Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from if you purchase something through them. This comes at no extra cost to you!
Yala National Park is the most visited national park in Sri Lanka, where diverse wildlife roams freely in their natural habitats and beautiful grasslands and wetlands dominate the landscape.
At a whopping 1268 km² it is the second largest park in the country and is home to lush green forests, lakes and tranquility. Yala boasts some of the most stunning scenery in Sri Lanka, but it also contains one of the largest densities of leopards in the world, a rare sighting that many visitors can only dream about.
As well as constantly scouring the land for the elusive leopards, visitors can watch monkeys and deer mingle together, get up close and personal with the many shy but gentle elephants, try to tell the difference between a rock and a sunbathing crocodile, and keep an eye out for the 200 different bird species in the area while venturing around the huge park. It really is like taking a drive through Africa, except for a fraction of the price!
In this guide I’ve explained everything you need to know before you go, including how to get around, what to expect, 12 handy tips and a review of my personal experience.
- Capital: Colombo
- Population: 23 million
- Language: Sinhala, Tamil, English
- Currency: Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR): £1/$1 = 390/313 LKR
- SIM cards: I highly recommend getting a SIM card for your travels in Sri Lanka. This means you can use apps like Uber or Grab for cheaper taxi fares but it also means you never need to rely on WiFi for internet. Get an affordable E-SIM here: Sri Lanka: eSIM Roaming Mobile Data Plan
- Visa info: Tourists are required to have a visa before arriving in Sri Lanka, called an ETA, for which the costs is $30 USD. Apply for an ETA online here.
Where is it
Yala National Park is located in the far southeast of Sri Lanka, about 20km from the town of Tissamaharama (also known as Tissa).
Check it out on the interactive map below.
How to get to Tissa
Online resources for travel around Sri Lanka are poor and the best way to get around this part of the country is to inquire about public transport in person.
There are a couple of different ways to reach Tissa, although it can be quite tricky to get to.
- Bus
Buses connect many popular Sri Lankan towns, but Tissamaharama doesn’t actually have very many links.
In Ella you can arrange a bus to Kataragama and then transfer to Tissa, which is what I did. In total the journey from Ella is about 3 hours including the transfer time and is a fun and affordable experience. My bus from Ella to Katargama was just 220 LKR.
From towns on the south coast like Galle and Mirissa you can take a local bus directly to Tissa.
- Private driver
Hiring a private driver is the most convenient way to get around certain regions of Sri Lanka.
You can reach Tissa from almost anywhere in the bottom half of the country in a few hours and a private vehicle will drop you at the door of your accommodation, some of which are far from the town centre.
Private drivers are on the costly side and will set you back close to $50 USD per day. They can be arranged at many accommodations and tour agencies in Sri Lanka.
Check out the tour below to combine your journey south from Ella with a stop at Yala.
How to get around Yala
To visit Yala you must book a safari. The driver will collect you from your accommodation on the day of the safari and take you to the national park.
- 4×4 Jeep safari
By far the best way to see all that Yala has to offer is in a Jeep with a local driver. Although they aren’t a traditional guide they’ll find many points of interest you would otherwise never see, such as snakes in the trees and sunbathing crocodiles.
Local drivers know their way around the park and where the animals will be at certain times of the day. They are also in constant communication with one another so if a driver spots a leopard, for example, he’ll let all the other drivers know.
The trucks are open air so you get a 360° view with no windows obscuring the stunning landscape and it allows you to get up close an personal with nosy elephants.
Safaris can be booked at your accommodation or at many places in Tissa the day before you plan to visit. Alternatively, here are links to three of the best Yala safaris online:
Expected costs for Yala
All things considered, it’s a pretty damn affordable place to do a safari!
As mentioned above, to see Yala in all it’s glory you’ll want to be in an open-top Jeep with a driver. My partner and I paid 8,500 LKR ($26 USD) each for a private car for the day but group tours will be much less than this.
To save money try to find other travellers to share a car with and split the cost as the price is usually per vehicle.
When to go
- Opening times
Entrance is only permitted to Yala either when it opens at 6am or at 2pm in the afternoon.
The morning safaris are the most popular as these are the most active times for animals while they hunt and drink at first light before finding shade throughout the heat of the day.
