Yala National Park
Yala National Park (also known as Ruhunu National Park), is well recognized as one of the best parks in the world to observe and photograph leopards, the dominant carnivore in the park. The park is said to have one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. It is now known that the Sri Lankan leopard is an unique subspecies, distinct from its Indian relatives.
Yala consists of scrub jungle, brackish lagoons and stunning rock monoliths scattered throughout the park. The eastern boundary is the coastline. This area was declared as a protected area in 1938. The Park covers an area of over 100,000 hectares and is divided into five blocks. Block I and Block III are open to the public.
Normally, the temperature ranges from a low of 26°C to a high of 45°C depending on the time of year. The drier season falls between May and August. The Park is closed fora short time during September and October.
Yala National Park - Tour itinerary
Price
• 150 USD for per person
• 30 USD per additional person
Time and Duration
Option 1: Early Morning Safari: Depart from Galle with packed breakfast at 5.00 am and return around 1.00 pm.
Option 2: Afternoon Safari: Depart from Galle at 11.00 am and return around 8.00 pm.
Travelling Distance and Duration
About 160 km by AC Car and then you will be going on a four wheel safari JEEP about 3 hours in the park.
What is included
Transport to and from the site, Entrance tickets, Experienced Naturalist, Water Bottles, Binoculars, Sri Lankan Bird Guide Book for reference
What is not included (available on request)
Sri Lankan breakfast picnic pack or Lunch
Recommending - What to wear / Bring
Comfortable earth-colored clothes, hats/caps, insect repellent, sun block, camera
What can be seen
Birds
• Paradise Flycatchers
• Crested Hawk-eagles
• Black necked Storks
• Sri Lankan Junglefowl
• Garganey
• Brown shrike
• Marsh Sandpipers
• Common Sandpipers
• Kentish Plovers
• Little Ringed Plovers
• Common Redshanks
• Serpent Eagle
• White-bellied Sea Eagle
• Black Eagle
• Racket-tailed Drongo
• Malabar Pied Hornbills
• Woolly Necked Stork
• Open Bills
• Ibis
• White bested Kingfisher
• Stork-billed Kingfisher
• Peacocks
• Forest Wagtails
• Indian Pittas
• Whiskered Terns
• Osprey
• Red Wattled Lapwing
• Yellow Wattled Lapwing
Mammals
• Leopard
• Asian Elephant
• Sloth Bear
• Grey Langur
• Toque Macaque
• Spotted Deer
• Sambur Deer
• Barking Deer
• Wild Boar
• Wild Buffalo
• Jackal
• Flying Fox
• Giant squirrel
Reptiles
• Marsh Mugger Crocodile
• Saltwater Crocodile
• Water Monitor
• Land Monitor
• Green Garden Lizard
Trees
Milla (Vitex altissma)
Palu (Manilkara hexandra)
Weera (Dryptes sepiaria)
Wood Apple (Limonia accidissima)
Mustard Tree (Salvadora persica
