Yala is the island nation's most famous National Park and is a popular attraction for locals and tourists who love nature and wildlife. It is one of the best means of experiencing Sri Lanka’s amazing indigenous wildlife, living close to its natural terrain. Here are some tips and tricks to make your visit to Yala extra special!
About Yala
Yala National Park is located on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka, bordering the Indian ocean. It is divided into 5 blocks; however, only 1 and 5 remain open for visitors. This is to ensure the terrain remains undisturbed as much as possible. Yala is home to a range of animals; its famous inhabitants include the Sri Lankan elephant, spotted deer, sloth bear, Sri Lankan leopard, wild cat, buffalo, crocodile, purple-faced leaf monkey, and Toque macaque. Most of these animal species are endemic to Sri Lanka, plus, there is a range of endemic birds, insects, reptiles and fauna thriving within the park.
How to get there
A train journey from Colombo Fort Railway Station will take about 9 hours. Board a train that goes to Haputale – from there, it is another hour’s journey to Yala. There are two trains, one at 9:45 am and one at 8:00 pm. If you prefer to travel by bus, board one bound to Kataragama from the Colombo Fort bus terminal. The trip will take around 8.5 to 9 hours to Katagarama – from there, it's a 30-minute drive to Yala. The fastest method would be to rent a car from Colombo to Yala. The city of Tissamaharama is the primary entrance. Visitors can stay in the city or overnight inside the park to make the most of their visit. Staying at a Yala hotel the likes of Cinnamon Wild Yala is a great way to experience wildlife and the natural beauty of the terrain.
Safari Tours
A safari tour is the best way to see the animals. Guided safari tours on jeeps will allow you to travel into the jungles to discover many treasures in landscape and animals. The ideal time for the safari is at the crack of dawn to spot numerous birds and wildlife.
The big four include the Sri Lankan leopard, elephant, sloth bear and wild water buffalo. If you are lucky, you may get to spot all of these incredible beasts living in their natural habitat. Some 44 varieties of mammals reside in the park, and Yala has one the highest concentration of leopards in the world! There are 25 leopards roaming block 1. The number of elephants is around 300- 350. The fishing cat, golden palm civet and the red slender loris are all endangered species living within the park. The torque macaque an endemic monkey species is a common sighting.
There are around 215 species of birds, most of which are migrants, of which seven are endemic to Sri Lanka. These seven include Sri Lankan grey hornbill, Sri Lanka wood pigeon, Sri Lanka jungle fowl, black-capped bulbul, crimson–fronted barbet, blue-tailed bee-eater, and Brown-capped babbler. Rare migrant birds such as purple herons, lesser flamingos, egrets, night herons, purple swamphen, and oriental darter can be spotted among the lagoons and a wide variety of amphibians.
Safari vehicles can enter Yala National Park at 6 am and at 2 pm and a typical tour takes around 4 hours.
Best times to visit
The peak season is from December to April. The best season for spotting leopards is from February to March. February to June is the dry season, which means most animals will venture out to find water. So, there is a better chance to spot the animals.