- Best time of year
The best time of year to visit is from February to June (the dry season), with the peak season to spot leopards being between February and March. This is the recommended time as animals can be spotted more frequently at watering holes as the land gets dryer.
That said, prices are cheaper outside of peak season and the park won’t be as congested, so I guess it’s up to you. I visited in February and it was extremely busy even when it opened at 6 am – and I mean busy!
A successful visit to the National park has a lot to do with luck, and you’ll have to be very lucky to clasp eyes on certain creatures no matter the time of year.
How much time to allow
Safaris usually last 4 – 5 hours which is the perfect amount of time.
On a 6am safari you’ll be collected from your accommodation at around 4:30am and dropped off again around 12pm. Afternoon safaris last from 2pm to roughly 6pm plus driving time to Yala.
You can also stay in various accommodations inside the national park if you want to fully immerse yourself in this natural wonderland and spend as much time as possible in it.
12 Yala tips and FAQs
1. The five zones within Yala
Yala National Park is divided into five zones, only two of which are open to tourism.
The two zones that you can visit are zones 1 and 5, with the others being protected Nature Reserves that are closed to the public and used only for research purposes. It may sound like you’re missing out on seeing most of the park, but Zone 1 alone is a whopping 144 km² and it is in this huge area is where most of the wildlife can be found.
From sprawling grasslands to watering holes, towering trees and even a beach, the two public zones have it all.
2. Wildlife to look for
One amazing thing about Yala is the abundance and diversity of wildlife inside.
There are certain animals that you’re almost guaranteed to see on a half-day safari, but also some that prefer to hide away from the busy dirt roads of the park. There’s no way around it – the animals you’ll see on safari in Yala largely relies on luck!
Here are the most notable animals that call Yala home:
- Elephants
- Deer (with beautiful white spots)
- Crocodiles
- Water buffalo
- Bores
- Monkeys
- Leopards
- Sloth bears
- Monitor lizards
- Over 200 bird species (eagles, peacocks and more)
You’ll get the chance to get up close and personal with some of these stunning animals, but there are some that understandably need to be viewed from a distance. Try and see if your accommodation can lend you some binoculars for the day!
The elephants are friendly and you’re guaranteed to see at least a couple of these gentle giants, however the leopards are notoriously elusive and many people who visit the park unfortunately don’t get to see any. The guides will try their best to find them throughout the day and keep you updated and entertained while you travel around.
3. Always be on the lookout
If it wasn’t for my driver I’d have missed so many animal sightings.
There’s always something to see close-by in Yala and you should always be on the lookout throughout the day. Keep one eye on the bushes and trees and one eye on your driver, who will be constantly scoping the lands and trying to point if he spots anything.
4. Aim for the 6am entrance
As previously stated, there are two times you can visit Yala: 6am or 2pm.
I really recommend visiting at 6am (when the park opens) to witness a sunrise you’ll never forget before starting the morning’s adventure.
The afternoon safaris will still be epic, but you’ll arrive in the hottest part of the day and potentially find that many animals are hiding in shaded areas or cannot be located. Not only is visiting early in the morning better to spot more wildlife as they wake and seek water and food, but it’s also best to avoid the biggest crowds and heat of the day.
5. Pack long sleeves
No matter what season you visit Sri Lanka in, it can be extremely cold before the sun comes out and it’s best to be prepared beforehand.
If you’re planning to visit Yala early in the morning, make sure you pack some warm clothes to combat the breeze in the back of the jeep.
Remember, it’s a 20km drive in the dark from Tissa to reach the entrance gate!
6. Sun protection
On that note, once the sun does eventually make an appearance it can heat up real quick.
Make sure you pack sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses to stay protected under the beating sun and heat of the day. Don’t underestimate how quickly the temperature can change!
7. Prepare for a bumpy ride
Another thing to know before you go is that the roads inside Yala are unpaved dirt roads that make for a bumpy ride, despite the capabilities of the off-road vehicles used.
Generally it’s smooth and comfortable but there will be occasions where you turn off the ‘main road’, at which point the surfaces tend to worsen. There isn’t a whole lot you can do about this, but its something to be aware of. Make sure you don’t drop your camera!
