetlands of Yala is around 90, and roughly half of them are migrants. These include waterfowls (Lesser Whistling Duck, Garganey), Cormorants (Little Cormorant, Indian Cormorant), large waterbirds (Grey Heron, Black-headed Ibis, Eurasian Spoonbill, Asian Openbill, Painted Stork), medium-sized waders Tringa spp., and small waders Charadrius spp. Black-necked Stork and Lesser Adjutant are some of the rare birds that can be seen in the park.

Yala Bird watching Photo

Beach Walk

While most of the long coastal stretch that hugs the park is out of bounds for the human kind, the park lets you get off at designated places. It gives you a chance to exercise your legs and take a stroll on the golden sandy beaches. The primary beach spot open to public was the location for one of the bungalows which was wiped out by the Asian Tsunami along with its occupants. Remnants of the devastation and a memorial for the dead will offer you a profound moment of silence and solitude.

Contact Us to Advertise Here