national park · Yala · 186km from Colombo

Yala National Park is Sri Lanka's best-known wildlife park and the island's most reliable place to see a leopard. It covers about 979 km² of dry scrub, lagoons and granite outcrops on the south-east coast. Block 1, entered at Palatupana, has the most leopards and the most jeeps; Blocks 5 and 6 are quieter. You can also see sloth bears, elephants, crocodiles and over 200 bird species.

Best time to visit

February to June, when the park is dry and animals gather at water holes. Block 1 often closes for a few weeks around September to mid-October.

Typical visit duration

Half day (3 to 5 hours) or a full day

Tips

Be at the gate before 5:45am to reach the leopard rocks first. Foreigners pay a separate ticket, bring your passport. Ask your driver to keep a respectful distance at sightings. Bring a hat, water and a scarf for the dust.