8. Manage your leopard expectations
The best piece of advice I could give is to not go to Yala expecting to see something in particular, especially a leopard. Everyone’s safari experience is different!
You have to be extremely lucky to see leopards here as there are only around 100 in the whole park and zone 1 is 144 km² alone, so it’s understandable that the chances are very slim. One could cross the road right in front of you, you might get to witness an extremely rare live kill, or on the flip-side there might not be a single sighting for a whole month!
I was lucky enough to spot two leopards through the trees towards the end of my morning, but my driver said that they saw none in the previous two days. It’s hit-or-miss and you don’t want to be disappointed, so best keep your expectations low so that they can only be exceeded!
9. Visit in shoulder season
To avoid the biggest of the crowds (and trust me, they can get damn big!) I recommend visiting in the shoulder seasons of December and July.
I visited in February which is technically the high season asit is fantastic for lots of animal sightings, but the conditions in the shoulder seasons are still ideal and far less crowded.
10. Consider a private safari
Although it’s more expensive, I’m so glad I went on a private safari as it meant I never had other people in the way of my pictures in the back of the Jeep.
You’re free to switch seats, point your camera in any direction and enjoy the 360° view without obstruction which is definitely worth the extra coin.
Book a private safari here
11. Pack a zoom lens
Having a good travel camera with a zoom lens is an essential if you want to take high-quality and memorable photos of your time here.
Your phone camera simply will not be enough to capture some of the birds and monkeys hiding in trees, let alone a shy leopard deep in the forest. I had a 200mm lens during my Yala trip and still wished I could zoom even more!
12. Bring plenty of water
Perhaps this goes without saying, but I’m going to say it anyway – take lots of water!
Once you enter the gates you won’t find anywhere to fill up or buy more and the hot temperatures can make it a sweaty day even in the shade of the Jeep.
Buy a refillable water bottle and stay hydrated throughout the day.
My experience in Yala
I visited Yala National Park in February 2020 and chose to do the sunrise safari, setting off around 5am and entering the park as the sun rose.
I’m so glad to say that I am one of the lucky people who have seen a leopard in Yala!
I was very lucky and saw every animal I wanted to see here, which is a very rare thing in Yala. I saw crocodiles, buffalo, eagles, bores and even leopards, however I was a little surprised at how few elephants I saw during the entire morning. I only saw one lone gentle giant and no large herds on the grassy plains to fit the typical Yala scene. Still, I got up close with that one elephant in its natural habitat so I can’t really complain – it was awesome.
As it was February, there were a lot of other vehicles in the park and admittedly a lot more than I was expecting. Early in the morning a driver came over the radio saying they had spotted a leopard and I naively believed we were going to be one of the few lucky people who got the message. Well, seemingly every vehicle in the zone had got the message and it turned into a bit of a frenzy and a small traffic jam occurred. This is normal for Yala as every driver wants their passengers to have the best experience, but it did get a bit hectic for a few minutes and the true Sri Lankan driving styles were out on full display!
The leopards are super hard to spot but after around 15 minutes of sitting still and staring into the bushes I saw some movement and managed to spot two of them about 30 metres away. SO COOL!
Overall, it’s impossible to leave a surreal place like this disappointed. The animals roam freely and you are the guest. That’s a humbling feeling for sure.
This is an amazing stop in Sri Lanka, and one that everyone should have on their travel itineraries in the country.
Where to stay
The best place to stay to visit Yala National Park is the town of Tissamaharama.
Here there are loads of accommodation choices suitable for any budget, although most are mid-range rather than budget hostels etc. All of them will offer to help you book a safari.
I stayed at Thihawa Eco Huts which was fantastic and it felt like I was already in the national park with all the wildlife around.
Best tours in Yala
Thank you for reading this travel guide – I hope you found it helpful! Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible 
Happy travelling!
HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLANNING YOUR TRIP
Accommodation: Booking.com, Hostelworld
Tours: GetYourGuide, Viator, Klook, TripAdvisor
Transport: 12Go, Omio, Trip.com, Rome2Rio
WHO IN THE WORLD IS JAMES?
Click below to learn more about my story, including 5 random facts about me, some travel FAQ’s and my entire travel history.
