Visiting Yala National Park : The Ultimate Guide
Yala National Park is Sri Lanka’s most popular wildlife park due to the presence of many leopards. Sri Lanka is one of the few countries in the world where the population lives side-by-side with free-roaming animals. It isn’t uncommon to see elephants crossing roads or sneaking into a hotel lobby – a unique and beautiful way of living. Unfortunately, there can be negative encounters, and parks like Yala provide a safe space for the animals. Here’s everything you need to need about Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.
Chapters
About Yala National Park
Where is Yala National Park Situated?
Yala National Park Safari tours
Is Yala Worth Visiting ?
About Yala National Park
An enormous part of the Sri Lankan southeast corner is Yala National Park. The park is divided into five blocks. They stretch from the jungles inland to the beaches on the Indian Ocean. Only blocks one and five are open to the public, to preserve the natural habitat as much as possible.
The Kind of Animal in Yala National Park
Herds of elephants, crocodiles, deer, monkeys, buffaloes, birds, sloth bears, leopards, and many more. Sri Lanka has 20+ national parks, but the large variety of animals is what draws many visitors to Yala National Park specifically.
The wildlife is very rich in Sri Lanka. Therefore, doing a jeep safari through the grassy plains, and along the lagoons will ensure that you spot a lot of wildlife.
Leopards in Yala National Park
Yala National Park is one of the best places in the world for spotting leopards. There are 40 to 50 leopards in Yala.However, this does not completely ensure the sighting of leopards. First of all: they are shy. Add the size of the park to this, and you are left with a 50/50 chance of spotting leopards.
Where is Yala National Park situated?
Yala National Park is situated in the south-eastern corner of Sri Lanka. It is the second largest National Park in Sri Lanka.It is the most preferred National Park in Sri Lanka by local and foreign visitors both. Yala National Park is famous for its great diversity of animals and birdlife. Other than that it has biggest density of Leopards and it’s a well-known place in world to spot Leopards. The habitats found in the park are wide-ranging, from freshwater lakes to beaches, rocky outcrops to green plains and jungle. Yala National Park covers around 979 square kilometers and located about 300 Kilometers from Colombo.
Yala National Park Safari Tour
Jeeps are allowed to enter Yala National Park two times a day; at 6 AM in the morning and 2 PM in the afternoon. According to the rangers, there is no perfect timeframe to choose from. A Yala tour takes about 4 hours.
Do I Need a Guide?
A park guide is not required, However a guide is very useful to spot animals, pick the best route, and explain how the circle of life works within the park. This gives you a better understanding of the animal’s behavior, and you can ask questions throughout the safari.
Is Yala Worth Visiting?
Yala National Park is a unique experience and one of the must-sees of Sri Lanka. The park is worth visiting at all times of the year. However, planning your visit during peak season (December to April) is recommended.
While in peak leopard season (Feb + Mar), you should keep in mind that you will not be the only jeep around and that seeing leopards cannot be guaranteed. On the other hand, large herds of elephants with babies are easy to spot in the park.